The name Manchester United stirs up varying feelings ranging from awe to love and stretches to downright hatred, but seldom fails to evoke any feelings at all. To the millions of Utd fans or Red Devils as they are fondly called the name represents many things. Weekends cannot come fast enough for the Red Devils, so that they can catch their beloved team usually winning and more importantly winning in style. European nights are a wee bit special, with memories of Turin, Camp Nou, Old Trafford and various other stadiums still fresh in the memories like it was yesterday.
Football has always played the bridesmaid in India. Cricket is the undoubted numero uno sport in this country, where Sachin’s name is revered and Ronaldo’s would be greeted with a quizzical look. But things are changing, largely owing to ESPN Star Sports which brings us comprehensive coverage of the Barclay’s English Premier League. Football is fast catching up in the non footballing parts of the country which would be the whole of India barring Goa and Kolkata, where football is a way of life.
Orkut has aided and abetted in the growth of football with numerous communities springing up in support of various clubs. It was on Orkut that MUFCM {Manchester United Fan Club – Mumbai) was born. It was started by a die hard Utd fan Sumit Goenka and his fellow Mancunians with the sole intention of supporting the club they love outside of the virtual world and actually get together and watch Utd in action together. For those of us who are not lucky enough to visit Old Trafford, the Mecca for all Red Devils, watching them in action with fellow supporters is the second best thing.
The description on the Orkut community is very apt. Here is a little excerpt from the MUFCM community page itself.
“Introducing MUFCM, The Manchester United Fan Club of Mumbai!! This is NOT just another community on Orkut.. This is a stepping stone to forming a REAL LIFE Manchester United supporters association in our own city.”
“and maybe one day we'll see Manchester United on a pre-season tour in Mumbai!!”
“dare to dream? dare to act? here is our opportunity!!”
“GLORY GLORY MAN UNITED !!!”
We started off small and faced many hurdles, being the first of such fan clubs to emerge in Mumbai, which is notoriously pro cricket, owing in no small amount to the fact that this is the birth place of demigod Sachin (the writer himself is a huge Sachin fan). Our first few screenings took place at a hotel in far away Chembur and didn’t get the kind of participation we had hoped for. So we decided to screen the big games only, the likes of Arsenal, Chelski and Pool. We book a banquet hall (usually Hotel Avon Ruby, Dadar), where the game is shown on a projector screen and starters are on for the duration of the game.
The atmosphere is amazing, owing to the fact that we also let non-Utd supporters attend the screenings, which is largely appreciated by the large pro-Utd support too. The best moment undoubtedly has come during the screening of the Liverpool game (3rd March 07) during the second half of last season. Utd were leading the race to be the Champions of England with Chelski in hot pursuit. On that day Liverpool was the better team at Anfeild and Utd hung on till the last minute of time added on, when John O’Shea scored the GOAL!!!!!! that sent thousands at Anfeild and the Red Devils present at the screening into nirvana. To describe that moment in words is difficult but I remember my throat was hoarse for a few days as I am sure was the throat of millions more around the globe.
In terms of participation the FA cup final (19th May 07) was the biggest success. In my eyes though the biggest success of MUFCM has been to get Red Devils around Mumbai and rest assured there are plenty of us, to come together to share a common passion for football in general and Manchester United in particular. A year back I didn’t know anybody from the MUFCM community and today I am writing am article for Touchline India about this very community. The long term goal of MUFCM is to gain official recognition and to one day watch Utd play a pre-season friendly in Mumbai. In the short term we wan to increase the participation for the screenings and the various footy events we organize.
Glory Glory Man Utd!!!
Saumil Sethna, (moderator MUFCM) For MUFCM and Touchline India
