Sir Alex Ferguson has followed in the footsteps of former Manchester United captain Roy Keane by blasting the Old Trafford faithful for failing to get behind their team.
As a result of a two-match touchline ban, Ferguson viewed the recent match against Birmingham City from the directors' box and noted that the 74,959 present were reluctant to show the Red Devils any sort of encouragement, despite being treated to an outstanding goal - and a rather bizarre celebration involving a baby's dummy - by Carlos Tevez.
"That was the quietest I have heard the crowd, it was like a funeral," he said.
"The players need the crowd sometimes but the atmosphere inside the ground wasn't good. There are some situations when we need them to get behind us and give us a lift."
The decision of Fergie to turn his hairdryer on the United supporters is reminiscent of Keane, who made headlines in 2000 when he criticised the propensity of match-goers at Old Trafford to munch on a prawn sandwich rather than voice their support for the players on the pitch.
However, Colin Hendrie, a spokesman for the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association, has defended the fans and claims they are not allowed to voice their support for fear of being ejected by the "state police".
"You can't stand up to make a noise," he complained. "If you try to stand up, you've got stewards who are ejecting you, they're taking your season ticket away from you. It's almost like a police state in a football ground now and if you do stand up, people will take your arm, put it behind the back of your neck and throw you out of the ground."
This is a complaint echoed by many, and a recent survey conducted by Football Fans Census shows that 92 per cent of fans feel they should be given the freedom to choose whether they stand in safe-standing areas or sit inside football grounds.
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21 October 2010
21 October 2010
21 October 2010
20 October 2010
20 October 2010
