Shallow Pockets Brimming with Fred the Red

It finally happened. I made it to my first 'football' game. And not just any old game, at any old place, but at one of the largest football clubs in the world. Hello, Man United! So nice to finally meet you, Old Trafford!

Adam and his family have season tickets for ManU, both for Champions League and Premiere League games [look at me dropping all of my new-found football knowledge on ya]. His mom had made other plans for the evening so Adam was kind enough to let me accompany him to a game vs. a Turkish club named Galatasaray [try saying that out loud, sheesh!]. For those who don't know, Manchester [United] is the Red Devils [see the little castle-age looking 'devil' in the emblem?] and their mascot is Fred the Red. Unfortunately the mascots don't get quite as involved as in American football but I did spot him briefly.

 

 

 I loved watching the fans before/during/after. Everyone was FOCUSED on football.

My first glimpse of Man United!!

 I loved that even in workingman's England the football stadiums still seem posh and royal. SIR Ferguson, Old Trafford thanks thee for thine money.

Man U ended up winning 1-nil and I so wish I could have sang along with the crowd! They have the most vile, ergo wonderfully fun, singalongs. Usually the subject of each chant was about other teams or other players- how personal [slash semi-flattering, I guess] is it to have an entire team's fan base take the time to write and then chant a song written just about you? There was this one heckler behind us that kept saying the most empassioned commentary. Overall it wasn't as crazy as games you sometimes see on the tele but then again it wasn't a massively important game. I'm crossing my fingers that I might get to experience the Man City or Liverpool game- I've heard those are straight up Green-Street-Hooligan-worthy.

Manchester after hours. I <3 MCR.

[But you will always be my first love, ATL.]