Why I hate Manchester United part 1...1979-1991

Most Arsenal fans hate Tottenham but not me. I just feel sorry for them. In over 30 years I have never seen them as a serious threat to us and unless I hadn't had it programmed into me from an early age I don't think I would even care much that about them either way now.

No, my hatred has always been reserved for Manchester United. It all started on Cup Final day in May 1979. My mum had been visiting friends in Cornwall and was travelling home on the day of the Arsenal v Manchester United FA Cup final. Apparently a group of drunken United fans had got on the train somewhere between Exeter and London (so not a recent phenomenon that United fans come from the South-East then??) and proceeded to terrorise the passengers with their aggressive behaviour. As a 9 year old, seeing my mum so upset really got to me and watching the final that day was the first time I was aware of wanting one team to really beat another. Alan Sunderland's last minute winner therefore not only made me very happy but also cemented my support for Arsenal and began my long anti-relationship with United.

The goal where it all began

My next encounter with them was four years later. The 1982-83 season was my first as a season ticket holder at Highbury and we reached the League Cup semi final where we would meet United. The first leg at Highbury was one of my worst experiences watching football. The London-based United fans, known as the Cockney Reds, smashed up the Underground on the way to the match and that was the first time I had really been aware of violence at football matches. Things did not improve once inside the ground and amid all the fighting United scored four times to all but end our Wembley dreams. I did not go to the second leg at Old Trafford a week later but I heard it had all kicked off again as they completed a 6-3 aggregate success.

The League Cup semi final programme from the night I'd rather forget

As fete would have it we were drawn to face United in the FA Cup semi final later that same season. The match, at Villa park, was my first big away trip outside of London or Ipswich and it was meant to be a day to remember. Well I would certainly remember it but not for all the right reasons. It had started well enough as a goal from Tony Woodcock, my idol at the time, gave us a half time lead and I can still recall the feeling of elation I felt when that goal went in. But it did not last. Second half efforts from Norman Whiteside and Bryan 'man of the match' Robson killed my Wembley dreams once again although it was events after the match that will live with me forever. My friend and I, both 14 the time, were with a group of Arsenal fans making our way back to the station when we were chased by a gang of United nutters in Birmingham City Centre. We somehow found ourselves in a multi-story car park where it all kicked off and me and my companion were forced to hide behind parked cars as blood was being spilt all around us. Imagine the scene at the beginning of The Football Factory when it all kicks off outside the pub, well it was almost exactly like that. Scary stuff for a 14 year old. I'm still not sure exactly how we got home that day in one piece but once again United fans had ruined my big day.

United ruined another big day

Two years later I was at an Arsenal v United game at Highbury in February 1985 when news came through that the Cockney Reds were in the Clock End and trouble was imminent. I had grown up a lot in the period since that semi final in Birmingham so when a big surge occurred mid-way through the first half and I saw United fans punching out at everyone around them, I took great satisfaction in extracting a little revenge of my own. 'That's for Villa Park,' I said as my fist connected with one of the United fans and while I am not proud of it now it certainly felt good at the time! During this little scuffle United apparently scored a goal but none of us were aware of it and in the days before mobile phones and scoreboards we left thinking the game had ended goalless. In fact when I was asked by a West Ham fan on the Underground on the way home how we had got on I told him we had drawn 0-0, so imagine my surprise then when I watched the game on Match Of The Day that evening to see Gordon Strachen had scored to give United a 1-0 win...

Gordon Strachen - scored the goal that no one saw!

The FA Cup threw us together again in February 1988 and again there was plenty of trouble on the Underground before the game. United fans are easily the worst I have ever encountered as they were always so random with their attacks, picking on innocent people as their violence seemed to be unconnected with football at all. Anyway, on this day we would come out on top both on and off the pitch. The Arsenal boys were in no mood to take it anymore and then on the pitch things got even better. A crowd of over 50,000 saw an own goal from Mike Duxberry and a great header from Alan Smith give us a 2-0 half time lead but Brian McClair pulled one back for United early in the second half. We looked set to hold on until the final minute when United won a penalty but McClair blasted the kick high into the North Bank and I have never celebrated a non-goal as much before or since. Again the phrase 'Thats for Villa Park' was rolling around in my head as I jumped around like a nutter!

Brian McClair - his misery brought so much joy

The following April I made my first trip to Old Trafford for a vital league encounter. We were top of the table but had Liverpool breathing down our necks and the papers that morning were full of pictures depicting Tony Adams as a donkey. In those days the away end at Old Trafford was a terrace behind the goal with United fans in the seats above and we spent much of the match trying to avoid stuff being thrown down at us. Classy...However it all appeared worth it when Adams headed home right in front of us and the celebrations were amazing with us all going absolutely mental. Watching the video back now is still a joy to behold as the Arsenal fans dance about behind the goal. Unfortunately Adams then scored an own goal to make it 1-1 which led to the inevitable 'Eee Orr' chants from the United fans above us, and there was a rather tricky trip back to the station to negotiate as we again encountered the neanderthal element of the United support.

Tony Adams - Scored at both ends

The ill-feeling that seemed to exist between the fans had begun to spread to the players as my next trip to Old Trafford in October 1991 saw it all kick off on the pitch. The controversial nature of our goal, where Andres Limpar's shot may or may not have crossed the line, probably didn't help but midway through the second half the United players started acting like their fans. McClair was definitely getting revenge on Nigel Winterburn for his mocking of him when he missed that late penalty three years before as he kicked him several times in back, and it all kicked off from there. It led to a mad atmosphere in the ground and an even madder trip back to the station but the repercussions saw us deducted two points and United one, although it didn't stop us winning the title again.


It all kicked off on the pitch

So there you have it, part one of the reasons why I hate Manchester United. Coming up in part two will be United's first Premier League win at Highbury, Charity Shield fun in 1993, United fans in the Clock End in 1994, Overmars wins the league 1998 and another FA Cup semi classic in 1999 including the Ryan Giggs chest wig in all its glory! Not to be missed I'm sure you'll agree...