Yesterday was a big day for me in sporting terms. I went to Old Trafford for the first time since giving up my season ticket following the Glazer theft of the club and his dumping of a half billion debt on it. I went at the invitation of my niece and we were sat in 'K' stand, which used to be the most feared seating section in football with some of the noisiest and most passionate fans.
In a section of the tier of seating above us were the Swiss fans from Basel, it was a European Champions League game. The Swiss were obviously Alpine mountain folk with little culture as they repeatedly sprayed us from above with fluid from cups and bottles that we couldn't determine the origin of. Not pleasant but they did make a noise, chanting and singing throughout the game.
The rest of the ground was silent for most of the game and maybe it was the lack of passion and support from the stands that contributed to United's second half performance, one that a team of geriatrics would have have been disappointed with. The whole atmosphere was flat, corporate and sterile. It was more like an early round of the Carling Cup than a European Cup game. What the hell has happened to English football? The atmosphere was draining away prior to 2005 in most grounds, it now resembles a night at the opera on last night's experience.
The best part of last night was the news after the game that Manchester City had been beaten in Munich and that Carlos Tevez had refused to play. Manchester City are like the chav who won a rollover jackpot on the lottery and then goes on the world's most vulgar spending spree. Purchases are made on the principle of showing off rather than value for money or genuine need, hence the boastful billboards when they took Tevez from United. Not so chuffed now are you City? Looks like Fergie has made you look like clowns yet again by offloading a misfit onto you .
They've also had a pop at the wealthy old aristocrats of Arsenal by getting mercenaries like Nasri and others from there. What they haven't realised is that buying a collection of greedy, money grubbing mercenaries doesn't make a team of champions. Tevez has proved that on several occasions at Manchester City, as has Balotelli and the great thing about last night was that Dzeko, another mercenary at City also threw a temper tantrum and is in the brown stuff with their manager Mancini.
The problem with football is that money has completely corrupted it and blackened its soul. But there are two clubs that have done more than others to ruin the game, Manchester City and Chelsea. Bought by vulgarians from abroad with more money than taste they have tried to buy success but don't realise that they can't buy class. Blackburn Rovers, in their own small way, managed to do it in 1995. But when their wealthy benefactor went it was obvious there was no solid foundation for the club to build on. They have achieved little since then and are now owned by a family of chicken processors from India.
Last night was the first time I've watched 'top class' football since 2005 and I won't be going again. Well done City and Chelsea, you've hammered the final nails in the coffin of English football.
