FC United of Manchester has proved all the doubters wrong and done really well for 20 years, showing how fans can run a club and keep the community involved. The club started in 2005 when Manchester United fans got fed up with the Glazer family owning their club, and they wanted to get back to what football should really be about with fans having a say and everyone getting to vote on stuff.
- FC United got started because fans were angry about how commercial Manchester United was getting under the Glazers.
- The club’s been going strong for 20 years now showing what fans working together can do.
- FC United shows that fans care about more than just making money from football.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s Indirect Influence
Sir Alex Ferguson who was in charge of Manchester United from 1986 to 2013 kind of had something to do with FC United getting started even though he didn’t mean to. He won loads of stuff like 13 Premier League titles and 2 Champions Leagues but while he was there the club got more and more about money which made fans angry and that’s why they started FC United.
Sir Alex Ferguson sneered. Alan Gowling, the former Manchester United striker, famously said they wouldn’t last until Christmas. Yet 20 years later, FC United of Manchester are still here.
https://t.co/r5bLV6XKAq
— The Non-League Paper (@NonLeaguePaper)
May 20, 2025
Skepticism and Success
Alan Gowling who used to play striker for Manchester United, said they wouldn’t even make it to Christmas but he was totally wrong about that. The club has actually done really well for 20 years now and shows what can happen when fans stick together. FC United proves that football isn’t just about making money it’s about what the fans want.
Community Engagement and Fan Ownership
FC United does really well because the fans own it and everyone in the community gets involved. The club lets supporters have a say in everything and everyone gets to vote on important stuff which is way different than how most football clubs work nowadays. Lots of fans really like this way of doing things which is why the club keeps growing and doing good.
If you want to learn more about fans running clubs and football that’s about the community check out:
