Manchester United Seasonal Blog 2019/20

[Dot]

Dot, we're having an adult debate here. Can you take your totally irrelevant illiterate rants somewhere else so we can stay on topic?

Irrelevant Illiterate rants

Your a scream Bill

All I did was mention it was strange George Best birthday never got a mention and correct you on ur stupid analogy which was 18 years out of date.

You cant even accept your assumption ( like many) was wildly inaccurate.

[murf]

Hancock did. I've already told you this.

Plucking out a few names from the many and stating they alone demonstrate that the whole approach is based only on plucking them from elsewhere at the age of 16 is also disingenuous at best. The bulk of the names listed were there from schoolboy level.

Obviously we are not going to pull the likes of Pogba and Da Silva from their families at the age of 10 - there are (or at least were - the 90 min rule was in place - not sure if that still exists tbh?) rules to prevent that happening so you legally can't do that before the age of 15/16.

Yes it would be disingenous, which is why I never said anything of the sort.

Including them in stats to demonstrate how good Man U are at bringing players through the youth system you have is what I am calling disingenous.

(I think the rule is still 16 for foreign players, higher in some countries which is why English clubs have an advantage. Lower if you are Chelsea Lots of buying families houses within 90 minutes has gone on everywhere but cracked down on more now)

[thebillfella]

Dot, we're having an adult debate here. Can you take your totally irrelevant illiterate rants somewhere else so we can stay on topic?

Irrelevant Illiterate rants

Your a scream Bill

All I did was mention it was strange George Best birthday never got a mention and correct you on ur stupid analogy which was 18 years out of date.

You cant even accept your assumption ( like many) was wildly inaccurate.

Both of which were totally irrelevant to the topic debated.

[Dot]

Dot, we're having an adult debate here. Can you take your totally irrelevant illiterate rants somewhere else so we can stay on topic?

Irrelevant Illiterate rants

Your a scream Bill

All I did was mention it was strange George Best birthday never got a mention and correct you on ur stupid analogy which was 18 years out of date.

You cant even accept your assumption ( like many) was wildly inaccurate.

Both of which were totally irrelevant to the topic debated.

Are you now saying I stuck this up?


Not a great analogy, but just because Ford Dagenham only produce Fiestas now doesn't mean they don't make cars anymore (and every now and then a Ford GT40 or Mustang rolls off the production line)  


Sorry fellas you did. I merely corrected you as you were a mere 18 years inaccurate.

[Dot]

Dot, we're having an adult debate here. Can you take your totally irrelevant illiterate rants somewhere else so we can stay on topic?

Irrelevant Illiterate rants

Your a scream Bill

All I did was mention it was strange George Best birthday never got a mention and correct you on ur stupid analogy which was 18 years out of date.

You cant even accept your assumption ( like many) was wildly inaccurate.

Both of which were totally irrelevant to the topic debated.

Are you now saying I stuck this up?


Not a great analogy, but just because Ford Dagenham only produce Fiestas now doesn't mean they don't make cars anymore (and every now and then a Ford GT40 or Mustang rolls off the production line)  


Sorry fellas you did. I merely corrected you as you were a mere 18 years inaccurate.

Seems strange for someone who is a stickler for forensic detail ( in your mind)

[thebillfella]

Ok, against my better judgement as I'm just dropping down to your level again, here you go to appease your simple irrelevant mind:

1) not occurring to me to come on to FISO and mention George Best's birthday doesn't make me any less a fan. I was either just staying on topic (which you find a challenge) or just doing something else outside of FISO, which as long as I "stay alert" is as I understand it allowed
2) notwithstanding that I started the analogy with the words "Not a great analogy, but...", if you move the context from "now" to "in 1992" then it works but merely to support the point being debated rather than something completely irrelevant to that point (see 1)
3) both are still totally irrelevant and a typical distraction tactic adopted by idiots like Trump when their wild opinions and accusations are held to account as demonstrable nonsense

[Dot]

Ok, against my better judgement as I'm just dropping down to your level again, here you go to appease your simple irrelevant mind:

1) not occurring to me to come on to FISO and mention George Best's birthday doesn't make me any less a fan. I was either just staying on topic (which you find a challenge) or just doing something else outside of FISO, which as long as I "stay alert" is as I understand it allowed
2) notwithstanding that I started the analogy with the words "Not a great analogy, but...", if you move the context from "now" to "in 1992" then it works but merely to support the point being debated rather than something completely irrelevant to that point (see 1)
3) both are still totally irrelevant and a typical distraction tactic adopted by idiots like Trump when their wild opinions and accusations are held to account as demonstrable nonsense

No Bill in your eyes your dropping down to my level.
In my eyes your trying to step UP to my level.

Yet you still cant bring yourself to apologise that you were wildly wrong in using an analogy that Fords of Dagenham wheel out Fiesta's, when I had to correct you that that ceased in 2002, as did any car making.

I didn't have to revert to google for verification, I knew. I had first hand knowledge.

Add to the fact that I dont like your innuendo of insinuating I or Donald Trump are idiots.

Then again If Donald Trump openly accuses China of starting Covid, man-made or in wet markets then yes you can stick me in that bracket

[thebillfella]

Hancock did. I've already told you this.

Plucking out a few names from the many and stating they alone demonstrate that the whole approach is based only on plucking them from elsewhere at the age of 16 is also disingenuous at best. The bulk of the names listed were there from schoolboy level.

Obviously we are not going to pull the likes of Pogba and Da Silva from their families at the age of 10 - there are (or at least were - the 90 min rule was in place - not sure if that still exists tbh?) rules to prevent that happening so you legally can't do that before the age of 15/16.

Yes it would be disingenous, which is why I never said anything of the sort.

Including them in stats to demonstrate how good Man U are at bringing players through the youth system you have is what I am calling disingenous.

But you did intimate it murf?!!

Doesn't mean jack when "academy graduate" includes expensive bought in youngsters (domestic and overseas)

Ah, Januzaj.....
Like Pereira, Rafael, Pogba etc, another one bought in at 16+....
Keep that conveyor belt of kids with the United DNA rolling.
EDIT Just checked up and United academy graduate John O'Shea joined the club at 17. Barely out of nappies.
Oh, and did anyone mention Beckham, signed at 16.

If you want to brag about buying in foreign and non-Manc domestic talent at 16-18 and pretending they came through the Man U system, then fine, "I'm out" and will just laugh at you from afar.

Forget the fact that I totally disagree with you that it "doesn't mean jack" when they are brought in, for free, at 16 and developed in the academy for another couple of seasons before giving them a chance in the first team (rather than farming them out to other teams to develop the finished product like say Chelsea do). Just take those particular names away if you must - you still have a long list of names that were there from schoolboy age. Now do the same elsewhere - there is no-one that I can think of in the Prem that is comparable.

Then look at the 2 FACTS that can't be spun (although I'm sure someone will try as I haven't set how an academy graduate is defined here someone else did) - over 4000 consecutive games with an academy graduate in the first team (going back to 1937) and more than double as many minutes played by a United academy graduate in the Premier League last season than the next placed team (Spurs).

[blahblah]

Where was Beckham brought in from? Walthamstow Dog Track where he told 'Arry or whoever that he only wanted to play for MU?

[thebillfella]

Brimsdown Rovers' youth team, then signed schoolboy forms at Manchester United on his 14th birthday,

Made his first team debut aged 17

[murf]

Where was Beckham brought in from? Walthamstow Dog Track where he told 'Arry or whoever that he only wanted to play for MU?

Had been at Spurs. Attached earler but didn't Sign for Utd til 16.

[blahblah]

Where was Beckham brought in from? Walthamstow Dog Track where he told 'Arry or whoever that he only wanted to play for MU?

Had been at Spurs. Signed for Utd at 16.

So 'Arry (or whoever) at the dog track is a myth?

[thebillfella]

Signed schoolboy forms at united aged 14; YTS at 16 when he left school.

From wikipedia (yes I know it can be flawed!):

Young Beckham had trials with his local club Leyton Orient, Norwich City and attended Tottenham Hotspur's school of excellence. Tottenham Hotspur was the first club he played for. During a two-year period in which Beckham played for Brimsdown Rovers' youth team, he was named Under-15 Player of the Year in 1990. He also attended Bradenton Preparatory Academy, but signed schoolboy forms at Manchester United on his 14th birthday, and subsequently signed a Youth Training Scheme contract on 8 July 1991.

Dont think Harry was Spurs manager when Beckham was 14?

[blahblah]

So trained with as opposed to having signed for?

[Darbyand]

My 2000s and 2010s post earlier was for the benefit of hancockjr who'd imposed an arbitrary post 1980s birth date deadline to claim that United's success at bringing through players had ground to a halt. I think most teams have found it hard to give time to Academy graduates in the last 25 years. The first weekend of the Premiership had 13 players from outside Britain and Ireland; fast forward to Boxing Day 1999 and Chelsea sent out a starting 11 with none. These days plenty of clubs struggle to assemble squads with a minority quota of home grown players often naming 3rd choice keepers to fill a place. Against that backdrop a couple of articles:

In this one, it's minutes played by Academy graduates for their team in the last full season:

https://www.sportbible.com/football/new ... s-20190801

Manchester United have trumped rivals Arsenal for the Premier League side using youth academy players the most last season.

The findings were based on academy graduates who had finished their youth careers with their respective clubs

(I don't like the Pogba inclusion here, regardless of the fact he came in at 16, he went away and re-signed for £89m so shouldn't be in it but even so they're way ahead of the next team).

In this one, it's players who finished playing youth football at the club featured in the top flight.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49156788

Manchester United's academy graduates played more than 27,000 minutes during the 2018-19 Premier League season - almost 10,000 more than any other club....It is the third year in a row that United have topped the standings as the "leading developers of Premier League talent"

Even if they don't make it at United it's still a trusted place where a talented player can go on and play at the highest level.

[thebillfella]

So trained with as opposed to having signed for?

But isn't that the standard legal approach in this country though, i.e. no one can officially sign a professional contract for the club until they reach 16 years of age?

[blahblah]

So trained with as opposed to having signed for?

But isn't that the standard legal approach in this country though, i.e. no one can officially sign a professional contract for the club until they reach 16 years of age?

Not a clue what it was way back when, but I'd guess they can sign some sort of form etc as boys turning 16 year are bought\sold?

[thebillfella]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footb ... clubs.html

Manchester United have waived the outstanding loan fees for three of their players — saving a trio of cash-strapped clubs a combined £130,000.

The Premier League side have told Hearts, who had taken goalkeeper Joel Pereira, Bolton Wanderers, who had borrowed midfielder Ethan Hamilton, and Burton Albion, who had brought in keeper Kieran O’Hara, that monies owed will not be called in.

A nice gesture to clubs less well off, or an opportunity for someone to have a go regardless yet again...

[thebillfella]

26th May 1999 - the day those immortal words 'and Solskjaer has won it' entered into folklore. Best away day ever and well worth the expense.

[Posting just in case I get accused of being an armchair supporter again by forgetting to mention it on its 21st anniversary!!!]

[blahblah]

Jeepers. You will start a FISO obsession......

[murf]

15 years ago today...

(Officially was yesterday but went past midnight, turkish time so the glory was actually 15 years ago today)

[Darbyand]

26th May 1999 - the day those immortal words 'and Solskjaer has won it' entered into folklore. Best away day ever and well worth the expense.

[Posting just in case I get accused of being an armchair supporter again by forgetting to mention it on its 21st anniversary!!!]

It's a great day in United's history:

In 1909 the great Matt Busby was born

In 1983 United beat Brighton 4-0 to win the FA Cup

In 1989 the Mickeys lost the title to Arsenal

And in 1999 "Solskjaer has won it"

Happy May 26th everyone!

[hancockjr]

"Happy Birthdays" Man U!

[thebillfella]

https://www.eurosport.co.uk/football/ch ... tory.shtml

First published last year, a good piece written on Barca 99

[Dot]

26th May 1999 - the day those immortal words 'and Solskjaer has won it' entered into folklore. Best away day ever and well worth the expense.

[Posting just in case I get accused of being an armchair supporter again by forgetting to mention it on its 21st anniversary!!!]

It's a great day in United's history:

In 1909 the great Matt Busby was born

In 1983 United beat Brighton 4-0 to win the FA Cup

In 1989 the Mickeys lost the title to Arsenal

And in 1999 "Solskjaer has won it"

Happy May 26th everyone!

One of the happiest days of my life. Thanks for the reminder Darby

[Magic]

26th May 1999 - the day those immortal words 'and Solskjaer has won it' entered into folklore. Best away day ever and well worth the expense.

[Posting just in case I get accused of being an armchair supporter again by forgetting to mention it on its 21st anniversary!!!]

It's a great day in United's history:

In 1909 the great Matt Busby was born

In 1983 United beat Brighton 4-0 to win the FA Cup

In 1989 the Mickeys lost the title to Arsenal

And in 1999 "Solskjaer has won it"

Happy May 26th everyone!

One of the happiest days of my life. Thanks for the reminder Darby

Some great days there, eh Alf?

[Dot]

26th May 1999 - the day those immortal words 'and Solskjaer has won it' entered into folklore. Best away day ever and well worth the expense.

[Posting just in case I get accused of being an armchair supporter again by forgetting to mention it on its 21st anniversary!!!]

It's a great day in United's history:

In 1909 the great Matt Busby was born

In 1983 United beat Brighton 4-0 to win the FA Cup

In 1989 the Mickeys lost the title to Arsenal

And in 1999 "Solskjaer has won it"

Happy May 26th everyone!

One of the happiest days of my life. Thanks for the reminder Darby

Some great days there, eh Alf?

Yeah a 'MAGIC' day that 26th May, Magic.

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j ... tJGrD6ChBL

[Darbyand]

Yeah a 'MAGIC' day that 26th May, Magic.

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j ... tJGrD6ChBL

Wow, such is my TFF ghettoisation(?) that I never knew about that. Hearty belated congratulations.

[Dot]

Yeah a 'MAGIC' day that 26th May, Magic.

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j ... tJGrD6ChBL

Wow, such is my TFF ghettoisation(?) that I never knew about that. Hearty belated congratulations.

Thankyou. Couldn't let a mention go as you did after all, bring the date up.

[thebillfella]

Another Cantona seagulls moment I hadn't seen before now. No idea either!!!

https://twitter.com/i/status/1267111037968531458