The term "Man U"

[Scolari]

Or abbreviation I guess would be a better way of saying it.

On plenty of other boards, people seem to get upset/mad (United fans) when people say "Man U" as opposed to "Man United".

Why is this?

[Red 11]

I'm not sure who wrote this, but it should answer your question...

Why we don't call our club Man U *grimace*

Man U is not a term United fans refer to themselves as. The term is only used by other supporters as a complete and utter insult to our club. The "U" is meant to be "you" by the rival fans.

An early example of its usage is this chant by West Brom fans: "Duncan Edwards is manure, rotting in his grave, man you are manure- rotting in your grave". The origin of "Man U" is a song to insult the dead Duncan Edwards.

Liverpool and Leeds fans copied this with their own man you/u versions to insult all of the lads who died at Munich.

"Man U Man U went on a plane / Man U Man U never came back again"

and..

"Man U Never Intended Coming Home." (If you combine the first letter of each word you get the word "Munich").

I hope this makes it clearer that saying Man U is an insult, particularly to the older supporters and to see United fans using it now is shameful. I hope a few might read this, understand and spread the word.

So... Please REFRAIN from using this term ever again!!!!!!!

[Scolari]

I understand.

But considering that 90% of the people who say it aren't using it in that context doesn't seem like a big deal.

Used in a chant like that, it is. Thanks for the reply.

[MANUTDGAL]

Thanks for the history I never knew that and will file that away for future reference....

[Harry Boulton]

I always disliked the term "Man U" anyway, even when I was not aware of the history. I was aleays favourable of saying Manchester United, but am aware that this can be long winded.


and to see United fans using it now is shameful


A little harsh, I'd say. If people aren't aware of the offence they're causing they can hardy be blamed.

[Motterman]

http://manchester.cervantes.es/FichasCultura/ImagenesEntidades/Manchester%20University%20Logo.jpg

[revelationx]

I'm not sure who wrote this, but it should answer your question...

Who wrote the post you quoted? Without sources, it is hardly reliable is it? The term may have been used in despicable songs but that hardly means the term is an insulting one.

I have used the term Man U for years with Man United fans in Manchester and no-one has ever objected or even reacted to the term. It is a common abbreviation in English football speak. It is only foreigners on message boards who get upset and claim it is slight or a slur when it is not.

Despite living 30 odd years in England I never realised that some thought that the term Man U was a slur until I joined BS two years ago. I am sure that some guy in Chicago who has never been to OT has the more accurate measure of English football terrace culture!

Red11 cite your sources for your belief or remain unconvincing.

[cr7torossi]

revx, redissue is the one who started it(or so I think) and "top reds" everywhere have been forced to adopt it.;)

[GrodZilla]

I really couldn't care less. 99.999% of the time the phrase "Man U" is used it's simply meant as a reference to Manchester United Football Club. Everyone understands the reference, hence in my eyes it's a good one. It's commonly used on TV for example and to get worked up about it, I just don't get how people can bother.

Also, I've never heard anyone refer to the University of Manchester as "Man U", UoM, maybe.

[revelationx]

See the opinion of an actual guy from Manchester -^

It's a whole issue over nothing. The term is commonly used in England including the media and is not derogatory.

I am sure there will be thread started by some fundamentalist Christian Preacher claiming the term 'Red Devils' is inappropriately used and actually refers to devil-worship! :rolleyes:

[Scolari]

That's what I figured.

I see people getting worked up over it on other boards all of the time. Thanks for all of the replies.

[Achtung]

See the opinion of an actual guy from Manchester -^

You sure he's from Manchester? ;)

[Red 11]

revx, redissue is the one who started it(or so I think) and "top reds" everywhere have been forced to adopt it.;)

I think you're probably right. After I read that story for the first time a couple of years ago, I copied and saved it in a file on my laptop. But when I reposted it yesterday I couldn't remember where I'd got it from.

Revx, I understand what you are saying. A guy from the Chelsea board dropped by to ask a question and I simply tried to give him an answer. As most in this thread have pointed out, so long as the term is used in a non-insulting context (which as Grodzilla points out is 99.999 percent of the time) then there's no problem. Having said that, it is a term I personally don't use and one I very rarely see used by other regular posters in this forum, regardless of their nationality, so I would argue I'm not the only one who at the very least dislikes the term.

[Amdrag]

I really don't care when others use it. Here in the states they rarely use anything else on television coverage when referring to United. However if you are going to communicate on a United board you would think you would know that most fans of the club do not like the phrase.

[Republic of Mancunia]

It's always been a parochial thing to me.

Growing up, if you asked someone which team they supported the answer would just about always be "United" or "City" with no need to insert the "Manchester" or anything else for that matter. At work, if I were to say that United or City have bought such-and-such a player or ask someone if they saw United at the weekend, again everyone would know exactly who I mean. No need for "Manchester", the shortened "Man" and consequently no need for the extremeley lazy sounding "U".

It's much the same thing as if you jumped in a taxi in Manchester and said you wanted to go to the airport. They'd obviously assume you meant Manchester airport (although I suppose you could say "ringway" to give it it's old name). If you said you wanted to go Heathrow whilst in London, there'd be no need to say "London Heathrow" etc.

Edit: I said always had been a parochial thing. That wouldn't quite be right. It's been a parochial thing since sections of the fanbase started disliking the OOT (out of town) support and making a big thing about it.

I did the old:

*clap clap*
*clap clap clap*
*clap clap clap clap*
"Man U!"

chant myself along with thousands of others good few times in the 80's and into the early 90's, and before that was any kind of issue. Then again, I was a JCL at the time! As far as I'm aware though, it's just a recent thing. Have seen waht Red11 posted before, think it was actually on the United official forum and whilst I ain't doubting that was sung at the time, am not having it as a general insulting term considering we used it ourselves in the above chant. More a case of it being used by OOT's who sections of our support have disdain for, the media who everyone hates, and fans of other teams and why would we like them?

[Teso Dos Bichos]

Ignorance is no excuse. That is all.


In response to revelationx I am particularly fond of the following chant:

U-U-U-U-U-U-U-U-U... :rolleyes:

[The Jitty Slitter]

i had thought GrodZilla was Scandanavian?

God knows why :confused:

:D

[doubletrouble]

Or abbreviation I guess would be a better way of saying it.

On plenty of other boards, people seem to get upset/mad (United fans) when people say "Man U" as opposed to "Man United".

Why is this?

I'm sure you knew befoe you came here but thought this would be a good idea to stir up some controversy in a smart way without making yourself look like a troublemaker.
I'm not from Manchester and i've known about the reason for the dislike of that term for so many years now. With all honesty i once called United that but after i found out it was disrespectful i stopped doing it and that's 6 years ago.

See the opinion of an actual guy from Manchester -^

It's a whole issue over nothing. The term is commonly used in England including the media and is not derogatory.

I am sure there will be thread started by some fundamentalist Christian Preacher claiming the term 'Red Devils' is inappropriately used and actually refers to devil-worship! :rolleyes:


Jus shut up you Scouser...
I'm not from Manchester and i've known about the reason for the dislike of that term for many years now.

[israbeckham]

i had thought GrodZilla was Scandanavian?

God knows why :confused:

:D

Because of Larson being on his avatar for the past decade?

[SirManchester]

To me it will always be associated with American abbreviations and their cultural tendencies to commercialize everything into a neat and accessible little package. It's also what The University of Manchester is called and it just sounds stupid when it's said by anyone.