[rondwisan]

Glasses half full
MEN, Paul Handler - 15th May, 2010


I’ve just been taking a look back through United and City’s seasons for the MEN’s season reviews (free with the MEN on Tuesday and Wednesday).

The overriding feeling I get from both sets of fans is one of anti-climax.

Although at one stage United were in good shape in the Premier League and the Champions League, the fans posting into our message boards never seemed overwhelmed by the type of football being produced at Old Trafford.

And of course a sense of disillusionment on the pitch was underpinned by growing opposition to the Glazer ownership via the Green and Gold campaign.

There is almost the sense that some fans would actually like to see United falter so they can vent their full fury. Maybe that’s just my imagination though.

I suppose the largest smiles from United were produced by a remarkable series of derby games. Four matches, three wins including three injury time goals.

Which all, of course, added to the misery at City. Despite their best ever Premier League finish, Blues highlights only really came by way of the odd satisfying result. The double over Chelsea and victories over Arsenal come into that category, as do the spankings of Burnley and Birmingham.

But again, I never had the sense, from reading the message boards, that the fans were really convinced by what they were seeing.

Then of course there was the Mark Hughes fiasco, which had even hardened students of the club’s pantomime past scratching their heads.

It’s been a funny old season, and one I think that has left fans on the Red and Blue half of Manchester unfulfilled.