What does it mean to have United in the States?
Manchester United are currently in the United States for a four-game Tour 2023 trip, as preparations continue for the upcoming season.
The Reds were warmly welcomed upon arrival on the east coast on Wednesday and have since been based in New Jersey, where pre-season training has continued ahead of the first of our Stateside matches, against Arsenal this evening (22:00 BST).
While the game will be broadcast live on MUTV, those lucky enough to be among a bumper crowd at MetLife Stadium will have the “incredible opportunity” to see United play live in North America for the first time since 2018.
“It’s so important,” said local supporter John Shin on the latest episode of The Debate, when asked what it means to have the Reds back in the USA.
“Maybe to fans in England, if there’s something I can share to them is the opportunity to fly to a country like England, the opportunity to watch Manchester United or any club, is a massive undertaking.
“So, for fans in America, to have United come and play in front of us, it’s such an incredible opportunity.
“People say: ‘Oh, it’s a pre-season friendly.’ It doesn’t matter what it is, Man United are coming and it’s an incredible opportunity. Fans take that moment with such opportunity, they love it.”
Free seats are set to be few and far between in New Jersey later, while a limited number of tickets remain available for our following three tour matches: against Wrexham in San Diego (26 July), Real Madrid in Houston (27 July) and Borussia Dortmund in Las Vegas (31 July).
While the fixtures will provide a chance for our Stateside supporters to see their heroes up close on the pitch, the novelty of having United on the other side of the Atlantic also gives US-based fans a chance to get closer to their team, and potentially mix with some of their favourite players.
Speaking on The Debate, Shin recalls meeting Bryan Robson during one of the Reds’ previous visits to the nation.
In a brilliant clip, which you can see directly below, the United fan tells his fellow panellists – including Robbo himself – the story of how he met our legendary former captain.
'It's an incredible opportunity'
US-based United supporter John Shin details the significance of having the Reds back in North America this summer...
“I was a young kid, I had no idea what anything was, I just knew Man United were in town,” he began.
“I waited in line for like two hours, I was the last person in line and Robbo was about to leave, so I was like: ‘Please, one more.’ I think I brought like a printed picture from home.
“He signed it for me and that same night it rained on us, and the sheet just got completely destroyed! But for that brief moment, I was over the moon.”