On Monday evening, 19 December, we received the sad news that much-loved musician Terry Hall, a passionate Manchester United fan, had passed away after a short illness at the age of 63.
Watch Terry explain his love of United and attending matches in this 2011 interview with fellow fan Pete Boyle.
“He was a good guy, a genuine United fan,”says fellow supporter Pete Boyle. “He was a celebrity United fan, in a way, before celebrity fans existed. But he was a fan who just went to games, rather than being pictured at games on television or making a big song and dance about it, like some do.
“I then interviewed him for a fanzine in 1995 and we became friends shortly after. I used to travel abroad, home and away, with him and help him with tickets. Went to finals with him. I last saw him, I think, at Southampton away this year, and we always spoke a lot about United and our love of Fergie and Eric.
'KNOWING TERRY WAS A RED WAS SUCH A THRILL'
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It’s hard to believe now, but there was a time many years ago when, in some circles of the British music scene, it was seen to be deeply uncool to be into football,” explains club media's editor-in-chief (and former music journalist) Ian McLeish. “Snobs considered it too laddish, too uncouth, just not the done thing.
“Meanwhile, there were plenty of bands and music scenes on the opposing side of that particular culture war who had an innate connection with their audiences, telling their stories, representing their lives on stage and on Top of the Pops every week. Working-class kids into football, clothes, politics, life and love.
“The two-tone movement that came out of Coventry was arguably the most important of these and the Specials were the leading lights.
“As a United fan, finding out Terry Hall was one of us was such a thrill. He was someone you’d always see at away games, following his beloved Reds up and down the country. Always just one of us.
“I looked up and caught the eye of Terry, no doubt processing his own emotions in his own quiet way. One of the most important figures in the British music scene in the last 40 years, and a hero of the Midlands, keeping his head down, unrecognised – or unbothered – by most people, just doing his own thing, following his beloved Reds.”