Celebrating a decade of the Clare Reds
One of the world’s largest Manchester United supporters’ clubs was welcomed to Old Trafford last weekend, to celebrate 10 years since it was officially founded.
The branch, which represents County Clare in the Republic of Ireland, boasts more than 700 Reds, with 670 members and even more season-ticket holders affiliated to the supporters’ club.
Our roots in this part of Ireland, of course, go back much further than 2013 when MUSC Clare registered with United.
But the establishment of a new supporters’ group has breathed life into the Reds’ following within the region, as secretary Noel Kelly explains.
“The supporters’ club came from the remnants of the old one,” he begins.
“We felt they weren’t catering to the needs of fans and getting new members on board, or using social media to promote things. So we felt there was a gap in the market and just went for it.
"We got over 100 members in our first year and social media was the main driver, really.”
While United might not have enjoyed the most glorious period since 2013 – when Sir Alex Ferguson retired – it certainly hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm of young Reds on the Irish west coast.
“It’s still very big,” says Noel. “United still are, I would say, the best-supported team in Ireland. Some of these kids would have never seen us win league titles, so it’s weird when you think of it that way.
“A lot of people use Instagram or TikTok as a communication tool now. There’s Facebook, of course, and WhatsApp is the main one. There’s 350 [in our supporters’ club group]! It’s crazy. You have to mute it on matchdays!
“It’s a generation thing. There’s lots of guys in their early twenties and late teens, and it’s good to get new people who wouldn’t have seen us win so much.”
The group regularly sources tickets for up to 50 people on Old Trafford matchdays, with most supporters flying from the county’s airport in Shannon. Ennis, the main town in Clare, is also home to Nora Culligans, a pub which MUSC Clare calls home.
“That’s like the headquarters, the one that’s officially down as linked to us. We always have a Christmas party there, without fail, and we’ll coincide it with a game. In 2016, we had Denis Irwin and Gary Pallister over. Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt came over recently too.”
Demand for tickets at Old Trafford remains really high, despite a dip in membership numbers during the seasons affected by Covid.
“The last few years have been really busy,” Noel notes. “The Ronaldo factor, that was absolutely crazy. I remember being at a wedding and having to shut my phone off, because people were ringing, texting and messaging on Facebook, because they wanted their kids to see Ronaldo in the flesh. But even after he left, there was still an absolutely mad demand. We were maxing out every time.”
A smaller delegation of around 15 represented the branch pitchside prior to the Brentford game, as a thank-you gesture from the club for all the support over the last 10 years.
It’s been a lot of hard work, admits Kelly, but he says there’s pride in how the supporters’ club has grown since the early days.
“It’s been a fast 10 years. There have been a few ups and downs, but it’s been mostly good. Ten years isn’t a milestone like 20 or 25 but, fair play, it’s a nice touch from the club and we’re happy and delighted with this 10 years.”
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