Inside United's new 'warm-up' nights for fans

This is the record-breaking goalscoring wonderkid Norman Whiteside speaking, not merely a Manchester United fanatic waxing lyrical in the warm glow of victory, over a couple of pints. 

 

That being said, the down-to-earth Whiteside is absolutely, and wonderfully, one of those, too. 

 

“I love it. I love it. I love it,” he says.

 

On a special evening at Old Trafford, United’s youngest-ever goalscorer mingles with fans from 12 countries. It’s a unique event, but the first of many called ‘The Warm Up’, bringing members of global Supporters Clubs together on the eve of a home match. The second took place before the season’s final league game - late May's 2-1 win over Fulham.

United’s global support is well-known, and it is something of a pilgrimage for those from far-flung places to finally make it to the Theatre of Dreams.  Others from closer shores — such as Whiteside, from the Emerald Isle — can make it more regularly. 

 

And big Norm is spot-on. United brings ‘something’ together. 

 

Here in the bowels of the stadium, sit, stand, drink and chat fans from Australia, Belgium, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Thailand, and, of course, Salford and Manchester, too. 

 

Too often when making the pilgrimage to M16, supporters — who normally come for the full weekend due to TV schedule uncertainty — have little opportunity to connect with other Reds outside of matchday.

“It’s great to interact with other United fans from around the world,” Niall, from Omagh, Northern Ireland, explains. “It’s something we don’t get to do too often, in a proper, organised, sit-down setting.”

 

Yet to bump into Niall, on the other side of the room, is Fergal, from Donegal, just 40 miles west of Omagh, across the border in the Republic of Ireland. Their homes may be close by, but even these neighbouring Supporters’ Clubs don’t get the chance to interact often.

 

“It’s good to mingle with some new people. Normally everybody’s going off to a separate hotel and then matchday is chaos. It’s a good thing to have people coming together in a relaxed environment, just chatting and enjoying a drink,” Fergal says. “It’s quite a nice way for fans coming to their first games to ease into it as well.”

 

There’s no doubt about that. Unlike these two seasoned match-going Irish Reds, Robert, a Norwegian, is readying for his first game. “It’s definitely nice to see Old Trafford the day before the game,” he says. “That first match is always the most wonderful experience, especially when United win, but it can rush by in a brightly-coloured blur, like a Garnacho run down the wing. To be able to relax the day before, then, is a unique experience.”

 

Fans arrive into the International Suite from 7pm on Saturday evening. For the majority, it’s also a rare chance to see the inside of one of the ground’s suites. This one, in particular, is fan-orientated. The bronzed brickwork is beautifully decorated with sketches of United greats, in front of which the Carabao Cup trophy sits gleaming. A queue quickly forms for photos with the club’s latest piece of silverware.

 

One of the more seasoned Reds in attendance is 69-year-old Songchai Wongwatcharadamrong, the mayor of the southern Thailand municipality of Thunsong. He makes the journey over at least once a season. His English isn’t great, and so the globally understood words he always returns to are ‘Bobby Charlton’, spoken with the widest smile you can imagine. He found United as a teenager with Charlton and has maintained his support since, from 6,000 miles away.

Elsewhere in the room, Whiteside — who Charlton described as fit to play with the Busby Babes — is chatting amidst selfies and photos. “We had a bit of craic with him,” Gerard, Fergal’s brother, tells us. “It’s great to meet him properly, not just get a photo.”

 

Near a busy bar, attendees get stuck into a raffle in support of the Manchester United Foundation, whose CEO John Shiels has come down to thank any supporters donating. Interrupting a consistent hum of chatter, laughter and clinking glasses, he tells them: “We do it on behalf of you, the fans, we do it on behalf of the club, and we do it for the children of Manchester – 25,000 of them. So thank you.” Chants of ‘UNI-TED’ greet the end of his short educational monologue. By the end of the night, £4,300 has been raised for the club’s charity.

 

Soon enough, ‘Always Look On The Whiteside of Life’ is the chant, as Big Norm settles into a seat at the front of the room. He delves into stories of debuts, World Cups, London nights out with George Best and Manchester nights ‘in’ with Bryan Robson and Paul McGrath – “15 pints of Guinness, Irish music and fighting with curry, like normal people do”. 

 

When the raffle takes place after, one of the winners asks, “Can I take Norman home?” You’d never be short of entertainment that way. Reds head home as midnight approaches and the sense Inside United gets upon departure is one of satisfaction and amazement. 

 

What a wonderful thing football can do, bringing strangers together.