Still Following the Trawler

Day’s after our Champions League defeat at the hands of Barcelona, we bid fair well to the greatest midfielder of his generation. After 675 games and 19 major honours with United, Paul Scholes departs United as a legend: one of the modern era’s few true gentleman. One of the few players in this day and age of greed and over indulgence who famously walks in and out of contract negotiations within minutes. Who keeps himself to himself, staying out of the limelight and rarely performing interviews. Who simply goes to work, plays the game, get's showered, goes home. The modern game has today lost its rugged romantic, its traditionalist, its loyalist, its perfectionist – the essence, in mind and spirit, of Sir Matt Busby's Babes. Manchester United 1994 - 2011

Edwin van der Sar Manchester United 2005-2011 265 appearances Clean Sheet Record (1,311 minutes without conceding) 4 League Titles 1 Champions League 1 Club World Cup 1 League Cup

...The players who will make history... So, the time is nearly among us. This has been probably the longest week of my life - unable to concentrate at work, encapsulating myself with every ounce of pre-match build-up I could find and reading the f**k out of every expert preview and patronising guide on 'how United can beat Barca'. But I'm not interested in that - because quite simply, we'll beat Barca if we don't allow them time on the ball and in turn minimise the impact of their attacking players. Play with assertion and confidence like we did against Chelsea in the Champions League, again against them in the title decider, or even against Schalke over both legs in the Semi's, and we will be Champions of Europe. Ultimately, if we play as a unit we can do it. And below are the chosen ones who can lead us to the promised land once again... Goal Van der Sar Age : 40 Champions League Appearances 2010/11 : 9 An absolute no brainer. One of the greatest 'keepers ...

Nike Football

My final reflective piece looking back at our final in Rome two years ago, is my overly emotional (but highly justified) piece the day after. 29th May 2009 was a dark day, full of disappointment and 'what if's' as we failed to rise to the occasion and in turn got taught a lesson by the best team in the world. Many people's perception this time round is that we'll all be feeling exactly the same on the 29th May 2011. But call it raw passion, loyalty or belief - I think it'll be different. Very different. Anyway. I know we'll step up this time round and avoid this... the day after... Posted by   The Cockney Red THURSDAY, 29 MAY 2009 I don’t really know where to begin. I don’t really know why I’m even bothering with this to be honest. But I’ve hidden away from it all day and as much as I thought it would help to mentally remove myself from the realities of last night, it really hasn’t. So here it is. It arrived, and then, somehow, we forgot how to play. Nothing...

Jonathon Wilson, the Guardian , on how to stop the unstoppable, almighty, incredible, best team in the entire fucking Universe that is Barcelona. The Telegraph's Henry Winter reckons Bob Paisley taught Fergie a thing or two Soccerlens'   match preview Stretford End Arising analyses are best XI and how they  can win us the Champions League But according to Surreal Football , United haven't got a hope in help

Part two of my build-up to Saturdays final looks back at my reaction to 2009's utterly controversial Semi-Final second leg clash between Chelsea and Barcelona at Stamford Bridge, where Barca edged the win and secured their place in the final against United...   Wasteful Chelsea, lucky Barca...'IT'S A F**KING DISGRACE!' Posted by   The Cockney Red WEDNESDAY, 6 MAY 2009 Well there you have it: after about 75 clear-cut penalty shouts and 1 single, stinging shot on target for  Barca , Chelsea are out. Am I happy that they lost? Definitely. Am I happy that we have  Barca  in the Final?  Hmm . I celebrated like a psycho when  Iniesta  belted it into the top corner (an absolute beaut), but is this what I, and therefore Man United, actually wanted? At least the extra motivating agenda of 'Chelsea and John Terry getting revenge' is wiped out, but then Chelsea we know. As a result, we know that we can beat them. In terms of the way they line-up, they are ...

As the class of '92 come together for one last time, here are the images from Gazza's big night at Old Trafford (courtesy of ManUtd.com ) The Class of '92: Now and Then Scholesy, Butt, Sir Alex and Beckham are joined by a familiar smile before the game David Gill and Sir Alex present Gazza with his memorial shield Looks earily normal seeing them wearing red standing side by side again, doesn't it? 'Gary Neville is a RED...' Beckham and Del Piero: Peers and legend of the modern game Giggsy and Rooney Beckham, Neville P. and Butt applaud their former teammate and friend Neville and Becks Farewell Gazza - a true red, on the field and off it.

In 'preperation' for Saturday's epic encounter against Barca, I thought I would reflect on the last time we were in this situation - exactly two years against the exact same opposition. Starting with my first ever post on this blog (aww), here is my reaction to the 3-1 Semi Final win at the Emirates... You Stay Classy Manchester United... Posted by   The Cockney Red WEDNESDAY, 6 MAY 2009 To quote my hero Ron Burgendy, I am in a glass cage of emotion. Although Burgendy was most definitely not referring to waking life as a Football and/or Manchester United fan, He is the worlds greatest prophet of life and wisdom; to question this absolute powerhouse of knowledge would therefore be foolish and ignorant beyond belief. This divine being knows and can tell you EVERYTHING you ever need to know about everything: the ladies, diversity (a Spanish ship),  San Diego (Def: a whales vagina), hair, sharp suits, scotch and jazz-flute. Football, you’d assume, has to come somewhere in the m...

Yes, it's him . But nothing has changed. He is ours, and we are his. We will never stop loving him and never forget what he has done for our club.