A Final Day War Cry – BELIEVE

The penultimate night to the final day of the season closes. The Fat Lady is tuning up with her band as this race is nearly run. This is what it had led to. The Glory… The Pain… 38 games… Nine months… During which a battle has raged for the Republik of Mancunia. One side subsidised by a billion Oil Dollars intent on a dynasty. One side weakened by the haemorrhaging of 500 million pounds to an almost suicidal self inflicted wound of American imposed debt. Despite this, actually very little can separate these two hated enemies, where the blue Moon holds the slimmest of advantages. But a crucial advantage it remains as we move into sight of the finishing line. They hold the inside line, the high ground. The Red Devils are struggling to overcome, and are now reliant on another’s help.

The warriors gird their loins in preparation for that final confrontation. One last effort, whether in vain hope or unbridled celebration our Red Devils Fight, Fight, Fight to the very last! It’s ingrained in them by our fierce leader and general, Sir Alex Ferguson. Anyone who wandered if there had been a demise of his desire with age, will have been reminded exactly how stupid of a presumption that was in his face off with the blue moon’s young pretender. Yet, he teeters on the edge of ceding the premier league title to the blue half of the Manchester for the first time in his reign. Indeed, it will be the first time since the days of another knight; Sir Matt Busby! Not since the glory days of Best, Law and Charlton. Not since 1968. It almost makes me pity them…. Almost!!

But as the fat lady takes to the stage to perform the last post for our title dreams, I wonder if too many of us followers have not studied our history well enough. Sir Alex talked of an unlikely celebration at Old Trafford last Sunday. Now 6 days on it seems such a vain hope. But are we right to have such little faith in a team of ex-blue noses, led by an Old Trafford warrior and fallen legend?

As Sky keep informing us this is ‘Officially’ the greatest season in premiership history. Think how they would self-combust in orgasmic soliloquies if it produced the final twist to end all twists! Surely a final killing death blow to the Italian’s stewardship at the Etihad. Sir Alex Ferguson likes to be a winner, Mancini is no different there; a titanic tussle finally come to an end. Winner takes all! Whether the young Lion stands tall over the old fighter depends on whether 11 men of an old London club have the ability to withstand an onslaught we ourselves where unable to do. It all sounds too deluded. Too improbable! But that ignores a favoured belief, a central axiom of the English premiership; anyone can beat anyone. And we don’t even need them to win. Queen Park Rangers need to get something; anything from this final match to aid survival and they actually have quality players sprinkled in their squad, especially going forward. They also have one unwholesome self-important annoying bastard that may well cause eruptions.

Bar this, we ignore the FA Premiership league’s amazing history at our peril. In 1994-5 we entered the final day in contention with Blackburn adrift by only 2 point. In an amazing twist Dalglish’s Blackburn were beaten at former club Liverpool leaving the door open for United. But a Miklosoko inspired West Ham shocked the bookmakers and experts alike by pulling off a rearguard defensive action that saw us draw and Blackburn take the title by a single point.

In 1995-96 Newcastle provided the challenge with United going into the last game of the season only 2 points ahead and needing to win to ensure the title. Newcastle crumbled, we won and the record books show a 4 point winning margin.

In 1997-98 we were outpointed by Wenger’s Arsenal that won the league by a solitary point needing to win their final game to ensure this. I’m sure no-one needs reminding that we needed to win our last game of the season against Spurs to ensure the 1998-99 title by the same solitary point ousting Champions Arsenal.

In 2007-8 Chelsea and United entered the final game needing wins. Only United came out victorious thanks to a Giggs winning goal and we took the title by 2 points.

In 2009-10 it was Chelsea’s turn to pip us as both teams entered the final game needing a win. Doubling our 4-0 win against stoke with an impressive 8-0 win against Wigan to take the title by a single point.

So in the see-saw of success and failure in final day league title battles, we are due a victory. In all these close duels the team that prevailed is the one that truly believed. And in the case of our disappointment against West Ham is the realisation that there are no absolutes in football. If to emphasise this, we can consider the extraordinary last day escapes through premiership history of seemingly inferior teams. There is a litany of remarkable acts of relegation escapology from teams like Oldham, Bolton or Wigan. Recently, this was highlighted to us with Tevez’s West Ham United, who beat us to survive. QPR ARE very capable of a final twist. Capable of doing a West Ham and stealing a point or doing a Wigan and capitulating as a sacrificial lamb at the altar of blue celebration. In several hours and 93 plus minutes we’ll find out exactly which of these.

Essentially we are reliant on the team of an old red devil, and Manchester City being Manchester City-ish in what has been ultimately a very Un-Manchester-City-ish run in. Ultimately, however, all is futile if we do not beat Sunderland. If we fail to do our job like we did all that time ago against the Hammers. This may be a time of reckoning when we can rid ourselves of the bearing of that failure, a time we can finally forget. A day of absolute celebration, unlooked for, may yet await us, may be calling us to stand witness to another truly remarkable season. As always, United doing it the hard way. Whether we Win, or lose the title this Sunday we Are and always will be United; Fighting until the end. Never surrender, Never die! So….

 

Once more unto the breach, United Brothers, once more;
Or close the Goal up with our United Attack.
In preseason there’s nothing so becomes a player
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of the whistle blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the Devil that is Red;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with Keano’s hard-favour’d rage;
Then lend the eye a terrible Canny Scottish aspect.
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit
To his full height.
On, on, you noblest English Champions.
Whose blood is fet from fathers of Munich!
Remember the Flowers of Manchester…..
Our Noble fallen dead;
Remember the great Duncan Edwards.
Remember Fathers that, like Sir Matt Busby, and his Busby Babes,
Have hath come before thee:
Remember the Holy Trinity of Best, Law and Charlton and dare not dishonour our badge and shirt.
Remember Our glorious Seven’s of the past,
From Coppell, Robson and Beckham whose limbs were made in England, to foreign brothers like Cantona and Ronaldo that have held our Banner high.
Show the mettle of our Leader and saviour, Sir Alex Ferguson; let us swear
That you are worthy of the name Manchester United; which I doubt not;
For there is none of you so cheap and fickle,
That hath not the Theatre of Dreams in your heart.
I see you stand like Lions ready to Roar,
Straining Like Devil’s upon the start.
The Title remains alive and the game’s afoot:
Follow your spirit, Follow in the footsteps of Legends and upon this Title Charge…..
Cry ‘Victory for Manchester United, Sir Alex and The King, Cantona!’

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