"Man U" A Pet Name? Think Again

Before I begin, I would first like to say that this article is by no means intended on offending anyone, but rather to spread a message to the alarming number of fans who still do not know the history behind the term "Man U."

I live in a country far away from Britain, where football is huge with the people as a sport, but not as a culture.

There are many many football fans here who are really passionate about Manchester United, Liverpool etc., loyal as any lad behind their local team, but understand little about the history of their club.

Before any United die-hards gets too critical, I ask for a little sympathy. It is not easy at all to fully feel the tradition and history behind something when one is not immersed in it.

I consider myself a huge United fan who has been behind her club since she was young. But to be honest, it was only a couple of years back that I researched the origins of the term "Man U", only to find out that, ubiquitous as it is here as a pet name by United fans, it is a highly insulting term.

It is what rival fans like Liverpool and Leeds use to jeer at the memory of the great Duncan Edwards and the rest of the Busby Babes who died in the Munich Air Disaster. They called Edwards 'manure,' they mocked us about Munich.

I'm eighteen and I can hardly say I've been around long enough to know personally how the tragedy shocked the world and all United fans. But for all I may not be born and bred in Manchester, I am born and bred a Red Devil, and reading and hearing about the Munich disaster brings more than a tear to my eye.

Reading and hearing about rival fans mocking and laughing at the death of the Busby Babes angers me the same way. Utterly ashamed of my blatant ignorance, that term that was once used habitually is now relegated permanently on my taboo list.

Likewise, for fellow United fans who use it (and for your own sake, please stop), it's probably a case of ignorance, rather than an intention of actually insulting the Busby Babes. While I don't think using the term per se makes one less of a fan than someone who does not, I do not speak up for those who do know, but refuse to kick the habit.

It's terrible enough rival fans use it. Even some of the more mature ones know just how offensive it is, and show some respect to the legends who died tragically by not saying it.

This is to all United fans on the same side of the world as I am, who read the contents of this article with the same kind of realisation that I had, and yet, who felt your hearts grow twice as heavy all the same when remembering the sixth of February 1958 on derby day last season.

Please spread the word to those who still do not know: It's an absolute shame to use "Man U" on the best team in the world.