Manchester United

[ETID]

Whatever happens legally, does anyone reckon he’ll play for United again?

Not a chance

 

[Lee Smith]

On the face of it, the evidence the police currently have (the shared photos and audio clip) may not actually count for much without a confession, a corroborating witness, or some other form of proof.

What are the chances that his defence will be “I didn’t cause those injuries in the photos, and regarding the audio clip, yes that is my voice, my girlfriend and I both enjoy experimenting during our sexual intercourse together, and we decided to try some kinky role playing. What you can hear is a recording of that”.

Whilst the vast majority of people wouldn’t believe that defence, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility, and the jury would need to be convinced “beyond a reasonable doubt” that he has committed the crimes he’s potentially going to be prosecuted for.

And just to be clear, I’m not defending him here (from what I’ve seen he’s looking guilty as hell), but it all depends on what is presented in any trial.

 

[roydo]

Whatever happens legally, does anyone reckon he’ll play for United again?

Well, back in the day, a United player was accused of rape while on a club tour in the WI, iirc, (SAF days), and he was very soon proven not guilty. And deffo played again.

Different days, (merch/fifa/twitter/etc) granted, and , maybe never got out. If this bloke is proven not guilty, why not?

 

[tsubaki]

Well, back in the day, a United player was accused of rape while on a club tour in the WI, iirc, (SAF days), and he was very soon proven not guilty. And deffo played again.

Different days, (merch/fifa/twitter/etc) granted, and , maybe never got out. If this bloke is proven not guilty, why not?

Ronaldo has been accused of it at least twice, once in the UK whilst he was at United and once in the US (I say "at least" because the US one only came out when the NDA was leaked).

 

[PITA]

Well, back in the day, a United player was accused of rape while on a club tour in the WI, iirc, (SAF days), and he was very soon proven not guilty. And deffo played again.

Different days, (merch/fifa/twitter/etc) granted, and , maybe never got out. If this bloke is proven not guilty, why not?

If proven not guilty I agree. I was thinking more about not going to trial.

 

[Old Blue 2]

Ferguson was a freak. The best football manager ever imo, and it's not close

Ferguson walked into a club where the structure was all in place.

A certain other manager, decades previously, walked into a club in a lower division that was going nowhere in a decrepid ground, and got them winning trophies and made them a force to be reckoned with in Europe. Sorry to have to say this, but his achievement, for me, was far greater than Ferguson's. And when he left that club he was treated far better by us than by them, which he said so in his book.

 

[Debunkology]

Ferguson walked into a club where the structure was all in place.

Yet in the past 55 years only one manager has won the league with with Man Utd.

 

[DuuuncanHadaPigeon]

Ferguson walked into a club where the structure was all in place.

A certain other manager, decades previously, walked into a club in a lower division that was going nowhere in a decrepid ground, and got them winning trophies and made them a force to be reckoned with in Europe. Sorry to have to say this, but his achievement, for me, was far greater than Ferguson's. And when he left that club he was treated far better by us than by them, which he said so in his book.

I watched his latest doc that his son directed. I don't think this is true, he talks about having to sort the mess of a club out, particularly the scouting and youth teams.

 

[EverTheOptimist]

United were a mess when he arrived, a basket case of a club.

Also it had a huge drinking culture as well with the likes of McGrath, Whiteside and a few others.

Took him about 2-3 seasons until his team took shape, when it did he won the FA Cup and didn't stop picking up trophies from then on.

United saw the changing of the wind in football in this country and took full advantage of the commercialisation in the PL era with the mega store, merchandise and sponsorship, they left every club in England and Europe in its wake which gave United unprecedented spending power.

Only blot on Fergie is his CL record, he was in the CL 22 years and only won it twice, and both those finals were very fortunate, he should have won 5-6 in that span , in that era you had teams like Monaco, Leverkusen, Valencia and Dortmund getting to Finals, 3 of those teams also knocked United out in the semi finals. He did show some tactically naivety at times in those campaigns.

I remember one thing that stuck about the brilliance of Fergie, he'd got knocked out early in knockouts when Veron was there who was looking a transfer flop and post match he was asked about Veron and Fergie said we bought him and moved from 442 to 443 because this will be the formation every club will be playing in Europe,how right was he years before that happened, the next decade it's became the default formation of the elite clubs in Europe.

He definitely one of the greats of the game, the longevity, the multiple rebuilds and his bravery to play youngsters.

 

[CharliePotato]

United were a mess when he arrived, a basket case of a club.

Also it had a huge drinking culture as well with the likes of McGrath, Whiteside and a few others.

Took him about 2-3 seasons until his team took shape, when it did he won the FA Cup and didn't stop picking up trophies from then on.

United saw the changing of the wind in football in this country and took full advantage of the commercialisation in the PL era with the mega store, merchandise and sponsorship, they left every club in England and Europe in its wake which gave United unprecedented spending power.

Only blot on Fergie is his CL record, he was in the CL 22 years and only won it twice, and both those finals were very fortunate, he should have won 5-6 in that span , in that era you had teams like Monaco, Leverkusen, Valencia and Dortmund getting to Finals, 3 of those teams also knocked United out in the semi finals. He did show some tactically naivety at times in those campaigns.

I remember one thing that stuck about the brilliance of Fergie, he'd got knocked out early in knockouts when Veron was there who was looking a transfer flop and post match he was asked about Veron and Fergie said we bought him and moved from 442 to 443 because this will be the formation every club will be playing in Europe,how right was he years before that happened, the next decade it's became the default formation of the elite clubs in Europe.

He definitely one of the greats of the game, the longevity, the multiple rebuilds and his bravery to play youngsters.

Unbelievable manager, the greatest of all time in my opinion. Great fella.

 

[Old Blue 2]

I watched his latest doc that his son directed. I don't think this is true, he talks about having to sort the mess of a club out, particularly the scouting and youth teams.

The club had recently beaten us in the FA Cup Final.
They were a top flight club.
Their name was a big draw for other players.
They had been winning things from the 1960s onwards through the '70s and into the '80s.

Shankly inherited a mess of a club in a lower division, with a crap stadium and a fan base at the time time that didn't get anywher enear filling the ground (when they were in the second division, I used to go to Goodison on a Saturday to watch our reserves, and at 3/4 time used to nip out, cross Stanley Park, and go into the Kop to see a Second Division game. I used to stand in the Kop extend my arms and do 'aeroplane twirls', and not touch a single person. The football was crap as well!).

Love him or hate him, Shankly did far greater things (much to my and all other Blues' chagrin) than Ferguson ever did. That is my opinion, having lived through the times.

 

[DuuuncanHadaPigeon]

The club had recently beaten us in the FA Cup Final.
They were a top flight club.
Their name was a big draw for other players.
They had been winning things from the 1960s onwards through the '70s and into the '80s.

Shankly inherited a mess of a club in a lower division, with a crap stadium and a fan base at the time time that didn't get anywher enear filling the ground (when they were in the second division, I used to go to Goodison on a Saturday to watch our reserves, and at 3/4 time used to nip out, cross Stanley Park, and go into the Kop to see a Second Division game. I used to stand in the Kop extend my arms and do 'aeroplane twirls', and not touch a single person. The football was crap as well!).

Love him or hate him, Shankly did far greater things (much to my and all other Blues' chagrin) than Ferguson ever did. That is my opinion, having lived through the times.

Fair enough mate! I was just going off the documentary

 

[COYBL25]

So just on this mate, your first paragraph Mrs Bluerob has a a friend who’s brother is being accused of rape. I said the same thing to my Mrs, they can’t be bringing charges against him if they don’t think there’s a case. I asked my mate who’s a solicitor about it and he said that used to be the case but in 2015 the CPS came under scrutiny for the amount of cases that don’t get brought to trial and now it’s gone the other way in that they take everything to trial as they were seen as not doing enough previously.

I’m sure you’d know far more about it then me pal but I’m the case of Mrs Bluerobs friends brother they have no evidence. His side of it is he stayed over in her hotel room as he couldn’t get home, he’s saying nothing at all happened between them but he did kiss her earlier in the evening. Apparently there’s no signs of intercourse, no markings or anything. It’s just her word against his and that’s going to trial.

Now I’m not sure if he’s completely blagging it to save face with his family which is a bit daft if it’s all going to come out in the trail. His mum and dad are having to put the house up sale to cover the £50,000 fees the barrister has quoted them. That’s why I’d gone to my mate to ask his opinion

From what you say there mate, I`d say he`s being a bit " selective " with the truth.

Regardless of whether the CPS are under pressure to bring more cases to trial, there`s no way they`d get it to court, it if the only evidence, was that of one single person alleging a sexual offence took place, without any other evidence.

The defence would quite rightly ask it to be thrown out, at what is called a " pre trial hearing ".

Without any other form of evidence, the only way that it would get to court, is if other women, were alleging the same things took place and the fact that non of the women knew each other - " similar fact evidence" and that could meet the requirements to get it to court.

A lot of historical child abuse cases - grooming gangs / kids homes etc have relied on " similar fact " evidence.

 

[duncs pigeon]

The club had recently beaten us in the FA Cup Final.
They were a top flight club.
Their name was a big draw for other players.
They had been winning things from the 1960s onwards through the '70s and into the '80s.

Shankly inherited a mess of a club in a lower division, with a crap stadium and a fan base at the time time that didn't get anywher enear filling the ground (when they were in the second division, I used to go to Goodison on a Saturday to watch our reserves, and at 3/4 time used to nip out, cross Stanley Park, and go into the Kop to see a Second Division game. I used to stand in the Kop extend my arms and do 'aeroplane twirls', and not touch a single person. The football was crap as well!).

Love him or hate him, Shankly did far greater things (much to my and all other Blues' chagrin) than Ferguson ever did. That is my opinion, having lived through the times.

Utd were a 'cup side' in the 70s and 80s, even had a relegaton to the old 2nd division. Always were and still are imo, the biggest club in England. The club were in a mess when Fergie took over, he sorted it and the rest is history. They were a bit fortunate with the start of the prem and the commercial side and money that came with it, they exploited it and became the brand they are today.

 

[duncs pigeon]

Must be hard for the resident rs fans on here to admit that Fergie was the GOAT ?