Stretford End Flags

Gift of the week - "Manchester United Greatest X1" DVD

A superb present idea for any Manchester United Supporter, the greatest 11 players as Voted For By The Fans all feature on this 4 disc box set. SEF found this box set superbly enjoyable and it offered over 4 hours of manchester United footage which is much better than sitting through another Christmas showing of Mary Poppins!

Robson or Rooney? Best or Beckham? Stiles or Scholes? A host of great players have played for Manchester United over the club’s long and distinguished history, but who would represent the Red Devils in your ultimate dream team?

A unique, fan-driven project, Manchester United: Greatest Ever XI sets out to select a definitive team of the greatest players ever to pull on the famous red shirt. A worldwide fan poll was held on manutd.com allowing fans to vote for their Greatest Ever XI and in doing so decide the line-up that will be featured in this official club DVD collection.
Across 4 DVDs, which include over 130 players, fans make the case for their picks and relive memories of mighty performances on the pitch highlighting the club’s most memorable players.

The first 3 discs take a detailed look at players by position – The Defenders turns the spotlight on full backs, centre halves and ‘keepers from Carey to Irwin, Stam to Vidic, and Stepney to Schmeichel; The Midfielders takes in United’s wealth of talent in the centre of the pitch, from tough tacklers such as Keane and Stiles to magicians like Best and Ronaldo; The Strikers celebrates the heroes upfront, including icons such as Cantona, Charlton and Law. Finally, on the 4th disc comes the moment of truth as the fans’ ultimate United side is revealed. Which superstars make the cut?
Available from all good DVD suppliers, priced around £25, this DVD set would make a superb present for any Manchester United supporter.

SEF - Christmas Gift Guide

With Christmas only 6 weeks away, we will be looking at gift ideas for your red supporting family and friends. Each week we will review an item that would make an ideal present or stocking filler.

SEF STOCKING FILLER - "LIFE WITH SIR ALEX" RRP £8.99 

"Life With Sir Alex" is written by United fan Will Tidey

This is the story of one of the most successful football clubs in history under one of the greatest football managers of our time. But it is also a book about what it has meant to be a Manchester United supporter during the remarkable 25-year reign of Sir Alex Ferguson. The book begins in the winter of 1986 - when Sir Alex found himself in charge of a demoralised club facing relegation - and describes the creation of his first great side, including Schmeichel, Bruce, Pallister, Keane, Ince, Giggs, Hughes and Cantona. It goes on to introduce Fergie's Fledglings - the generation of David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes, Gary and Phil Neville - who were thrown straight into Ferguson's side as teenagers, won the double in 1996 and went on to seal the treble in Barcelona in 1999. It then describes how, after Beckham left for Real Madrid in 2003, United were knocked off their perch first by Arsenal, then by cash-rich Chelsea. Ferguson needed a response to Jose Mourinho's spectacular revolution ...And in Rooney and Ronaldo, playing alongside Rio Ferdinand, Scholes, Giggs, Tevez and Vidic, he found one. As much an homage to a great man as it is a passionate account of one fan's lifelong devotion to his team, Life with Sir Alex is a the perfect read for football fans all over the world.

Gift of the week - Savile Rogue Deluxe scarf

Christmas Present - Savile Rogue Bar scarf

Most football fans have a scarf, but the scarfs sold by Savile Rogue arent just any old football scarf. These are high quality scarfs made from the finest cashmere. They may be a lot more expensive than the scarfs sold by your average swagman around Old Trafford, but having worn one of these scarfs, I can say they feel a lot more luxurious and are a lot more wearing than cheaper variants. The range of Manchester United Scarfs can be seen at http://www.savile-rogue.com/premier-league-c14/manchester-utd-c96 These would make an ideal present for any Manchester United Supporter.

Saville rogue are offering SEF a £5 discount on all orders, simply enter discount code STRETFORD at the checkout to receive £5 off your order.

Pump Up The Volume

Everyone knows the difference that United fans can make at Old Trafford when it comes to winning and losing. Recent clashes such as Barcelona (2008) and Arsenal (2009) are classic examples, but you can go further back to 1984 when a capacity crowd roared the Reds on to another famous European victory against the Catalan giants. As the Reds prepare for another huge European tussle against Chelsea on Tuesday Stretford End Flags are urging you to bring flags, scarves and most importantly your singing voice to make Old Trafford a cauldron of noise on quarter final night!

Manager Sir Alex Ferguson is always keen to stress how important the fans can be in aiding the team on their quest for European glory and on the domestic front; however it is on European nights where the Old Trafford crowd really come to the fore.

Stretford End Flag’s European Cup mosaic as showcased in the 2009 UCL semi-final first leg vs Arsenal

Ferguson described the mosaics that Stretford End Flags design and implement as

“Fantastic.”

United stalwart Ryan Giggs also echoed his manager’s sentiments saying that

“When the crowd are up for it I can’t see us losing.”

Ahead of the game against League rivals Chelsea Sir Alex has already issued his regular rallying cry to the fans to really cook up an atmosphere. Ferguson was speaking to reporters after his sides 1-0 first leg win away in the first leg of this quarter final tie.

"Our biggest advantage (in the second leg) is Old Trafford. Our support next Tuesday will be absolutely fantastic there will be an electric atmosphere, I'm banking on that."

For the tie Stretford End Flags have arranged the some of our usual ploys in order to make Old Trafford the intimidating wall of noise for opponents and the legions strong vocal support for United.

We will have our usual flag bearers pitch side shortly before kickoff displaying designs from our Devil logo to references to past triumphs and some which bear the club colours, plain and simple. The club has also given permission for us to use the newly designed large two pole crowd flags, akin to that used on the continent, the two flags are three metres tall and pay homage to our two most successful managers, Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Matt Busby (the Busby flag can be seen below).

For those who made the trip down to London last week they will know just how important our support can be, the travelling Reds thoroughly out sung the home crowd and more of the same is required at Old Trafford on Tuesday. Despite their lack of vocal support Chelsea did however put on a very colourful show of support with flags and scarves a plenty knocking about the Bridge before kick-off. However those who watched the game at home or in the pub on television will have seen the mass of flags that the Red Army brought to the ‘old smoke’ and how the ‘shed end’ temporarily became an unofficial suburb of Manchester. We want to replicate this but on a much larger scale for when Chelsea rock up to M16 next week.

As the club approaches not only a key Champions League fixture but also massive home games that could be pivotal in determine whether this will be the season that United notch a record nineteenth title Stretford End Flags are again urging United supporters to make their voice heard and too make their support known. If we can replicate the amount of flags brought down to Stamford Bridge but times it be twenty Old Trafford really will be a sea of red, white and black, an awe inspiring sight which Sir Alex admits drives the players on even more.

“When the players come out into the arena and see the flags an mosaic they think to themselves, wow we don’t normally get this, they realise it’s a special night”

Recently you may have noticed a new Stretford End Flags banner on the Stretford End paying tribute to Ryan Giggs and his years of “tearing the opposition apart”. This is the first of many new designs Stretford End Flags are looking to create over the next few months and we are always seeking new designs for Mosaics and flags from you, the fans. If you have an idea why not submit it at the SEF FORUM

We encourage all supporters to bring flags to the games which you will be able to hang over the metal fencing at the front of the seating sections, also if your flag is less than 1.2 metres you can hang it over the upper tiers. Furthermore flags on sale outside the ground will also be able to be brought in the ground so we’ll be expecting plenty of flag waving fans on Tuesday night!

Old Trafford is not always as noisy as it could be despite the vast amount of supporters who file through the turnstiles each week. However as the season approaches ‘squeaky bum time’ Stretford End Flags urges all match-going supporters to play there part and to get behind the team. Put your worries about the club or the squad behind you and get behind the players, this could be a historic few weeks for Manchester United and with our help the likelihood of this being the case increases. So let’s get behind the boys and ‘keep the Red flag flyin’ high’.

By Nathan Thomas

Follow Nathan on twitter @NathanThomas8