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Hi, I'm Mark Fisher. I had a distinctly mediocre upbringing in Sale, Trafford, Greater Manchester. I managed to get into the local grammar school and went on to study english at Manchester Metropolitan University.
It was early May 2005, I had just finished my last exam and a sense of freedom dawned upon me. Party planning for my upcoming 21st birthday was top of my agenda. Strangely, it was this short two week spell that would shape what I was to become and this wasn't through academic achievement- far from it. In the short term I had many negatives, Michelle my long standing girlfriend had dumped me as she had to move back to Plymouth. To tell the truth I felt more down-hearted over what was going on in the footballing world. Chelsea had strolled to a league success- this was bad news. However Liverpool were the subject of most of my frustration. They were on there way to Istanbul to play AC Milan in the champions league final, undeservedly. How that Luis Garcia goal was given I still to this day do not know. I guess my outlook on life was simple, united first, everything else second it was later more eloquently put in the famous banner at Old Trafford 'United-Kids-Wife in that order'. But I had never really experienced the true lows of football, I was soon to find out that you could be worse off than having to play a qualifacation game to get into the Champions League.
The day had come, the 12th of May 2005, My 21st birthday. Many would put their 21st birthdays in the top 10 days of their lives, but for me it was a dark day, which I would rather didn't happen. I woke up, I had a few presents all of which i have now forgotten about. My phone would beep every 15 minutes or so with a 'happy birthday' message, it seemed somehow metronomical. But this time my phone was beeping more often and each beep seemed like a separate dagger to the heart. The messages were from my best mate - Liam. The first message read "Some yank wants to take over united, he's not good news' later ones explained details of a planned protest march outside Old Trafford. The doorbell rang. About 7 of my mates were waiting outside my house, not to wish me happy birthday, but telling me to come with them and attempt to save MUFC. It was an offer that I couldn't decline.
On the way i was shown this picture:
View attachment 227436
Hysterically, I asked Liam how someone who looked like that would have enough money to takeover the worlds biggest football club. He gave an abrupt two word answer with made my face crumble like a house of sand, "He doesn't"
I don't remember much about the march, but my long-standing memory of my 21st birthday was at a pizza parlour in Manchester. There were about 30 reds in there. We were discussing how we were going to move forward, when one quiet yet authoritative voice mumbled, "Why don't we make a new club?"
From that moment on the foundations for Fc United were born. View attachment 227437
6 years later and I haven't missed one game. We have made the substantial climb from the 10th tier of english football to the 7th tier. We have been managed by Karl Marginson since we were founded however he has now resigned, claiming he could not take the team any further.
While severely intoxicated, Liam suggested that I should have a crack at managing the red rebels claiming I must be an expert given the amount of time I have spent on Fifa Manager (I couldn't be arsed correcting his major fault, Fifa Manager? As If!). At the time I shrugged it off but last week I handed my application in. Due to the fact I'm a shareholder in the club, I have the right to get an interview with the chairman Andy Walsh, today is the day of the interview.
I arrived at Gigg Lane a wreck of nerves. I worked out that I must have been on the tram from Sale to Bury over 100 times, It never has been a pleasant journey! The figure of Andy Walsh greeted me and he unenthusiastically muttered "You must be Mark, take a seat in my office"
Pleasantaries were exchanged before he got down to the nitty gritty
"You're inexperienced" He stated
For all my hours in lecture halls I failed to recognise whether that was a statement or a question.
One thought crossed my mind '**** it, i won't get this job with a standard interview, I need to speak from the heart'
My now legendary speech began..."Yes i'm inexperienced but I view this as an irrelevance. I challenge you to find one candidate for this job aside from me who has a stronger love for this football club. I was in that pizza parlour in 2005, just like you. I attended our first ever match against Leigh RMI, just like you. I witnessed Stuart Rudd's overhead kick against Bacup, just like you. I was distraught when Rory Patterson left, but am still proud of what he has gone on to achieve, just like you. I'm now still in dismay over the playoff final result against Colwyn Bay, just like you."
He interrupted "Yes but so have 1000 others"
My heart skipped a beat. I just simply said "FC United was a big part of my life and at least with me as boss we would be guaranteed stabilty. I am not a person who offers false hope, I am confident I will be able to lead us to the Blue square North, And he should be confident that I would never resign like Margy did"
To my astonishment he offered me the job, he agreed to pay me £180 per week, though I think we both know that I would have offered my services for free.
My first (and probably only) venture in to football management has begun!
Feel Free to offer any advice and constructive criticism, try and remember this is my first ever story
It was early May 2005, I had just finished my last exam and a sense of freedom dawned upon me. Party planning for my upcoming 21st birthday was top of my agenda. Strangely, it was this short two week spell that would shape what I was to become and this wasn't through academic achievement- far from it. In the short term I had many negatives, Michelle my long standing girlfriend had dumped me as she had to move back to Plymouth. To tell the truth I felt more down-hearted over what was going on in the footballing world. Chelsea had strolled to a league success- this was bad news. However Liverpool were the subject of most of my frustration. They were on there way to Istanbul to play AC Milan in the champions league final, undeservedly. How that Luis Garcia goal was given I still to this day do not know. I guess my outlook on life was simple, united first, everything else second it was later more eloquently put in the famous banner at Old Trafford 'United-Kids-Wife in that order'. But I had never really experienced the true lows of football, I was soon to find out that you could be worse off than having to play a qualifacation game to get into the Champions League.
The day had come, the 12th of May 2005, My 21st birthday. Many would put their 21st birthdays in the top 10 days of their lives, but for me it was a dark day, which I would rather didn't happen. I woke up, I had a few presents all of which i have now forgotten about. My phone would beep every 15 minutes or so with a 'happy birthday' message, it seemed somehow metronomical. But this time my phone was beeping more often and each beep seemed like a separate dagger to the heart. The messages were from my best mate - Liam. The first message read "Some yank wants to take over united, he's not good news' later ones explained details of a planned protest march outside Old Trafford. The doorbell rang. About 7 of my mates were waiting outside my house, not to wish me happy birthday, but telling me to come with them and attempt to save MUFC. It was an offer that I couldn't decline.
On the way i was shown this picture:
View attachment 227436
Hysterically, I asked Liam how someone who looked like that would have enough money to takeover the worlds biggest football club. He gave an abrupt two word answer with made my face crumble like a house of sand, "He doesn't"
I don't remember much about the march, but my long-standing memory of my 21st birthday was at a pizza parlour in Manchester. There were about 30 reds in there. We were discussing how we were going to move forward, when one quiet yet authoritative voice mumbled, "Why don't we make a new club?"
From that moment on the foundations for Fc United were born. View attachment 227437
6 years later and I haven't missed one game. We have made the substantial climb from the 10th tier of english football to the 7th tier. We have been managed by Karl Marginson since we were founded however he has now resigned, claiming he could not take the team any further.
While severely intoxicated, Liam suggested that I should have a crack at managing the red rebels claiming I must be an expert given the amount of time I have spent on Fifa Manager (I couldn't be arsed correcting his major fault, Fifa Manager? As If!). At the time I shrugged it off but last week I handed my application in. Due to the fact I'm a shareholder in the club, I have the right to get an interview with the chairman Andy Walsh, today is the day of the interview.
I arrived at Gigg Lane a wreck of nerves. I worked out that I must have been on the tram from Sale to Bury over 100 times, It never has been a pleasant journey! The figure of Andy Walsh greeted me and he unenthusiastically muttered "You must be Mark, take a seat in my office"
Pleasantaries were exchanged before he got down to the nitty gritty
"You're inexperienced" He stated
For all my hours in lecture halls I failed to recognise whether that was a statement or a question.
One thought crossed my mind '**** it, i won't get this job with a standard interview, I need to speak from the heart'
My now legendary speech began..."Yes i'm inexperienced but I view this as an irrelevance. I challenge you to find one candidate for this job aside from me who has a stronger love for this football club. I was in that pizza parlour in 2005, just like you. I attended our first ever match against Leigh RMI, just like you. I witnessed Stuart Rudd's overhead kick against Bacup, just like you. I was distraught when Rory Patterson left, but am still proud of what he has gone on to achieve, just like you. I'm now still in dismay over the playoff final result against Colwyn Bay, just like you."
He interrupted "Yes but so have 1000 others"
My heart skipped a beat. I just simply said "FC United was a big part of my life and at least with me as boss we would be guaranteed stabilty. I am not a person who offers false hope, I am confident I will be able to lead us to the Blue square North, And he should be confident that I would never resign like Margy did"
To my astonishment he offered me the job, he agreed to pay me £180 per week, though I think we both know that I would have offered my services for free.
My first (and probably only) venture in to football management has begun!
Feel Free to offer any advice and constructive criticism, try and remember this is my first ever story
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