I’ve supported Manchester United since the late seventies. I’ve seen the highs, the lows, the heartbreak, the glory, and some truly awful football along the way. I never really walked away.
That’s what supporting this club means to me. You stand by United through the bad times because you remember what the good times mean. You don't demand perfection, but you do demand pride, effort, commitment and a bit of respect for that badge.
That’s why the reaction at Old Trafford in the last match spoke volumes. The fans cheering Carrick and booing the players wasn’t just a reaction to 90 minutes of football. It was years of frustration finally coming to the surface.
Carrick received the appreciation because the supporters want to believe again. The players received the boos because too many of them have spent far too long failing to live up to the standards of Manchester United.
And let’s be honest: some of these players will never be good enough.
Not because they lack a fancy haircut, a big reputation or a massive transfer fee, but because they simply haven't shown the consistency, character or quality required to play for this club.
We’ve watched great players wear that shirt. Players who understood what it meant. Players who fought for every ball, took responsibility when things went wrong and understood that playing for United was a privilege, not just a lucrative career.
Now we’re expected to celebrate mediocrity, make excuses, blame the manager every time things go wrong and pretend that another summer of spending will magically fix everything.
I've supported United through some genuinely difficult periods. I don't need a history lesson about bad times. I've lived through them. But there is a difference between supporting a struggling team and watching players repeatedly fail to meet the standards of the club while collecting wages most people couldn't dream of.
Supporting the club doesn't mean blindly supporting every player who wears the shirt. Sometimes, the most loyal thing a fan can do is demand better.
The cheering for Carrick and the booing of the players sent a message: the supporters still care. They still have standards. And they haven't forgotten what Manchester United should represent.
I'm not asking for the treble every season. I'm asking for players worthy of the shirt.
After all these years, I can accept losing a match. I can accept a bad season. What I cannot accept is a squad full of players who repeatedly demonstrate that they are not up to the job.
Some of them have had more than enough chances.
The badge is bigger than any player, the club is bigger than any manager, and the supporters who have stood by United for decades deserve far better than this.
Enough excuses. Enough mediocrity. Either prove you're good enough to play for Manchester United, or make way for someone who is.