David Brightmore

Applications from new & existing teams are being accepted now docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAI…

Season 26/27 Further update on the exciting merger. It’s our intention to have at least 5 divisions. A ‘super’ Prem, ‘Championship’ 2nd tier, both which will cover the full region. Lower divisions will be more localised to reduce travelling. Teams of all standards are welcome.

Sir. Robert. Charlton.

🇾🇪Northern Irelands best ever player , Scotland's best ever player and quite possibly England's best ever player and the media dare to compare some of today's players 🇾🇪

We are now accepting applications for next season. Apply HERE: forms.gle/5DPPTVG4bsE76h…

@SundayChants All start & finish with same letter

🤔 First one to answer wins...

Challenge Cup Quarter 1. @Newheylodgefc v @RoeCross 2. @FH_allstarsFC v @FcNewbarn 3. @theoxford_fc v @WaterlooOpenAge 4. @fcchapell v Shaw Semis 2 v 1, 4 v 3

The magnificent Denis Law would've been celebrating his 86th birthday today. Superb footballer, never forgotten #mufc 🙏

"How many did you win, Jamie?" 😂 Edwin van der Sar couldn't help himself when discussing Premier League titles 🏆

Former Scotland & Man Utd star, Lou Macari, is 76 years young, a community hero & should be knighted next time around. Lou’s Macari Centre is committed to helping end homelessness in Stoke & in the last 10 years given thousands of people an address, shelter & hope. 👏 #SirLou

@YesterdaysStars I was there, all the roads round the ground were flooded.

🇾🇪 On this day in 1990 United beat Hereford in the 4th round of the FA Cup 1-0 Mark Robins goal in the 3rd round v Forest is lauded as possibly the goal that kept Fergie in a job Clayton Blackmore's must have been as important ? imagine if we had lost to a 4th Div. side 🇾🇪

BABY BRUNO, BABY MBEUMO, BABY DORGU and BABY AMAD ARE READY Let’s goo #MUFC 😂😂😂😂

Wow Macca, won 3-2 with last kick of game, scenes, 2-0 down in 10 minutes in v @intercheadle Mike McKenzie Memorial Trophy Top game, good set of lads, good luck for rest of the season. ⚽️ @joshwinthropx ⚽️ @LeytonDevlin92 ⚽️ @maceyre123 Mom @juwon_hamzat

The King of the Stretford End passed away a year ago today RIP Legend 🙏

Happy 21st birthday @JuniorSheriff33 ⭐

@paulenglish1961 I was there, think we played Rangers in a friendly on 4th round date

13th January 1973, United lost their 3rd Round FA Cup tie against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux 1-0. Mike Bailey got the only goal of the game in the 2nd minute. Tony Dunne who had came on as a sub for Brian Kidd was sent off in this one. The crowd that day was 40,005. #MUFC #UTFR #GGMU #ManchesterUnited #ManUtd

Bryan Robson 69 today Legendary player for WBA, Manchester United & England, before joining Middlesbrough as player manager Here's Robbo scoring a wonderful goal for Manchester United against Liverpool in the 1985 FA Cup Semi Final 🎙from Brian Moore

Manchester United used to be synonymous with leadership. In the dug-out, on the pitch, in the boardroom. Sir Matt Busby, Sir Alex Ferguson, Bryan Robson, Roy Keane, David Gill and many others, revered, even feared, authority figures, rated, adored, never ignored. Leaders who thought about the team and the club and fought for them. Football (society?) has fewer real leaders generally currently. At United, this great club changed the moment the Glazers arrived in 2005. United gradually came more about what could be taken out (£) rather than put in (commitment). The leadership principle was eroded, and that accelerated when Ferguson and Gill stood down in 2013. United lost expertise, experience and wisdom. They lost leaders. David Moyes and others tried but the culture had changed under the Glazers. They didn’t know enough, didn’t appoint well enough. They spent money - fans’ money - on the football side but not judiciously enough. They seemed more focused on the business side. The brand played on. The tills were alive with the sound of revenue, the distant Glazers were happy. But the football drifted. The squad cried out for more players with the right character, and proper investment in training ground and stadium. The Old Trafford leaky roof summed up the lack of attention – and a lack of love and leadership. New co-owners Ineos promised better. They promised strong leadership. They have delivered some good things, investment in the training ground, but the team continue to slide. How many United players would get into Arsenal’s XI? Arsenal showed leadership and judgement in appointing Mikel Arteta, and backing him because they could see his leadership qualities. Arteta has authority as well as his obvious coaching strengths. United keep appointing managers and they don’t last. Ruben Amorim – an Ineos appointment - was Manchester United’s fourth manager in their four most recent trips to Elland Road on Sunday following Glazer appointees Ole Gunnar Solskjaer 2021, Ralf Rangnick 2022 and Erik ten Hag 2023. Pay as you churn. How much will Amorim get in his pay-off? Millions. For failure. In a period when Ineos culled good staff – people who care about the club - to save a few quid. Poor leadership. And where was the judgement and leadership in recruiting a head coach committed to wing-backs? United are about wingers. Amorim deserved to depart for his stubborn commitment to a formation and philosophy that didn’t suit United’s squad or their DNA. Good managers adapt. Good managers also don’t talk like Amorim did in too many press conferences. Nice guy, but naïve, a headline waiting to happen, rarely positive. “Maybe the worst team in the history of Manchester United” – not great for players' morale? “I came here to be the manager of Manchester United not the head coach” – his job title from the word go was head coach. “That’s going to finish in 18 months and then everyone is going to move on” – basically predicting his departure. No wonder Jason Wilcox, Omar Berrada and Ineos had had enough. At least they’ve showed leadership in taking action. At least they’ve appointed a leader in Darren Fletcher to take the team for the trip to Burnley. Amorim never felt like a leader. A Manchester United head coach should sound the part – defiant, always positive about his players – and carry some aura. Also be appreciative of the great privilege of leading this great club. Look at United’s remarkable and patient travelling support. Total commitment to the cause. The biggest club in the country deserves to be properly led. And so to the pitch. Where are the leaders? Bruno Fernandes is captain, United’s best player, but not a natural leader. Moans too much on the pitch (but an admirable ambassador for the club off the pitch). Harry Maguire’s a good leader but not certain of his place (or pace). Bryan Mbeumo in a quiet way. Casemiro’s ageing. Too few leaders. Under Ferguson, there would be 5-6 you could give the armband to. Where are the standard-setters now? Any complaints about the criticism of pundits Gary Neville, Paul Scholes and Keane should be dismissed. Neville, Scholes and Keane represent the standards that United players should aspire to. The levels of commitment. All of them responsibility-takers, winners, and, in different ways, leaders. Manchester United need to recruit more leaders and for those already at the club, from dressing-room to board-room, to show greater leadership. Amorim was a symptom of the malaise as well as a cause. #MUFC

A young Darren Fletcher with an even younger Wayne Rooney at Carrington on 13th October 2001 #ManchesterUnited