Somebody, somewhere, reading this or some other recent blog post on Life, Leeds United, the Universe & Everything, will become the three millionth hit on my labour of love. Life, Leeds United, the Universe & Everything has progressed from humble beginnings, when articles attracted maybe a few dozen readers, on through several successful years where one article topped 30,000 hits all on its own.
Because of the demands of other work, I cannot now devote as much attention to what is still a one man operation. That’s why each successive million hits has taken longer to achieve, with this third one dragging on, seemingly for ages. But here we are at last, with that three millionth hit imminent. Maybe the fourth million will be easier and quicker, especially if Leeds United can achieve the higher status we’re all hoping and praying for.
Whatever happens in the future, I’m grateful to everyone who has ever clicked on an article in this blog, to all those who have written in with their viewpoints on various issues, for the debates, both serious and funny, and for those who have supported this undertaking financially. For every hit, right from number one up until that golden three millionth, and for those yet to come, I am profoundly thankful. A blog is nothing without readers and clearly, I have the best of the best.
Onwards and upwards now for both blog and club. Marching On Together.
“The Damned United” – über-cool nickname for The Last Champions
In a shock move designed to placate millions of loyal and bewildered fans across the world, some of whom have even visited the Theatre of Hollow Myths, Man U – famously celebrated as the “Pride of Devon” – are to appeal directly to the Football Association in the matter of what they see as a gross injustice, whereby Leeds United have far cooler nicknames than Manchester’s second/third club.
The matter is being taken very seriously due to an outcry from distressed armchair owners the length and breadth of Cornwall and clear across to Milton Keynes. A spokesman for Man U was quoted as saying “Some of our fans are very upset indeed. They’ve heard Leeds United being referred to as “the Damned United” and even as “the Last Champions”, and they fear that these nicknames have a ring of cool credibility that our own branding sadly lacks.” But what about the traditional nicknames for Man U such as the Red Devils? “That’s a problem too,” said the spokesman, glumly. “Too many football fans from other clubs have sussed out that we originally nicked that from Salford RL when we re-branded and stopped being Newton Heath. The realisation that we’re not the only, nor even the first United – that’s also come as a blow to many of our faithful Sky TV followers. There’s a lot of disillusion out there, especially now the team is so crap…”
The protest to the FA will contain a number of key proposals, including but not limited to new “Branding Fair Play” regulations. “We’ll also be asking for a right of veto as to nicknames being applied to other clubs,” said our Man U contact. “Nicknames deemed by us as just too cool for anyone but our own Man U will be appropriated and patented as Man U copyright. Sadly, it’s too late for that with the two Leeds nicknames, they’re already solidly identified with that lot from Elland Road. It’s not fair, it’s not right – but there’s not a lot even we can do about it. But you tell me how we’re going to convince even our fans that we’re the biggest and greatest in the world when we don’t have the biggest stadium, the most fans, the most money, a winning team – and now we don’t even have the coolest nicknames?? It’s JUST NOT FAIR. Time was we could do what we wanted…”
At this point, the spokesman tailed off, sobbed a little and flounced away tearfully for a lie down – but an FA source was able to confirm for us that an Official Whinge had indeed been lodged. “We are considering the matter,” the FA stated. “Frankly, we feel we should help Man U in this, if at all possible. We’re aware that our referees haven’t perhaps been as co-operative this season as they have been in the past – and we’ve all been a bit at sea since S’ralex stepped down as Supreme Commander. We’ll certainly look sympathetically on whatever representations are made to us.”
A Man U supporters group had been prepared to talk to us, but changed their intentions at the last minute after we advised them we’d have to reveal they are based in Kent. They issued a short statement which read: “We have quite enough people taking the Michael out of us already without all this, thanks very much.”
When we contacted Leeds United, they were slightly more forthcoming: “We have no objection to being known as “The Damned United” if that’s what people out there want to do,” we were told. “Furthermore, we can confirm that, as everyone knows, we are the Last Champions and that we’re also the only Damned United worth bothering about.”
Life, Leeds United, the Universe & Everything 