Paul Withers

• i wanna be adored and live forever in the smiths' disco • #MUFCOK • #republicofmancunia • #GlazersOut • as you were

[Paul Withers @With689908]

Jamie Carragher is an argumentative Pr*ck

[BladeoftheSun @BladeoftheS]

We had NHS dentists, and free education, we owned Rail, Mail, Telecoms, Water, Energy, Steel and Ship Building, Social housing was built, and we owned care homes.

All of this was stolen to allow the rich to rob us forever for using essential services.

[Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 @Haggis_UK]

#SkyNews pointing out that Suella Braverman(Reform MP) was Home Secretary & Robert Jenrick(Reform MP) was an immigration minister when the North Belfast attacker was granted leave to remain.

[Tory Fibs @ToryFibs]

Andy today making the case for putting water corporations back under public control.

[Tory Fibs @ToryFibs]

Andy Burnham in Manchester:

• Blocked Palantir
• Brought Buses under Public Control
• Halved Rough Sleeping
• Gave £150,000 of his salary back
• Signed Green Deal
• Increased social rental housing
• Capped the £2 bus fare
• WHO award for 1st UK age-friendly city

[Bushra Shaikh @Bushra1Shaikh]

This is what this scumbag said when Sarah Everard was kidnapped, raped and murdered by a WHITE police officer.

Today, for the killing of Henry Novak by a Brown Sikh man, he calls the British public to "rage".

[Stuzi 🐝🐝 @stuzi_pants]

In hiding for over a fortnight to swerve any scrutiny over his multitude of illicit donations but finally breaks cover to shit all over the express wishes of Henry Nowak’s family

You can set your watch by Farage’s pisswizardry

A stain on U.K. politics

[Richy @RichySouthern]

Brighton’s links with the Chelsea/Strasbourg setup are looking more dodgy by the week.

Chelsea signed Cucurella, Caicedo, Sánchez and João Pedro directly from Brighton.

Then Julio Enciso goes from Brighton to Strasbourg, with Chelsea his eventual destination.

Valentín Barco follows the exact same Brighton, Strasbourg pathway… develops there… and now signs for Chelsea too.

At what point does this stop looking like normal transfers between separate clubs and start looking like Brighton are unofficially part of the same multi club network?

[Paul Withers @With689908]

@AAtma777 @tsinakantli_ @JoeJoemufc @CantonaManc Spot on mate

[Nick Harris @sportingintel]

I’ve said a lot about Pep Guardiola in the past 24 hours and this thread will be a bookend. First and foremost he’s been a genius coach who, inspired by Cryuff, has revolutionised football at all levels in the past two decades. 1/n

[Farrukh @implausibleblog]

Full victory speech of The Green Party's Hannah Spencer who wins the Gorton and Denton by Election:

14,980 - Greens
10,578 - Reform
UK 9,364 - Labour

"Okay. with me because this is a lot"

"I didn't grow up wanting to be a politician. I'm a plumber"

"And two weeks ago, during all this, I also qualified as a plasterer"

"Because even in chaos, even under pressure, I get things done"

"I am no different to every single person here in this constituency. I work hard. That is what we do"

"Except things have changed a lot over the last few decades. Because working hard used to get you something"

"It got you a house, a nice life, holidays. It got you somewhere"

"But now? Working hard? What does that get you?"

"Because talk to anyone here and they will tell you, the people who work hard but can't put food on the table, can't get their kids school uniforms, can't put their heating on, can't live off the pension they worked hard to save for, can't even begin to dream about ever having a holiday, ever

"Because life has changed"

"Instead of working for a nice life, we're working to line the pockets of billionaires"

"We are being bled dry"

"And I don't think it's extreme or radical to think working hard should get you a nice life"

"And I don't think that if you're not able to work that you should still have a nice life"

"I think that absolutely everybody should get a nice life"

"And clearly, I'm not the only person who thinks that"

"Because I've made clear my position and my commitment to working class communities, the community that I am from"

"People in their thousands told me on the doorsteps and at the ballot box, that what we are sick of is being let down and looked down on, that we are sick of our hard work making other people rich"

"I lived in this constituency at one of the most difficult and challenging periods of my life"

"I saw how strong the community was at holding things together"

"But I saw how much harder life is when the things around you are broken, the litter, the fly-tipping, the dirty air"

"And when I moved, it became even clearer. And this is why I am fighting for the community that I lived in and that I still work in"

"Because I absolutely refuse to accept that we should ever have to move and leave our our communities for good schools, a thriving high street, and clean air. And I will not accept a society where having more money gets you a longer life expectancy"

"And so when it came to fighting for people here, to stand in this election, well, how could I not fight? Because here, this is what we do"

"We fight for each other in this very diverse constituency, where our struggles might not always be the same, but where we know how hard life can be and we stick together"

"Whatever our beliefs, our backgrounds, our color, or our level of education, we stick up for each other"

"And to those who voted for me, I know that earning your trust starts now"

"One vote on one night is not something I will take for granted or assume will happen again"

"I will earn your trust"

"And to those who didn't vote for me, I will always work hard for you, and I will always be honest, and I will always be decent"

"To our Muslim communities, who this week suffered an attempted attack during Ramadan, whilst I was being welcomed by women at a mosque in Longsight, someone just down the road walked into a mosque carrying an axe"

"And whilst we were gathered and eating together, an act of terror could easily have taken place"

"And I can't and won't accept this victory tonight without calling out the politicians and divisive figures who constantly scapegoat and blame our communities for all the problems in society"

"My Muslim friends and neighbors are just like me, human"

"And of course, to our White working class communities, the background that I have become so proud to be from"

"We know how it feels to be looked down on, maybe because we didn't do well at school, maybe because we do dirty manual jobs, because we are shut out of places we should be in"

"To people here in Gorton and Denton, who feel left behind and isolated, I see you and I will fight for you"

"Because whilst our communities may sometimes be labeled in different ways, the thing everyone seems to have underestimated here, especially over the last few weeks, is how similar we all actually are. How we have common ground, how we get along, how we stand up for each other"

"The cracks that were starting to show can be healed, and I believe that it is through offering people hope and a chance to do things differently and do things better"

"Now to my customers, I'm sorry, but I think I might have to cancel the work that you have booked in, because I'm heading to Parliament"

"And when I get there, I will make space for everyone doing jobs like mine. We will finally get a seat at the table"

"And to Layla, the little girl who had the pleasure of meeting and holding this week, I promised you I would try and improve the world that you are growing up in. I told you that I am not perfect, but that I always try my best"

"I always try and do the right thing"

"Now something exciting is definitely happening and I invite you all to be part of it"

"Come and join the Green Party so that we can spread hope and win everywhere across the country"

"Our strength will grow as more and more of us come together. We have shown that we don't have to accept being turned against each other"

"We can demand better without hating each other. We can do that together"

"We ran a hopeful campaign backed by thousands of volunteers and activists"

"We defeated the parties of billionaire donors"

"We have shown that we don't have to accept being turned against each other at all, and we did this with the people who live here side by side, shoulder to shoulder, just as we have always done in this constituency and in the whole of Greater Manchester. Because this is is Manchester and we do things differently here"

"Thank you so, so much to everybody"

"Thank you"

[Footy Humour @FootyHumour]

Extremely rare footage of Dalot actually looking before crossing

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

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

[Anna @UTD_Anna_]

Eric Cantona 🇫🇷👑

#MUFC

[Jon Davies @JonDavies689908]

961 of you retweeted the below bad news. Well I’ve now got good news so let’s go for 962.

Manchester United Football Club have agreed to transfer my late father’s season ticket to his granddaughter Sacha 🙂

Thank you to @ISLO_MUST @BPete1970 @jimmymcbride1 & @dipsMUFC #UTFR

[Pete Molyneux @PeteMolyneux]

This is Mike Carney. I know him well. He’s never felt entitled to anything. But he was at Benfica in 66 & Madrid in 68. Now #MUFC Directors think it’s a good idea to take his seat off him for ‘corporate’ fans next year. Support the protests Reds. It matters! @The__1958 @TraMufc

[Paul Manc Bald and Bred @MufcWonItAll2]

Today is the perfect day to start my campaign to get Harry Gregg a statue at Old Trafford.

What he done in Munich saving so many lives I think it's sad that it hasn't happened already

Tomorrow I'll be sending emails to as many people at @ManUtd as I can.

Hope more get on board

[The Green Party @TheGreenParty]

Billionaire wealth has risen 3 times faster in 2024 than 2023 according to @Oxfam with 60% coming from either inheritance, cronyism and corruption or monopoly power.

This gross level of wealth hoarding is unjust and unsustainable.

Now is the time to tax the super-rich properly.

[Paul Withers @With689908]

@forrest_stu Still available?

[Paul Withers @With689908]

@Muzzutd179329 @laurennnn0607 @colbradley1 The club he wanted to move from and was a ‘dodgy’ fax machine from doing so. That club he loves, yeah?

[Stan Collymore @StanCollymore]

Politicians are lobbied by ticket companies, it's why you'll often see them at big gigs/sports events.

The biggest "legal" seller of tickets was able to act as a tout today, with total immunity from the law.

It's not free market capitalism, it's touting, protected.