Farewell, Scott, and thank you for everything

There have certainly been better footballers than Scott McTominay to have donned the iconic Red of Manchester United.
There have been players of immeasurable skill, incredible, historic feats of derring do and we've had some of the finest ever exponents of our great game strutting their stuff at Old Trafford.

Limited ability but massive in heart 

But for desire, heart, passion and pure love for our club, McTominay stands out above most, as one of the most feted Academy stars of his generation. Foreign exports may bring the flair, the silk and the style, but it's those lads that bleed United whom truly resonate with us fans. McTominay epitomised all that and more. As a footballer, his scope was maybe limited, but there can be doubt he loves Manchester United and gave absolutely everything for us every time he pulled on that jersey. A popular and much loved figure in the Old Trafford dressing room, you would struggle to find anyone who has a bad word to say about him. 

As a young Lancashire-born Scot, McTominay's United career - rising through the ranks from promising graduate to fully fledged first teamer - is one that will stand the test of time. He was, quite simply, one of us. 

One of the reasons why we love home grown players so much is they represent us on that pitch: we'd all love the chance to represent our beloved team and play out our shut eyed fantasy. McTominay certainly did that: he acted out every United fan's dream in front of us all on one of the biggest and most iconic stages in the game. He understood our 'DNA' and has given his blood, sweat and tears for us during a difficult period in our history. I'll always be thankful to him for that. 

Arrivederci, Scott 

255 games and 29 goals later, McTominay has completed a £25m deal to sign for Antonio Conte's Gil Azzurri as part of a makeweight for the incoming Manuel Ugarte. 

Now, as McTominay heads to Napoli to begin a new chapter in his career, he departs for Serie A with the very best wishes of everyone here at United Faithful. He leaves not just for a new club, but he leaves the only home he has ever known. Whilst he could not outrun his limitations, he has more than contributed to the cause during his seven seasons in the spotlight. 

So how will history remember McTominay's United legacy? 

McFred 

McTominay was given his breakthrough as a tall, rangy, 20-year-old by Jose Mourinho in 2017 and quickly established himself as a key cog in the United engine room. He was very highly rated by Mourinho, so much so the Portuguese created an end of season award especially for him. When Mourinho was sacked, in came Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the affable Ole also took a shine to McTominay. Sitting deep with Brazilian international Fred in Solskjaer's 4-2-3-1 system, he started 28 times as United reached the Europa League final and secured a second placed finish in the Premier League. 

But the flaws in 'McFred' were obvious - both players were too similar and would run through walls for their manager and the club. But neither of them offered anything either going forward, or as an effective shield for the defence. It wasn't until the arrival of Erik ten Hag that 'McFred' finally broke up with the addition of Casemiro and emergence of Kobbie Mainoo. 

He earned his place in the team as one of those type of players every side needs: a workhorse, a grafter, a player who covers every blade of grass and would rather die than stop running. But McTominay is 27, and with INEOS on a mission to resurrect United, he represents the type of mediocrity they want to stamp out. 

McTominay becomes our second Academy graduate to depart United this summer, after Willy Kambwala left for the sunnier climes of Villarreal. But the Carrington conveyor belt still continues to turn brightly at United, with Alejandro Garnacho, Mainoo and Marcus Rashford regular starters and Toby Collyer and Ethan Wheatley on the periphery of stardom.

Best ever season in worst ever team

Surprisingly, McTominay managed to outlast Fred at United, and even saw his role change as ten Hag's side evolved. Last season turned out to be the best of McTominay's career at Old Trafford in United's worst ever Premier League team.

There were a series of clutch, game-winning goals as McTominay stepped off the bench to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat at home to Brentford with two roof raising injury time strikes. He turned one point into all three at Champions League chasing Villa, scored twice at home to Chelsea and also notched his first Champions League goal in the Istanbul firepit.

He ended the season with double figures in terms of goals with a career highest of ten and his past existence as a striker firmly in evidence. But there were issues too: when he didn't score, his lack of contribution was damning and McTominay was often left stranded by ten Hag's high pressing but low block blueprint. Casemiro's legs started to fail him and McTominay spent most of the season running around aimlessly. 

For me, I'm at peace with his departure. I'm grateful for everything he's done, for the loyal and unstinting service he has given our wonderful club. But I also know he's not the level of player we need.

Who can forget that generational 40-yarder in the derby as lockdown loomed back in 2020, or the two goals in a minute against Leeds in that 6-2 thumping the following season? He scored in that stonking quarter final win over the Scousers and in the semi at Wembley en route to winning the FA Cup last term. There was the night he channeled his inner Xavi in the Parc des Princes, and those totemic, lung busting performances in four major finals. There are so many fantastic memories that will last a lifetime. 

Brighter future ahead for United and INEOS

McTominay can look back on his United career with a sense of pride, and of duty, as he embarks on his Italian Job. Meanwhile, for INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, their Reds revolution continues apace. Ugarte becomes our fifth summer signing after Leny Yoro, Mathijs de Ligt, Joshua Zirkzee and Noussair Mazraoui. Replacing substandard or disruptive players with young, hungry and top class upgrades, ruthless calls are being made to set us up for a brighter future. There is no room for sentimentality.

Ratcliffe's overhaul has stepped up another gear as a new set of players bid to scale the heights McTominay and his colleagues weren't quite capable of. 

Thank you for everything Scott and all the best in Italy. Bravo! Maybe see you around some time..

FA Community Shield: From de Ligt to despair at Wembley - but plenty of positives

As we walked down Wembley Way, there was that feeling in the North West London air. The feeling every football fan gets at this time of year. The belief, the hope and the expectation only the start of a new football season can bring. Of course, it could pop like a balloon, but it’s always fun while it lasts, right?

Whatever’s gone before becomes irrelevant as we look ahead to the next ten months - ten months in which our lives will once again be shaped by a group of strangers kicking a bag of leather around the length and breadth of this fair isle. Yet year after year, for the love of our club, we put ourselves through it.

With the buzz of a United matchday in full swing, came the dopamine hit: United’s summer spending was not done yet. As we finished our pints in Wembley’s United fanzone, there it was in black and white: United had agreed a deal to sign not one, but two, Bayern Munich players. Mathijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui were on their way to swell United’s defensive ranks, for a combined fee of £60m as per BBC Sport. Could the day get any better?
This may have ‘only’ been the Community Shield, and a far cry from May’s FA Cup final epic, but the mood was still one of high tension: as a United fan, you always want to get one over on those bluenoses from over the road, no matter the scene or setting.

Yet despite Bernardo Silva’s late equaliser when so close to victory, even when Jonny Evans skied the 15^th penalty of the shootout into the wide blue yonder, there was optimism. There was a positive feeling. United had played well and did more than enough to win. We may have lost on penalties but there are far more positives than there are negatives. So what now?

 The narrative suggests the Community Shield has little bearing on the season itself. Often, the opposite is true. Only once in the last 13 years has the winner gone on to become Premier League champions. The last three Shield losers have gone on to win the league that season. United again proved we can go toe-to-toe with Pep Guardiola’s City slickers on the big stage and run them close.

For the first time in a long while, United head into a new campaign on an upward trajectory. The winds of change are certainly swirling around Old Trafford. We’ve four new additions and a new look coaching staff spearheaded by a manager with the ink barely dry on his new contract. With de Ligt and Mazraoui set to be included in Friday’s matchday squad, the future is bright for 2024-25. As we sang loud and proud on Saturday, we're on the march with ten Hag's Army. 

Manchester United began this campaign as the last one had ended ten weeks ago - with a derby day dust up against that mob in blue from across the city. At the national stadium, with silverware on the line and the world watching. The cast list may have been quite different with both sides missing several of their star turns, but the two combatants remained the same.
Had the hamstrung Rasmus Hojlund been on the end of those two gilt-edged chances Marcus Rashford saw, and then squandered, the outcome would have been different. Quite what club legend and newly appointed assistant manager Ruud van Nistelrooy made of the man in his old number, we’ll never know. Van Nistelrooy’s compatriot and the newest addition to our striking ranks, Joshua Zirkzee, remained an unused sub at Wembley. His time surely cannot be far away.

Yet there was so much to admire from United’s Wembley showing. Casemiro looked back to his best and more the totemic figure of his debut season. Evans, his spot-kick aberration aside, was excellent. Bruno Fernandes came into the match with no pre-season or minutes under his belt but looked like he’d never been away. Alejandro Garnacho got himself another Wembley goal. We defended stoutly, moved the ball quickly and slickly and outplayed City, particularly in the second half. If we carry this into the season proper, starting with Fulham on Friday night, we won’t go far wrong.