FC United of Manchester v Harrogate Town

Broadhurst Park

National League South

January 21, 2017

Ground No 192

IT'S easy to knock FC United of Manchester. The 'we've got love enough for two' philosophy of the club set up as a backlash to the Glazer family's takeover at Old Trafford can be a difficult one to get your head around if you're a humble groundhopper in search of new ticks or indeed a fan of pretty much any other club.

So are FC United of Manchester simply a Manchester United presence in the non-league arena? Well no actually.

The roots of the club, and indeed the very reason for its existence, are clear. The name, the kit, the banners, the songs from the large and vocal crowd are reminders of that.

Even the exterior of the ground features imaginative use of railways sleepers - a nod to the Carriage and Wagon department of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway depot at Newton Heath who formed the club that went on to become Manchester United.

But since opening a ground to call their own in May 2015, FCUM have managed to retain their commitment to being a protest club while establishing themselves as an entity in their own right and a part of the community (one which is just three miles from Etihad Stadium, it's worth remembering).

Because it was set up as a Red Devils rebel club, FCUM had an instant fan base to tap into and as a result  the matchday atmosphere is more akin to that of a league game than a fixture outside the top four tiers of the pyramid.

And that's a good thing by the way - FCUM's rise from nothing to what they have now in 12 years is hugely commendable.

So too is their manifesto which pledges, among other things to make matchdays as affordable as possible (£9 for adults and £2 for kids is pretty cheap at this level); to encourage local talent to the club and to remain a not-for-profit organisation. Oh and there's free Wi-Fi in the ground too.

Broadhurst Park is covered on all four sides and the current capacity is 4,400. The area behind one goal remains undeveloped save for a roof, giving scope for further seats to be added in due course, while along one side is a narrow strip of hard standing. And some flags. Lots of flags.

That means the vast majority of those present watch the action from the St Mary's Road Terrace behind one goal, which holds 2,500 and was bought from Northwich Victoria whose Drill Field ground closed in 2002; and the all-seater main stand along one side of the pitch.

At the back of the main stand is the bar/clubhouse/hospitality area and underneath it is one of the ground's hidden gems. The tea bar. Yes, the tea bar.

Have you ever seen feta, butternut squash and leek pasties on sale at a non-league football match? Balti (vegetable or chicken) and rice was also on the menu, as were Lancashire cheese and spring onion sausage rolls.

We'd eaten before we'd set off but, as my brother-in-law remarked, "it's a shame you only go to grounds once or we could have lunch here next time!"

 There was certainly an appetite for goals too, as FC United fought back from behind twice to draw 2-2 and had an injury-time 'winner' chalked off. In all a very enjoyable afternoon out.