DISABLED SUPPORTERS ASSOCIATION DISABLED SUPPORTERS ASSOCIATION The official MUDSA magazine Volume 16, Issue 2, Christmas 2012 Sir Alex Ferguson + Paralympic interview special + Rafael da Silva Phil Downs, MBE SECRETARY/DLO MUDSA, c/o MU Foundation, Sir Matt Busby Way, Old Trafford, Manchester, M16 0RA T: 0845 230 1989 E: [email protected] Des Turner EDITOR/CHAIR 2, Cae Bryn, Garth, Llangollen, LL20 7DQ T: 01978 810528 E: [email protected] Chas Banks SOCIAL MUDSA, c/o MU Foundation, The official MUDSA magazine Sir Matt Busby Way, Old Trafford, Manchester, M16 0RA Volume16, Issue 2, Christmas 2012 T: 0161 610 8200 This magazine is issued free to MUDSA members. E: [email protected] You can also view Rollin’ Reds and download it in Cara Salt PDF format from our websiteJohn atand www.mudsa.org Matthew Peters CUSTOMER RELATIONS EXECUTIVE Photography: leemingdesign.co.uk MUDSA, c/o MU Foundation, Production: Richard Trenchard Sir Matt Busby Way, Old Trafford, Katherine Allin Manchester, M16 0RA Thanks this issue: Paralympics GB T: 0845 230 1989 E: [email protected] Sue Rocca MUTV TREASURER 113 Darley Avenue, Manchester, M21 7QR T: 0161 861 9454 E: [email protected] Ann-Marie Lewis FAMILY EVENTS 17 Bala Avenue, Holywell, CH8 7HD T: 01352 715794 E: [email protected] Andy Wild ADMIN & MERCHANDISE Apt 2, 1 Maple Road West, Manchester, M23 9QU T: 0161 972 0565 E: [email protected] Jamie Leeming MEDIA ASSISTANT Comeback kings... 1 Althorpe Drive, Southport, PR8 6HS Chicharito heads home the winner at Villa T: 07590 406669 Park in a 3-2 victory after United had gone Inside this edition… 19 Team Talk with Jamie E: [email protected] 2-0 down. The Mexican claimed a hat-trick, although, action replays showed a Villa 4 The Platform with Des 20 Exclusive RR Interview Rafael da Silva Liz Edwards deflection making the second an own goal. 5 A Tribute To Steve Crompton 24 Have Your Say Your Letters QUADRANT REP/MERCHANDISE 6 News Sir Alex Ferguson statue 25 Future Shirt Kenji Gorre 37 Ashburn Way, Mill Gardens, Wrexham, LL13 0YY 8 Ups ‘n’ Downs with Phil 26 For The Shirt Shinji Kagawa T: 01978 264822 10 Feature Paralympic interviews 28 Between The Headphones with Nigel E: [email protected] 16 MUDSA Annual Dinner 30 MUDSA official merchandise Nigel Taylor 18 Advertorial My Dad is Different 31 My MUFC John Cullum VI REPRESENTATIVE MUDSA, c/o MU Foundation, Sir Matt Busby Way, Old Trafford, Follow MUDSA Keep yourself up to date Manchester, M16 0RA T: 07429 405520 on Facebook: with the latest news by E: [email protected] www.facebook.com/MUDSA.official visiting www.mudsa.org 4 THE PLATFORM with Des A TRIBUTE with Phil 5 Steve Crompton 1950 — 2012 ll of us are influenced by people Adrifting into our lives and sometimes we find ourselves close to people that we wouldn’t have met if life had been different. Suddenly finding yourself in a wheelchair tends to do that and I’m proud to say that Steve was one of the people that made a real difference to my life and my MUDSA colleagues who also knew him well would echo the same sentiment. Steve Crompton was an avid United fan from the cradle like most of us. He started coming to games Top of the tree! in a wheelchair when MS finally knocked him off his Surprise’. By comparison, it wasn’t a lot better feet but he wasn’t the kind of person to let that get than a First World War bi-plane but we all climbed very warm welcome to the in recent years, he was uncomplaining and always in his way. aboard, including Steve who was an anxious flier AChristmas edition of Rollin’ Reds, it ready to do his bit no matter what. Steve was one of He loved computers as much as he loved football and started to get out of breath, but little did we seems that no sooner are we kicking off life’s genuinely good guys and will be sorely missed. and he helped me out of many a fix… needless know he was in the early stages of having the new season in short-sleeved shirts Our thoughts are with Margaret and all his family. to say he was an obvious choice to enlist a heart attack! He insisted he was OK and glorious sunshine than the festive MUDSA was represented by Chas and Phil at Steve’s onto the MUDSA committee many and we took to the air but concern season is once more upon us, with its funeral and Phil pays tribute on page 5. years ago when we needed those grew, ending in a steep dive attendant sleet and freezing rain. November also saw the sad death of former talents on board. Steve was the down to land to get Steve into As 2013 beckons, the Reds are sitting pretty at the Manchester United manager Dave Sexton. Dave person that should be marked the nearest ambulance and top of the league. Quite how we’ve achieved this was our manager from 1977 to 1981 and took the down in history as the off to Stanstead hospital. is slightly puzzling considering how easily we have club to a dramatic FA Cup final in 1979 which we writer of the first disabled Needless to say Steve conceded at times but the table doesn’t lie and as lost 3–2 to Arsenal. United also finished as league supporters association’s didn’t make it to Barcelona I write, we lead our nearest rivals by three points. runners-up in 1979–80 under his stewardship. He website and at moments but he was alive. Among the articles we have for you in this issue passed away aged 82 and we offer our condolences like this I wish I’d kept the I suppose, on reflection, is an exclusive interview with our outstanding to his family. home page archived — this was the start of Steve Brazilian defender, Rafael. Thanks to John Allen and Speaking of United managers, you will probably you’d be surprised at how beginning to suffer more Karen Shotbolt at Carrington, Jamie and I were able be aware that in November a magnificent bronze good it was, even by today’s with his MS but I mention it to put some questions to the young Mr da Silva statue was unveiled outside the newly-named standards! because it never once phased about life in the UK and, among other things, how Sir Alex Ferguson stand, in honour of the Boss’s In ‘Ups ‘n Downs’ I refer to a him and he was back up and he’s coping with life at Old Trafford without his twin incredible 26 trophy-laden years at the club. We story about Steve and it relates to raring to go as soon as he was brother, Fabio. have pictures and a report on pages 6 and 7. our trip to Barcelona in ’99. It’s difficult able. He went through an ordeal On pages 10-15, Jamie has produced a very Finally it just remains for me to thank all our to verify but I would bet that MUDSA was that none of us would want to witness insightful look at three United-supporting regular contributors to this magazine from within the first disabled supporters’ organisation to charter and would never wish to see the likes of again, Paralympians, Charlotte Henshaw and Sarah and MUDSA and to everyone at Manchester United its own aircraft to take disabled fans abroad as we but he never complained once. Barney Storey — all of whom achieved great things FC for their continued support. Thanks to Jamie did to Barcelona. We all gathered at Manchester In this way Steve embodied the MUDSA motto in London this summer. Leeming for all his hard work and to you our readers Airport, went down one of the old piers passing one ‘Spirit, Strength, Courage’. It is with great sadness that we have to announce for your kind words of encouragement. large aircraft after another and then there appeared On behalf of the committee and all MUDSA the passing of one of MUDSA’s great stalwarts. We’ll be back in February, so in the meantime to be a gap. We eventually reached the gap which members, I’d like to express my sincere condolences Along with Chas, Phil and I, Steve Crompton had have a very Merry Christmas and a peaceful New wasn’t a gap at all… in between two giant aircraft to Steve’s wife, Margaret, sons Philip and Richard, been one of the original members of the committee Year. was sitting our little propellered plane which one his family, friends and support team. A true gent since its inception in 1997. Although in poor health Des Turner - Editor person referred to as ‘something out of a Kinder has been lost but will never be forgotten. 6 NEWS Sir Alex Ferguson Statue 7 Lady Cathy unveils Monumental! Sir Alex’s statue Former players, celebrities and even politicians pay tribute at the unveiling of Sir Alex’s statue ir Alex Ferguson spoke of his pride as a bronze statue of the Manchester Eammon Holmes talks S to the statue’s creator, United manager was unveiled at Old sculptor Philip Jackson Trafford by his wife Lady Cathy. The nine-foot statue was commissioned in 2011 to mark 25 years at the club, when the North Stand was also renamed the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand.