Once it was known as the Theatre of Dreams but such is the lack of atmosphere at Old Trafford these days that Manchester United are “considering handing out song sheets to supporters at home games”.
Club officials consulted fans about possible solutions after the disgruntled manager again criticised the “quiet stadium” last month, comparing the lack of noise generated by United supporters with the raucous atmosphere at Portsmouth’s Fratton Park.
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Proposals include printing out song sheets containing the club’s most popular chants and distributing them to supporters as they enter the ground, says the newspaper. Another option is to print lyrics in the match-day programme, or to post them on the club’s website “so that fans who attend fewer games know the words before they get to the stadium”.
The revelation is unlikely to be viewed in a favourable light by the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST), who have enjoyed a strained relationship with Mourinho throughout his tenure.
In November MUST invited the Special One to a meeting to “discuss his concerns” about the lack of atmosphere at Old Trafford.
“There are differing views amongst supporters on precisely how to interpret the manager’s comments,” said a MUST statement in response to criticism from Mourinho. “However, it’s probably fair to say there is a universal desire within the stadium to see atmosphere improved just as there is at other Premier League clubs. There are a number of factors that have contributed to atmosphere decline over the decades, some of which could be addressed with better cooperation between clubs and supporters.”
Perhaps the best way to improve the atmosphere would be for United to play more adventurous football, rather than in the style that recently saw them anointed the “most boring team in the league”.