This Thing of Ours
#888 | Ed talks to Jonathan Allsopp, author of 'This Thing of Ours,' to discuss his new book which explores the unique challenges and successes of running FC United. Celebrating the club's 20th anniversary, Jonathan shares insights into the motivations behind writing the book, FC United's founding manifesto, the pressures of fan ownership, financial constraints, and community involvement. He also touches on the establishment of the women's team, fan engagement strategies, the significance of the Fenix Trophy, and the broader implications of fan ownership in modern football. It’s an insightful look into a club determined to preserve fan culture amidst the commercial pressures of the sport.
00:00 Introduction
01:13 The Inspiration Behind the Book
04:46 Challenges of Fan Ownership
06:30 Day-to-Day Operations of FC United
07:54 Financial Realities and Business Planning
18:18 The Fenix Trophy
22:39 FC United Women's Team
27:16 Community Engagement
29:02 Fan Engagement and Democratic Processes
29:58 Voting and Participation Rates
31:18 Challenges in Fan Engagement
32:53 Interaction with Manchester United Fans
34:48 Media Attention and Fan Culture
37:57 Boardroom Politics and Transparency
45:11 Future of Fan Ownership
51:34 Financial Challenges and Governance
53:57 Conclusion
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No Question About That - a Manchester United podcast
No Question About That is the original independent fan-published podcast covering Manchester United. Hosted by Ed, with contributions from Dan, Tom, Wayne, Dharnish, Adam, Jamie, Dominic and Isabel. NQAT covers the latest games, news, business, politics and fan culture at the world’s best supported club. There are two main shows each week, a tactics show, and a football finance pod.
If you are interested in supporting the show and accessing the weekly exclusive bonus episode, check out our Patreon page or subscribe on Apple Podcasts. Supporter funded episodes are AD-FREE. NQAT is also available in video on YouTube. Hit that subscribe button, leave a rating and write a review on Apple or Spotify.
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