- Title: USA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - Manchester fans get their hands on Premier League trophy
- Date: 8th February 2014
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (FEBRUARY 07, 2014) (REUTERS) FANS SINGING WHILE WAITING IN LINE FOR EVENT SIGN FOR EVENT VARIOUS OF FORMER MANCHESTER UNITED CAPTAIN BRYAN ROBSON POSING FOR PHOTOS WITH FANS WHILE HOLDING PREMIER TROPHY VARIOUS OF TROPHY (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRYAN ROBSON, FORMER CAPTAIN OF MANCHESTER UNITED, SAYING: "Over the years I've seen it gro
- Embargoed: 23rd February 2014 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa
- Country: USA
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA9RC2HI1ZYQQJSJ7BEY3ZUZQJD
- Story Text: Manchester United fans in Los Angeles were given a rare treat Friday (February 07) when the league's trophy tour made a pit stop.
For avid footballers waiting on line since the early morning hours, persistence paid off when Bryan Robson, former captain of Man U came outside and greeted them with the beautiful Premier League trophy, the club's latest prize, won last season. The tour will also visit San Francisco, Chicago, and New York. It is Manchester United's 20th league title.
Robson says he is excited to spread the love to soccer fans in a nation that has a growing interest in the sport following World Cup competitions and celebrity players like former Manchester midfielder David Beckham, who played for the L.A. Galaxy as well.
"Over the years I've seen it grow, at the grassroots level. Children in the U.S. really enjoy playing football, and I think it's a growing sport, and I think it really helps now that the USA qualified for the World Cup finals over the last three, four competitions, so that gives everybody encouragement to be able to be a little bit better, and to promote soccer in this country, because when you've got a country like the USA, you want them to be successful in sport competitions, because they're so competitive and they really enjoy their sports," says Bryan Robson.
The fans gathered to see legendary player Robson, see historic Man U memorabilia including noisemakers and Beckham's cleats, and touch (or kiss) the Barclays Premier League trophy.
"This is a man who captained England for eight years," says Brit Ony Dozie, on meeting Bryan Robson. "Three world cups, scored the fastest goal in the World Cup history against France in Spain in '82. Someone who won copious championships and European honors, and someone I respect, truly, as a real inspiration to me and millions of people around the world."
"It's great, we were here at 7:30 in the morning, first ones here, first ones at the door, came out, got to touch and kiss the trophy, it's great, it's beautiful. A beautiful moment," says American fan Mike Casey.
"You know, I think that there have been some people who've cared about soccer, I think David Beckham's arrival here in the United States helped boost that, but I think that from this small group of people who have enjoyed soccer since the world cup in '94, or before that, I think that there's been a growing number of people, and I think that it's things like this that's good for the sport here in the United States," says fan Ryan Rivas.
The tour commenced as Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic announced he will leave the club at the end of the season. The 32-year-old Serbian defender, one of a clutch of seasoned players on the last year of their contracts at United, has struggled for regular game-time under new manager David Moyes, and been linked with Series A giants Inter Milan. Captain since the start of the 2010-11 season, the former Red Star Belgrade and Spartak Moscow defender joined United in 2006 and with Rio Ferdinand, formed one of the strongest central defensive pairings in the club's history.
Robson, who was Manchester's longest-serving captain, says that great players come and go all the time, and he has great faith in the team's scouts in finding fresh talent.
"He was in the last year of his contract, and so he sort of notified everybody that he will be moving on in the summer, but this happens, and at Manchester United we've always had great players like Eric Cantona, David Beckham, they move on at certain parts of their career. So Nemanja's made that decision that he'll be moving on, but what Manchester United has always achieved is to bring in top class players who replace them, and it's never one player who is bigger than a football club, and especially at Manchester United. So I'm sure that our scouting system throughout the world will bring in some very good players to replace people like Nemanja," says Robson.
The next stop on the Manchester United trophy tour will be the big apple. The tour will arrive in New York on February 14. Other stops on the global tour will include Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Russia, and Saudi Arabia. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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