Newton Heath. Inner-city Manchester. The original home of the team that would one day be globally famous. Manchester United. Our team. Save for a few passing mentions and a money-spinning retro kit in the nineties, Newton Heath has been relegated to simply being a long-forgotten part of United’s impressive history. Now, however, things have changed.

As frustration turns to anger at the debt with which the Glazer ownership has saddled the club, this small part of North Manchester has, incredibly, become an important part of our club’s present. Supporters have taken on the original green and gold colors as the symbol of their protest. As a result, Old Trafford has been bathed in these colors to such an extent that the general media has turned their attention to the situation. I am particularly pleased at this turn of events, and not only because I agree with those who are unhappy with owners who share no feeling for the club and its history, but also because I was born in the very place now forming on many lips: Newton Heath.

I am long since removed from this part of Lancashire; but, it will always mean something to me that I share a birthplace with my club. To those not familiar with it, let me give you a quick synopsis. It was once, during the industrial revolution and its attendant boon, a busy town of mills, factories, and pubs. The railway and the Manchester Ship Canal were two of the central features that contributed to the bustle of activity. You could find the stereotype Northern world of brick tenements and flat caps. But, you could also find proud people, a loving community, and a sense of belonging.

Over time, it has suffered, like much of Britain, in the retreat from manufacturing and industry. The city of Manchester, and indeed the club, have often neglected this area; the town has suffered as a result. But, there are still proud people who continue to press toward a brighter future. A present United connection exists in the fact that there are streets named after some of those killed in the Munich disaster. I hope one day MUFC will one day use their vast resources to help rekindle their connection with Newton Heath via community help and project support.

Why should the average United supporter care about any of this? Because the origins of the club they support are here. It is a beginning from a time when football was about the bond between player and supporter and the love of the game was paramount. I am not naive to think that it can every be completely this way again, but in some small way the green and gold protest lets us touch a little of that time. A football club should be about more than results on the pitch; it should be about place, family, and commitment.

As the club moves on into the stretch run of the season, there will be many big games and exciting moments. I will throw my full support behind the team as they seek to garner even more silverware. However, I will do so in my Newton Heath shirt and green and gold scarf. Some may think we are simply tilting at windmills. I see it different. For it is not always in the victory that the world is changed, but in the trying.