When you ask any member of the Manchester United Women's Barmy Army what the supporters group means to them they tell you it is a family.
To their own, they are welcoming, but to their rivals it is the opposite, as was the case this weekend when they hosted Manchester City, in the FA Women’s Cup Fourth Round.
This was only the third time the ‘womanchester derby’ has been contested, all of which have come this season, but the animosity the Barmy Army has for Nick Cushing’s side was on display as soon as they left the team coach.
“I know there’s no [historic] rivalry between us and City [in the women’s game] but to me it’s not about building up a rivalry. I don’t like City. Period. Whether it be the men, the women, the u23s or the u18s,” says 28-year-old Natalie Burrell who is the leader of the Barmy Army and a civil servant.
“We’ve got Tottenham [as a rival] because we came up together and it’s a bit of a tasty one but it’s not City.”
If the Barmy Army are a family, Burrell is the matriarch. Throughout the game she leads the constant singing, moving up and down the three rows the Barmy Army occupy in the West Stand at Leigh Sports Village. There are 50 or so members here for the game and they range in age from those in their teens to those in their 70s.
There is singing throughout including United classics like the United calypso, women's team specific songs such as ‘Casey’s at the wheel’ and anti-City songs, most vocally ‘Cushing’s binned you off’ in reference to the Man City boss’ departure to New York City next month.
It only stops when Casey Stoney’s side enter the final third when the chants turn to pure noise as the ball is willed into Manchester City’s net.
The Game
At half-time, with City leading 1-0 thanks to an Ellen White chip, Natalie goes around telling everybody they must be louder in the second half before she heads down to the concourse stopped by multiple people who all know her along the way.
“When I was a little baby I couldn’t sit in a highchair, my mum couldn’t keep me still. I’ve always been known. I’ve always been energetic,” says Burrell. “People say I’m like a magnet and they were drawn to me because I’m so high energy.”
In the second half White doubles the lead for the visitors before 18-year-old substitute Lauren James halves the advantage with a wonderful solo effort.
United’s subsequent pressure culminates in the 73rd minute when a Katie Zelem free-kick is prodded goalward by Abbi McMannus. Everybody inside the ground thought it had crossed the line – apart from the referee.
Jill Scott then took advantage of her side’s luck and restores the visitor’s two-goal cushion with an effort from outside the box.
United then built up pressure again and were given hope of dragging the tie into extra-time after a Lauren Hemp own goal in the 88th minute. However, some gamesmanship from the holders halted these thoughts and City held on for a 3-2 win.
The referee and his assistants were then booed off from the Barmy Army for their part in the defeat, something which is not common in women’s football despite in omnipresence in the men’s game.
Changing the culture
“Everyone’s nice and everyone’s friends [in the women’s game] but it’s as if you can’t boo someone. Don’t tell me what my players like when I speak to them regularly. I know what they like and what they want to hear from us. If they didn’t like it, they would tell me. That’s what makes me mad. People telling me how to support my team.” Burrell says after the game, between conducting interviews for the FullTimeDevils YouTube channel.
Goalkeeper Mary Earps told The Guardian in the run-up to Saturday’s derby that she buzzes off the atmosphere at Leigh Sports Village.
“I think it is intimidating for the opposition to come to. I don’t want to say the more hostile the better but the louder the better because it really gives you a buzz on the pitch and gets you through tough moments,” explained Burrell.
It was actually the encouragement of another goalkeeper that helped the formation of the supporters group. At United’s first home league game against Sheffield United on a Thursday night in September 2018 Natalie had stopped singing after nobody joined in.
Burrell explains: “Next minute I get a tap, tap, tap on my shoulder. ‘What are you doing?’ It’s Rachel Brown-Finnis. ‘Why are you not singing? You need to sing. When I play and I hear people singing it means so much’ So I thought ‘OK, I’ll carry on.’”
Since that game Burrell started getting direct messages on Twitter asking to be involved and the Barmy Army have now grown to over 3,000 twitter followers.
They have produced a song book which they distribute for free at games and even organise away travel for supporters.
A Family
Burrell, like so many of the Barmy Army, had never been to a women’s game before United set up their side at the beginning of last season.
“I bought a season ticket straight away, but I didn’t know anybody or anything about it. I didn’t even know how to get to Leigh," says Burrell.
"The first game, Reading at home, I was standing at the back trying to sing and people were saying sit down and keep quiet. I was thinking ‘What’s this about? No, no, no this is Man Utd, you sing.’
"We learnt quickly that people don’t like swearers, but I sang the songs without swearing in.”
It is this combination of family friendly values and undying support that has helped sustain the Barmy Army and given it an inclusive feel.
“None of my family are big into football so I would come on my own. It’s nice getting to know people and it’s like having another family now,” says Sarah, a 31-year-old primary school teacher whose been involved with the Barmy Army since just after Christmas 2018.
These thoughts are echoed by Matt, a 27-year-old PE teacher who has been with the Barmy Army since the start.
He said: “People enjoying come for the atmosphere they like how welcoming we are and it’s good to get people together, like-minded people that all love travelling home and away.
“We’re taking two or three buses weekly to away games so there’s a good hardcore of 60, 80 people travelling away.”
The Barmy Army have even inspired other supporters’ groups in the game with ‘the Boldmere Army’ springing up at Aston Villa who got in touch with Natalie and the group asking for advice.
On the pitch Man United proved with their narrow defeat that they have a side that will soon be capable of competing with the best. Off the pitch, it could be argued they have supporters that already can.