Snapshot: Man Utd Fanzine Red Issue’s Controversial Muamba Cover

Chris Wright

26th, March 2012

16 Comments

By Chris Wright

What you see here is the latest front cover to adorn Manchester United fanzine Red Issue – an image not mocking Fabrice Muamba, his collapse or his plight, but instead chastising the ‘grief mongering’ that has surrounded it for the past week or so…

It’s near the knuckle, controversial, provocative and tasteless (that’s the kind of material Red Issue tend to trade in) but there is a valid point to be made about the ‘I care most’ simpering that can permeate this kind of thing – only Red Issue have set about eviscerating that point with a supreme lack of tact.

Safe to say, had a United player collapsed last week, their little speech bubbles may have not been quite so flippant.

It’s oh, so easy to be snide, crass and cynical when ‘football comes together’ like it has to show united support for Muamba – granted, I personally felt the shirts, flowers and scarves laid down reverentially outside the Reebok were and are a bit mawkish and premature – but the fact is that a young man nearly died and people are doing what they can to wish him well. There’s not much wrong with that, however glib it may appear to the enlightened sceptic.

Posted in Man Utd, Media

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16 Comments

  1. Mr. Sparkle says:

    Football supporters aren’t known for their intellectualism. Not surprised at all to be honest.

  2. Markell says:

    I’m not surprised that this was written by United supporters. If someone were to say anything about Munich, though…

  3. pkhakheria says:

    Stay classy Red issue, stay classy

  4. Nicolas says:

    @Mr. Sparkle, especially ManUnited fans…

  5. raza says:

    @Nicolon

    always a hater

  6. Nick Sincere says:

    That curry I had last night gave me some red issue this morning.

  7. chris says:

    Private Eye-esque and mildly amusing. Ultimately not as funny or clever as it thinks it is. A little like Man Ure fans generally.

  8. Nicolas says:

    @raza

    mate this “joke” is beyond everything understandable. i wonder how this was published, someone should make a case of it because as usual if something happens to united’s opponents fergie is the first to criticize. but when it comes to giggsy bending over his bro’s wife or wayne banging prostitues or rio not showing up for his drug test…this is all right, isnt it?

    and this one? alright then

  9. Rich says:

    Oh the irony!

  10. usrick says:

    Man U is not responsible for what is printed in the fanzine, but I am curious what response SAF has made or will make. If he has even half the class I think he has, he’ll tell the team’s supporters this was neither funny nor classy.

  11. Jlbk says:

    As a united supporter I’m disappointed. Whatever the point of it, they missed completely and they’ve made us look bad. We have dealt with our share of bad times and to be that insensitive is really embarassing for those of us who are able to have a view beyond the game. Get well soon Muamba.

  12. Tom Addison says:

    The people who are offended by Red Issue are those that the magazine is making fun of. It’s called satire, just like with Brass Eye something similar. I suggest you actually read the leading article in there before criticizing it with your knee-jerk sentimentality.

  13. Mr. Sparkle says:

    SAF has class? The man is a blithering idiot, a vulgar bully. He’s just like my boss, everyone thinks he’s brilliant but he’s a real asshole. He’ll put you in your place by putting you down, which is what SAF does.

  14. Mike says:

    What are you lot on about? The picture is simply making fun of fans who popped on twitter after the event, it’s not having a go at Fabrice.

  15. Joe says:

    I have mixed feeling about the whole Muamba thing… Of course it’s terrible that Muamba had a heart attack and I hope he recovers swiftly but would anyone have cared if he wasn’t a rich, succesful footballer? Some kid in the Belgian league collapsed and died only a few days later and nobody batted an eyelid-is Muamba more worthy of our sympathy than him just because he plays at a higher level?

  16. IanP says:

    @Mike – spot on!!!

    @jlbk – who gives a sh*t about your well wishes??? You have proved the point of the cover…ha ha

    Total lack of braincells here

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