Last month Rant reported that Manchester United sacked an employee of 19 years for returning a confiscated ‘Love United Hate Glazer’ banner to fans. Now, reports The Student Direct Mancunian newspaper, the club has dismissed student Jerry Vyse for wearing a green and gold scarf while on duty at Old Trafford last Wednesday.
Vyse, who worked at one of Old Trafford’s many food and drink kiosks, bought the £5 scarf prior to United’s 4-0 victory over AC Milan in the Champions League last Wednesday.
“I bought the scarf for five pounds off one of the countless sellers stocking them around the outside of the stadium. I told him I would be wearing it to work at Old Trafford for my shift selling pies and Bovril for that evening’s game against AC Milan,” Vyse told the paper.
“He wished me the best of luck, but warned me that some staff were sacked on the spot for doing that.
“I put it on at half-time as the floods of people poured out to stock themselves up with fluids and solids. The fans started to cheer in solidarity.
“Hearing the commotion, the supervisor came round and ordered me to remove it. This was met with jeers from the United supporters, most of whom had the scarf on themselves.”
“When I refused, the supporters cheered, before shouting comments at the supervisor to let me get on with my job because the scarf does not effect my ability to work a till. He was then booed when he put the queue on hold to enter the kiosk and request I leave with him because my scarf was ‘anti-Glazer’.
“I turned to the supervisor and asked him why I could not continue doing my job. He said it was not because I was wearing a scarf, because if it had been a different colour he would not have minded.
“MUFC will no doubt state that the decision was based on uniform policy – what he told me surely refutes that. He said it was because it was ‘anti-Glazer’. Does it not sniff a little bit like a dictatorship if not even the smallest of dissents can be made about an incredibly rich man who has more or less taken over the club?”
The club has also banned fans from wearing green and gold colours on MUTV and instilled a strict ‘no talk’ policy among the playing squad when it comes to ownership.
There seems little sense of irony at United. Aside from green and gold being the original colours of Newton Heath from 1878 – 1886, the club was happy to market a green and gold third strip from 1992 – 1994.
As much as i hate the glazers its jerry’s fault for wearing the scarf and thinking he won’t be sacked. As long as the glazers are owners The club will sack anyone who takes an antiglazer stance.
Also the green and gold shirts were marketed over a decade before the glazers took over. The colours now represent a rebellion against the glazers so there is no sense of irony.
Just my tuppence.