(From second left) Holloway, Tan, Yorke, Fazzrudin, Dzulkarnaen, and Batholomew are seen during the anniversary gala.
KUCHING (June 26): Over 800 Manchester United supporters from Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak attended the Manchester United Supporters Club (MUSC) Sarawak 5th Anniversary and United Malaysia 6th Anniversary Gala Dinner here recently.
The highlight was the appearance of former Manchester United star Dwight Yorke.
Yorke was part of the treble-winning Manchester United team of 1999, which won the Champions League, Premier League, and the Football Association (FA) Challenge Cup.
In his speech, Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman — chief political secretary to the Premier — said football fans are the driving force behind the success of the sport.
He said encouragement from fans serves as a crucial motivation for footballers, driving them to dedicate themselves in training and matches.
The Kuching City Football Club president quoted Scottish Jock Stein: “Football is nothing without fans”.
“We are all here because we have one passion, which is football. Football brought us together and Man Utd brought us together. And when that happen then the magic will happen,” added Fazzrudin, who is a Football Association of Sarawak exco member.
The event featured live performances, a lucky draw with 23 prizes, and a raffle, which included the grand prize of a full-board trip to Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester, United Kingdom for three lucky fans.
MUSC members Vanessa John and Azurida Azlan were also selected by MUSC president Datuk Dzulkarnaen Ahmad to visit Old Trafford Stadium in recognition of their dedication to the club, while member Petrus Simon Adam was chosen by United Malaysia president Batholomew Jingulam to visit the stadium as well.
Among those present were Klang Valley Mancunian Red Devil president Muhd Anderson Tan and World Football League agent Ian Holloway.