FANS DESERVE MORE

Rio Ferdinand has reiterated that United need to do better next season for the sake of the fans.

'Next season has to be better. At a club like United you've got no divine right to win trophies but with the traditions we've got and the players we have in our changing room we should be fighting it out for trophies until the end of the season.

'We didn't do that this season and the fans deserve a lot more than that.'

In an interview with GMR radio he went on to explain the pain he felt after the cup final.

'It's still a bit of a sore subject,'

'It was one of the most disappointing days of my career so far, it was my first cup final I've been involved in as a player and it didn't end on a good note for us.'

And the offside goal.

'My heart jumped out of my mouth when I put that ball in the back of the net but the linesman's flag was up and it wasn't to be,' he added.

'That's just life and you've just got to get on with it.

'Gary Neville and I got on a flight to Malawi the next day to do AIDS awareness work and we spent part of the flight trying to work out how it had happened.

'When we were in Africa obviously what we saw there took our minds off it but as soon as you get back to your room you start thinking about what happened in the final.'

But who's to blame? You can be certain it wasn't Rio.

'First of all you look at yourself, then it's a natural progression that you look at other people.

'But you don't go out and blame people in public. In the changing room people get told in no uncertain terms, by players, the manager and the coaching staff.

'You've got to take stick and give it out, but it's all done in a constructive way.'