FERGUSON CRITICISES ‘SLEEPY' FANS

“I keep saying I wish every team could bring 6,000 fans with them because it does create a competitive element between the fans. It creates a far better atmosphere and our fans are better because of it.

“On Saturdays sometimes they come here and they are sitting, half of them are sleeping, waiting to be entertained, but against Celtic there was a good edge to the game. The atmosphere was great and the Celtic fans will always play their part that way.

“We have to get that Wednesday night atmosphere that we get when we play big European ties at Old Trafford. I think back to some of the great Wednesday nights — electric.

“We need that more often. We have to get that atmosphere throughout the season. We need their spirit to ignite the team at times. It should not always be the other way round. A fan can stir his team.”

Of course this ignores the fact that Wednesday night wasn't particularly great anyway, and by far the best two games for atmosphere in the last two years have been Chelsea last season, and Arsenal the season before – both games on a Sunday!

Mark Longden, of IMUSA said:

“The atmosphere is bad at the weekend but that is because most of our games are played at stupid times. If they want a better atmosphere they should encourage local fans to come. There are too many corporate fans.”