The Red Issue fanzine has long been a topic of debate among Manchester United supporters.
Many fans appreciated its sharp critique of issues impacting them for over two decades, leaving no one—inside or outside the club—untouched.
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Conversely, some believed its criticisms were excessive and at times, unwarrantedly harsh.
John-Paul O’Neill, a former contributor and editor of Red Issue, was instrumental in establishing the rebel club, FC United.
I recently spoke with O’Neill about his new book, ‘Those Were The Days,’ which explores Manchester United and its supporters during the early 1990s.
“Our approach was quite brutal,” he remarked. “The philosophy was to avoid criticizing the team while at the stadium. If you had grievances, you expressed them in the magazine.”
“Sir Alex Ferguson was not a fan of fanzines. He often voiced his disapproval, but at one point, Red Issue was sold at the United souvenir shop—until they realized what it contained.”
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“It was certainly a different era, but I believe people have softened over time. In some ways, that might be a positive change, but the absence of that biting humor and sometimes harsh reality means we miss out on a significant aspect of life, don’t we?”
Stay tuned for the full interview published on Thursday.
Former Red Issue editor JP O’Neill has documented the rise of Manchester United in the 1990s in a new book [BBC]