The fans who left Man Utd’s 5-4 comeback early: ‘We felt like we’d lost because we missed it’

Manchester United trailed 4-2 after 113 minutes of last Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final second leg against Lyon.

That’s when hundreds of fans decided that they’d had enough and left Old Trafford for home, missing out on a late comeback as United won 5-4 (7-6 on aggregate) and progressed to the last four.

The Athletic spoke to several supporters to find out why they left and how they feel about it now.

‘I left when the team needed us most’

“I lost my head,” admits Nick F. “I sit in the South Stand and I’m being moved next season. The atmosphere there has become toxic. Between that and the general rubbish we’ve endured this season and beyond, my head went when the referee gave Lyon a penalty.

“I stormed out. So did the people I travel with. Loads were leaving. It was 4-3 when we got back to the car. We heard (Kobbie) Mainoo’s goal on the radio as we passed The Quadrant pub in Stretford. By the time we hit the lights at Kings Road, Maguire had scored the winner.

“I was — and still am — in shock. Not just about what happened, but that I left when the team needed us most. I feel terrible for it. I’ve left early before and missed the odd goal, but this is different. This one hurt. It feels like I walked out on them.

“I’ve supported this club all my life, and never felt like this after a win. It should’ve been a moment of joy — one of the great nights — and I missed it. Going forward, I’m staying until the final whistle, no matter what. Lesson learned. One I’ll never forget.”

‘We were both absolutely seething with the collapse’

“Me and my mate left just after the Lyon pen, we would have stuck it out if we’d have been without our kids, but we both had our kids with us — aged six, six and nine — and they were absolutely knackered,” explains Pete D.

“To be honest, we were both absolutely seething with the collapse. I did feel a parental responsibility to get my kids home before midnight. Had we been winning I would have left at a similar time anyway. It was surreal though. We were just outside the north stand when Bruno (Fernandes) scored, we were celebrating with hundreds of others.

“The kids really enjoyed it, but I maintain that had we stayed that comeback wasn’t happening. I’m not sure I regret it as such as my kids were buzzing walking to the car with hundreds of United fans shouting and cheering.

“Me and my mate Chris were gutted Friday morning, but the kids weren’t — they buzzed off the win and rewatching it Friday. So I’m really torn.”

‘I was near Piccadilly Gardens when I heard United had won’

“I’m 66. I’ve been going to games all my life and it was the worst that I’ve ever seen us play, so I left the ground in disgust,” said Kenny from Manchester.

“I’ve never done this before but I was sick of it all. I’ve applied for tickets for every away game this season and got two at Spurs and West Ham — we lost both.

“On Thursday, I left my seat in the main stand at Old Trafford, it’s a brilliant seat right in front of the press box. Then I got on the tram back into Manchester, gutted because the season was over.

“I was near Piccadilly Gardens when I heard that United had won. Someone shouted it on the train. I didn’t believe it because I’d been at the game and United didn’t win, I’d seen it with my own eyes. But it was true. I felt sick.”

‘We felt like we’d lost because we’d missed it’

“We left home in Yeovil, Somerset at 12:05pm and with the Bank Holiday traffic it took us just over seven hours before we parked up,” explains Ian Harris. “It was my fifth home game of the season (all defeats) and I normally like to buy my 12-year-old son a scarf on the 10-minute walk to the ground, but when we got to the ground the queues were much longer than normal.

Ian Harris, middle, with his son, right, and a friend (Ian Harris)

“We took our seat in the Stretford End just as the teams were coming out. United were cruising at half-time so the euphoria of celebrating those goals together and relief that we were going to celebrate a first home win for us this season was such a nice feeling.

“Just after Garnacho had a one-on-one chance, the Lyon fans lit their flares. It looked amazing, but in the Stretford End we were singing: ‘What the f**king hell is that?’ and still having a great time.

“After the flares got put out, the Stretford End started singing: ‘You’ve seen United now f**k off home’, and it was only around the 70-minute mark and I thought that we’d gone a bit early on that one. Lyon scored and when they scored a second my son’s head was in his hands.

“When it went to 2-3 in extra time, I was so angry at the players for throwing away a two-goal lead. I had two choices: find the belief that this group of players would turn it around or dip out early to get to the car and possibly be home by 3am.

“We went for a toilet break and started to leave. We ran down all those stairs to avoid the squash crossing the railway bridge and heard their fourth go in, so in my head I’d made the right decision.

“We got across the bridge — and plenty of others were leaving too — and heard half a cheer. I realise now that was for the penalty being given. Then we heard it was 3-4 from others leaving.

“We got to the car and people shouted, ‘4-4’. Then we heard another group shout, ‘5-4!’ I honestly thought they were joking. But it was 5-4. What followed was 40 minutes of silence in the car where we felt like we’d lost because we’d missed it.

“It was the first time we’ve ever left early, but this season has tested my support to the limit and when I saw my lad’s head in his hands I was so pissed off that this group of players had fluffed their lines again I made a snap decision. And that’s why we left.”

‘I still don’t believe they thought they had a chance’

“It’s a weird one really as I’d normally stay until the end for most games,” says Chris Harty. “For league games I have five tickets together with my brothers and kids, but for the cup games we just keep the three adult tickets active. So if the kids had been there we’d have more than likely stayed until the end for them.

“I left the minute Luke Shaw clattered into (Malick) Fofana; I think it was in the box. I was frustrated with the fact we’d thrown away a two-goal lead against 10 men after a solid first-half performance, but really I should have expected that from this Man Utd side.

“We park behind the Trafford Park Hotel. The penalty went in near the go-karting track. My brother had the game on TNT on the walk back to the car after we heard it was 4-3. I was buzzing about the Kobbie and (Harry) Maguire goals, more so since we needed that win for Champions League football and the fact of going to Bilbao for a final.

“If it happened again next Thursday, I’d have done the same. I didn’t believe one bit they’d get back into that game and I still don’t believe they thought they had a chance either.”

(Top photo: Harry Maguire celebrates scoring the winner against Lyon; by Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)

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