Andrew Kirby: Storytelling
United People: the stories behind Manchester United
A new series about the people who make Manchester United what it is — the supporters, characters and communities whose stories exist beyond the pitch. It begins with Jon Nield and his son Alex.
I’ve started a new series for Republik of Mancunia called United People. The idea is to look beyond what happens on the pitch and tell stories about the people who make Manchester United what it is: the supporters, characters and communities whose lives have become entwined with the club.
The first piece is about Jon Nield and his son Alex. Jon is a lifelong United supporter, and there are plenty of football stories to tell. There are away days, adventures and the NIELD REDS flag that has travelled with them.
But those things aren’t really what the piece is about. At its heart, it’s a story about a father and son, the experiences they share and Jon’s determination to make memories with Alex.
One line from Jon seemed to capture that better than anything I could write: “If Alex wanted to go to the moon, I’d try and make it happen.”
It became the headline. And it also illustrates something I find increasingly interesting about storytelling. Often, the subject you start with isn’t ultimately the story.
You might begin with Manchester United. Or a football match. Or a flag that has travelled around the country. But follow those things far enough and eventually you find a person.
That’s the principle behind United People, and it’s also central to the kind of storytelling I want to do more widely: finding the human story hiding inside organisations, places, objects and experiences.
The football gets us through the door. The people are the reason to stay.
Read the first United People: “If Alex wanted to go to the moon, I’d try and make it happen” — Republik of Mancunia
And this is only the beginning. There are more United People stories to come.
