Manchester United news and links

RORY Patterson struck a hat-trick as back-to-form FC United stepped up their promotion assault in the UniBond League First Division North.

AILING Altrincham gave themselves a badly-needed New Year’s Day tonic with a precious victory at nine-man Northwich.

STALYBRIDGE came from behind to complete a quickfire double over their Blue Square North neighbours Hyde United with a repeat of their 3-1 Boxing Day victory against the Tigers, who led through Gareth Seddon at the break.

DROYLSDEN remain rock-bottom of the Blue Square Premier after tumbling to visiting York.

FC United manager Karl Marginson regards Saturday’s trip to leaders Curzon Ashton as a chance for his faltering Rebels to blast their way back into the UniBond first division north championship race.

PROMOTION-chasing Hyde United marched to the top of Blue Square North with first-half goals by Gareth Seddon and Matthew Tipton giving them a 2-0 win over Nuneaton.

DROYLSDEN boss Dave Pace is set to make sweeping changes at the Butcher’s Arms despite steering the Bloods into the FA Trophy’s last 32 for only the second time.

ALTRINCHAM boss Graham Heathcote is seeking to infect the Robins with an early dose of Wembley fever ahead of their FA Trophy first-round clash with Blue Square Premier rivals York City at Moss Lane.

FC United have urged their supporters to boycott the crunch promotion clash at Curzon Ashton on December 29 after a row with the UniBond League.

D-DAY is just 48 hours away for Prestwich Heys as they seek to overturn a ruling which will otherwise almost certainly wreck their hopes of a fourth successive Bridgewater Office Supplies Manchester League title.

FC UNITED boss Karl Marginson is urging the Rebels to seize the chance to get their faltering UniBond first division promotion bid firmly back on track when they entertain struggling Chorley tomorrow.

FC United stay fourth despite ending a run of three successive defeats with a 2-1 home victory over Rossendale.

KARL Marginson has urged FC United fans to rally round the team as they try to halt the worst run of results in the club’s short history.

TEN-man FC United were left counting the cost of rookie defender Adam Turner’s controversial dismissal as they suffered another blow to their UniBond First Division North promotion hopes in crashing at Mossley.

KARL Marginson will be happy to stick by his makeshift back four as his team head to Mossley for a derby match on Tuesday night.

FC UNITED have been stunned with news that skipper Dave Chadwick could be out for the season with cruciate ligament damage.

ROBBIE Fowler and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink beware - Aaron Burns is after your jobs!

HAT-TRICK man Aaron Burns turned up the heat on leaders Curzon Ashton after tantalising supporters with a hint that he may stay beyond January.The former United reserve ace is meant to be at the club until the transfer window, when his registration - held by Cardiff - can be transferred and he is expected to be picked up by a league club.

KARL Marginson is predicting a thrilling finish to the UniBond first division north title race as his side gear up for Rossendale United’s visit to Gigg Lane tonight (7.45pm).

RED-faced Hyde United shot themselves in the foot with two own-goals helping gift fellow Blue Square North promotion hopefuls Southport a bizarre 3-1 victory at Ewen Fields.

ALTRINCHAM were knocked out of the FA Cup despite giving League One Millwall a scare.

RORY Patterson has been given some odd advice by his FC United boss Karl Marginson: “Grow your hair and smile a bit more!”

VETERAN striker Colin Little is backing Altrincham to produce a huge shock and dump Millwall out of the Cup - whether he’s playing or not.

FC UNITED have top spot in their sights after racking up a sixth successive win and pulling off their first league double of the season.

HYDE United produced few fireworks as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat at Nuneaton which puts a dampener on their Blue Square North promotion charge.

KARL Marginson has warned his FC United players that they cannot afford any complacency as they travel to face lowly Bridlington Town.

GOAL-happy FC United gave Bamber Bridge the Hallowe’en horrors as they ended their cup hoodoo with a 5-0 victory at Radcliffe last night.

PETER Thomson will get his first start for FC United as the Rebels take on Bamber Bridge in the President’s Cup at Radcliffe tonight (7.45pm).

PROMOTION-chasing Hyde United showed no mercy for ailing Blue Square North neighbours Leigh RMI as they romped to a 5-1 victory over the struggling Railwaymen at Hilton Park last night.

FC UNITED’S bid to build their own stadium has received a major boost from Manchester City Council.

FC UNITED recovered from a nightmare start to leapfrog Ossett Albion into second place in UniBond division one north.

STUTTERING Stalybridge Celtic were left pointing to tired legs after slipping to their second defeat in three days.

ALTRINCHAM boss Graham Heathcote saluted his resilient Robins after they squeezed past underdogs Kendal to earn a plum home tie with League One strugglers Millwall in the FA Cup first round.

AARON BURNS, the ex-Manchester United starlet, will be bidding to catapult his new club FC United into second spot on Saturday.

FC UNITED showed no mercy for a makeshift Droylsden side as they dumped the holders out of the Manchester Premier Cup at the Butcher’s Arms.

FC UNITED’S new signing will face some good-natured stick if he makes his debut at Clitheroe tonight - he is called Colin Bell!

FC UNITED bounced back from their double-quick FA Cup and Trophy exits with two stunning Chris Baguley free-kicks giving them a badly-needed 2-1 UniBond first division north win over visiting Wakefield.

AARON Burns has already had a “jaw-dropping” effect on his new FC United team-mates - even before he makes his debut against Wakefield at Gigg Lane tomorrow (3pm).

FC UNITED crashed out of the FA Trophy on Wednesday night - but announced news of a remarkable new signing.

FC United must replay their FA Trophy preliminary round at Radcliffe on Wednesday night after hosts Bradford Park Avenue grabbed a controversial second-half equaliser in a 1-1 draw.

STRIKER Rory Patterson scored a brace as FC United cantered to an easy 3-0 win away at Chorley.

RORY Patterson’s seventh goal of the season salvaged a point for stuttering FC United as Woodley Sports left Gigg Lane with a deserved draw.

FC UNITED went out of the FA Cup at Fleetwood Town on Saturday in a match marred by missiles being thrown at goalkeeper Sam Ashton.

FC UNITED were left sweating over the availability of prolific marksman Stuart Rudd for Saturday’s big FA Cup showdown at Fleetwood after the lights went out on their UniBond first division north clash at Clitheroe.

FC UNITED’S joy at a third successive league win - 2-0 over Harrogate Railway - was tempered by news that key midfielder Josh Howard will be out of action for three months.

FC UNITED’S joy at a third successive league win - 2-0 over Harrogate Railway - was tempered by news that key midfielder Josh Howard will be out of action for three months.

FC UNITED crashed out of the UniBond League Challenge Cup at the first hurdle with a 1-0 extra-time defeat by Alsager Town last night.

FC UNITED crashed out of the UniBond League Challenge Cup at the first hurdle with a 1-0 extra-time defeat by Alsager Town last night.

FC UNITED won themselves a trip to the seaside as they kept on the Wembley trail.

FC UNITED won themselves a trip to the seaside as they kept on the Wembley trail.