Several thousand spectators showed up to watch Manchester United participate in a light training session at Toyota Park Wednesday evening.
The fans in attendance – many of whom were sporting Manchester United jerseys – clearly relished the opportunity to see their heroes in person, chanting and cheering loudly for the duration of the hour-long practice.
“We have a fantastic fan base, fantastically loyal to the club,” United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said after training. “I think it’s grown [to the point] that the success of the club is an expectation. These fans here, when they come to Old Trafford, they expect Manchester United to perform well and win and … I think that’s a great thing.”
One fan in particular, 12-year-old Dylan Moore, was particularly thrilled to see his heroes up close and personal.
“I love United and I want to see them play,” said the Chicagoland resident.
Though his favorite United player – Ecuadorian winger Antonio Valencia – is not on the roster for the North American tour, Moore was still excited to watch his favorite club train. He was especially eager to see Italian forward Federico Macheda – famous for his wonder goal against Aston Villa two seasons ago – in action.
“[I’m most excited to see] Federico Macheda,” Moore said. “He scored an awesome goal, and I like how he plays.”
United’s training wasn’t their only event of the day. The team was scheduled to unveil its new uniform at Chicago’s Niketown store after practice.
BUY: ALL-STAR GAME TICKETS
Full Tour Schedule:
July 16: Manchester United vs. Celtic F.C. (7 p.m. CT, Rogers Centre)
July 21: Manchester United vs. Philadelphia Union (6:30 p.m. CT, Lincoln Financial Field)
July 25: Manchester United vs. KC Wizards (5 p.m. CT, Arrowhead Stadium)
July 28: Manchester United vs. MLS All-Stars (7:30 p.m. CT, Reliant Stadium)
July 30: Manchester United at Chivas Guadalajara (Guadalajara, Mexico)
