With his previous title, “Ta Ra Fergie: Full Time from the Man who Held Up the Banner” released to coincide with Sir Alex’s retirement in 2013, Pete is still waiting for the appropriate time to release the new book.
He said: “So far I have written up to the disappointing Europa league final defeat in Gdansk.
“I haven’t got a title for it yet, but it feels like it should be called: Comeback Fergie.”
Originally inspired to write about his travels following the club after reading Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby, the United fanatic decided to try out writing for himself and began taking notes which would soon develop into his first book.
Pete’s journey as a United fan began in May 1963 when he and a neighbour decided they both wanted to play as teams during a kick-about outside.
‘”It was the 63 FA Cup final, I ran back inside to ask my dad who was playing and he said United were in red and Leicester were in white, fancying the red I chose United and from there on I was a United fan.
“In Autumn of the 63/64 season my dad took me to watch the youth team, I was too small to go into the big crowds at Old Trafford even with him.
“It was the best youth team we had since the babes, we won the FA Youth Cup that season with players such as: Best, Sadler, Aston, Rimmer, Fitzpatrick and noble.
“It is quite a notable season as we didn’t win it again until the class of 92 came along.”
Immediately Pete was bitten by the bug and it wasn’t long after until he started attending games at Old Trafford and away from home.
“At age 13 I went to the 1968 European Cup final with my dad, and if i wasn’t bitten by the bug then, I was now, I could of watched the crowd for 90 minutes let alone the match!
Pete, who grew up around the Irlams o’ th’ Height area of Salford, still finds time for his beloved Manchester United all these years later attending most games.
The season ticket holder still follows his club across land and sea, from Watford to Gdansk – Barcelona to Brighton – and everywhere in between!
Now aged 67, he reflected enthusiastically on the time he first came into the limelight as a football fan over 30 years ago.
Back in December 1989, Pete Molyneux rose up in the Old Trafford J stand to reveal a banner which stated: “3 YEARS OF EXCUSES AND IT’S STILL CRAP … TA RA FERGIE.”
“The reaction from the crowd was very good, the crowd being 33,000 at the time because that’s how bad it got.
“The football was dreadful and the crowds were low, this was on the back of five managers who had tried to wrestle the title back from Liverpool but to no success.
“I only did it to get the anger off my chest, I would have never walked away from the club or not attended a game, I didn’t know what the reaction was going to be.
“And of course, there was no social media back then, so I made 140 characters of my own bed sheet.”
The banner was met with cheers and applause from the disgruntled United contingent during the 2-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace.
Just four years later, what followed under Sir Alex Ferguson was Manchester United’s first league title in 26 years as United became champions of the 1992/93 season.
Winning many major honours under Fergie, United fans enjoyed success they could only have dreamt of under a man who many believed was not the right fit to take the club forward during the start of his tenure.
Of course, the J’stander (who still sits in same seat) was happy to be proven wrong.
“I wasn’t a fickle fan; at that stage I had been following them home and away for 25 years.
“My mates began introducing me as Pete the one who wanted Fergie to go”, he admits.
“I could either spit my dummy out or laugh at myself, and I’ve laughed ever since.
“I got what I wanted because Fergie turned United round.”
Pete looks forward to finishing his new book at his home in Worsley as he waits for Manchester United to return to the promised land.
“The book will finish once we have returned to our rightful place as English or European champions,” he said.
The new book will be a direct follow up to his previous release, which was met with positive reviews from both critics and football fans alike.
He added: “It feels like there needs to be a bit more up rather than just down before it is released, that’s why I think it’s best to wait until we become either English champions or Champions League winners.”
As well as writing Pete also co-hosts the podcast Walking Down the Warwick Road.
“It’s a podcast on various aspects of United’s history including fan culture, seasons, results and top scorers.
“It’s basically all about looking back at our history.”
If you are unable to wait for the release of his new book, you can catch Pete’s podcast over on twitter @WarwickRoadWalk @WDTWR_Episodes to hear more Manchester United stories from the man who held up the banner.
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