As one of Manchester’s most famous sons, Peter Hook has never been shy of discussing his love of Manchester United.
The former Joy Division and New Order bassist is an icon of the city and during his 45-year music career, he has had plenty of run-ins with famous Red Devils, not least an amusing encounter with Sir Alex Ferguson.
“A photographer at the Manchester Evening News said, “Come and sit with Sir Alex. He’s a massive New Order fan – come and have a picture with him.”,” Hook tells FourFourTwo.
“Well, you can’t turn that down – it’s Sir Alex. After the picture was taken, he turned around and said, “Who the f**k are you?” There was a bit of overlap, because when Tony Wilson became ill, Sir Alex took over his speaking engagements and I worked with him on that.”
Hook’s success in the music industry as part of two of the most influential bands of modern times has also meant he lives in the same leafy Alderley Edge neighbourhood that is a favourite of footballers in the north east.
“It’s quite nice – you see the players differently,” Hook tells us when asked what it’s like to Cristiano Ronaldo as a neighbour.
“When Ronaldo moved in, his partner began training with my trainer. He said Ronaldo was lovely. You’d see him at the Post Office, stopping traffic.
“We’ve not had excitement like that since Beckham. He was my neighbour; so was Carlos Tevez, and Edwin van der Sar. He was wandering around my house once, checking it was OK. He said, “It’s fine, Hooky, no problem here!””
For most Manchester United fans, that golden age of Ferguson, Beckham, Ronaldo and Tevez feels a long time ago and Hook admits that the club’s recent toils have left him frustrated.
“The form is so up and down, it drives me mad.” he continues. “I did an anti-Glazer record [*We’ll Never Die*, with Hanky Park in 2005] and I have a mate who takes me to the directors’ box, where I get to sit with the Glazers. I sit there thinking, ‘I hope they don’t hear that f**king record’.
“The problem with it is that when you’ve had someone like Sir Alex, that’s like the equivalent of Rob Gretton with New Order: whoever comes in after him is on a hiding to nothing. And that’s been what’s happened. As much as I hate to say it, I think the Glazers built them up to be a financial institution but there has been neglect at the heart of it, and that’s what’s gone.
“What I love about the United fans – me included – is that they never give up, even when it looks like they’re on to a hiding. United fans are very, very loyal. I’m not worldly or wise enough to say what the problem is or how to solve it."
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