.png)
8 months ago
46 Former Premier League striker turned talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor has criticised Manchester United fans after claiming that he receives ‘the most stick’ from them.
Most of it is warranted!
Agbonlahor doesn’t get to play the violin when his job is to antagonise United fans on the radio.
Ultimately, you reap what you sow.
The 37-year-old has been speaking about the abuse he receives and claims the worst of it comes from United fans. It shouldn’t come as a surprise since Agbonlahor can’t seem to go a week without slating the club. In a recent interview he suggested our fans are ‘stuck in the past’. I wonder what sort of response the bright spark expects from these comments
“I get a lot of stick from fans just through working on the radio but when you’re on the radio, you’re allowed to be a bit more judgemental and opinionated,” Agbonlahor told bookmakers Ladbrokes, as quoted by the Manchester Evening News.
“On TV, you don’t really get much chance to speak; you’re constantly being told you’ve got 15 seconds to fill, then you’ve got a break, then you’ve got to cut to commentary, or whatever. Whereas there’s a lot more time to fill on radio, and because of my character, and the fact that I’m the kind of person who just says what they think, I end up getting stick.
“I’d say Manchester United fans are the worst for it. Their downfall since Sir Alex Ferguson left has been so dramatic, it’s like their fans are still living in the past. And so when I’m on the radio, I try and explain to them that Manchester United just aren’t the same team they’re used to seeing.
“I get a lot of abuse back from those fans, but I don’t mind it because it’s all part of the job; if you’re going to have big opinions, and have a platform to voice those opinions, you’ve got to take the abuse that comes with it. It’s all part of the job for me.
“It does go too far sometimes; I don’t read every message, but when you’ve got an app like X, where you’re allowed to say whatever you want without any real repercussions, things are always likely to go too far. People know they can say whatever they want about you and your family and nothing will happen to them. But when you’ve been brought up like how I’ve been brought up… words don’t hurt you.
“I was brought up in Erdington from the age of two – a tough area, a tough upbringing… some 25-year-old sitting in his mum and dad’s bedroom on his laptop is not going to affect me.”
The 37-year-old made over 390 appearances in 13 years at Aston Villa before retiring in 2018. However, you only need to look at his record against United to try understand why he hates us so much.
Agbonlahor suffered 17 defeats in 22 games against United throughout his career – with just one victory in 2009 at Old Trafford.
Villa went an agonising 23 seasons without a home league win over the Reds until Unai Emery came along and shattered the hoodoo in his first game in charge.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the success United enjoyed under Sir Alex Ferguson ruined his childhood and has left an ever-lasting tarnish on Agbonlahor’s personality.
Subscribe to the Stretty News podcast Strettycast for weekly episodes on Manchester United. You can also sign up to the ad-free Stretty Newsletter. Get the Stretty News verdict on all matters Manchester United.

