Speaking to members of the crowd on Thursday revealed a closeness unlikely to be found at any Old Trafford game.

More than 1,000 tickets were sold, creating a very different atmosphere from the usual attendance of 150. It also seemed as if everyone had some sort of connection with a player or official.

Fourteen-year-old David Whittaker, from Bromyard, the son of match referee Roger Whittaker, was celebrating his birthday.

"It's the best birthday present I can think of," he said.

Judith Stack, from Ledbury, went along to support her boyfriend Nick Stockley, a Ledbury Town player, with her mum Anna Stack and grandfather Ian Hogg.

"We want to see Ledbury beat Manchester United," she said.

Steve Simpson, from Johannesburg, South Africa, has been a United fan all his life but Thursday was the first time he had seen the team play, after his future brother-in-law Phil Miles, from Ledbury, took him along to the game.

Martin Jones, the father of Manchester United midfielder David Jones, had travelled from Wrexham to support his son.

"It's a nice little ground with a nice atmosphere and everybody's looking forward to the match," he said.

"This is what football is all about - the grass roots."

After the match, Manchester United fans Natalie and Phill Pitt went on the pitch to meet the players. Natalie said: "It was quite hard to know which team to support."

Phill said: "I was supporting my mate Scott Mason who plays for Ledbury Town."