United We Stand

What United We Stand does

United We Stand (UWS) is an independent Manchester United supporter fanzine first published in 1989 by founder Andy Mitten. Operating from 43 Chapel Road, Manchester, UWS publishes eleven print issues per year (ten regular issues during the football season plus a summer special in mid-June) and is described on its own materials as one of Britain's best-selling football fanzines. The publication positions itself as an independent, irreverent voice covering Manchester United, with a documented track record of in-depth interviews with United-related personalities including Roy Keane, Ian Brown, Sir Alex Ferguson, David Gill, Martin Edwards, and Peter Kenyon.

The product set comprises three components: the core print fanzine, a supporter community forum at forum.uwsonline.com, and the United We Stand Podcast hosted on AudioBoom. There is no proprietary technology platform; the magazine is a traditional print publication and the digital channels are lightweight community/engagement surfaces rather than software products. Subscriptions are sold direct-to-consumer via a UK postal model, with payments accepted only by cheque or postal order in sterling from the Manchester office, indicating a small-scale, traditional operation. The customer base is a single persona segment: passionate Manchester United supporters seeking independent commentary beyond mainstream media coverage, all served within the United Kingdom.

Name

United We Stand

Legal name

United We Stand

Website

https://uwsonline.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Short description

United We Stand is an independent Manchester United supporter fanzine, founded in 1989 by Andy Mitten, publishing eleven print issues per year to UK subscribers via direct postal subscription and extending the brand through a supporter forum and podcast.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Fanzine Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (51312)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Alternative/Independent Newsweeklies & Opinion Press (MPAJADAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Men’s Interest Magazines (MPAJAEAC)

Keywords

• Football fanzines
• Supporter media
• Match commentary
• Football publishing
• Fan publications

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Magazine Subscriptions: Annual subscription model providing ten regular issues during the football season plus a summer special in mid-June. Subscribers receive physical copies posted direct from Manchester.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

United We Stand publishes an independent Manchester United supporter fanzine eleven times per year (ten regular in-season issues plus a summer special in mid-June), distributed by postal subscription from Manchester to UK subscribers. The publication is complemented by a supporter forum and a podcast, together forming a community-driven media brand for Manchester United fans.

Product overview

United We Stand is a single-product fanzine publication focused on Manchester United, published independently since 1989. The core offering is the printed/digital fanzine distributed via subscription. The company also operates a community forum and podcast as complementary channels for supporter engagement. The three components—the fanzine, forum, and podcast—together form the United We Stand brand ecosystem for independent Manchester United supporter media.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• United We Stand Fanzine A Manchester United supporter fanzine published eleven times per year (ten regular issues during the football season plus a summer special in mid-June), featuring in-depth interviews with United-related personalities, match commentary, and independent supporter perspectives. Physical copies are posted direct from Manchester to UK subscribers via annual subscription.
• UWS Forum An online supporter forum at forum.uwsonline.com where Manchester United fans can communicate and discuss club-related topics.
• United We Stand Podcast Audio podcast hosted on Audioboom featuring interviews and post-match commentary with the UWS team, available via the audioboom.com channel.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• The Anfield Wrap: Independent Liverpool FC supporter media with podcast, video, and online content. Comparable as a digitally-native club fanzine that has successfully expanded beyond print into multimedia.
• The Square Ball: Long-running Leeds United fanzine covering a single club's supporters. Comparable in format and audience model to UWS.
• United Stand: Independent Manchester United fan media channel with large YouTube and social following. Comparable as Manchester United-specific independent supporter content, though primarily digital/video rather than print.
• Through the Wind and Rain: Independent Liverpool FC fanzine in print form. Comparable as a supporter-led print fanzine serving a single club's fanbase.
• A Love Supreme: Independent Swansea City fanzine established in a similar era. Comparable as a small, club-specific supporter publication with print and online presence.
• The Gooner: Long-running independent Arsenal fanzine and fan media outlet. Closely comparable to UWS as a club-specific, supporter-led print and online publication serving a single Premier League fanbase.

Emerging players

• Tifo Football: Digital football explainer and analysis brand with a strong YouTube presence. Comparable as supporter-facing football content media, though focused on tactical video rather than club-specific opinion.

Broad incumbents

• Planet Sport: Multi-vertical sports digital media group covering football and other sports. Comparable as football-focused content publisher but with much broader portfolio and scale.
• HITC (Here Is The City): Digital sports and entertainment news site covering football including Manchester United. Comparable as a supporter-facing football content publisher, though digital-only and broader in scope.
• The Athletic: Subscription-based digital sports media covering multiple clubs including Manchester United. Comparable as paid supporter-content media, but operates at much larger scale across multiple teams and leagues.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about United We Stand