Opinion: New One Love film Common Ground proves the life changing power of Man Utd and Old Trafford

The first fan we meet is Sean Jeffrey – at first glance a happy, confident young lad who loves football, loves the Reds and loves being a part of his club.

But almost immediately it’s made clear that Sean has been on a long journey. “He’s a lot more outgoing than he was,” smiles his dad, before the man himself explains: “I’ve got more confident of doing things, talking to people more… now I just walk up to them and chat to them.”

Between these snatches of reflection, we see Jeffrey doing exactly that. He goes up and talks to a fellow fan, asking them how they are, clearly keen to give them a boost. It’s a small, concise explanation of the way MUDSA – and, by extension, United’s broader match-going culture – works. Bonds of friendships might be established while celebrating a Rashford goal at Old Trafford but, before you know it, these interactions and relationships are making lives better.  They can become the kind of support networks that keep people going, whether they need a helping hand or just a bit of a laugh.