Red tide of fans proves Man United are in a league of their own Andy Baxter has followed his beloved Manchester United to Sydney for Saturday's match, all the way from Manchester. He will also be visiting his son, Sean. Manchester plumber Andy Baxter is a Red Devil to the core. He has travelled across the world to watch his lads from Manchester United play, from Moscow to Madrid to New York. An Old Trafford regular since 1974, Mr Baxter, 50, has seen the modern, and very successful, history of the "biggest club in the world" unfold before his eyes. From the 1999 "treble," when they won the league, FA Cup and Champions League in one season, to the 2008 Champions League victory in Moscow and their record 20th league title this year, he has been there. Anything to do with football where Manchester United is concerned, I've seen everything. They've been the greatest times of my life," Mr Baxter said. But on Saturday he'll be watching a match in what is, for him, the unlikeliest of surroundings - Sydney's ANZ Stadium, for the sold out showdown between Manchester United and the A-League Allstars. Mr Baxter - who admits he "built life" around the beautiful game - said it was a privilege to follow the team down under. And with his son on a working holiday in outback Western Australia, the trip was a perfect opportunity for him and his wife, Sharron, to support their team, meet up with old friends and see their son Sean. It's the first time in a long time that United are out this side of the world, and I got a phone call from a friend when the game was announced, saying, 'dare you to come over' - and we said yes. The match may well be a friendly but for some United fans, there's no such thing. Manchester United were able to confirm that "a couple hundred" Manchester natives will be making the long trip to Sydney to watch the Red Devils play. Mr Baxter, who attends close to every single United game during the season season, owns a plumbing business back home. To follow Manchester United around England and Europe each year isn't cheap - a season membership at Old Trafford costs Mr Baxter more than $1300, which doesn't even factor in away match tickets or travel expenses. To offer a comparison, a Sydney FC membership will set a Sky Blue fan back only $215. Mr Baxter said it's just another part of being a Manchester United fan - you've got to pay for it. But he is looking forward to the football experience of a new country. It's another taste of another culture really. "I've been watching what's happening with Australian football, and more and more of the European legends are starting to head out this way - they wouldn't be doing that if it wasn't going places," he said. We're really looking forward to it because we've got friends coming in from all over, and it's an opportunity to get them under that banner of Man United. The chairman of Manchester United Supporters Club NSW, Mark O'Connor, wasn't surprised by the number of Englishmen coming to watch the game. "There are some fanatical United fans who will travel anywhere, and when they heard it'd be in Australia they must have put two and two together, and followed the tour - and decided to have a great holiday too," he said. Mr O'Connor said more than 20,000 tickets were sold to Manchester United supporters for the match, coming from places as diverse as Britain, Singapore, Thailand and New Zealand.