{
  "id": 5771746,
  "title": "Man Utd fans come from afar to meet Park, Brown, van der Sar",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/man-utd-fans-come-from-afar-to-meet-park-brown-van-der-sar",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-05T12:03:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/09/05/man-utd-fans-come-from-afar-to-meet-park-brown-van-der-sar"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "More than 500 Manchester United fans traveled to Kuala Lumpur for a meet-and-greet session with club legends Park Ji-sung, Wes Brown, and Edwin van der Sar. The event drew supporters not only from Malaysia but also from overseas, including Sydney, Australia.\n\nAdam Schwereb, a 52-year-old Red Devils memorabilia collector, traveled from Sydney to attend the Matta travel fair and meet the Manchester United legends. Schwereb, who has attended matches at Old Trafford, described the opportunity as \"too good to be missed.\" He added that events like this provide younger fans, who cannot travel to England, a rare chance to meet their footballing heroes in person. Schwereb obtained two prized items from Park Ji-sung and van der Sar to add to his personal Manchester United collection.\n\nYoung Vietnamese fan Nguyen Danh Truong, 12, also attended the event, coming from Ho Chi Minh City with his father Nguyen Van Tai. The meet-and-greet session with the Manchester United trio was the sole reason for the family's trip to Malaysia. Truong is a huge fan of the club and was thrilled to spend three days in Malaysia to meet his idols.\n\nBryan Foong, chief executive of airline business at Malaysia Airlines' parent company Malaysia Aviation Group, highlighted the strong fan base and loyalty of Manchester United supporters, which has been beneficial for the airline. The airline has partnered with Manchester United for three years, and Foong noted that the partnership has effectively boosted the national carrier's visibility and market presence. He emphasized that Manchester United fans are well-received worldwide and are very loyal to the club, making it a valuable partnership for Malaysia Airlines.",
  "summary": "An Australian memorabilia collector and a 12-year-old fan from Vietnam are among those who travelled just to meet their football heroes.",
  "key_points": [
    "Over 500 Manchester United fans traveled to Kuala Lumpur for meet-and-greet.",
    "Attendees came from Malaysia and overseas, including Sydney, Australia.",
    "Young Vietnamese fan Nguyen Danh Truong met Park, Brown, van der Sar in Malaysia."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Man Utd fans come from afar to meet Park, Brown, van der Sar",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/man-utd-fans-come-from-afar-to-meet-park-brown-van-der-sar-5775009",
        "published": "2026-09-05T12:03:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}