THREAD:

100,000.

Firstly, I want to thank you all for following this account. Stat-based accounts on Twitter hardly get recognition but you guys have given this account constant support so I thank you.

I am certain being a United fan has helped!

Secondly, I want to thank @UtdExcellence, @mufcAH and @ExceIIence for giving me the idea of joining Football Twitter and then joining United Twitter. I didn't even know these existed until they told me! I owe them a lot.

Thirdly, I want to thank my brother, @UtdAlii, as he was the first account to promote my content when I had less than 50 followers. Before I messaged him, I was almost set on coming off Twitter. However, his promotion aided me greatly. Thank you, akh.

Also, I want to thank @utdxtra, @utdreport and @UnitedStandMUFC and @ManUnitedZone_ for their constant support throughout my time on here. They RT'd a lot of content and brought me a lot of exposure and I am grateful for that.

Likewise, @EiFSoccer were the first guys who gave me an opportunity to write about United and it exposed me to the world of football journalism in more depth so I appreciate that a lot.

@SibsMUFC and @KingMartiaI were two accounts who helped me at the beginning and throughout too. I enjoy Sibs’ tweets whilst J is the founder of Martial FC in my eyes. I remember any time I had Martial praise — even back then — he would RT it without a problem!

Thank you, guys!

Tom ( @utdcynical) was the one who initially designed my account and sort of stamped it as official. He has always been available whenever I've needed anything from him and he is fantastic at what he does.

In more recent times, James ( @jair1970) has opened up my mind to so much about data. I have learnt more speaking to him than I had learnt for years in my own time. James is a fantastic source of insight and experience and has always been willing to help. Thank you, James.

Lastly, Will ( @AnEnglishGoat) has constantly dedicated his time to helping me learn statistical analysis which has helped me with this account. A lot of content in the last month or so is due to him and @jair1970 who have shaped not only how I present but what I present.

As for what follows:

With 100k followers I want to treat it as a checkpoint which initiates the expansion of UtdArena. In December, I tweeted that I was slowing down content due to financial burdens and the situation remains the same now — I just grinded out the last 7 months.

Whilst I was able to grind out these months — I was still working — I won't be able to do it from next season onwards as my work is coming to an end due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So, with a lack of funds I won't have the same resources I have had in the last year or so.

So, I want to expand in a way that can fund what I do. How to do that? I do not know. What I know is that I have a set of skills and resources that can be made available to you through a variety of means. I just have to figure out how to do that.

Some of you suggested video analysis, others said podcasts, some suggested "stat packs" or scouting reports that I can give to people who want to write about players and teams whilst some even wanted lessons.

I can provide ALL of this and more.

However, it takes up a lot of time, effort and, sadly, money. With my job coming to an end I want to venture into football data and analytics and I am looking at a few avenues such as Patreon or YouTube.

Again, this is your account; you dictate what kind of content I post. That's how it's always been and I think we can go even further with those suggestions and much more.

So, I'll spend the next few weeks delving deeper into how I can earn money from this whilst knowing that if we can add another platform to this one — let's say Patreon — then your money will be invested into UtdArena so that I can acquire more data and produce more content.

This thread isn't as long as the 25-tweet ones but it has gone on long enough! I apologise for its length.

Thank you for building this account to 100,000. Let's continue developing and improving what we all have worked so hard to do.

Your Friend,
UtdArena