DAVID MOYES has admitted to being shocked by Manchester United's poor form during his first season in charge at Old Trafford. Alex Ferguson's successor, in a letter to United season ticket holders, confessed that "the difficult season we have experienced was not something that I envisaged, which I am sure is the case as well for you supporters". And although his message fell short of an apology, he vowed to make amends, promising that he and the players were "desperate to compensate" for the dreadful season. United are currently seventh in the Premier League, struggling to qualify for Europe next term and facing a rebuilding project that could leave them without silverware for some time. However, Moyes thanked fans for sticking by him. "Away from home the travelling fans have remained the best in the country while at Old Trafford your unwavering faith has been noticeable and hugely welcomed," he said, apparently having not heard the boos that have echoed around the ground on more than one occasion this term. "Supporting your team when they are winning is easy but much harder when things are not going as well, and the loyalty you have shown us has been magnificent." Moyes also hinted at his frustration over the frenzied reaction to every slip-up this season. "Everywhere we turn people outside the club have a lot to say about Manchester United," he wrote. United play their first match for nearly two weeks on Saturday when they take on West Brom at the Hawthorns. Having endured a miserable February, during which they won only one game and lost 2-0 defeat to Olympiakos in the Champions League, all eyes will be on how the break has affected the side. Not everyone believes they will bounce back. The Daily Telegraph reports that shares in the club have lost 14 per cent of their value since early December, and says traders in New York have begun "shorting" United shares, in the belief that its stock price will fall in the future.
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