Manchester United
Old Trafford
Capacity:
74,879 (all seated)
Address:
Sir Matt Busby Way, Manchester M16 0RA
Telephone:
0161 868 8000
Fax:
0161 868 8804
Ticket Office:
0161 868 8000
StadiumTours:
0161 868 8000
Pitch Size:
116 x 76 yards
Pitch Type:
Grass
Club Nickname:
The Red Devils
Year Ground Opened:
1910
Undersoil Heating:
Yes
Shirt Sponsors:
Chevrolet
Kit
Manufacturer:Adidas
Home Kit:
Red, White and Black
Away Kit:
White and Black
Third Kit:
All Dark Grey
Official Web Sites
www.manutd.com www.manutdsoccerschools.com Twitter Facebook
Unofficial Web Sites:
Old Trafford has always been a special place as it was one of the few grounds where the stands envelop the corners. Although more stadiums are now also totally enclosed, Old Trafford’s sheer size still makes it a bewildering sight. It has been steadily expanded over the last couple of decades raising its capacity to a staggering 74,879, making it the largest Club ground in Britain. Both ends, which look almost identical, are large two-tiered stands, which were originally built in the early 1990’s and had an additional tier added at the turn of the millennium. Each is quite steep, with a large lower tier and smaller upper tier. The three-tiered Sir Alex Ferguson Stand, opened in 1996, at one side of the ground, is the largest capacity stand of any League Ground in England. It has 25,500 seats. The corners to each side of this stand are also filled with seating and extend around to meet both ends. These re-developed stands dwarf the older Main (South) Stand opposite. This stand (part of which dates back to 1910) is single tiered, with a television gantry suspended below its roof. All the stands have a row of executive boxes at the back of the lower tier. In April 2016 the Main (South) Stand was renamed the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand.
The ground looks a little imbalanced with the smaller Sir Bobby Charlton Stand looking somewhat out of place with its larger newer neighbours. However, in my opinion, the best views of the ground are from the front of this stand and from the away section, as you look out upon the three newer, larger sides. Still, if this Main Stand was to be re-developed in the same manner as the others, then the ground would possibly be the envy of Europe.
Unusual aspects of the ground include the raised pitch, and that the teams enter the field from the corner of the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand. Outside the ground is the Sir Matt Busby Statue fronting the impressive green glassed East Stand facade, whilst above the entrance to the Club Museum outside the North Stand is a statue of Sir Alex Ferguson. There is also a clock and plaque in remembrance of the Munich disaster. Across Sir Matt Busby Way is the United Trinity Statue of three of the 1968 European Cup winning team; George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton (now Sir).
The Manchester United ownership of the Glazers is a massive bone of contention amongst United support with their lack of investment – or at least their openness to milking finances out of the club in the form of dividends – a major issue. One aspect that regular matchday going fans have is the state of Old Trafford with firm belief it’s now past its best. The question marks over the long term state of United’s ownership puts any plans to actually invest in the stadium – in a big way at least – on hold.
That being said, initial steps have been drawn up. Early in 2023, the Manchester United stadium ‘project’ was handed to a couple of major players in the sporting area field – specifically Populous and Legends International. They’ve presented the Old Trafford hierarchy with a couple of different scenarios as to how they can modernise their home.
One option is to redevelop the existing home whilst the other is a brand new build. Both come with huge cost implications whilst there is then a debate to be had as to what opportunity offers the best commercial opportunity. Either way, the changes aren’t imminent!
Away supporters are normally located in one corner of the ground, taking up part of the East and Sir Bobby Charlton Stands. The views from the away sections are excellent and up to 3,000 away supporters can be accommodated. Entrance into the stadium is gained by first being searched by a steward and then placing your ticket into an electronic barcode reader. It is then up a few flights of rather steep stairs to the concourse. Although the concourse looks a little cramped, it is adequate and there seems to be enough food and drinks outlets that the queues never seem to get too long. These sell a range of pies; Meat & Potato, Steak, Chicken Balti, a ‘United’ Pie (which is Steak and Chilli) and Spicy Potato & Cauliflower. In addition, there is also a ‘Limited Edition’ pie which varies from match to match. Other refreshments on offer include; Rollover Hot Dogs, Cheese & Onion Pasties, Cheese & Tomato Pizza Twists and Pepperoni Pizza Twists. At the far end of the concourse is a large flat screen television showing Sky Sports. I don’t know whether it is the American influence at Old Trafford, but I noticed on my last visit that after buying food or drink, that the attendant would always say; ‘Enjoy the game’ on giving back your change.
The away fans section is set back from the pitch as there is a disabled area to its front. The leg room between rows is a little tight, as well as the space between the seats themselves. This results in most away fans standing throughout the game. The good thing though, is that the away fans can really make some noise from this part of the stadium.
As you probably know Old Trafford is billed as the ‘Theatre Of Dreams’ and is certainly one of the best grounds in the country. However, if you have never been there before, be prepared to be a little disappointed, as the reality will probably not meet your pre-conceived expectations. Getting tickets for Man Utd home games is pretty difficult even if you are a member of the club, so make sure you have tickets before you travel.
Security Notice – Taking Bags Into Old Trafford
The Club are quite strict about the size of bag that can be taken into Old Trafford. Anything bigger than a handbag sized (max 20cm x 15cm x 5cm) bag, has to be checked into storage for the duration of the game. The Club charge £5 (to be donated to the Manchester United Charitable Foundation) for the storage.
Pay By Card For Food and Drink? Yes
North Road and Bank Street; there is two stadium names you don’t instantly associate with Manchester United. They were, however, the first two homes of the Red Devil’s with Old Trafford not becoming their home stadium until 1910; at that time the £90k investment made saw architectural firm Archibald Leitch create a 77,000 capacity monster.
The record attendance, which pushed to being very close to 77k, came in 1939 and then WW2 came along and, come the end, people have seen a lot of the ground destroyed through bomb strikes. Needless to say, those issues were rectified! At this point the Old Trafford capacity stood at 55k. Through until the nineties that capacity remained untouched with alterations to the Manchester United ground being things like the addition of floodlights, roofing and, in the late eighties, a lighting innovation that seems the pitch lit from a series of spotlights located on the front of the footing.
The first change of the nineties dropped Old Trafford down to a 44k capacity; that was due to law changes off the back of the Taylor report. It didn’t take long for things to rebound to the 55k mark though; in 1995 work was undertaken on the North Stand to add those 11k seats back in. In 1999 the two stands running down the touchlines had second tiers added to them to boost the capacity further before a couple of corner stands got similar treatment in the mid-2000s. The result? A capacity of circa 76k.
As you would expect the pubs nearest the ground generally won’t let you in if you are wearing away colours. Away fans are tending to head for Salford Quays which is around a mile away from Old Trafford. Luke Burns a visiting Birmingham City informs me; ‘The Lime Bar in Salford Quays, has good beer, quick service and a good mix of home and away supporters’. Also in Salford Quays is the Matchstick Man pub, which is part of the Hungry Horse chain and also serves visiting fans. There is also an outside bar that is open on matchdays at the nearby Old Trafford Cricket Ground.
Alternatively, it is probably best to drink in the Manchester City Centre or along one of the stops on the Metrolink, such as Altrincham, where there are some good real ale pubs to be found such as the Jack in the Box and Costellos. Andy Syborn adds ‘away fans are okay to drink in the Bridge at Sale. It is two stops from Old Trafford on the Metro (about eight minutes journey time)’. Alternatively, alcohol is normally served within the ground although for some high profile games the club opt not to sell any.
From the South
Leave the M6 at Junction 19 and follow the A556 towards Altrincham. At the junction with the M56 take the A56 towards Altrincham. Keep on the A56 for six miles and then you will come to see Sir Matt Busby Way on your left. The ground is half a mile down this road on your left, although on matchdays this road may well be closed to traffic.
From the North
Leave the M6 at Junction 30 and take the M61 towards Bolton. At the end of the M61, join the M60. Leave the M60 at Junction 9 and follow the A5081 towards Manchester. After about two miles you will reach Sir Matt Busby Way on your right for the ground.
From The West:
Follow M56 until its end and then take the M60 (W&N) as for Trafford Centre. At Junction 7 leave M60 and take the A56 towards Stretford. Stay on the A56 for 2.1 miles then you will come to see Sir Matt Busby Way on your left. The ground is half a mile down this road on your left, although on matchdays this road may be closed to traffic. Thanks to Brian Griffiths for providing these directions.
Post Code for SAT NAV: M16 0RA
There are lots of small private car parks near to the ground, otherwise, it is street parking. Peter Bennett suggests parking at Old Trafford Cricket Ground (cost £10). Try to arrive early (before 1pm) as if you arrive later, it takes ages leaving the car park after the game. Gareth Hawker adds; ‘I parked at the Salford Quays Lowry Outlet Mall (M50 3AH), a ten minute walk away from the stadium, the cost of which was £4, for four hours. There was virtually no traffic on leaving, and the road takes you straight onto the M601 which joins up with the M62/M6. This avoids the congestion of the traffic heading South’. There is also the option of renting a private driveway near Old Trafford via YourParkingSpace.co.uk.
Alternatively:
Park in Altrincham town centre and take the Metrolink to the ground (20 minutes). Some pubs such as the Bricklayers Arms in Altrincham town centre, will allow parking for the afternoon, as long as you enjoy a pre-match drink (they also do good food). Kevin Dixon-Jackson adds; ‘You can get the Metrolink to Old Trafford from Ladywell Halt, in Eccles, where there is also free secure parking. It is about a 15 minute journey on the tram and costs £1.20 return. You can reach Eccles from the M60 (take the Carrington spur J8 A6144(M)) or M602 Motorway (leave at the first junction for Eccles, turn right, and right again at the lights, onto Eccles New Road. Secure parking is immediately on your right). You are only 200 yards away from the Drinking Capital which is Eccles town centre!’
My Tip For Parking & Getting Away After The Game:
Going along the A56, as the stadium emerges in front of you, follow the signs for Old Trafford Cricket Ground, which means that you will bear off the A56 to the right. At the end of the park on your left and before you reach the Cricket Ground, turn right into Great Stone Road. Just over the hill you will see a pub called the Quadrant, which is next door to a chip shop. There is plenty of street parking in this area, up to around 1.15-1.30pm. You are only a ten minute walk away from the ground. However, the Quadrant pub does not admit away fans (there are bouncers on the door checking tickets). After the game, head away from Old Trafford (keeping the Quadrant pub on your left) along the side streets. You will reach the A5145 (Edge Lane). Turn right down here and you will eventually join up again with the motorway and avoid all those traffic jams on the A56.
Travel To Old Trafford From The City Centre By Boat
Licensed Bar On Board.
30 minutes journey time to Old Trafford.
Departure time 1 hour before kick off.
Return 20 minutes after the final whistle.
In operation for all Manchester United home games.
Avoid the hassles of driving and parking around Old Trafford or going by public transport.
For more details or to book online visit the Manchester River Cruises website.
Manchester Coach Station is located three miles away from Old Trafford. However, it is only a few minutes walk away from Piccadilly Railway Station where a train or metro can be caught up to the ground or Piccadilly Gardens where buses can be located. As you come out of the main coach station entrance turn right along Chorlton Street. At the bottom of Chorlton street turn left into Aytoun Street. Proceed along this road and then turn right into Auburn Street. At the crossroads with London Road, you can see the entrance to the station over on on the right. If you continue past the station and at the next junction turn left, then you are in Piccadilly Gardens where there is a large bus terminus. Although published journey times are around 20 minutes, these can increase quite a lot closer to kick off time, due to the amount of traffic around Old Trafford (just ask the Manchester United Team Bus driver!). So ensure that you leave in good time for the game.
Buses From Piccadilly Gardens
Adam Hodson informs me; ‘From Piccadilly Gardens you can get the Stagecoach Manchester Buses 255, 256 or Arriva North West No 263. These services all run down the A56 Chester Road near to Old Trafford. Journey time (depending on traffic) is around 15-20 minutes’. They can be caught from Stop L (255, 256) or Stop K (263) in Piccadilly Gardens.
Most fans are likely to arrive at Manchester Piccadilly Railway Station, however this is around three miles away from Old Trafford. Probably the best way to get to the stadium is by Metrolink from Manchester Piccadilly mainline station, as Old Trafford has its own Metrolink station which is located next to Lancashire County Cricket Club on Warwick Road, which leads up to Sir Matt Busby Way.
Chris Kilcourse adds; ‘The Metrolink also has another branch line going to Eccles from Manchester Centre. There are two stops to leave the tram – Pomona and Exchange Quay. These are on the opposite (Salford) side of the ground – probably a quieter line on Matchdays. Pomona is the closest to the ground, only a short walk away and closer than Lancashire CC. Exchange Quay is the one to use for return journeys as the trams get full and may not stop at Pomona going back’.
Amit Basu informs me; ‘If using the Metrolink, away fans are better off taking the Altrincham – Bury route and getting off at Old Trafford station, by the cricket ground – just follow the crowds for the football. While the nearest stations to the ground are probably Pomona or Exchange Quays on the Eccles line, they not particularly convenient for getting to or from the away end’.
Although Old Trafford has its own railway station located behind the South Stand, it has not been in operation for some time now and it is unclear as to whether it will re-open. The nearest railway station is Trafford Park, which is around a mile or a 20 minute walk away. This is served by trains from Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Oxford Road. The latter is a two minute train ride from Manchester Piccadilly. However, due to ongoing strike action by Northern Railways staff, Saturday services are being severely disrupted.
Manchester Airport is located eight miles away from Old Trafford. You can either get a taxi from the airport (cost around £30) or catch one of the regular metrolink trams from the Airport to Trafford Bar, which is around a ten minute walk away from Old Trafford. You can change at Trafford Bar for another tram to Old Trafford, but unless you are there early or on a non-matchday these are already likely to be pretty full. If you buy a one day (off peak weakens and after 9.30am on weekdays) Adult travelcard, which gives you unlimited tram journeys for that day, then this will cost £5.
Securing tickets to Old Trafford is not the easiest thing to do owing to how heavily in demand they are. That sees a lot of fans stray from the official route of purchase, however, core pricing through the Manchester United ticketing website generally tops out around the £60 mark for non-VIP and hospitality seating.
You can also book your tickets with SeatPick.
- Official Programme: £3.50
- Red Issue: £3
- United We Stand: £3
- Red News Fanzine: £3
StubHub (who are owned by Ebay) have a number of Corporate Tickets available for Manchester United matches played at Old Trafford. There are different categories of corporate tickets, but most allow access to a private suite, include padded seating and some also include a meal with wine. As these tickets are in Corporate Hospitality areas, smart casual wear is required and no team colours are allowed to be worn. Although these tickets are higher priced than normal match tickets, they are ideal for a celebration event such as birthday present, all those visiting from overseas.
Check their current availability of Manchester United FC Tickets.
Man Utd vs Liverpool rivalry
There is no love lost between these two clubs. Manchester United’s stadium is always a special place to be when Liverpool visit but the derby isn’t all about making sure Liverpool stay off “their ******* perch”. Just generally, the two cities don’t exactly see eye to eye with the development of the Manchester Ship Canal a big part of that.
Way back, Liverpool thrived on being the port city. The Manchester Ship Canal allowed boats to bypass Liverpool and head direct to Manchester. It was seen as a double whammy for Liverpool; they’d lost a large element of their trade from the ships but their neighbouring city, Manchester, was getting money poured into it and thriving as an economic centre. It’s never been forgotten; nor will it be whilst players keep ramming it down the fans’ throats – we don’t blame him either.
Man Utd vs Man City rivalry
Manchester is only home to two major football clubs so it’s little surprise that there is some tension between them. There always has been but it’s peaked and fallen through the years as life on the pitch has looked very different for the clubs; that’s in both directions at various points too. Denis Law – a United legend – arguably gave United their lowest moment in the fixture as he scored as a Man City player to all but relegate United. Sir Alex Ferguson and the Class of 92, however, gave Man United some rather good times with a period of absolute dominance. Recently City have bitten back but will they ever be United? That’s the question.
Man Utd vs Leeds rivalry
It would be fair to say that, at least historically, neither Manchester United or Leeds have been universally loved. Nor have they loved each other. Their main gripe with one another actually started away from football with the War of the Roses. Relatively close proximity, good teams, large hooligan factions and player transfers have all helped to intensify things further over the years too though.
For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the Level Playing Field website.
When you’re Manchester United it’s obvious that there will be a huge demand for stadium and museum tours at Old Trafford. There are tours taking place nearly every day – although they sell out pretty damn quickly too.
Using the official club website is the best way to secure your place whilst costs are as follows:
- Adult – £27
- Under 16 – £15
- Over 65s – £15
- Under 5s – Free
You can add a meal option to your tour for £10.
Mounted up on a wall outside the South East corner of the stadium is a Memorial to the players and officials of the Club, who lost their lives as a result of the Munich Air Disaster in 1958.
Also nearby is the ‘Munich Clock’ which shows the current time
and not the time that the disaster took place.
Behind the East Stand is the impressive looking United Trinity Statue. Unveiled in 2008 in shows United’s ‘Holy Trinity’ of George Best, Bobby Charlton and Denis Law. These players were part of the Club’s first European Cup success in 1968.
Outside and perched up on the stand named after him is the Sir Alex Ferguson Statue
A Closer Look
Modern All Seated Attendance Record
76,098 v Blackburn Rovers
Premier League, March 31st, 2007.
Stadium Record Attendance For a Football Match
76,962 – Wolverhampton Wanderers v Grimsby Town
FA Cup Semi Final, March 25th, 1939.
Average Attendance:
2021-2022: 72,922 (Premier League)
2020-2021: N/A (Covid-19)
2019-2020: 73,393 (Premier League)
2018-2019: 74,498 (Premier League)
2017-2018: 74,976 (Premier League)
The song most commonly associated with Manchester United is ‘Glory, Glory, Man United’.
If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at: contact@footballgroundguide.com and I’ll update the guide.
Special Thanks to:
Owen Pavey for providing the ground layout diagram
Doug Bagley for providing a photo of the Unity Trinity Statue
Gerold Rachlinger for providing a photo of the Unity Trinity
Statue Haydn Gleed for providing the YouTube video of Old Trafford
The Old Trafford Museum and Stadium Tour video was produced by Olehenri and made publicly available for distribution via YouTube.
The Awaydays Old Trafford video was produced by TheUglyInside and made publicly available via YouTube.
Manchester United v Leeds United
FA Cup 3rd Round
Saturday 3rd January 2010, 1pm
By Josh Grainger (Leeds United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
It was a huge game for Leeds and a great chance to visit a famous ground.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Because of the winter snow, we thought it was better if we travelled the day before and spend the night in Manchester, The trip to Manchester was fine. There was a tram station was just outside our hotel, which made the trip to Old Trafford easy, then walking the last half a mile to the stadium.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
It was very crowded and because of the rivalry between the two clubs, we thought it was wiser to get into the ground asap. The rivalry between the clubs is massive and therefore a friendly atmosphere was in doubt. Outside the ground a Man Utd scarf seller, was friendly and gave us the advice to hide our shirts after the game and the route back to avoid trouble, however, he was the kindest that came, a young programme seller swore at us and told us his thoughts about Leeds, however as we got closer to the away section, there were more Leeds fans so, the Man Utd minority didn't act stupid and walked past.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The ground is very big from the inside, however, doesn't seem like it from the outside. The lids fans were given 9,000 tickets all of which were sold and we were given the east stand upper tier and the south east corner. The stairs leading up to the upper tier were metal which created a racket and stewards weren't the most friendly, however other things were on their mind rather than to talk casually.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
Leeds managed to create a huge shock and won 1-0 and the game was great. The atmosphere was also fantastic with 9,000 Leeds fans singing their hearts out, however credit to man u, and it was clear to see that even the glory supporters sung and the constant singing battle rarely got out of hand. The steward in front of me was friendly and talked to us about football. The toilets had Man Utd badges everywhere ( bearing in mind that this section was the home end in league games) and the toilets were good as far as it can go.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The Leeds fans were kept in the ground for quite a long time after the game (understandably). There were a few Man Utd fans outside the ground, however, most were in the pubs, the 9000 lids fans all came out together and outnumbered the home support, so trouble was avoided. After a long wait for a tram we returned to the hotel and the journey back to lids was fine.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Definitely worth it, if you are supporting a team who isn't rivals with Man Utd, then you'll be fine and even if you are following one of man u's rivals, if you use your head, the police seem to have it sussed out…
Manchester United v Arsenal
FA Cup 5th Round
Saturday March 13th 2011, 5.15pm
Harry Shaw (Arsenal fan)
Why you were looking forward to visiting Old Trafford?
Having only visited Old Trafford once before (for a meaningless England friendly) I jumped at the chance for a trip up to watch the Arsenal. An added bonus being they’d be even more Gunners fans there because of the bigger ticket allocation for cup games.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Got the train without hassle. Getting to the ground was a doddle albeit the tram from the city centre to the ground was quite busy. Not that you mind that after a few beers on the journey up! I’m sure getting there earlier would see lesser crowds on the tram.
What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Didn’t have time to track down a pub but grabbed a burger from a van before going into the ground, standard grub, what you’d expect. Didn’t have any trouble at all from the home fans.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Old Trafford Stadium?
You can’t help but be impressed by the ground’s exterior, as much as I tried not to! But first time visitors may be expecting too much, whilst pundits on the telly can go over the top about it. It’s a vast, great stadium, but it’s definitely not going to make your jaw drop like the Bernabeu or San Siro for example, but then that’s just my opinion. Inside the ground is even more impressive, totally enclosed, the impossibly steep stands meet the pitch mere yards from the players. It looks intimidating from the stands, I’d imagine it’d be even more so from the players’ point of view.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
Stewards were polite and helpful which was good, pointing us to our seats with a smile! Toilets were clean and big, queues for pies etc. went down quickly as far as I could tell.
The game itself was unfortunately one to forget, in typical Arsenal fashion we dominated possession had shots on target but never really threatened, one thing I suppose you could say was van der Sar had a very good game. United soaked up our pressure with little effort and scored their first on the break through Fabio, then shortly after the restart Rooney headed in from close range. Both goals came from rebounds if I remember correctly which was a bore. At half time only bottles of Singha were on sale for a mammoth 3 or 4 pounds so I gave them a miss. It was annoying they didn’t sell pints but there you go. There were the usual pies and hot dogs on sale. Despite the magnitude of the game the United fans never got going, a shame with the ‘ammo’ they’ve got at their disposal. Us Arsenal fans didn’t stop all game and towards the last 20 mins turned it up a notch chanting non stop that we won the league in Manchester, absolutely fantastic.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground wasn’t a problem, however I covered my colours up after being accosted by a few Man Utd fans for a cigarette! Getting the tram back into town to get the train back was a drag, unlike at Arsenal where everyone filters out to the different tube lines/stations etc. It seemed a vast percentage got the tram back to the town centre, we eventually squeezed into about the 6th one that came along, and that was still packed like sardines. Next time we’re losing two-nil I think I’ll leave a few minutes early!
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall a great day out as the Arsenal fans were in full voice throughout, a shame about the result but hey that’s the way it goes. It definitely won’t be my last visit to Old Trafford, thoroughly enjoyable and no trouble whatsoever.
Manchester United v Blackburn Rovers
Premier League
Saturday December 31st 2011, 12.45pm
By Tom Croft (Blackburn Rovers fan)
Why you were looking forward to visiting Old Trafford?
Although we were expecting to go to Old Trafford and receive an absolute kicking, it had always been a ground I was determined to visit and now with a bit of money behind me, I had to go. I was really looking forward to it mainly due to all the hype connected with Old Trafford; Being such a large and famous stadium and with the fact that on Boxing Day we gained a point at Anfield (1-1 vs Liverpool) I was rather optimistic about this day out.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We travelled by club coach so a very easy journey. Once we arrived we parked in the car park which was roughly opposite the away turnstiles probably about 100 yards away.
What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
I asked a Police Officer about any pub's in the vicinity of Old Trafford that welcomed away supporters but he didn't know so we decided against going to find any and instead accompanied our friend who had lost his ticket to the ticket office to see if he could get it replaced. (Fortunately he managed to). We walked into the ticket office entrance – all dressed in our blue and white – and didn't have any trouble whatsoever. United fans didn't seem to bother with us too much although I imagine this would be different for teams such as Man City and Liverpool.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Old Trafford ground?
When we first saw the ground I was amazed by it. It really is such an impressive stadium all the way around outside and inside doesn't disappoint either. The view from the away section is probably the best I have ever experienced although there isn't much leg room. The segregation however between the home and away fans wasn't massive which led to a lot of banter between both set's of fans resulting in one Man United fan being called Rooney, all good natured banter though and nothing went too far.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was absolutely brilliant. United threatened a lot early on but didn't seem to have that killer instinct in front of goal. The game changed however fairly quickly when in the 16th minuted Yakubu was brought down by Dimitar Berbatov in the penalty area resulting in a penalty to Rovers which the Yak calmly slotted in to put Rovers 1-0 up. Again United poured on the pressure but couldn't find that killer goal. We got to half time 1 up and the 2nd half began much the same as it ended in the first half. Rovers then made a counter attack which resulted in Yakubu darting past former Rover Phil Jones to drill the ball through De Gea's legs to make it 2-0 to Rovers. At this point we couldn't believe it and were going wild although our celebrations were short lived as straight from kick off United pushed forward and sloppy defending allowed Berbatov to make up for giving away the Penalty and putting united back into it with a cool finish from close range. 2-1.
Ten minutes later and the same again. Sloppy defending by Rovers resulting in Berbatov cooly finishing to make it 2-2. We thought it was over then however ten minuted from time De Gea seemed clueless as he came for a cross and Grant Hanley headed it past him into the net to make it 3-2 to Rovers! United then pressed more but just couldn't break through Rovers stubborn defence. Great result for Rovers and the atmosphere we generated was electric as we were singing for the full 90 minutes. The United fan's weren't in great voice although the roar when they scored was impressive.
The facilities in the ground are very good. The concourses were very spacious and toilets clean. When in there we bought a bottle of Singha Lager (£3.20 I think for a 330ml) and a bottle of Bulmers (again £3.20 I think) so not the greatest choice of alcoholic refreshments but better value than some ground's I've visited. We had very little to do with the stewards but they seemed fairly relaxed and were helpful when helping us to our seats.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting to the coach wasn't a problem however once we got on the road it was a good half hour at least before we got moving properly. The roads were extremely congested so I would advise taking an extra hour out of your time for the journey away from the ground just to be safe. Once back on the motorway there were no problems at all though.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall I would rate this as one of my favourite away days ever. Most likely because of the result but Old Trafford really is a splendid stadium and as an away supporter a MUST visit in my opinion. The pictures on television really don't do it justice because when you're there in your seat just knowing you are in what is regarded as one of the best stadiums in the world really brings an extra buzz about the place and if you are lucky enough to get three points as we did on this particular day (however not forgetting the humiliating 7-1 defeat last season) then your day will be even better. Definitely a ground I would recommend visiting.
Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur
Premier League
Saturday September 29th 2012, 5.30pm
Jonny Laybourn (Tottenham Hotspur fan)
Being in only my second full season of attempting to attend every week at Spurs (I’ve only just moved back to the area after a childhood-long absence) I was relishing the chance to go to see us play at Old Trafford, one of the most famous football grounds in the country. Before the game we hadn’t been bestowed with the best of records against United at their place, not having won there for 23 years. I admit I wasn’t hoping for much as I travelled to Manchester, but nonetheless I saw it as an ideal opportunity to visit both the city and the ‘Theatre of Dreams’, and hope for a shock result while having a good sing song for the lads. Every away fan enjoys a sing song!
On this particular day I came from Peterborough, and got the rather slow direct train through Nottingham and Sheffield. Not the most memorable three and a half hours of my life, but I did get into Manchester in one piece and in plenty of time.
After walking round the impressive city centre for a bit, I had lunch at a Chinatown buffet followed by a drink at the famous Lass O’ Gowrie pub near Oxford Road station. Both places come highly recommended, especially the Lass if you are a real ale drinker. I then took the tram to the ground. On first impression the tram was quite expensive at £2.50 for a single ticket, but I suppose the price is justified for the high level of investment going into the network.
There was no trouble with the home fans. They seemed to vary in attendance habits with some proudly sporting their gold season ticket badges while some fans clad in United shirts seemed to not know how to purchase tram tickets! Interesting. As a win for them was expected, general talk on the tram was of how big the scoreline would be and which of their star players would be on the scoresheet.
It took about 15 minutes to reach Old Trafford tram station, and another 15 on walking out of the station past the cricket ground to finally reach the stadium. Another peculiarity I started to witness was the proliferation of half-and-half scarf sellers, the scarves themselves being half red and half white and sporting the names of the two teams. Even stranger that many people were wearing them! It began to feel more like a tourist attraction than a game of football. Given the stadium’s capacity, I feel hardly surprised now that I didn’t see a single other Spurs fan until I arrived at the ground!
The ground itself is huge, not like any other I’ve been to, save for maybe Wembley. Outside the East Stand, where the lit ‘Manchester United’ sign is and where news correspondents pose when reporting about the club, thousands of fans posed for photos. The buzzing atmosphere outside was indicative of the prestige of the club. I walked round the outside of the ground and noticed that the South Stand was a bit older looking than the rest of the ground, but I had read before that the club cannot expand this stand because of the railway line lying more or less directly adjacent to it. I then bought a programme and went into the away section of the ground, located under the Munich memorial clock at the corner of the South and East stands.
I enjoyed a Thai beer for the Londoner-friendly price of £3.60 and took my seat about twenty minutes prior to kick off. The ground was just as impressive on the inside as it was from the outside, with imposing stands on three sides (some seats were so high we couldn’t see them from where we were) and a great view from the away section. I heard United trialled moving the away fans up into the ‘gods’ à la Newcastle but decided to drop it for this season; please don’t do it, Old Trafford has one of the best away sections in the country! Although there wasn’t much leg room, I was stood close to the away section which led to much good-natured banter between the fans.
As for the game itself, just wow. Spurs had a dream start with Jan Vertonghen playing a one-two and dinking a goal inside five minutes. We continued to dominate with the brilliant Gareth Bale grabbing a second before half-time. I stayed in my seat during the half-time period. The second half was more nail-biting: for United, Rooney came on for Giggs and they looked a different side. They got chance after chance until Nani scored impressively from a Rooney cross to make it 2-1. However a minute later we countered and Jermain Defoe was at the other end; he crossed to Bale who forced a parry from Lindegaard, inviting Clint Dempsey to tap the ball in and send us into delirium. Kagawa then finished off a good move two minutes later making it 3-2. And, despite United’s total dominance from then until the final whistle, the scoreline stayed put. Spurs had finally beaten Manchester United away for the first time in nearly 23 years!
Our fans were brilliant all game and I personally was hoarse after about half an hour; definitely the most atmospheric of away experiences I’ve had. The United fans broke into song on occasion, but ours were the more consistent of the two sets of fans! I have heard however that the Stretford End is hard to hear from the away end, so forgive me if you were at the game and you disagree! The stewards were very helpful as well, showing us our seats and letting us stand for more or less the whole game, even smiling to us as we left.
We continued to sing in our seats for about ten minutes after the game, after which the party transferred to the street. Unfortunately it quickly dissolved after we were outnumbered by the swathes of grumpy United fans in the dark! I personally then did the two and a half (ish) mile walk back to the city centre. A bit far for most, but I thought better that than waiting in the vast queues for the tram among seventy thousand disappointed Reds!
Overall, it was a perfect day as a Spurs fan. Fantastic and iconic ground to visit, easily reachable from Manchester city centre and one in which you get a great view and can easily create an atmosphere. Winning was just the icing on the cake for us! Will definitely be back next year though I’ll still be cautious of overrating our prospects, albeit less so after this great result! Manchester itself is also a lovely city with so much to do both pre- and post-match.
Manchester United v Chelsea
Premier League
Monday August 26th 2013, 8pm
Marcus Walker (Chelsea fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
Old Trafford is the biggest club stadium in England so naturally it’s always an away day you look out for when the fixtures are released! This would be my third time to the ground as an away fan going with Chelsea every time.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We took the train from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly which took a little over two hours so not too bad. From there we took a taxi to Salford Quays to find a pub before heading to the ground. The ground is huge and very impressive from the outside so naturally easy to spot.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Before the game we went to the Lime Bar in Salford Quays which was a mixture of Chelsea and Manchester United fans. There was a lot of chanting from the numerous travelling Chelsea fans and the Manchester United fans weren’t impressed and a few even came over to tell the Chelsea fans to quieten down. The police all of a sudden popped out of nowhere to keep an eye on our fans which was a bit of a shock but they only intervened a couple of times. Manchester United v Chelsea is a bit of a rivalry nowadays so it was a bit hostile walking to the ground.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The ground from the outside looks very impressive. It’s huge, seating 80,000 fans and the exterior is well done. The away end is in the South East corner of the stadium where the maximum allocation is 3000. Chelsea had sold out all 3000 tickets so there was a large police presence outside the away end but it’s easy to spot because of this! There was a lot of police and sniffer dogs too which was a bit of a shock but entrance wasn’t too much of a hassle.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was a 0-0 for Mourinho’s first away game of the season at the home of the Champions and it’s a result that all Chelsea fans would have taken prior to kick off. The atmosphere from our fans was brilliant with non stop chanting throughout. I expected a lot more of the United fans though especially the ones in the Stretford End. There was good banter between the two sets of fans and a couple of United fans were escorted out of the East Upper due to badgering from our away support. The stewards seemed friendly though. The facilities are good in the concourse and it’s spacious. The queues for food and drink were very long so we didn’t bother so we joined in with the chanting and bouncing fans in the concourse.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
As it was an evening kick off we stayed overnight in Manchester. We headed straight back to the centre and took the tram from Old Trafford to Piccaddily station. There were long queues and it took a while. Both United and Chelsea fans were chanting at each other with a mixture of banter and hostility.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall it was a top away trip. The stadium is very good and very accommodating to travelling away fans. It would have been great to return to London with all 3 points but we’ll take a point and move on.
Manchester United v Sunderland
Carling Cup Semi Final Second Leg
Wednesday January 22nd 2014, 7.45pm
Rory Murphy (Sunderland fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
Sunderland had won the first leg 2-1 thanks to a Giggs own goal and a Borini penalty. Sunderland had one foot in the final for the first time in 22 years. Man Utd weren't exactly in fine form so I was really confident. Old Trafford's obviously a famous stadium and this was my first visit.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We set off from the North-East at 3pm hoping not to hit traffic. There was a bit of traffic on the M62 but apart from that the journey was fine. We reached Manchester at about 6pm. We had a cousin that lived near Old Trafford and he was fine with us parking there.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Me and my mate got a bite to eat from a burger van and headed towards the away end. The home fans seemed fine with the surrounding Mackems.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The ground is HUGE. Maybe not as nicely designed as the Emirates but when you're in the stadium you can really see how big it is. Sunderland brought 9,000 fans down on a cold Wednesday night in January which is great for a club that's been in a relegation battle for the last few years. We were allocated the usual corner and the upper tier of the East Stand. I was up in the God's in the East Stand and the long climb was worth it for an incredible view.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Well, what a game. United took the lead from the former Sunderland loanee Jonny Evans and the game was pretty dull. The Sunderland fans were excellent and tried to suck the ball in the net. United fans were very poor. Their away fans are excellent but very quiet at home. The game finished 1-0, 2-2 on aggregate so it went to extra-time. The game still didn't really pick up until the 119th minute. Sunderland were passing it round the box and the ball went to Phil Bardsley, he unleashed a shot and De Gea fumbled it in. We went ballistic. Just as we started singing "que sera, sera" United scored and it went to penalties. The penalties were truly awful and the penalties were 2-1 in Sunderland's favour with Rafael stepping up to take the last one to either make or break Sunderland's Wembley hopes. Mannone saved it and that was it. We were going to Wembley!
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We stayed back for half an hour to celebrate with our fellow Sunderland fans. We got out of Manchester and the journey home was fine. We got home at 1.30am and went straight to bed!
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
What a great day. Best day I've had while supporting Sunderland.
Manchester United v West Ham United
Premier League
Saturday September 27th 2014, 3pm
Jess Rumsey (West Ham United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
This was the first time I have visited the ground since 2007 where we stayed up on the final day with a goal from Carlos Tevez. I was curious to see whether we could win again, seven years on…
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I took the train from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly where enroute I met my friend. We had a lot to catch up on and time passed travelling with predictions and analysis of previous games. On arriving at Piccadilly we got another train to Old Trafford railway station, which is only a short walk away from Old Trafford.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
I'd previously visited Manchester in May for the game against City so I sort of knew my way around Manchester. I took my friend to a pub i knew of from my last visit called the Waldorf where both home and away fans were drinking.
We then got the train to Old Trafford and entered the stadium of which I then grabbed something to eat and drink. We had no trouble with the home fans. They all seemed friendly and up for some enjoyable banter.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
It was a long time since I last went and I seem to remember the away fans being more behind the goal on my last visit. None the less the view was good from where I was sat. The concourse was fairly spacious and I managed to get served quickly. I was fascinated by the amount of banners around the stands. And the tributes to Sir Alex Ferguson.
View From The Away Section
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
For the first 20 minutes of the game West Ham never got out of first gear, quickly conceding 2 goals. However we managed to get a goal before half time. In the 2nd half West Ham dominated the match but unfortunately couldn't find and equaliser. Well not one that wasn't given for offside anyway!
I felt the atmosphere from the home fans was very subdued and towards the end the fans were clearly nervous. Our fans however were in fine form and supported the team pretty well. I do feel there could have been more toilets on the concourse. Having been at the opposite end to the female toilets. I had to make y way through the concourse crowd at half time. Otherwise the stewards and facilities were pretty well organised.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
I left the game just after the final whistle and got on the train from Old Trafford to Piccadilly and was back in the town centre within 20 minutes. Of which I met my friend for our journey home.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Despite having lost. Our fans were pretty consistent and our team played a proud performance.
Name Paul R
Manchester United v Arsenal
FA Cup 6th Round
Monday 9th March 2015. 7.45pm
Paul R (Arsenal fan)
Why you were looking forward to going to the ground:
Because I rarely get to go to away games so the chance to go to the biggest club ground in England with just under 9,000 Gooners was too good a chance to miss.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I took the official club coach and there was a fair bit of traffic north of the M6 Toll (not helped by the fact we had to go back to the services because the coach driver left some behind!) and around old Trafford. Again our driver couldn't find the coach park and we were going round in circles for a while.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I walked from the coach park to the ground with my Arsenal colours on full show but received no real issue from that. Apart from when I went to purchase a £3.50 programme, a United fan started singing that song about Wenger that they have (Which I will not elaborate on but most should know which one I mean) I just walked away. When entering you get your ticket checked then searched.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
I was in E336 (which is normally the home end so this review is really for cup away fans or United home fans) and you have to climb a lot of stairs to get up there and I didn't see a lift there at all. I was second row from the back and the steps there are very steep so you have to be careful. Because of the roof overhang I couldn't see much of the rest of the stadium. There was a wall between us and the home support and there is a large amount of corrugated iron on the back wall and the dividing wall which is great for banging on (though the stewards don't like it for some reason) The seats are very cramped and close together so you may end up needing to stand. I noted a lack of a video screen and the electronic scoreboard which wasn't very good at giving information and right at the back you can barely hear the PA system.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The concourse was packed so I didn't get to order any food but I managed to get a £4 decanted Singha before getting to my seat. Arsenal fans were singing loudly even before the game had started. The match itself was a great cup game with Arsenal taking the lead through Monreal before Rooney equalised for United. In the second half, Welbeck scored and Di Maria get sent off (which because we were so far back, we could barely see it) When it comes to atmosphere, it was all created by the Arsenal fans, there was very little coming from the United fans. This was helped by the stewards being lassez-faire with us (which I later discovered one of them was an Evertonian!) only stepping in when we strayed into the aisles but that was because it was that cramped. The atmosphere was also helped by the low iron roof so there was amplification of our chanting as well.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
You exit the same way you come in, through the steep steps (which the wire mesh is also great for banging) The coach park was easily signposted but finding the coach in the maze of them was hard. It was slow leaving the ground until we got back to the motorway.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A great night out, well worth taking two days off work to go. One of the best atmospheres I have ever experienced and would certainly go again if I could!
Manchester United v Middlesbrough
League Cup Fourth Round
Wednesday 28th October 2015, 8pm
Adam Featherstone (Middlesbrough fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting Old Trafford?
Getting the opportunity to visit Old Trafford is always something to look forward to and especially when you support a team from a lower league looking for a cup upset. In addition Boro were taking over 10,000 fans to the game so being part of that and experiencing the atmosphere added to the anticipation.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We drove down and the traffic getting into Manchester was a bit of a nightmare. Coming from the east, the M62 was pretty much nose to tail the whole way. As this was a night game we were travelling in rush hour traffic which didn't help things so I imagine for weekend games it wouldn't be as bad. Coupled with this was the unusual decision to allow Manchester City to play Crystal Palace at home on the same night. Car parking was relatively easy. We just put Old Trafford into Sat Nav and parked in one of the private car parks which are dotted along the road leading to the ground. We paid £5 which wasn't too bad.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Due to the aforementioned traffic issues we didn't get there in time to go to a pub or do much before the game. A few of us were in colours and we had no bother at all from any of the Man United fans.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Old Trafford?
It is as I expected an impressive ground which stands quite isolated which adds to the effect. It didn't seem as big as I had expected given that it is home to the most successful club in the country. The away stand for this cup game was behind the goal opposite the famous Stretford End. The Man United fans weren't the best in terms of creating an atmosphere but I suppose for them it was a mundane sort of game. European nights, big Premier league games etc.. will probably be better.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was, for the neutral, pretty uninspiring but was unforgettable for any Boro fan. We matched them through the whole 90 mins and into extra time and had a few decent chances to win the game. It ended 0-0 after 120 minutes and went to pens where we won 3-1. Seeing Rooney miss their first pen was just the start and then Carrick and Young (note that these were all England internationals) fluffed their lines which sparked pandemonium amongst 10,000 Teessiders and gave us one of our most memorable victories. During the game there were a few 'handbags' getting thrown around amongst supporters but stewards and police officers quickly prevented the situation from escalating.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground was easy enough but unfortunately we had to endure a painfully long slog home thanks to road closures. Having said that I would have done it ten times over after this game.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A fantastic day out for any Boro fan that was there. The only down side was the travelling difficulties but was worth it for the result.
Manchester United v Southampton
Premier League
Saturday 23rd January 2016, 3pm
Eric Spreng (Southampton fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Old Trafford?
I have lived in Scotland all of my life but I have supported Southampton since 1968 when I was nine years old and my father took me to The Dell. My parents had lived in Southampton when they were first married in the 1950's and at the time that I went to the Dell they were down visiting friends.
I managed to secure two tickets for the Southampton end for this game and my friend and I (a neutral) took our wives down to Manchester for the weekend. They went shopping and we went to the match.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We drove down to Manchester on the Friday and stayed in the Malmaison opposite Piccadilly Station. It was no problem getting the tram out to the ground, getting off at Old Trafford tram stop beside the cricket ground.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We got into a pub near the ground (cannot remember what it was called !) and had a couple of pints between about 12.30pm and 1.30pm and then made our way up to the ground. Everyone in the pub was more than friendly and welcoming.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Old Trafford Stadium?
As we walked up to the Old Trafford ground I could not believe how busy it was, fully an hour and a half before kick off. We walked all the way round the ground to soak up the atmosphere before entering at the away turnstiles at the south-east corner of the ground. The view from our 'seats' in the 5th row was absolutely brilliant. The legroom for two big guys was a bit tight, but that did not matter as we (and just about every other Southampton fan) stood for the entire match. It is a wonderful stadium, but I must admit that I really was amazed how quiet the Man Utd fans were.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The only downside of the day was my pre-match pie, which seemed to have a bit too much gravy in it and kind of collapsed in front of me! I did not really want a pie, but we had ordered two beers, a pie, and a packet of crisps and the price was £12.10 – due to some complicated 'offer' ordering another pie and another packet of crisps brought the price down to £12 (well we are Scottish!). The stewards were first class – friendly, helpful and informed.
The game itself was perhaps not a classic, although I do not think that Ronald Koeman quite got the credit that he deserved from the media for his tactical astuteness. The atmosphere at the Southampton end was absolutely superb – I haven't sung as much in years! Saints fans were all excited about Charlie Austin's signing and chanted his name regularly. After Koeman had made the double substitution with 20 minutes to and Southampton started to get on top, the Saints fans started singing 'and we've still got Charlie on the bench', taunting the Man Utd fans that Charlie was going to come on and score the winner! Which indeed he did with only three minutes left – cue absolute bedlam amongst the 1,800 Southampton fans!
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We could not believe how straightforward it was to get back into town. We made our way back to the tram stop beside the cricket ground and got straight on the first tram that came along. We were back in the pub in Piccadilly just after 5.30pm!
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Living 500 miles from St Mary's I don't see too many Southampton games in the flesh, but this has to be my greatest Southampton experience. Despite Man Utd's problems they don't lose a lot of games at Old Trafford, but Koeman undoubtedly out-thought Van Gaal tactically and it was great to witness. Add to that the excitement of Charle Austin's debut and the result and it was a great day to be 'In That Number'.
Manchester United v Southampton
Premier League
Saturday 23rd January 2016, 3pm
Alex Squires (Southampton fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Old Trafford ground itself?
We have been getting some brilliant results at Old Trafford recently, like the win last season or the 1-1 draw the year before. With a recent upturn in fortunes on the pitch and the fact Charlie Austin was set to make his saints debut, there was reason to be optimistic.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
As we live up near Leeds as exiled fans, we would be facing a shorter journey than most Saints fans. We used the Transpennine express train from Leeds into Manchester Piccadilly station, so fairly straightforward.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
After looking around the area for any pubs as we were pretty early, we came across the Piccadilly Tavern, just up the road from the station. The pub served good food and alcohol at reasonable prices. I wore my Saints colours, but there were quite a few Saints fans present, and we received no hassle from the home fans. When we left we jumped in a black cab and made the journey to the ground pretty easy.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Old Trafford Stadium?
The sight of old Trafford's huge stands as you approach the ground is a truly amazing sight. Once in the away end, the allocation seemed a lot smaller than it has done before. The legroom between the seats leaves a lot to be desired although we were stood up for the duration of the game. We were housed in the older stand in one corner and the sight of the other three stands is incredible.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself was extremely uninspiring for the neutral, and neither of the sides looked like scoring in the first half, but we seemed the better of the two sides. The United fans were turning on the team and van Gaal once again. In the second half, we started to play well and came close a few times but couldn't quite find the back of the net, Victor Wanyama coming the closest with a header from a corner. Saints fans were delighted to see Charlie Austin coming off the bench and within seven minutes he won a free kick at the expense of Adnan Januzaj. Fellow sub James Ward-Prowse placed a very accurate ball into the box which found the head of Austin who headed home his first ever goal in saints colours. The goal sparked jubilant scenes down the away end as Saints were on the way to an old Trafford win for the second season in a row. Down the home end however, boos were ringing out until after the final whistle while Saints fans were singing joyously. We were able to see the game through to the final whistle much to the disgust of home fans. All in all a fairly unexceptionable game until the last few minutes which were incredible.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We started to walk back towards the city centre when we saw a few buses heading for Piccadilly. We jumped on one, the 255 service. It was packed but it was also efficient, and it meant we could catch an earlier train than planned which was another bonus.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall a brilliant day out and a fantastic result. Will definitely return!
Manchester United v Liverpool
Europa League, Round of 16, Second Leg
Thursday 17th March 2016, 8pm
Rob Lawler (Liverpool fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Old Trafford?
It was a big game between two bitter rivals in the first meeting between us in Europe. Liverpool had a great chance of going through with a 2-0 lead from the first leg at Anfield.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
A quick dash up the M62 on the Spirit of Shankly coach which went from the Rocket pub at the beginning of the motorway.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Not advisable to drink in any local pubs especially with a scouse accent so just a few drinks before we got on the coach and then straight into the Old Trafford ground.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Old Trafford?
Old Trafford is a large and modern stadium and does look impressive at night. However their fans were a bit subdued, especially as there was a fantastic atmosphere at Anfield the previous week. The stewards were really friendly and had a laugh and a joke with the away fans.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
A funny moment before the kick off where a Man Utd fan with long hair and a green parka on decided to goad the Liverpool fans, he was then run over by a Liverpool fan in a disability scooter to great amusement in the away end! Coutinho scored an away goal on the stroke of half time which effectively ended the tie. The Liverpool fans sung non stop during the half time break. Only bad moment was at the end where a few Liverpool fans "outed" themselves in the Man Utd end by unfurling a Liverpool flag which resulted in a massive brawl and seats being ripped out.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
A Police escort back onto the motorway and arrived in Liverpool within 30 minutes. I think I got home quicker than most times I have been to Anfield.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out :
A good night out tarnished by a few idiots on both sides fighting at the end. surprised that the police let us walk out at the final whistle and run the gauntlet back to the away fans coach park.
Manchester United vs Burnley
Premier league
Saturday 29th October 2016, 3pm
James Gregory (Burnley fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Old Trafford?
After previously beating Everton 2-1 last week, and with Old Trafford Manchester being the largest ground in the league, then was going to be one of the biggest away games of the season so I was certainly looking forward to it.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We were going from Preston, so travelling towards Manchester was fine however once we started to come within 10 miles from the ground the match day traffic certainly did build up. So I would advise others to leave in fair time and give yourself a bit of a cushion.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Before the game we had a bit of time so we decided to do a lap of the Old Trafford ground, which showed off the spectacular exterior of the stadium.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Old Trafford?
Inside the stadium, it was nice and big! Seats were quite cramped however this was irrelevant as we were standing up all game.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself was dominated by United but after and unreal game by Tom Heaton and a bit of luck ended up with Burnley scrapping a 0-0 draw which was a fantastic result for an away trip to old Trafford. The atmosphere was great in the Burnley end but the united fans were virtually unheard for 95% of the game which was awful considering the amount fans in the stadium.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground wasn't as bad as getting there before the game. After staying on after the game for at least 30 minutes and then taking a 30 minute walk to the car afterwards meant that we seemed to have missed a fair chunk of the traffic.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall, it was a great day at Old Trafford which was added to by an even better result.
Manchester United v West Ham United
Premier League
Sunday 27th November 2016, 4.30pm
David (West Ham United fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Old Trafford?
With Old Trafford being the biggest club ground in the country, I was excited to finally visit the stadium.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The public transport in Manchester is excellent. The trams are really good and from my hotel near the airport it was a simple journey to the Salford Quays area.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We met and drank in the Lime Bar. Mainly home supporters but they also serve away fans and there was no trouble whatsoever. Filled up with hammers nearer kick off and a good atmosphere. No issues and good friendly banter between supporters. Went in the Matchstick Man earlier on, but more of a restaurant than a pub. As the tram system is so good, you could also drink in the City Centre beforehand.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Old Trafford?
Old Trafford is an immense stadium, absolutely massive. The away end was a little cramped but I've been to far worse. Concourse was adequate but a little on the small side. Can't remember what they were selling pints for… don't generally drink in the stadiums but the stewards were good enough. No trouble.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Old Trafford is very quiet. Obviously the away end is noisy but it's quite disappointing that such a huge stadium lacks atmosphere. As previously mentioned, no issues with the stewarding, can't comment on food and drink prices as can't remember (!). Game was a 1-1 draw. West Ham went one up after about 90 seconds and was a good match. Very defensive display from us. View is excellent, some parts of the away end are very high up but where we were sat was awesome. It's a spectacular arena!
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The tram system puts extra staff on and although it was very busy (sheer numbers exiting the stadium) it all ran smoothly. A few mouthy home fans were trying to get a rise out of the "Cockney ****'s" but no trouble to speak of. The stadium is well served by trams and there is a mainline train station. Of course you can opt to walk a bit after the game to find a less busy stop but the trains/trams will all be busy. But nothing worse than London clubs and the underground system.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Was an excellent game, great beer and atmosphere before. Locals are legendary for their friendliness and I experienced this first hand. Old Trafford is an amazing stadium and one I'll definitely be returning to at some point in the future.
Manchester United v West Ham United
Football League Cup Quarter Final
Wednesday 30th November 2016, 8pm
Daniel Turner (Groundhopping the 92)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Old Trafford?
I was looking forward to it because to be honest Old Trafford is a ground that I'll probably never have the chance of visiting for a very long time! A West Ham fan I knew had a spare ticket for the away end which I didn't mind so I got that and a lift up there for just £20! A bargain!
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We left Braintree at 2:15pm. I expected to be there just after six, however the traffic on the M6 was awful and we didn't park near Old Trafford until 7:30pm. Over an hour later than what we expected! Please book a car park space in advance, like we did,otherwise you'll be stuck finding one! This ensured we made the kick off!
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Not a lot really I had just 20 minutes to get into the ground so it was a dash from the car park and getting a scarf for my collection to finding the turnstile as I just wanted to get inside as soon as possible! I've never climbed so many stairs, so quickly!
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then the other sides of Old Trafford?
My first impressions of Old Trafford were good as I had imagined. In fact I couldn't quite believe that I was actually there!
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was great. There have not been many times recently that Old Trafford is treated to five goals in 90 minutes. So I was happy with the result and seeing a few goals! Atmosphere was better from the West Ham fans to be honest.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Pretty easy walks back to the car but took over an hour getting out the city but once back on the M6 south it was a stroll and I was in my warm bed at 3:05am.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A good day out that was almost ruined by turning up very late, I was worried I was going to miss loads of the game as traffic was atrocious and if it wasn't for a 8pm kick off we would of missed the first goal if it was a 7:45 kick off. But I was lucky enough to see out the full 90 minutes.
Manchester United v AFC Bournemouth
Premier League
Saturday 4th March 2017, 12.30pm.
Paul Sheppard (AFC Bournemouth fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Old Trafford?
I had just returned from holiday the day before so this was something to look forward to, especially after the bomb scare debacle of the previous season when we ended up watching the match in a sparsely populated away end in a generally strange atmosphere.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Very easy as I cycled the five miles from my home (I'm an exiled Cherry), which was a first for me, cycling to a football match!
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I wanted to pick up some tickets from the nearby Lowry Theatre so I parked my bike near there and just got a coffee from Pret A Manger in Media City before walking the ten minutes from the Lowry to the Old Trafford ground.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Old Trafford Stadium?
I had been to Old Trafford several times before and this was my fourth visit for a Bournemouth game but this time the atmosphere was much better and the view from the section I was in (E231), was excellent. The ground is obviously spectacular if a little quieter than one might expect.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
As others have said the home fans don't generate a great deal of atmosphere (typical of many of the bigger clubs in the Premier League) but the away end was buzzing, increasingly so as the match was action packed. Unsurprisingly United took the lead (a fortuitous goal scored by Rojo) but we equalised before half time through a well taken Josh King penalty. Shortly after it all kicked off and Surman for Bournemouth, ended up getting sent off (unluckily, by general consensus) for a second yellow after an 'altercation' between Tyrone Mings and Ibrahimovic. We then had to play almost an hour (if you include injury time at the end of each half) with 10 men and the draw we achieved was celebrated like a victory. Boruc was the pick of several heroic performances. Didn't have any food or drink but stewards were friendly enough and there was no attempt to ask the away fans to sit down during the match.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
I walked ten minutes back to Media City for my bike and then cycled past the metro that I would have otherwise caught back to Eccles. I cycled past Eccles Station at pretty much the same time and I was home within an hour of the match ending: Cycling is definitely the way to travel to and from Old Trafford, although I appreciate this not practical for the vast majority of away fans!
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Excellent day out: everything you would want from an away day with the exception of three points (although I was delighted to come away with a point, especially as United should have won by some distance). If you get a choice of where to sit inside Old Trafford, I would go for Block E231 if it is available. Here's hoping I get to go again in next season….
Manchester United v West Bromwich Albion
Premier League
Saturday 1st April 2017, 3pm
Steven Roper (West Bromwich Albion fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Old Trafford?
I've been to Old Trafford many times over the years, the first time being in 1974. But this was my first visit for several seasons.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I travelled on one of the official coaches from The Hawthorns. The coaches park up on the car park just outside Old Trafford and it is then just a two minute walk to the away supporters' turnstiles. For those travelling by car we passed quite a few car parks on the industrial areas between the motorway and the ground.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
We went straight into the stadium from the coach park and had a drink and food there. Fans were mixing freely outside the ground and it was a decent atmosphere.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Old Trafford?
Old Trafford is huge in comparison to others in the Premier league. Three of the stands tower over the pitch, and the view from the away supporters section is excellent. My only complaint is that there is little leg room in the seats, and the seats themselves aren't particularly big. The concourse isn't all that big either, but it has ample food bars. Home and away fans are separated by a low fence, a narrow sterile area, and a line of stewards and Police.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
From our point of view the 0-0 was a decent result as we spent most of the game defending. But the atmosphere wasn't as it once was at Old Trafford. The home fans weren't particularly noisy and there was no banter between the two sets of fans. Because the view is so good from the seats there is no reason to stand, but most of the fans still do. The stewards did their best to make everyone sit but in the end they just gave up. The stewards were all friendly and good natured. Food and drink was much the same price as it is at other grounds, and there is a vegetarian option in the way of cheese and onion pasties. The matchday programme is excellent.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Straight out of the ground and a two minute walk to the coach is the easy part. An hour later we were sat in traffic – still outside the ground! When we did eventually start to move it was very heavy going all the way back to the M6.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A well fought for point and seeing the ground made this an excellent day out. Apart from the disappointing atmosphere and tight leg room I can't really find fault with the ground. I think every football fan should visit Old Trafford at least once in their lives.
Manchester United vs Newcastle United
Premier League
Saturday 18th November 2017, 5.30pm
Christopher Johnston (Newcastle United fan)
Manchester United v Manchester City
Premier League
Sunday 10th December 2017, 4.30pm
Stephen Welch (Manchester City fan)
Manchester United v Southampton
Premier League
Saturday 30th December 2017, 5.30pm
David Sims (Southampton fan)
Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur
Premier League
Monday 27th August 2018, 8pm
Keith Clark (Tottenham Hotspur)
Manchester United v Reading
FA Cup Round 3
Saturday 5th January 2019, 12:30pm
William Biss (Reading)
Manchester United v Watford
Premier League
Saturday 30th March 2019, 3pm
John Wilson (Watford)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Old Trafford?
Watford have been excellent away this season, Liverpool and City excepted. I really fancied our chances against a United team that have been disappointing recently.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I used an app for a parking space about ten minutes walk from the ground. I had no issues travelling up on the motorway.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
No problems from the home fans. I covered up colours and had a few drinks in the Old Trafford Sports Club. I would recommend getting double or triple rounds in as the queues were very long.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Old Trafford?
I have to say that it feels more like a tourist attraction like the Tower of London than a football ground. Lots of various Del boys selling ubiquitous half and half scarves. I tried haggling after the game to buy one for a mate and they can get very aggressive. I would recommend any tourists to avoid them and buy merchandise in the official shop which is only a short walk away, rather than giving hard earned money to these shysters.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Watford played their hearts out and dominated the game. United were forced to play on the counter-attack and scored both their goals this way against a second string Watford defence. Facilities were very basic especially considering how rich the club is. Watford fans were in full voice throughout. As I am sure everyone knows the home support is very disappointing, unlike their away support.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
It took about 40 minutes to get out and on to the motorway. Not great but not the worst.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Although we lost I was very proud of the performance. Post Alex Ferguson Man Utd feels more like a brand than a football club. Maybe Ole Gunnar Solskjær will change that.
Manchester United v Brighton & Hove Albion
Premier League
Sunday 10th November 2019, 2pm
Joseph Ross (Brighton & Hove Albion)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Old Trafford Ground?
I'd not been to Old Trafford before, plus being able to get tickets to big away games for us non-season ticket holders is a rarity. Also, Brighton had been in good form and United the opposite.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I live in Leeds so it was only an hour on the train into Manchester Picadilly then I used the metro to get to Salford Quays.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I met my friend for a drink in the Lime Bar in Salford Quays where there was a good mix of home and away fans. The United fans we encountered were all very friendly pointing us in the direction of the ground. About a 15 – 20 minute walk from Salford Quays and we were at the turnstiles.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Old Trafford Stadium?
The views of the playing surface from the away end are very good and we were able to create a decent noise from where we were stood. However, the stadium could do with a few upgrades. Some parts looked very old and worn out. Despite this the scale of the ground is very impressive.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Brighton never really got going with United creating the early chances and going 2-0 up at half time despite some questionable VAR interference (or lack of). Albion responded in the second half with a Lewis Dunk header but United quickly restored their 2 goal lead through Marcus Rashford and held on for a deserved victory.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We headed back into Manchester city centre via the metro (around 10 minute walk to the stop from the away end) and found a pub called 'The Waldorf' not too far from Picadilly station to watch the Liverpool v Man City game. Eventually got back to Leeds at around 8:30 pm.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
An enjoyable day ticking off a new ground despite the result.
Manchester United v Aston Villa
Premier League
Sunday 1st December 2019, 4.30pm
Martin H. (Aston Villa)
Manchester United v Colchester United
League Cup Quarter Final
Wednesday 18th December 2019, 8pm
Martyn Stimson (Colchester United)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Old Trafford Ground?
Watching Colchester play at Old Trafford! I'd been to the ground several times before watching England but never seen Man Utd play there, let alone Col Utd!
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Made good time in the car and stopped in Altrincham with a few hours to spare. From there we took the tram which stopped right outside Old Trafford Cricket Ground and it was then a 10 minute walk to the stadium.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Having parked up in Altrincham we decided to visit a few pubs there. The first stop was a bar called Pi. It had several real ales on tap and a wide variety of bottled German and Belgian beer. Next stop the Belgian Bar. It similarly had beer on tap and bottles, mostly Belgian. Then we headed to the Jack in the Box within the Altrincham Indoor Market. It was a large square-shaped room with stalls around the edges and tables in the middle. The Jack in the Box had a good range of unusual real ale. Next to that was a stall with interesting wine. There were various food stalls (pizza, made and cooked on site), an excellent pie and mash stall, an artesian bakery, chips and hot dog stall, pastie stall, even one cubicle set aside for younger children with a safe play area and toys for the youngsters. An excellent place.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Old Trafford Stadium?
Old Trafford is an imposing ground (compared to the usual places Colchester play at). The away fans were in the upper tier of the East Stand, it was busy and everyone stood for the whole of the first half without being hassled by stewards. It was an excellent view and an impressive stadium.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Both sides had put out first teams and the match was a bit one-sided. Man Utd sat back and were clearly playing out for penalties in the first half, then early in the second half they caught Colchester on the break and Rashford opened the scoring. Colchester replied quickly with Jackson smashing one home but Man Utd then scored a second through Martial before Colchester got a grip on the game and started pushing on more. Sadly they couldn't break them down. Well that's how I remember it anyway! 🙂 There were large queues for the facilities and no indication of anything beyond the standard terrible football food/drink available inside the ground. The stewards were friendly enough.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After the match, we headed back to the tram at the cricket ground and we got away reasonably quickly (maybe a 20 minute wait for the tram) as we were going the opposite way to most of the queue. Fifteen minutes later we were back in Altrincham and heading home.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A good night out, despite the result (which was expected). Impressive ground but standard low quality of facilities in and around the ground (although plenty of choice outside at least). Altrincham's proximity was a great find though!
Manchester United v Norwich City
Premier League
Saturday 11th January 2020, 3pm
John Holland (Norwich City)
Manchester United v Wolverhampton Wanderers
Premier League
Saturday 1st February 2020, 5.30pm
Andy Bolland (Neutral)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Old Trafford?
We had been given free tickets and chose this as we thought it may be quite open with plenty of goals! How wrong we were but still a decent game to watch despite ending 0 -0.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We drove from Northampton up the M6 toll which was nice and clear. After a bit of research we plumped for parking at the car park at Altrincham station next to the ice rink. We paid £5 for all-day parking and jumped on a tram at a cost of £4 return. This dropped us outside Old Trafford cricket ground and it was a straight line 5 minute walk to the ground. It worked a treat!
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
There is a fanzone at the cricket ground but we went straight up to the ground. The ground opens early and up until an hour before kick off drinks are on happy hours to pretty much half price. Walking up fans are all mixed up and no issues. There are plenty of places for food on the street too.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Old Trafford?
The ground is impressive and at its best the atmosphere is great. Most of the game was fairly subdued as Man Utd aren't having the best season. The noise when new signing Bruno Fernandes was announced was, however, deafening from the home support! The Wolves fans were in good voice too.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
A 0-0 draw, but it was pretty much end to end so it wasn't a bad one to watch. The stewards were friendly and the facilities were good.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
This was better than expected. At the tram station at Old Trafford, most people were heading towards Manchester City Centre rather than Altrincham. We waited about 20 mins and then we were on a tram and back to the car. Getting away from the car park was a doddle. Make sure you have your tram ticket though as they are inspected at a turnstile prior to getting on the tram!
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A good day out despite no goals!
Game Attended
Man U awayCompetition
CupDate
22/09/2021Kick Off Time
7:45Team Supported
West hamWhy were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
Cup game and singingHow easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
EasyWhat you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
The bar lime house won’t let you singImages
Game Attended
Manchester United v LiverpoolCompetition
Premier LeagueDate
22/08/2022Kick Off Time
8pmTeam Supported
Manchester UntiedWhy were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
As a Manchester United fan living in Australia, on of my bucket list items on my recent trip to the UK was to see another Manchester United match. Having had the opportunity to watch United play in Melbourne on its pre season tour just prior to my departure to the UK I was calling on all of my contacts in the UK to try and secure a tickets for any Utd match whilst I there. Fortunately the stars aligned for me and I was able to obtain a ticket to the biggest game of all - Utd v Liverpool thanks to a family contact. Having been to the ground a couple of times before I was looking forward to experiencing the atmosphere in the Theatre of Dreams for one of the Premier Leagues marquee games of the season.How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I travelled up on supporters coach from Luton . Trip took about 4 hours with a few delays along the way. We arrived in Manchester about 5.30pm and were dropped off about 10 mins walk from the ground.What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
On arrival in Manchester we went in the Railway Club for a couple of pints. Atmosphere there was a little subdued as United fans were approaching this match with some trepidation given Utd's inglorious start to the season. From the club a swift 10 minute walk down to the ground prior to KO.What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Despite the fact that the ground is starting to show it's age it is still an impressive stadium given its size and scale. There were plenty of protests taking place outside the ground prior to the match . United fans voicing their displeasure at the club's owners , the Glazzer family. However the protests seemed relatively peaceful and controlled from where I entered the ground. I sat in the lower level of the Sir Alex Ferguson stand around mid pitch. In my opinion one of the best seats in the house. Uninterrupted views of the pitch.Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
United came out firing from the opening whistle , displaying endeavour and zest that had been lacking in its opening two matches. This was rewarded with an early goal from Sancho which set the stadium alight and gave the crowd great voice for the remainder of the half. United continued to press for a second and Liverpool seemed happy to sit back and await an opportunity. Early in the second half United tightened its grip on the game when Martial set up Rashford for United's second goal. This momentarily appeased the fans nerves of a Liverpool comeback until Mo Salah scrambled a goal for Liverpool that put the match back on a knifes edge with about 10 minutes to play. However United were able to defend resolutely and hold their arch rivals at bay to record a momentous first win of the season against the odds. The atmosphere as you would expect was electric from the kick-off to the final whistle with the dominant United crowd not giving the away support much chance to make any noise. Had a very nice cottage pie prior to kick off that filled the spot. Stewards were ever present but given the events that were occurring outside there was no trouble in the ground that I could see. The inside of the stadium concourses etc. are certainly showing their age and are not of standard you would associate with modern stadia. These areas are really quite pokey given the large number of fans that move here . I know the club would like to redevelop the stadium and the sooner they can do this the sooner the fan experience will be greatly enhanced.Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
At the final whistle it was quite a long walk back to meet the supporters coach . Given the large crowd and the density around the ground it took a long time for the coach to load up and set off. The trip back south was marred by motorway closures and roadworks making for a very slow trip indeed. We arrived back in Luton about 3.30am. Whilst I didnt have to work the following day I did have to be on a train to the continent bright and early so not a lot of sleep was had.Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
If you ask any Manchester United fan what is the one match a year you would want to be at then I think the majority would say Utd v Liverpool. I was extremely fortunate that all of my stars aligned and I was able to get up to Manchester to see this game. Topped off with a win against the odds by the Red Devils. Will remember this experience for many years to come. The long trip home did take a bit of gloss off the night but you would rather be going home a winner than a loser.Images
Game Attended
Manchester United v AFC BournemouthCompetition
Premier LeagueDate
03/01/2023Kick Off Time
20.00Team Supported
AFC BournemouthWhy were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
Attended more in hope than expectation. Always enjoy a trip to Old Trafford as it gives me an opportunity to meet up with some Man U supporting friends.How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I live in Milton Keynes and had a pleasant journey up the M1 and M6. Booked a parking space close to the cricket ground via YourParkingSpace app, which worked perfectly.What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Met friends in the Quadrant pub, had no colours (and of course was with Man U mates) and had no issues. Pub is handy for OT (about a 10-15 minute walk) and had a chippy and chicken shop either side.What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Old Trafford is impressive because of it's size. Always enjoy a visit there.Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The less said about the game, the better. A routine win for Man U, who didn't really have to get out of second gear against an out of form and low on confidence AFCB team. A great meat and potato pie. View is good. The addition of safe standing is probably a good thing - can now stand up without a steward getting upset. Also, the (what appears to be) new singing section of United fans immediately to the left of the away end makes for a better atmosphere.Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
10 minute walk back to the car and we were back on the motorway within 30 minutes of starting up, so not too bad.Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Decent day, mainly because of the opportunity to catch up with mates. OT does need a little bit of TLC though.Images
Game Attended
Manchester United vs AFC BournemouthCompetition
Premier leagueDate
03/01/2023Kick Off Time
8 p.m.Team Supported
AFC BournemouthWhy were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
I wasn’t really, having seen us concede 17 goals in the 3 previous away games I had been to. On the other hand it was only five miles from my home as an exiled Cherry so the easiest premier League ground for me to get to, which was a good job as it had been moved from a bank holiday to a rainy Tuesday night.How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I parked half an hour’s walk from the ground on White Street in the Langworthy area as I don’t mind a walk so it was an easy journey and I knew this would give me easy and quick access after the gameWhat you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I stopped for a coffee at The Lowry Theatre as it was halfway on route from where I parked (you also go past several decent bars and pubs including The Dockyard and Seven Brothers but my friend could not make the game so I just went for a coffee).What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
I had been to the ground several times previously so no great surprises other than there were United fans singing in the safe standing section next to the one I was in (230). You always get an excellent view from the away at OT, especially given the Premier League £30 cap is still in place.Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was pretty much as expected. United were on a good run of form and we were not and the game reflected that until we had a few chances in the last quarter of the game. Shaw scored a great goal to double the lead early in the second half after a neat Casemiro finish from a needlessly conceded free kick. The game was killed off with a Rashford finish to end a well worked move. Jaidon Anthony forced a couple of decent saves from De Gea and Billing had an effort on target as well as Dembele inadvertently hitting the bar with a cross near the end. Bournemouth fans were unusually quiet, especially considering we sold most of our allocation (although it transpired there were a number of United fans in the away end). The singing fans near us were very vocal if a little tedious in their chanting (‘We’ve got one stand bigger than your ground’ loses its comedy impact tenth time round) but certainly created far more noise and atmosphere than the home fans in recent years. Didn’t buy anything to eat or drink but there was plenty of room on the concourse and going to the loo was surprisingly easy.Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
After the initial chaos due to sheer numbers walking in the opposite direction to me as I left the way end it was straightforward and I was back at my car within 30 minutes of leaving the ground and home within 40 minutes of the game finishing (10.40 p.m.), which was great as I was in work the next morning.Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Pretty much as expected. Three nil was a fair reflection of the game and United never need to get out of second gear, although I felt we deserved a goal towards the end. Knowing the area and being able to pick a parking spot with easy access made it easy getting to and from the game. It was a shame the away support was quieter than usual and a shame that a three nil defeat was pretty much what I expected and possibly worse!). Somehow I doubt it will be the case but it would be nice to return again next season….Images