One of the best parts about Manchester is that it embracespeople from all walks of life. It doesn’t matter your race, colour, creed; sexuality or gender — as long as you’re sound, you’re welcome.
That being said, another big part of what makes this city so special is its rich sporting history and culture, something that continues to run throughout the fabric of communities across Greater Manchester to this day – football, in particular. We love kicking a ball around.
Now, thanks to Manchester Laces – founded in 2021 – people who identify as non-binary/gender-neutral have the perfect place to keep fit, make new friends and enjoy a kickabout.
Starting just over 18 months ago, Manchester Laces now boasts more than 500 participants, many of which are regular members of the five squads set up by the region’s first-ever inclusive women’s and non-binary football team. Quality.
Furthermore, the LGBTQ+ inclusive team set up their own AF (Alternative Football) League, based out of Whalley Range Sports Centre and Cheetwood Sports in Cheetham Hill and playing games all across 0161.
Set up by Manchester Laces founder Helen Hardy, 40-50-minute games are played at the two venues most Wednesdays from 6-9pm, with matches varying from five and six to seven and 11-a-side.
The team also competes in divisions two and three of the Greater Manchester Women’s Football League, as well as offering pay-as-you-go sessions on Mondays, training at Platt Lane Sports Complex on Thursdays and various games throughout the week thanks to the FA’s Flexi League.
— Manchester Laces 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (@ManchesterLaces) October 2, 2022
The success of the club over the past year or so has been incredible, securing sponsors from the likes of the Stadio podcast and global scientific materials manufacturers Avery Dennison for this year.
They couldn’t have topped their meteoric rise any better either, as they also recently went on to win the award for the 2022 National Grassroots Club of the Year. Fully deserved.
As well as appearing on billboards around the city and surrounding communities, their kits for this season are now on show in the National Football Museum, with the Manchester sporting institution recognising the club’s immense dedication towards championing women in football and equality for all.
You can see visit the ‘Crossing the Line’ exhibition at the museum right now and see how they have recognised the inclusive, community-focused club’s contribution to women’s football and British sport as a whole.
It was a pleasure to welcome some of the @ManchesterLaces squad to the museum yesterday, seeing their contribution to the game reflected in our Crossing the Line exhibition. 🏳️🌈
There is also the South London Laces team, set up in 2016, with both delegations doing their bit to provide a safe, friendly and conducive community space for those looking to keep active and make friends through football.
In fact, the Laces Community Club is made up of four teams total: Limehouse, South London, Manchester and, of course, the Hackney Laces – the original club set up in 2011 by Canadian-born footy coach, Katee Hui, who kicked this whole thing off.
It’s here, and it’s absolute 🔥
Introducing our new Away kit, modelled by your very own South London Laces players. 🤩
The kit is available for pre-order for anyone and everyone through @wearefoudys – follow the link in our bio. Run, don’t walk! You don’t want to miss out. pic.twitter.com/cx2wDD6A5b
With Manchester the first Laces outfit to be established outside of the capital, the organisation now supports nearly 1,000 girls, women and non-binary individuals across the UK. You love to see it.
Moreover, in a year where the footballing narrative is already dominated by a controversial World Cup held in a country that persecutes the LGBTQ+ community and suppresses human rights in general, it’s heartwarming to hear the positive stories of all kinds of people being made to feel welcome.
Taking in players of all ages and abilities, Manchester Laces and the wider Laces Community is about putting fun first and providing an outlet for people who, sadly, are often marginalised from certain groups and activities like sport, to build a stronger social network of like-minded peers.
Lastly, in a year where we celebrated the Lionesses lifting England’s first trophy in over 50 years, their support for women in sport from amateur level all the way up to professional is admirable, and is no doubt helping garner further interest in female football and its already growing audience.
If you’re interested in giving Manchester Laces a try, you can find out more about how to get involved HERE and you can also help combat inequality by signing their petition for the FA to update their rules on transgender and mixed-gender players.
Louder for those at the back: football is for everyone.
Manchester City supporters groups call on club and fellow fans to ‘make their voices heard’
Danny Jones
A collection of Manchester City supporters groups has urged both the club and the fans themselves to “make [their] voice heard” this season, following this year’s protests over the new and “drastic” ticketing policy.
Man City fans gathered both before and after the game against Wolves back in April to make their feeling known regarding season ticket changes.
Appealing to manager Pep Guardiola directly, insisting that he needs their energy to get the kind of “alive” crowds he’s also called for in the past, ‘The 1984’ has now been joined by four other supporters trusts in reaffirming their aims for the new campaign.
Sharing a new joint statement on social media, the five fan groups say that “last season saw unprecedented off-pitch unrest among City fans in the post-Maine Road era”, and the only way to avoid further disruption is to listen and heed their warnings.
STATEMENT FROM CITY FAN GROUPS AS WE ENTER THE NEW SEASON
After last season's protests, 2025/26 sees the most drastic changes to season tickets we've ever had. We ask supporters to use their voices & the club to put fans first going forward.
— MCFC Fans Foodbank Support (@MCFCfoodbank) August 21, 2025
Writing on behalf of the aforementioned 1894 group, Canal Street Blues, MCFC Fans Foodbank Support, Solid Citizens, Trade Union Blues and nearly 700 official members, as you can see, they penned a lengthy open letter to the club and the City Football Group (CFG).
“Despite recent success on the field,” they say, “two major in-stadium protests took place, with an estimated 16,000+ fans delaying their entry at the Leicester and Wolves games, and thousands more joining silent protests.
“The triggers were rising ticket prices, season ticket availability, poor supporter engagement (including the Club refusing to meet City Matters on ticket prices for months), and away fans in home sections – often linked to third-party resellers like Viagogo, whose new partnership with the Club proved the breaking point.”
They also conceded that the freeze in the cost of a full season ticket and reduced matchday prices were a welcome breath of fresh air and stirred hope for better fan engagement moving forward.
However, as the statement continues, “Unfortunately, the Club has instead introduced sweeping changes to season ticket terms and conditions, hitting some of our most loyal supporters and damaging long-standing fan culture.”
You can see all of the new and almost universally opposed ticket changes listed in full via bullet points above, but standouts include an unprecedented ’10-game personal attendance policy’ – the first of its kind in English football – stricter ticket transfer rules, and even new facial recognition scanners.
We completely agree. No warning in the middle of summer, communicated by one email on the same day that it was announced? Horrendous.
— MCFC Fans Foodbank Support (@MCFCfoodbank) August 21, 2025
Fan reaction online has been as you would expect; most City supporters are in almost overwhelming agreement with the concerns raised in the latest communication, particularly in the minimum attendance and transfer rules, adding: “the latter directly undermines the stated aim of ‘keeping the stadium full.'”
“There are also fears some of these rules won’t apply equally to hospitality season ticket holders, introducing worries of inequality between fans,” the statement continues.
“These changes create unnecessary workload for ticket office staff, introduce barriers for digitally excluded fans, force some into paid memberships, and erode supporter culture.
“All [the] while, City Matters, our elected Fan Advisory Board, has repeatedly faced delays and broken deadlines for meeting minutes, with the most recent minutes now 59 days overdue from the June meeting. No one wants constant conflict with the Club, but when official channels fail, protest becomes the only option. Last season proved that fan action can drive change.”
“We call on all Blues to:
Track and record if and how these changes affect you.
Make your voice heard – online, via City Matters, and through fan groups.
Join fan groups such as 1894, the Disabled Supporters Association, Canal Street Blues, Trade Union Blues, and your local OSC branch to discuss issues with fellow Blues.”
Lastly, they have called on the club to rethink their current policies surrounding personal attendance and ticket transfers, “take a ‘fans first’ approach when it comes to all future policies affecting supporters, engaging in meaningful consultation with fan representatives,” and publish fan meetings “on time.”
What do you make of the supporter groups’ statement and, more importantly, how do you feel about recent changes to season tickets and matchday admission, City fans?
Manchester United appoint new Academy Director with more youth players set to join first-team training
Danny Jones
Manchester United have appointed a new Academy Director in the form of former footballer turned coach Stephen Torpey.
Signing the retired Kirkby-born forward from fellow Premier League side Brentford FC, Torpey arrives at the newly regenerated Carrington Training Complex with a strong pedigree.
The 43-year-old – who spent time at Greater Manchester clubs like Altrincham, Atherton Laburnum Rovers, Staylbridge Celtic and FC United as a pro – joined Brentford last January, but has now made the move up North.
Announced this week, Stephen Torpey officially will replace former academy boss Nick Cox, who left the club after the best part of a decade back in June.
ℹ️ Stephen Torpey has been appointed Academy Director of Manchester United.
Having been reportedly head-hunted by INEOS and Man United’s Director of Football, Jason Wilcox (who is still only recently installed himself), the ex-Bees coach was confirmed on Thursday, 21 August.
Speaking on the appointment, Wilcox wrote in a club statement: “After an extensive recruitment process, we are delighted to have appointed Stephen at such an exciting time for our Academy.
“Stephen’s record of youth development is outstanding; throughout his career, he has played a significant role in the development of some of the most talented players in the country.
“We will work closely together to ensure that the Academy continues to foster the right environment to nurture our young players individually while developing the best talent ready to excel in our first team.”
As for Torpey, he said: “I am really proud to have this opportunity to lead Manchester United’s Academy. It is obviously a great time to be joining as the club enters an exciting new era; I can’t wait to play my role in continuing the incredible tradition of youth development here.”
Torpey went on to add: “After spending time with the leadership team, it is clear that the Academy will always remain key to the identity of Manchester United, with our primary aim being to produce players ready to support a first team capable of challenging for the biggest honours.”
You can find out more about the new United Academy Director, Stephen Torpey, and his background here.
Having famously disproven the ‘you can’t win anything with kids’ belief put forward by Alan Hansen on multiple occasions over the past three decades, it looks like manager Ruben Amorim is once again looking to turn inwards to find future gems in addition to a plethora of new signings.
Brentford also have a reputation for blooding in previously unknown young players along with their clever ‘Moneyball’ recruitment, especially as they have risen up the football pyramid in recent years, so United supporters will no doubt he hoping for similar results at Old Trafford.
The UEFA A-licensed coach has worked with both Man City and Liverpool youth setups, not to mention overseeing the relaunch of Brentford’s full academy programme from U9s to U18s; boasting a wealth of experience, and it already looks like even more youngsters are set to be gradually pushed forward.
Amorim has already given minutes to the likes of Ayden Heaven, Harry Amass, Tyler Fredricson and Chido Obi, just to name a few. With that in mind, it looks like others will soon be flirting with first-team training and perhaps senior appearances.
Danny Jones -
28th October 2022 
