With less than a fortnight until the first game, the folks at Printworks are ready and raring to go for Euro 2024 – so much so that they’ve decided to kick things off themselves with a free football tournament this weekend.
But it comes with a bit of a twist.
Ever heard of Panna football? Well, even if you haven’t, chances are you’ve seen it plenty of times before; think those noughties ‘joga bonito’ adverts, FIFA Street and playing on the cages in the park with your mates.
In short, Panna is street football at its finest and most skilful, prioritising trickery, tekkers and lightning-fast footwork above all else, and now Printworks is hosting a free tournament where you can watch, learn and take part.
Most Panna arena are usually circular or octagonal (Credit: Supplied)
Being set up in the Pumpyard area of the recently renovated entertainment and leisure centre, the 6x6m Panna pitch will see competitors aim to beat each other by scoring more goals than their opponent or by playing the ball through the other player’s legs, i.e. ‘Panna’.
ADVERTISEMENT
We usually just call it a nutmeg here in the UK but, you know, each to their own.
There’s nothing quite as satisfying as skinning another player up, especially in front of a crowd, but Printworks is making things even more interesting by giving away prizes to those who show the most skills over the weekend.
ADVERTISEMENT
What’s more is you’ll have plenty of tunes to keep your rhythm on the ball flowing and a pretty much constant light show going on above you thanks to their state-of-the-art digital ceiling, which just so happens to be the biggest in Europe.
The already eye-catching display will show bespoke football-themed content but we’re hoping it’ll be the talent on the day that leaves people most mesmerised. Expert freestyler, Roman Brezovsky, will also be joining in with the fun on Saturday, entertaining the crowds with his quick footwork and hat full of tricks.
Children of all ages and adults alike can join in on the fun completely free, pick up tips for the football tournament as well as capture all the best content from Printworks’ massive new digital screen.
ADVERTISEMENT
Once again, the event is only on this weekend (8-9 June from 11am to 4pm) but there’s also going to be a shed load of discounts at various in-house bars and restaurants throughout the Euros, including free pints and a whopping 25% off drinks packages throughout the tournaments at Walkabout.
We can only do about three consecutive kick-ups, so we might sit this one out but we hope to see lots of you there showcasing your skills and getting in the mood for football coming home.
Featured Images — Prime Video (supplied via Printworks)/The Manc Group
Sport
Manchester Storm’s ‘own and loan’ scheme returns for 2026/27
Danny Jones
Manchester Storm have relaunched their much-loved ‘own and loan’ programme once again ahead of the 2026/27 season.
Having gone from a cult favourite option for die-hards to an increasingly popular choice among their growing number of supporters, it’s a great way for fans to get their hands on what could go on to be priceless collectables.
Set up over a decade and a half ago, the initiative has gone on to be replicated by multiple clubs in the Elite Ice Hockey League, across the country, and indeed beyond.
For anyone unclear on what exactly this scheme means for them, here’s all you need to know.
The own and loan sponsorship is essentially an opportunity not only to support the club and your favourite player, but to essentially reserve a valuable piece of match-worn memorabilia.
Put simply, fans can buy a squad member’s jersey and then loan it back to them for the season.
The shirt – be it home, away, created for cup tournaments or a special limited-edition sweater (of which MCR Storm have designed many over the years) – will then be worn throughout the course of the campaign before being given back to the owner, i.e. you.
Not just simply buying the shirt, but helping back the team’s talent, it’s one of the most direct ways people can contribute to the club.
The Greater Manchester side pioneered the push for this initiative here in the UK in the early 2010s, and with the local side now set to return to the AO Arena, where their journey began way back in 1995, you can expect plenty to mark the comeback with a special sponsored jersey.
Anyone who purchases an away strip will have their name featured throughout home games for the duration of the season – not a bad gift or way to secure a potential future collectors’ item.
You can see every player available to sponsor and find out all the information you need right HERE.
For regular matchgoers at the ‘Storm Shelter’, we’re sure it’ll be bittersweet to say goodbye to Planet Ice Altrincham, but just how excited are you about heading home to the AO Arena later this year?
Featured Images — Manchester Storm (publicity picture)/The Manc Group
Sport
League One set for an all-Greater Manchester playoff final as Bolton book trip to Wembley
Danny Jones
It’s official: we’re all set for a fully Greater Manchester League One playoff final as Bolton Wanderers are the latest to secure a return to Wembley against Stockport County.
The resurgent old Lancashire club clinched their spot in the knockout conclusion of the third division with a single strike in the second leg of the semis, and it wasn’t a bad finish, either.
Beating Bradford City 2-0 on aggregate, Bolton will now play familiar regional rivals Stockport, with Wanderers set to clash with County in a decisive derby once again.
Bolton‘s instinctive volley from Chelsea youth product and former Hull City man, Xavier Simons, resulted in some very satisfying limbs at Valley Parade.
The home fans did have plenty to cheer on the night, with efforts from Metcalfe, Power and Wright all either hitting the woodwork or being deflected just past it.
They thought they were level in the tie at one point after Kayden Jackson put the ball in the back of the net, but it was ultimately ruled out.
Agonising stuff for the Bradford supporters to burst into bedlam before the flag was raised for offside.
Many supporters will argue that the key moment came somewhat against the run of play, but The Trotters won’t care one bit as they book another trip down to the capital.
You can watch the rest of the highlights, including those scenes in the away end, down below.
Speaking even before the game, head coach Steven Schumacher told Sky Sports: “It’s a club we believe is bigger than this division, but this division is not easy to get out of.
“The expectation and the demand to get to the Championship is there, and once you’re in the building and you feel the mood when you win games, when you lose games, you can sense that this is a club that is desperate to get out and get to the next level.
“When you look at the size of both Bolton and Bradford and how well they are supported, both clubs are probably too big to be in League One. But that’s where both clubs find themselves, and one of us has got to find our way out of it if we can.”
You’d dare say he can practically smell promotion via the playoffs now; the local side has come quite a way since the lows of administration in 2019 and the bottom tier of the EFL – not without some heartbreaks in previous playoff finals – but could he be the one to get them back where they belong?
In case you missed the action from the other game, you can see more HERE, and to hear Schumacher’s thoughts after the decisive result, look no further…
Danny Jones -
5th June 2024 
