Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, is set to take on a legendary Manchester DJ as well as multiple former footballers in a charity football match, including multiple ex-England internationals.
Now eight years into representing the ten boroughs, Burnham’s latest charitable effort comes on behalf of iconic Manc venue and community cornerstone, Salford Lads and Girls Club (SLGC), which has sprouted some of the region’s most important musical and sporting talents.
Set to face the one and only Mike Sweeney – a veteran BBC broadcaster and legendary Salfordian radio DJ – as well as a number of retired pros, in hopes of raising money for SLGC, the charity game is taking place very soon.
And by soon, we mean this month. You can hear all about it from the man himself:
As explained by Sweeney, now 77, the meeting between his all-stars and Burnham’s boys is scheduled to take place on 11 May, with a 2pm kick-off.
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The Premier League’s already wrapped up, this is the real ‘Super Sunday’.
Enlisting the help of Manchester United legend, not to mention Treble and Champions League winner, Paul Scholes, there is some serious talent on show.
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Mayor Burnham, on the other hand, has managed to sign Bolton Wanderers legend, as well as former Manchester City player-manager and England international, Peter Reid, who is still raring and ready to lace up his boots at the age of 68.
Sweeney is actually an England player himself, in case you didn’t know, currently representing the over-75s national team. A man of many talents.
As for who else, the complete squads are yet to be fully confirmed, but the starting XIs will be made up of other members from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and more hand-picked by the local legend.
The match is set to take place at AFC Monton’s New Alder Park (just off Worsley Road, M30 8JN) and, best of all, entry to the ground will be completely FREE, with those attending encouraged to donate as much as they like to Salford Lads and Girls Club on the door.
Speaking ahead of the game, Sweeney said: “Salford Lads and Girls Club is incredibly close to my heart and I can’t think of a better cause to put this game to.
“It will be a welcome change switching the battle of the studio to the football pitch where I can flex my international credentials, while raising as much money as we can for this amazing club.”
As for the Mayor, he wrote in a statement following the announcement: “SLGC is an iconic institution which has provided a lifeline to many of the most vulnerable in our communities. When we were told the club was in real jeopardy last year, we knew we had to do all we could to help.
“It was fantastic to see all the money raised in such a short space of time to save the club, but we want to go further to make sure the club is safe and invested in for the future. This is why the legacy fund is so important.”
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“We’re incredibly grateful to Andy Burnham, Mike Sweeney, and every player stepping up to take part in this special match.
Laura Slingsby, CEO of Salford Lads and Girls Club, signed off by adding: “We’re incredibly grateful to Andy Burnham, Mike Sweeney, and every player stepping up to take part in this special match.
“Events like this help us raise funds and shine a light on the life-changing support Salford Lads and Girls Club continues to offer young people across Salford.
“This is more than just a game. It’s a celebration of community, heritage, and hope for the future. We can’t wait to see everyone pitchside cheering them on!”
Who are you cheering on, ‘Sporting Sweeney’ or ‘Burnham FC’? Doesn’t matter either way – a beloved community cornerstone is the real winner either way.
Bayern Munich reportedly set to target Phil Foden in the summer transfer window
Danny Jones
European giants Bayern Munich are said to be interested in homegrown Manchester City star, and are interested in signing him this coming transfer window.
And if you believe some of the reports circulating around the Stockport-born footballer, he could very well be looking to leave the Etihad in the summer.
Foden seems to have somewhat fallen out of favour at Man City of late, having been benched in four of the last five games, with his overall minutes having been on a gradual slump over recent months; as a result, some sources are suggesting it’s prompted a potential move away.
As per TEAMtalk, the Bundesliga side is hoping to target the City youth product and England international ahead of next season, with former teammate turned Bayern head coach Vincent Kompany very keen on acquiring his services.
Man City have stepped up efforts to secure Phil Foden's future with talks held during the international break and confidence is now growing that a new deal will be finalised before the end of the season, amid Bayern Munich interest, @TEAMtalk can reveal.https://t.co/ScBP5a3a08
Whether or not having a club and Premier League legend in charge would serve as a sweetener for the attacking midfielder or not, who knows?
According to journalist Graeme Bailey, while the gifted playmaker is said to be “frustrated” with the current situation at Man City, the club are believed to have “stepped up efforts to secure the long-term future of Phil Foden, with fresh talks held during the international break”
Having still managed to chip in with 15 goal contributions so far this campaign – two-thirds of those involvements being goals – the hope is that they can tie him down to a new deal long before the end of the season.
There’s no question about his natural talent and versatility across the forward line; it’s just whether or not he’s happy with his game time under Pep Guardiola, which admittedly has often fluctuated ever since he broke into the first team.
Pep has never made a secret of his love for Phil, either; he’s just not afraid to mix things up and try different things given the squad depth at his disposal and other teams in the division becoming increasingly competitive.
It’s also worth noting that many expect him to be in Thomas Tuchel’s starting lineups for the Three Lions at this year’s World Cup.
At present, Foden’s contract is set to expire at the end of the next term (2026/27), but it’s rumoured that he could soon commit to staying until 2030 on paper.
Now 25, the once up-and-coming youngster/’rising star’ is now a fully-fledged senior professional and serial winner.
With many years still ahead of him, you could argue that this is the perfect time to take on a new challenge, or equally, stay with his beloved Blues and extend their modern dynasty as one of the more experienced and decorated members of the dressing room.
As for whether Kompany can convince him to swap his familiar surroundings for a fresh chapter in Germany, or whether or not another big Champions League-level outfit monitoring the situation could come sniffing, only time will tell.
For now, let’s just hope he has an incredible few weeks over in North America this June and July.
A free snooker fan zone has popped up in Manchester for the 2026 Tour Championship
Danny Jones
We’re sure plenty of you are well aware that this year’s WST Sportsbet.io Tour Championship is happening in Manchester right now, but what many of you may not know is that a completely free snooker fan zone has opened up as part of it.
You don’t need a ticket for any of the actual matches to watch them on the big screen or even play one of your own.
However, it isn’t just the buzz inside the match room itself that the World Snooker Tour has brought on its return to the city centre – even the supporter hub outside is well worth a visit.
Based over at Manchester Central on the Exchange side of the building, while the games themselves are taking place in the main rooms, the foyer and surrounding areas have been turned into a fan park.
Perfect for anyone looking for a fun way to spend an afternoon or, indeed, a full day this week – not to mention an ideal activity for kids this coming Easter bank holiday weekend – if you’re a fan of the sport, you’d be a fool not to at least pop your head in.
Running until this Sunday, 5 April, when the tournament itself finishes, snooker lovers have access not only to a bar area with multiple big screens and food and drink, but also numerous free tables for them to play on.
In fact, you quickly turn a few frames into some proper practice if you’re so inclined, as there’s even on-site coaching to be made the most of.
As you can see, people of all ages have already turned up in their droves to soak up the atmosphere.
Once again, the competition is being broadcast live and free-to-air on Channel 5 if you’re happy to watch the games at home, but we don’t need to tell you what makes sitting in a room with a bunch of fellow fans and getting excited together so enjoyable.
If you visit the Manchester Central convention centre before the end of the week, you can even have a go at playing on a proper king-sized snooker table for the full pro-feel experience.
For anyone who wants to grab actual tickets for the matches as well, you can find them HERE.
Danny Jones -
1st May 2025 
