Weeks don’t come much better for Liverpool football club.
Not only have our Merseyside neighbours whisked Man City off their throne to become Premier League champions for the first time in their history, they’ve also usurped Man Utd as the most popular club in British football.
After analysing data from around the world via Google Trends, football price comparison site Footy.com discovered that Jurgen Klopp’s side have amassed an enormous global backing that’s turned them into the world’s new favourite team.
A silver lining for the Old Trafford faithful, however, is that United have still enjoyed the most interest out of any English side over a longer timeframe of ten years.
The following table shows the popularity of each Prem club over the last decade, ranked across different continents around the world:
Footy.com spokesperson Ben Hyde said: “As you can imagine, Manchester United’s place on the top spot is to be expected, given their dominance of the Premier League during the Fergie era.
“However, the club does appear to have fallen from grace somewhat since Alex Ferguson’s retirement back in 2013.
“When you look specifically at the stats from more recent years, Manchester United’s popularity seems to be fading. In fact, in 2019, Liverpool overtook United as the most popular Premier League team worldwide.”
The image below shows the figures from 2019 – showing how Liverpool have toppled United to take the “most popular” trophy award to go along with their shiny new Premier League medals.
Reflecting on the data, Ben says: “This is perhaps unsurprising given Liverpool’s Champions League success last summer.
“However, Manchester United fans will be frustrated to see yet more evidence that their team is continuing to fall further behind their historic rivals.”
Is this the beginning of a new chapter in Premier League football where Merseyside rule supreme?
Mancunians, red and blue, are praying hard that isn’t the case…
News
‘Eyesore’ Northern Quarter car park to be redeveloped as ambitious new neighbourhood
Emily Sergeant
An underused multi-storey car park in the heart of the city centre is set to be sold and redeveloped as an ‘ambitious’ new neighbourhood.
The ‘eyesore’ car park situated in Manchester’s iconic Northern Quarter will be transformed into what Manchester City Council is hoping will become a green and sustainable neighbourhood set to complement the ‘unique and independent’ ethos of the area.
It comes after developers CBRE were appointed by the Council last year to market the Church Street site for disposal, ahead of seeking formal planning permission.
The new scheme will deliver more than 300 new homes – including 60 affordable homes – alongside new commercial opportunities and high-quality public spaces.
A before and proposed after of Church Street Car Park / Credit: Manchester City Council
It’s expected that the development will respect the heritage and architecture of the historic city centre neighbourhood and help to enhance the wider area, all while improving a car park site that has long fallen out of favour.
The new neighbourhood will also feature four new public squares and green spaces, along with opportunities for pedestrianising the surrounding streets as part of the public realm.
As mentioned, commercial space is also part of the plans, as the ground floor of the building will offer a mix of smaller, more affordable units to ensure local independent businesses can access the neighbourhood, alongside units for food and beverage outlets.
“For too long, the Church Street car park has been an eyesore and a barrier to the ongoing success of the Northern Quarter,” commented Cllr Bev Craig, who is the Leader of Manchester City Council.
“We want to bring forward a world-class development that has the potential to completely transform this part of the neighbourhood, together with the newest city centre public squares and green spaces.”
The final legal negotiations will conclude over the summer, and it’s expected that a public consultation will then take place to inform a future planning application.
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
News
‘Major milestone’ as planning permission secured to transform Oldham town centre
Emily Sergeant
Planning permission has been granted for six transformational sites in Oldham town centre, with developers calling it a ‘major milestone’.
This approval marks a key step forward in Muse Places and Oldham Council‘s long-term partnership with a shared ambition to deliver a ‘vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable’ town centre that not only reflects Oldham’s heritage but also meets the needs of the people who live there.
Following ‘extensive consultation’ with the local community earlier this year, where hundreds of people took park and shared valuable feedback to help shape the proposals, a total of 1,619 new homes will be delivered as part of the plans, offering a mix of high-quality, energy-efficient apartments designed for families, older people, and young professionals.
The plans also include social and affordable housing provision too in a bid to help more local people find a home that suits their needs and circumstances.
According to the Council and developers, the approved plans will bring underused sites back into ‘productive’ use and support a ‘cleaner, greener’ future for Oldham, opening the door to new opportunities for local businesses and communities alike.
“This decision marks a key milestone in delivering on our promises for Oldham,” commented Cllr Arooj Shah, who is the Leader of Oldham Council.
Planning permission has been secured to transform Oldham town centre / Credit: Muse Places
“Oldham Council and Muse have a shared, ambitious vision to create a quality place that people genuinely want to spend time in.
“I am thrilled that we can continue moving forward with our plans, delivering high-quality homes, including the provision of social and affordable homes to meet local needs. We will also support local businesses and create opportunities for everyone, as part of a clean, green and sustainable future.
“Together, we are creating a place that we can all be proud of.”
Site investigation works are now complete at the Civic Centre, and works at Prince’s Gate will begin shortly, followed by the former Magistrates’ Court later this year.
With planning consent secured and preparatory works underway, construction at Prince’s Gate is expected to begin this autumn.
The Manc -
26th June 2020 
