A Manchester man who was told he had just a year left to live has now been given the all-clear from cancer after a groundbreaking drug trial.
51-year-old Robert Glynn from Worsley in Salford is a massive Manchester United fan, enjoys playing snooker, golf, and fishing, and previously worked as a welder before his health turn a took and he went to his doctor with a severe pain in his shoulder that was preventing him from sleeping properly, and eventually developing an infection in his gall bladder.
After several scans and blood tests, Robert got the got the devastating news that he had intrahepatic bile duct cancer back in August 2020 – in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and the day before his 49th birthday.
Intrahepatic bile duct cancer – which is also known as biliary tract cancer – is a rare cancer that forms in the bile ducts inside the liver, with only around 1,000 people in the UK diagnosed with this type of disease each year, and only around 5% of people living for five years or more after diagnosis.
Sadly, not only is there a poor prognosis and few treatment options for this type of cancer, Robert’s cancer was at such an advanced stage that it was now in his liver and had spread to his adrenal gland too.
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So, he was referred to The Christie and offered the opportunity to participate in a clinical trial.
Robert Glynn from Manchester was given a year to live after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, but he is now disease-free thanks to a clinical trial at The Christie.
After showing an interest in taking part in the trial, Robert’s tumour sample was sent off for molecular analysis to check for any alterations, and it was found that his tumour had a high mutation burden – which means there was large numbers of genetic mutations in the cells – and this indicated that he may potentially have a good response to immunotherapy, which is a type of cancer treatment that helps the body’s immune system fight cancer.
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Based on these results, Robert was recommended to start a clinical trial with an immunotherapy drug already-approved for use in the UK, combined with the standard chemotherapy.
The treatment was administered intravenously.
The immunotherapy treatment together with chemotherapy proved so successful that it helped shrink the tumour in Robert’s liver and adrenal gland, and meant he was able to have surgery in April this year, which miraculously found only ‘dead tissue’ and showed that treatment combination killed-off all the cancer cells.
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Since the operation, Robert hasn’t needed any more treatment and his three-monthly scans show that he’s now clear of cancer.
Manchester man given a year to live now cancer-free after groundbreaking drug trial / Credit: The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
“I wouldn’t be here today without the trial,” Robert reflects.
“When I was given the option to take part in research, I jumped at the chance. You do anything you can to extend your life… and it’s important to remain positive and not give up. It’s never over until it’s over.”
Robert said getting the all-clear was “overwhelming”.
He continued: “In an odd kind of way having the diagnosis has turned my life around.
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“With my partner, Simone, we get out in nature and walk loads. When something like this happens you realise life is for living.”
Oncologists worldwide are now eagerly awaiting the results of the research into Robert’s case, as this, along with a further study with more patients, could lead to a change in the treatment of biliary tract cancer.
Featured Image – The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
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FA Cup final confirmed for 3pm kick-off time as Metropolitan Police stress safety for fans
Danny Jones
The start time for the 2023/24 FA Cup final has officially been confirmed with holders Manchester City and challengers Manchester United set to kick off at 3pm on Saturday, 25 May.
It’s a Manc final for the second year running and yet another Manchester Derby this year as City beat Chelsea on penalties to try and defend one of their trophies from last season and Man United did just about enough to scrape through against Coventry City this past weekend.
Logistics and travel arrangements for the conclusion of last year’s FA Cup proved problematic, with the Metropolitan Police stressing that they needed the schedule brought forward to try and help curb crowd trouble – the first time the final had been reverted back to a traditional 3pm start since 2011.
Kick-off times for the knockout tournament have varied for the last three finals, having taken place at 4:45 and 5:15pm in the two years prior to 2023’s first-ever all-Manchester final, but it looks as though the same rationale has been put in place once again.
The kick-off time for the FA Cup final has been confirmed for 3pm.
As per an official statement by the FA, the final has now been officially confirmed as 3pm BST which has been agreed with local authorities, members of the Safety Advisory Group and broadcasters, as well as with the clubs who must take the time needed for fans to travel to and from Wembley into consideration.
While pockets of fighting broke out before and after the game last year, it was deemed that this time would still be the best kick-off time for all parties involved and there will, of course, be an increased police presence in London for the game next month.
Although prioritising safety comes as welcome news, it’ll no doubt prove to be a blow to broadcasters who prefer later kick-offs when eyeing up peak audience numbers; the game is also set to clash with ITV’s coverage of the rugby as the Investec Champions Cup final is also due to start at 2:45pm.
With last season’s historic FA Cup final being the first time the two sides had met in the final in the entire history of the oldest competition in all of football, it rounded off a massive year of viewing figures for the tournament which has continued to hit record numbers in 2024.
The game will once again be shown live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and ITV1; ITVX, UTV, as well as STV, and there will no doubt be huge screenings of the game all over Greater Manchester, where an increased police presence is also expected.
Manchester City start work on next phase of stadium expansion, hotel, museum and more
Danny Jones
Manchester City have officially started work on the next phase of their ambitious stadium expansion plans which will see their capacity increase and the wider Etihad Campus transformed into a ‘best-in-class entertainment venue’.
Planning permission for the Etihad Stadium update was secured back in July 2023 and the club has confirmed that the first steel beams have now been installed after arriving in recent weeks.
The £300 million project will not only see the Etihad’s capacity climb from 53,400 to over 60,000 but, as previously detailed, the City Football Group‘s plans also entail the creation of a brand new club shop and museum, an integrated 400-bed hotel as well as an updated fan zone set to house around 3000.
With the initial steel framework now in place, not only has ground now been broken 12 months on from full arrival and just in time for the club’s 130th birthday, but they’re already making fast progress.
Today marks a year since we applied for planning permission and twelve months on, the Etihad Stadium expansion is starting to take shape. 🏟️
Man City and CFG issue update on £300m stadium and Etihad Campus expansion.
Man City fans can expect to see the number of seats jump up in time for the 2025/26 season, with the bulk of the stadium expansion and other renovations taking place around the North Stand – the tier facing opposite the brand-new Co-op Live Arena, which faced setbacks this week.
In addition to the other main leisure attractions, once completed, the newly expanded stand will also boast a sky bar and stadium roof walk above the upper tier, giving fans and tourists the chance to enjoy unique views of the pitch and the Manchester skyline.
Drawing parallels to Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium, which was finally completed back in 2019, this will see City once again trying to assert themselves at the forefront of modern football experiences.
Moreover, with neighbouring Co-op Live arriving as a joint venture between the CFG and Oak View Groups, the Etihad Campus is perfectly poised to achieve the owners’ goal of becoming a “world-class, all-year-round entertainment venue”.
Those working on the Manchester City stadium expansion (Credit: Tom Barton via Man City)
Importantly for the East Manchester district, the stadium infrastructure project will also bring job opportunities and economic growth to the area, with the club insisting they want to build on their “long-standing investment and commitment to its local community”.
As per an official press release, it is estimated that approximately 890 full-time roles will be created during the construction phase alone and even more are expected to be delivered once Manchester City’s new hotel, museum, sky bar and dedicated fan zones are finished.
Speaking at the site, Managing Director of Manchester City Operations, Danny Wilson, said: “It’s been an exciting few months with the arrival and installation of the first steels and fantastic to see the development and progress of the build in recent weeks.
“This project has been designed with our fans at its heart and demonstrates our commitment to creating one of the most memorable fan experiences in world sport. Fans will have the opportunity to extend their matchday by joining us at the new covered fan zone, visiting the museum, or staying at the hotel… The next evolution of the campus is well underway and it’s great to mark the progress being made.”
Emily Sergeant -
30th December 2022 
