Local club Altrincham FC has scored a huge collaboration with a major Spanish side to mark Non-League Day this year, teaming up with none other than Athletic Bilbao for a special crossover.
Altrincham are well and truly on the up, establishing a stronger foothold in the non-league ranks and English footballing pyramid, in general, but we all know how the grassroots game and local clubs need our continued support.
Despite being a much bigger operation and being currently busy battling it out for Champions League places in La Liga, another footballing organisation that knows the vital importance of this and supporting your region is Athletic Club Bilbao.
Joining forces with a handful of smaller UK-based teams sharing the same iconic red and white club colours, Bilbao are helping shed some light on upcoming non-league fixtures, including Alty FC’s home game against Barnet this month.
So why the British-centric collab? Well, as well as being famously and fiercely loyal to their unique region of Spain (only signing players born in the Basque Country or who came through at Basque club – a rule they’ve maintained since 1912) – they also have deep roots in England.
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For starters, that’s why they still go by their Anglicisation and not ‘Atletico’ like their counterparts in Madrid; the club was founded nearly 127 years ago by migrant ship workers from the likes of Sunderland and Southampton as well as students who left the region to study here before eventually returning.
More to the point, as Altrincham wrote in an official statement, “They haven’t forgotten their background, and it struck a chord when they were made aware of English football’s recognition of grassroots football with the inception of Non-League Day.”
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Honing in on half a dozen English teams – Bromsgrove Sporting FC, Evesham United, Sheppey United, Steyning Town, Witton Albion and, of course, Alty – all of whom share the same trademark strip style, they have sent each club one men’s and one women’s team kit to raffle off for Non-League Day 2025.
Better yet, through giving them some added exposure during this annual sporting observance, they’re aiming to spotlight how crucial local football is for communities, from Sunday league all the way up to the top flight. Greater Manchester boasts an embarrassment of riches at both ends of that spectrum.
Credit: Altrincham FC
Set to giveaway the two kits on the day of their promotion hopeful’s fixture against the National League leaders on Saturday, 22 March, there’s even more reason for fans to visit the regularly packed-out J Davidson Stadium.
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As explained in the official press release, staff at Bilbao’s San Mamés Stadium are also “preparing an in-depth article about Alty, detailing our history and the tradition behind our home kit, that will be distributed throughout the wide area of their fanatical support at the start of the week leading up to NLD.
In a gesture of solidarity and support, Athletic Club will also be holding their own ‘Basque Non-League Day’ on the same weekend of the match (22-23 March) in collaboration with 93 of their 170 affiliate clubs.
We don’t have a Spanish team per se but it’s safe to say if we did, it would probably be Bilbao.
Speaking on the partnership, Altrincham FC director John Coyne said: “We are thrilled to collaborate with Athletic Club Bilbao to promote Non-League Day on March 22nd.
“This partnership not only celebrates the rich history and community spirit of non-League football but also strengthens the bonds between our clubs.
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“By joining forces, we aim to highlight the vital role that grassroots football plays in nurturing talent and fostering a love for the game.”
You can grab tickets to the game between Alty and Barnet FC HERE but you best be quick as it is on course to be a sell-out crowd.
Manchester City’s Stadium Tours are back for the summer and bigger than ever
Danny Jones
Manchester City stadium tours are back for summer 2026, with more to see from the home of the Blues than ever, and with 15% off all tickets until the end of August, too.
It’s safe to say that Man City are going through a HUGE period of change right now: embarking on a new era under Enzo Maresca following the dynasty of Pep Guardiola, vast redevelopments of the wider Etihad Campus, a new club hotel, and the expansion of the North Stand – now named after said Catalan coach.
With that in mind, there’s so much new stuff going on over in East Manchester and arguably more of it all happening in one place than we can recall in recent memory, making it the perfect time for Cityzens to return to the famous home ground – indeed, your Etihad debut if you haven’t made one already.
Giving you greater access to areas usually reserved for players and staff only than ever, this exclusive, interactive and virtual tour will take you through the very bones of the storied sporting arena, all the way through to pitchside.
Fans can explore the dressing room and follow in the footsteps of their favourite City players as they walk through the iconic glass players’ tunnel, before walking out into the open air and sitting in the dugout to take in that incredible view.
You can also try out the latest ‘Beyond the Blue Moon’ experience – an immersive VR adventure that sees supporters journey through Manchester City’s past, present, and future.
Following on from Pep lending his likeness, using innovative technology, you can now even have the chance to put your questions to Erling Haaland in the Press Conference Room.
There aren’t many teams on the planet that offer this level of stadium tour, let alone just here in the UK, so it’s no wonder they remain award-winning almost every single year.
Whether you’re a lifelong City fan, a football lover or visiting this wonderful place we call Manchester for the very first time, there’s something for everyone.
For instance, with The Medlock Hotel and accompanying Medlock Square already lining up its maiden events, the City Football Group (CFG) are once again committing to make the wider Etihad Campus an all-year-round entertainment destination.
That being said, plenty of people online have been generating a lot of buzz about the aforementioned Medlock’s new stadium-view rooms since clips appeared on social media.
Pitch view rooms coming to the Radisson Blu Medlock Hotel at #ManCity’s Etihad Stadium. 🤯
As for the tickets themselves, the club have also taken steps to keep the cost affordable.
Standard prices start from just £32 for adults and only £20 for under-16s, with larger family packages available from £60.
BUT, with the 15% discount mentioned earlier, adults currently cost just £27; kids go for just £17, and those family passes start from just £51.
You can find all the options when it comes to stadium tour passes and grab the type of admission that suits you right HERE.
Speaking of tickets, City have also been met with praise for the introduction of new discounted seats for local residents; find out all the details below.
René Meulensteen names the ‘ideal’ signing that Man United appear to be overlooking
Danny Jones
Ex-Manchester United coach René Meulensteen has named the one key signing that he feels the Red Devils are missing out on by not pursuing this summer.
The former Man United assistant, who served under Sir Alex and has recently returned to the backrooms of the English football pyramid, has given his verdict on what he thinks his old club still needs in terms of reinforcements.
Chatting with TipmanTips, the 62-year-old identified the backline as a persisting problem area for now full-time manager Michael Carrick, insisting that they could do with another central defender.
The footballer in question is his fellow countryman, Micky van de Ven – fresh from a new contract with Tottenham Hotspur – who has surprised many by not securing his next big-money move so far in the transfer window.
We are delighted to announce that Micky van de Ven has signed a new contract with the Club!
Speaking in an exclusive interview, he said his Dutch compatriot wouldn’t just be a great rotation player but a starter coming into the 2026/26 season.
“I still think they’re vulnerable at the back”, says Meulensteen, “and that’s one thing Michael is going to have to sort out as soon as possible when the season starts. Finding a centre-back partnership that works and getting some consistency in the back line will be key.
“Harry Maguire is coming off a good end to last season, but he needs some complementary centre-backs next to him, and then also on the right-hand side next to him with Mazraoui and Dalot not really doing anything.”
“I would have been looking at Micky van de Ven from Spurs before he signed a new deal. He’s powerful, he’s quick, he’s got great experience in playing as a left centre back in the Premier League, and he would have given United a very different dynamic in their defence.
He rounded off the recommendation, however late, by arguing that were Maguire to be a mainstay first-choice centre-half for Carrick this season, “van de Ven would’ve meant you wouldn’t have to worry about his lack of pace in behind, as he can cover so much ground recovering.”
As for who they have brought in so far, they’ve managed a well-balanced, albeit limited number of young and experienced talents, including the surprise return of greatest-ever goalscorers (currently 13th on the all-time list at still just 28) in Marcus Rashford.
While he did go on to cite the likes of Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke as a viable alternative, it’s fair to say he would be high up on the shortlist of many fans – and not just United.
On the other hand, we’d once again reiterate that we include ourselves among those stunned that he hasn’t had more suitors floating around of late, especially given he was one of the few bright lights among a side that nearly got relegated last term.
Would you have him as another CB option, Reds?
As for the one-time United assistant, he has recently been introduced to Stockport County FC supporters as the latest addition to the technical staff in an admittedly curious new position…
Danny Jones -
4th March 2025 
