Sport

BOX launch football lookalike competition where you can win free pints and bar tabs during the Euros

So ready for everyone to dye their hair like Gazza again.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 15th June 2024

BOX on Deansgate has launched a brand new lookalike competition where football fans can win free pints and bar tabs during the Euros this summer.

The popular chain of sports bars has multiple locations all over the country and is sure to be packed through Euro 2024. It also turns out the brand is hoping to fill its various venues with some of the best football lookalikes possible as part of a fun new giveaway.

Pretty much promising exactly what it says on the tin, the new competition will see those fortunate enough to bear a resemblance to famous footballers be handed free pints throughout the tournament. It really is as simple as that.

There’s even the chance for the most impressive footballing doppelgänger to win a table of six plus a whopping £250 at your BOX site of choice for the Euro 2024 final on Sunday, 14 July. Say no more, we’re about to get a Phil Foden trim like yesterday.

Entry terms are simple: to join you simply need to submit a photo of yourself, a friend or a family member who you believe looks similar to a footballing star.

The easiest way to take part is to tag @theboxbaruk in your Instagram story with your lookalike image using the hashtag #BOXDOPPLEGANGER, then send a direct message containing your entry.

Probably the best part about all of this is that you get a free pint just for taking part – and no, we’re not joking. Anywhere offering free pints whilst the footy’s on get a thumbs up from us. May the best football lookalike win!

The fun doesn’t stop there though: a weekly Euros-themed quiz every Wednesday at BOX Deansgate to test fans’ knowledge; their famous ‘Bandeoke’ is on every Thursday, as well as live bands and DJs on Fridays and Saturdays to guarantee the party continues long after full-time.

Football fans can also treat themselves to a number of European-inspired delights with a limited-edition Euro 2024 food and drink menu, featuring Currywurst Loaded Fries, Bavarian Burgers and the ‘Olympian’ pizza. Plus, you can get two-pint beer steins, mini-kegs and a host of other footy-themed drinks.

BOX’s football lookalike competition is one of many reasons it’s a great place to watch the Euros. (Credit: Supplied)

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As always with these things, full T&Cs apply (i.e. only one entry per person) but the whole thing is pretty straightforward and you can find out more information on their website.

Laura Lewis, Marketing Director at ARC Inspirations, commented: “We’re excited for EURO 2024 to kick off a huge summer of sport at BOX. This competition is the perfect start, and we can’t wait to see all the entrants and crown the overall winner. We’re looking forward to welcoming fans at our venues and hopefully celebrating a successful summer for the England team!”

“The football is just the tip of the iceberg. We will be showing all the major sporting events, like the Cricket T20 World Cup, Wimbledon, and the Olympics. We can’t wait to see our venues filled with fans having a great time and watching their favourite sports. Not only is BOX the ultimate bar to watch, it’s also the ultimate venue to play and party this summer.”

BOX quickly found its way onto our list of where to watch the Euros in Manchester city centre and to find out what other venues we think are among the best places to witness the football finally come home (you best believe it is), look no further:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — BOX (supplied)

Sport

Bryan Mbuemo transfer saga looks to finally be over as Manchester United agree deal with Brentford

Danny Jones Danny Jones Bryan Mbeumo to Man United transfer deal done

In one of the biggest transfer sagas of the 2025 summer transfer window, it looks like Manchester United have got their man, as an agreement with Brentford FC is in place and a move for Bryan Mbuemo looks to be a done deal.

Following weeks and weeks of speculation, minor nudges back and forth in the market, it has now been reported that French-born Mbuemo is heading to Man United, having made it apparent that Old Trafford was his desired destination for some time.

As confirmed by The Athletic‘s David Ornstein on Friday, 18 July, the Cameroonian international is expected to be paid for in chunks over the next few years.

Having initially entered a bid of around £45 million before bonuses last month, the west London club stuck to their guns and appear to have got their overall asking price for the player.

According to Ornstein, a trusted transfer source and ever-reliable journalist, United are expected to pay Brentford an estimated £65m for Mbeumo’s signature.

However, with add-ons of approximately £6m, the attacking midfielder’s total price comes out at more than £70m, making his a fee a sales record for a now established Premier League side who have become known as a ‘feeder/selling club’ with excellent recruitment.

It is also said that MUFC and INEOS have arranged for a payment structure that will see the transfer funded over the course of four-year instalments, with a contract valid until 2030 and the option to extend by a further 12 months.

Well-known for using the so-called ‘Moneyball‘ model to their success in recent years, Mbuemo was signed by the Bees back in 2019, when they were still in the Championship, and he cost just £5.8m from ES Troyes AC – also a club record signing at the time.

Fast forward just a few seasons, not to mention 121 goal contributions in all competitions (28 of those coming last season alone), and he’s been deemed worth about 12 times that amount.

Here are just a few reasons why they’ve been after him.

Still just 25 years old, it’s fair to say he fits the balance of age and experience that the club are looking to recruit, as well as boasting a profile that suits the system Ruben Amorim is looking to deploy with his ever-shifting squad.

At least on paper, anyway.

Meanwhile, outgoing deals are still expected to be completed before the end of the summer window, with key first-team players like homegrown Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, and loanee Antony all still expected to depart.

Happy with the business, Reds?

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Featured Images — Pro:Direct Soccer (screenshot via YouTube)/Pedro Semitiel (via Flickr)

Sport

Stockport school sees under 15s girls football team crowned national champions

Danny Jones Danny Jones Marple Hall School girls under 15s football team win English Schools' FA Cup National Champions

A local Stockport secondary has welcomed home their under-15s girls’ football team as national champions after winning the English Schools’ FA Cup.

Marple Hall School (MHS), located in the south-east part of the old Cheshire borough, is a high-performing educational institution known for its strong investment in youth sport.

Boasting a large sports hall, dedicated 3G footy pitches, MUGA (Multi-Use Games Area), gymnasium, netball and tennis courts, as well as other grass surfaces, many of the town’s nearby clubs make use of the facilities throughout the year.

However, it’s their homegrown talent that is having the spotlight rightfully shone on them this week, as a side of junior female footballers won the prestigious FA tournament for sporting youngsters.

The squad of Year 10 girls – consisting of Marple Hall players aged 14-15 – faced off against Kings Langley last week in the decisive fixture away at Sixways Stadium, home of Worcester City FC and the Worcester Warriors rugby union side.

Following their landmark victory this month, this most recent title has seen them crowned Stockport, Manchester and now National champions, thanks to their 2-1 win in the Development Cup Finals.

Writing in a proud and lengthy post on the school’s website, headteacher Joe Barker described the campaign as “a remarkable run for a remarkable team” and a “thoroughly deserved” trophy, despite coming up against a “really strong team” travelling from the Hertfordshire village.

Barker went on to add: “Team MHS were supported so well by the travelling family and friends, and of course by the 44 students who made their presence known in the stands. Outnumbered but certainly not outvoiced, the chants from team MHS were non-stop and so supportive.

“Not only that, but the whole school got behind the team with the tie live-streamed into every classroom and our halls over lunch.

“My colleagues tell me that they have never felt an atmosphere like it at MHS, the whole school site reverberating to the cheers when the teams came out, when Penny scored her two amazing goals, and at the final whistle.”

He even cited an anecdote of one young pupil telling fellow teacher Miss Gregory: “This is a really mint day for our school, isn’t it, miss? I’m really glad I come here!” He was responding to the moment the aforementioned Stopfordian star, Penny Hallos, scored an audacious backheel to make it a brace.

Unsurprisingly, she earned the player of the match award for her game-winning efforts.

To make things even sweeter, the incredible achievement was also recognised in the House of Commons, with Hazel Grove MP Lisa Smart motioning to toast their success among her fellow peers.

Celebrating not just the English championship but their Treble-winning year, Smart declared: “The whole of the town is incredibly proud of these girls for their achievements. 

“My recent hundredth speech in Parliament was on ensuring that girls and young women were given the opportunities to participate in sport, and it is fantastic to be able to celebrate these young women who are doing just that.

“It’s great to be able to help celebrate their national success at Parliament, and I look forward to them achieving wonderful things going forward.”

Better still, nearly £1,500 was raised on top of the fund collected in order to help get the girls to the ground on matchday, and all that money is going directly towards further sports provision for the girls and young women’s sport, specifically.

You can watch the game in full down below, but we’ve highlighted that ingenious second strike from Hallos for you (rewind to around 41:45 to see her equaliser).

Congrats again to the SK, Greater Mancunian and now National champions – we hope we go on to see plenty of your names up in lights soon enough.

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Featured Images — Marple Hall/English Schools’ Football Association/Stockport County (via X)

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