In one last bit of retrospective and heartwarming news from 2023, Manchester United footballer Chrisitan Eriksen paid a surprise visit to a local primary school in Stretford this past December.
Rocking up to the St Alphonsus Primary School in Old Trafford, the Man United Foundation‘s partnered school just before the festive period, the Danish midfielder, surprised a wide-eyed group of year five and six students with a day of conversation, fun and games — as well as a bit of footy, of course.
Welcomed by headteacher Tina Birds as part of a joint charity effort with the Foundation and BBC’s Match of the Day, Christian helped with reading, plenty of PE in line with the Premier League Primary Stars programme and even a session of ‘Goalball’: an inclusive sport designed for the visually impaired.
Having been injured for a good chunk of the season and only just returning to first-team football, the 31-year-old was keen to make the most of his time on the sidelines and get involved with the Foundation and the programme delivered across its 28 partnered schools.
Eriksen visits local Manc primary school children. (Credit: Manchester United Foundation)
Christian said of his wholesome morning on 13 December, “It’s amazing to be at the school and see all the kids and what they’ve been doing with the Foundation.
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“The children and their parents come to the stadium and watch games; they give encouragement to us on the pitch, so by coming into the local community and meeting the children, it’s a really nice thing to do. It’s very important for me to give back as a Manchester United player. I’m very pleased to be here.”
Reflecting on the impact of the visit, headteacher Birds said, “It has been a wonderful day. Seeing the children’s reactions to Eriksen walking through and participating in the activities that the Foundation were doing – it was absolutely amazing. I will remember it as a headteacher for a long, long time.
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“Working with the Foundation and the Premier League Primary Stars programme is all about bringing communities together and it’s so important for my school that we are part of this community… it gives the pupils that aspiration that we really instil in school, and that’s what this programme does brilliantly.”
Starstruck St Alphonsus pupil, Siver, said she was “shocked and happy” to meet the Man United star, adding, “I could never have imagined that. I think it’s important because many people look up to him and everyone admires him.”
The visit was filmed for the most recent MotD which was repeated on New Year’s Eve’s morning show.
Throughout each season, the Manchester United Foundation works in partnership with local primary schools around Greater Manchester and beyond to help develop and improve the well-being and life skills of children aged 5-11.
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Working alongside the Premier League Primary Stars programme and in line with the national curriculum, the team’s charity arm addresses physical literacy, healthy lifestyles and the broader curriculum.
Man United’s Chief Operating Officer (COO) Collette Roche was announced as the new Chair of the Foundation following the departure of CEO Richard Arnold in November last year and looks to continue the organisation’s important work throughout the local community.
We hope to see more surprise visits from key figures around the club and important initiatives like this in 2024.
Featured Image — Manchester United Foundation (supplied)
Sport
Luxury Manchester gym Blok confirms permanent closure after weeks of uncertainty
Daisy Jackson
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure, weeks after the doors to the premium fitness facility mysteriously closed.
Around a fortnight ago, members began to arrive to their classes to find the gym on Ducie Street locked up and a forfeiture notice on the door – but at the time, Blok said that it was fighting to reopen.
Sadly, in an email sent to members today, its founder has confirmed that the studio is now permanently closed.
Blok – which has several very successful sites down in London – said that its relationship with its landlord has ‘broken down to a point where trust has been lost’.
The gym wrote that it’s been left with ‘no workable way forward’.
They said: “BLOK Manchester was a space built by our loyal and dedicated community. Whether you joined us for one class or one hundred, we are deeply grateful. You helped create something genuinely special in an incredible city.”
In the immediate future, they said they’ll be supporting the team of fantastic trainers who worked here, as well as looking after members.
Members will be contacted within a few hours with options and refunds owed.
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure. Credit: The Manc Group
CEO and founder Ed Stanbury said: “While this marks the end of a chapter, we don’t see it as the end of our story in Manchester. We’re already speaking with developers about potential future sites and remain committed to returning to the city when the time is right.
“Thank you for being part of our story so far. Let’s shape the future of wellness. The mission continues.”
Commenting on Blok’s Instagram post – its first in almost a fortnight – people have been sharing their sadness at the closure of its Manchester site.
One person wrote: “beautiful space, beautiful staff and beautiful community.”
Another said: “Sending love to all the instructors !! :(((( gutted”
Someone else commented: “THE BEST CLASSES. I’m gutted.”
Manchester City plotting spending spree ‘before’ Club World Cup
Danny Jones
Manchester City are set to embark on somewhat of a spending spree this summer transfer window as the club’s higher-ups are looking to get business done before the 2025 Club World Cup.
With FIFA’s intercontinental club competition set to get underway in mid-June, the Blues don’t have too long to welcome in new players, but Man City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has reiterated their urgency regarding recruitment.
Despite having brought in four new acquisitions in a very short space of time last season, the 50-year-old argued that he wasn’t completely happy with the extent and speed of their business.
Giving a lengthy interview this week, CFG‘s founding chairman has imposed an internal deadline ahead of the lucrative knockout competition.
Speaking with club media, Khaldoon recognised that while there were incomings in January of this year, he believes they “should have been more aggressive in some of the changes we needed to do, adding that he believes it “cost [them].”
“I can tell you today, we have clearly identified who exactly [the targets are], in what positions, and we have our clear number one option, our clear number two option”, he continues.
More importantly, he goes on to add: “We’ll go about our business, and it will be very clear, very swift. Our objective is to try to be ready with the new squad for the Club World Cup.”
He also suggested the flurry of activity this past January was not just atypical of the administration, but felt the squad fell into a crisis state with the number of injuries, insisting they “had to act.”
City have already been linked with a hugely talented and highly-rated European target in the wake of Kevin De Bruyne‘s departure and a lack of strength in depth in midfield.
An initial bid is said to have been received already and will likely be the first of many City summer signings.
He also insisted that the players who joined last season weren’t scattershot, emergency transfers (perhaps barring the resigning of İlkay Gündoğan) but were the start of the rebuild and “gives [fans] an idea of what’s coming this summer.”
Another player linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium is Lyon star Rayan Cherki, who scored in big moments during their Europa League run this year, registering 32 goal contributions across all competitions throughout the 24/25 campaign.
Who would you like to see added to Pep Guardiola’s side this summer, then, Man City fans?
You can watch Khaldoon Al Mubarak’s interview in full down below:
Danny Jones -
2nd January 2024 
