There’s only five days to go before people take to their seats for the Barclays FA Women’s Super League Manchester derby, and it’s fair to say that this is a pretty special one.
It’s true that derby matches are always known for having that extra competitive edge.
No matter the city, no matter the competition, and no matter what’s at stake, if you ask any player or fan, a derby is undoubtedly one of the biggest matches in the football events calendar, and even though the want to win games is what drives clubs all season long, there’s just something about a derby victory that’s a little bit sweeter than the others.
In a city that’s as football-obsessed as Manchester, a derby win is the chance to claim some bragging rights, the chance to feel a sense of pride in the shirt you’re wearing, and crucially, the chance to paint the city red or blue.
The history of the women’s Manchester derby may only date back a couple of years, but there’s been no shortage of memorable moments – and this one looks set to be the same.
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After COVID-19 restrictions forced stadiums across the world to fall silent from March 2020, this upcoming derby is the first to be held at Manchester City Women’s home ground of the Academy Stadium where fans will be allowed inside – but when is the derby, what time does it kick-off, how do you grab tickets, and what are the players saying ahead of the match?
We’ve rounded up everything you need to know before the big day.
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When is it, and what time is kick-off?
There’s really not long to wait now, as the Barclays FA Women’s Super League Manchester derby is happening on Sunday 13 February 2022, and it’ll be the ninth time the two heavy-hitting teams have faced each other.
The match will be kicking-off just after midday at 12:30pm GMT.
Where is it taking place?
This derby will be taking place at City’s home ground of the Academy Stadium.
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The stadium is a part of the wider, state-of-the-art, 80-acre training facility known as the Etihad Campus in East Manchester.
Situated only 400 metres from the City of Manchester – or ‘the Etihad’ – Stadium, the Academy Stadium is linked to the mother ground via a 190-metre bridge across the intersection of Ashton New Road and Alan Turing Way.
The derby will be taking place at the City’s home ground of the Academy Stadium / Credit: Charlotte Tattersall / Manchester City FC
How do you get there?
The Academy Stadium is easily-accessible, and there’s plenty of ways to get there.
Car
Supporters can park in the Blue Car Park (M11 3DU) free of charge for Women’s games.
Accessible parking is available onsite at the Academy Stadium in the North car park – which needs to be pre-booked in advance by contacting [email protected] before each game – and a resident parking scheme is in place in the streets around, which is strictly enforced and identified through on-street signage.
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There are also a number of satellite car parks around the stadium, although Manchester City does not endorse these.
Walking
According to the official Manchester City website, it will take approximately 30-minutes to walk to the Academy Stadium from the city centre, and there is a safe, well lit, and signposted walking route available from Manchester Piccadilly Station if you follow the ‘City Link’ signs.
Buses and Cycling
If you’re looking to get there by bus, then there are bus stops adjacent to the stadium, and the stop is the Asda superstore opposite the North Gate entrance.
There’s also a number of bike racks around the stadium too.
Metrolink and Metrolink Park & Ride
Metrolink runs from the city centre, including Manchester Piccadilly station to the Velopark stop and on towards Ashton, and the journey time from Piccadilly Station takes 12-minutes.
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Journeys to the stadium are really easy from the many Park & Ride sites on the Metrolink network, and parking is free for Metrolink passengers, with the journey time to the stadium is approximately 25-minutes.
There’s dedicated fanzones, the chance to ‘meet the Moonies’, and more / Credit: Tom Flathers / Manchester City FC
What are the players saying?
Ahead of the Manchester derby, The Manc got the chance to sit down with Manchester City Women forward Ellen White to chat about all things City, her time at the club so far, the best advice she’s ever been given, life outside the world of football, and most importantly, how she’s feeling about the biggest game of the season.
“I think one of the most exciting things for us is to be playing at home and having our fans there to support us back in the stadium,” White explains.
“As much as we want everyone to stay safe and we understand why we couldn’t have fans in the stadium, for us, they really give us an extra edge and they give us energy, so it’s really special to have them back and to feel closer to them.”
She continued: “A derby day’s always feisty, it’s always competitive, and I think both sets of fans and staff understand what’s at stake because of the rivalry – but for us, we want Manchester to be blue, so that’s our priority.”
“We’re not underestimating this derby, so it’ll be a really exciting one for us.”
This is the first derby at the Academy Stadium where fans will be allowed inside / Credit: Tom Flathers / Manchester City FC
Where can you get tickets, and how much do they cost?
Tickets for the Barclays FA Women’s Super League Manchester Derby on Sunday 13 February 2022 are available from £8 for adults and from £3 for Under 16’s, and you can also grab Hospitality Tickets – which include a padded seat located on the halfway line, a three-course meal, and access to the cash bar – from £72 too.
Manchester City said they are selling fast and are expecting a packed crowd for the game.
You can grab tickets from the Manchester City website here.
What can you expect on matchday?
Fans heading to the Academy Stadium on the day of the derby can expect everything from dedicated fanzones, and the chance to ‘meet the Moonies’ – City’s much-loved mascots, Moonchester and Moonbeam – as well as DJs playing lots of live music, and free hot / soft drinks included in ticket prices.
There’s so much for fans to get involved with at the Academy Stadium on matchday / Credit: Tom Flathers / Manchester City FC
Is it being shown on TV?
Yes it is.
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As the 2021-22 season is the first WSL campaign to have games shown on network free-to-air TV as part of a landmark broadcast deal, fans who aren’t able to make it to the game on Sunday will be able to watch it live on the BBC.
The match will be shown on both BBC Two and on BBC iPlayer.
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Featured Image – Manchester City FC
Manchester
Jane McDonald at AO Arena, Manchester – tickets, times and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
The lovely people of Manchester are ‘Living The Dream’ because Wakefield wonder-woman Jane McDonald is bringing her tour to AO Arena.
Making her British TV screen debut nearly 30 years ago on The Cruise, before joining the Loose Women panel and going on to present a whole host of travel shows including Cruising with Jane McDonald, now this Wakefield legend returns to AO Arena.
This latest tour, named after her 2026 LP Living The Dream, will see Jane singing hits from both past and present including a couple of covers too.
Earlier this year, Jane’s Mighty Hoopla performance went viral online after she commanded the stage in a red leather jacket, donning a singular rainbow hair extension while belting out RAYE’s ‘Where Is My Husband!’
Audio North even got the opportunity to interview this legendary lady when she visited her hometown HMV store in Wakefield for an exclusive album signing – Oh look, it’s me!
The Wakefield wonder-woman’s latest album Living The Dream was released in March and considering the tour is named after this impressive LP, we’re sure fans can expect to hear quite a few tracks from this album.
Living The Dream
I’ll Not Be Beaten
You Don’t Know What You Got
Don’t Mind If I Do
The Hand That Leads Me
Ain’t Gonna Beg
I Will Always Love You
Islands in the Stream
Jolene
9 to 5
You’re My World
Where Is My Husband!
Let the Light In
Cake by the Ocean
Jai Ho!
APT.
Right Where I Belong
How Do I Move On
Beautiful Soul
All By Myself
You Still Lead Me
Of course, Jane also loves to cover a tune or two, and we’ll never forget her renditions of ‘Cake By The Ocean’, ‘Jai Ho’ or ‘APT.’.
What are the stage times for Jane McDonald in Manchester?
The doors for Jane McDonald’s Living The Dream Tour in Manchester are set for 6.30pm with the event set to start at 7.30pm.
AO Arena has a curfew of 11pm meaning you have enough time to dash home and eat ‘Cake by the (Sofa)’ before ringing in the new day.
Getting to AO Arena
Tram
For those of you heading to AO Arena, luckily, it’s connected to Manchester Victoria Station, and it has an integrated Metrolink stop to make your life even easier.
Head along the pink, light blue or yellow lines directly to the Victoria stop, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Train
Considering this live entertainment venue is situated right in the middle of one of Manchester’s most frequented stations, concertgoers should find no problem getting to the arena, wherever they are.
Bus
A variety of buses cover AO Arena andVictoria Station on their route, such as the 2 bus, which stops just a one-minute walk away from the venue.
A full list of buses and their routes can be found HERE.
The Arena has its own official CitiPark, with 958 car parking spaces, including 40 Blue Badge parking bays, which can be booked in advance.
Alternatively, anyone attending a gig can park at their nearest train station and jump on a train service or the various Metrolink park and ride facilities.
Walk/cycle
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app.
Fontaines D.C. add second enormous Manchester gig in Heaton Park
Daisy Jackson
Fontaines D.C. have just announced yet another Manchester gig – and this time, they’re heading to Heaton Park.
A run of arena gigs went on sale last week, including a show at the AO Arena, but tickets sold out within minutes.
Then the Irish rockers went and announced a run of outdoor summer gigs for next year – and demand again has been so high, they’ve added a second Manchester date.
Fontaines D.C. will perform two nights Heaton Park, along with massive venues in Newcastle, Cardiff, Glasgow and London.
Their Manchester show will take over the stage at Heaton Park the weekend before next year’s Parklife festival.
The band will play Heaton Park on Saturday 3 July 2027, as well as the newly-announced date of Sunday 4 July, as part of a huge run of outdoor headline shows across the UK.
They’ll kick off the UK leg at Blackweir Fields in Cardiff on Tuesday 29 June, before heading to Newcastle’s St James’ Park on Thursday 1 July.
After Manchester, they’ll head to Glasgow Green on Tuesday 6 July, before bringing the run to a close at London Stadium on Friday 9 July.
And if that wasn’t enough, the band will also play two huge shows at Slane Castle in Ireland on 26 and 27 June.
It’s another major milestone for Fontaines D.C., who have rapidly gone from cult favourites to one of the biggest rock bands around.
The new outdoor dates come just hours after the band sold out their entire UK arena tour, including their Manchester show at the AO Arena on Saturday 21 November.
The Heaton Park show will also see Fontaines D.C. joined by two seriously big support acts, with Little Simz and Viagra Boys set to appear at every UK outdoor date.
It’s set to be a particularly busy period for the band, who are currently gearing up to release their fifth studio album, Dopamine Chamber.
The record is due to arrive on 16 October 2026 via XL Recordings, following the release of lead single Marianne.
The album follows 2024’s critically acclaimed Romance, which reached number two in the UK Albums Chart and helped propel the band even further into the mainstream.
Fontaines D.C. have also just headlined Reading & Leeds Festival, another sign of just how far they’ve come since forming in Dublin.
And now they’re preparing to take on some of the UK’s biggest outdoor stages yet.
Fontaines D.C. 2027 UK dates in full
Tuesday 29 June – Blackweir Fields, Cardiff
Thursday 1 July – St James’ Park, Newcastle
Saturday 3 July – Heaton Park, Manchester
Sunday 4 July – Heaton Park, Manchester
Tuesday 6 July – Glasgow Green, Glasgow
Friday 9 July – London Stadium, London
Tickets for the new outdoor dates go on presale at 10am on Tuesday 8 September, with general sale opening at 10am on Thursday 10 September HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
8th February 2022 
