With derby day approaching, Manchester United and City fans are making their arrangements big fixture and while local Mancunians should be fine, people travelling from elsewhere look to be in a bit of bother.
More specifically, United and City fans living in London (yes, we know the joke) will have some trouble making their way up for the game if they’re travelling by public transport due to the ongoing rail strikes.
Sports writer Barney Ronay shared an exasperated tweet explaining how there are seemingly “no trains to Manchester from London for City v United this Sunday”, arguing that the overall “fan experience is so terrible now some are having to give up”.
Being in the stadium, the most valuable part of football has already been seriously degraded by prices, VAR, stupid scheduling for TV. Dealing with rail franchises (Avanti: a wretched example) pushes this over into a kind of masochism
He goes on to identify this as symptomatic of the “horrendous state of infrastructure killing away days” and even went so far as to diagnose the modern matchday as almost “masochistic”.
Plenty of fans who travel to see their respective clubs echoed his thoughts, commenting that the regular drama of “changed dates/hotels not refunding etc it is becoming too expensive for many” and that even outside of reasonable strike action, matchday services are difficult to plan around.
It is severely affecting away days. Supporting Altrincham in the National League, 14 clubs in the South. No trains due to industrial action is fair enough but outside of that its still really hard work to sort out & not financially viable for many to buy walk up off peak tickets.
Many of those commenting on the thread also clarified that despite tickets being displayed as ‘sold out’ or ‘unavailable’ online, this often isn’t true and it’s more a case of there being no seats left to reserve.
However, just as many were quick to respond that this offers little help to those who need to have a reliable plan for commuting back and forth, even more so when it comes to midweek games or those scheduled on a Sunday like this week’s Manchester derby.
Hard to do that if you have to plan a way back from Manchester late on a Sunday night, work next morning, and you see this for the whole way there and back pic.twitter.com/kzP1xTJtpK
Moreover, others rightly noted that very few people are in a financial position where they are able to buy an expensive face-value ticket on the day on the half-chance they might be able to squeeze onto a packed train and stand for more than two hours.
As was to be expected, plenty of people also took to ridiculing the tweet and the two clubs, advising to simply “support your local team” and so on. It was also pointed out that a United fan travelling to the match from London, for instance, isn’t exactly what most fans would dub an ‘away day’.
Not just premier league. All clubs everywhere. The trains are shit whoever you support
Nevertheless, even those travelling on ‘proper’ away days couldn’t help but agree with the overarching point, with many citing that they regularly spend upwards of £100-150 just getting to their destination.
Any travelling football fan will know – especially those coming to and from London – it’s an expensive habit this football lark and even after you make it to wherever the game is that day, you’re still forking out more for food, drink and perhaps even additional transport to the ground.
Beyond those strictly hoping to catch the Manchester derby, most seem to agree with the strikes and suggested that more needs to be done to combat “the government’s assault on living standards, terms and conditions, pensions” which are subsequently impacting matchday travel year-round.
As for those still looking to try and make the journey into Manchester for derby day, the likes of Avanti West Coast are releasing their train schedule later today (Thursday).
A huge Hot Wheels monster truck event is coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
A massive Hot Wheels-themed monster truck event is coming to Manchester city centre as part of a brand new UK tour.
You can file this under one for the kids and for the big kids.
Following the success of the brand’s award-winning ‘Glow-N-Fire’ event earlier this year, Hot Wheels is hitting the road once again and bringing the explosive show to yet more domestic audiences.
Whether you’re a monster truck enthusiast, part of the wider motorhead masses, or simply looking for something fun to do with the little ones, you should be all over this.
Credit: Pres shots (supplied)
What is Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live: Glow-N-Fire?
Produced by Family Entertainment Live, Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live™ sees versions of the genuine collectable toys brought to life on the biggest scale possible.
Remember that old miniature car you had that looked like a shark? Yep, they’ve even got that.
But there’s much more than just colossally large vehicles; as well as the debut of an all-new truck called the ‘Rhinomite’ – the dynamite Rhino-themed truck which charges horn-first into challenges and looks to destroy the competition – the new and improved experience will feature never-before-seen stunts.
Performed not only by the Hot Wheels Monster Trucks drivers, but also by a talented roster of FMX (freestyle motocross), you can expect the likes of no-handed front flips and much more by these impressive professionals.
Returning not only to the capital but now Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Leeds too, more and more Brits are going to be able to see the action for themselves.
Credit: Supplied
Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live – UK tour dates
Saturday to Sunday, 3-4 January 2026: AO Arena, Manchester
Sat-Sun, 10-11 January: The O2 Arena, London
Sat-Sun, 28-29 March: First Direct Bank Arena, Leeds
Sat-Sun, 4-5 April: M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool
Sat-Sun, 11-12 April: Utilita Arena, Birmingham
With special children’s pricing, VIP packages and even the chance to participate in the official pre-show party, held two and a half hours prior to every performance, there really is so much value-for-money to be soaked up from this high-octane piece of live entertainment at the AO Arena.
The pre-show party, specifically, gives fans a unique opportunity to access the arena floor where they can get up close and personal with the outrageous Hot Wheels designs and the truly epic size of a minster struck, as well as grab autographs and selfies with their favourites.
Hot Wheels Monster Trucks – Manchester tickets
Glow-N-Fire won the most recent Pollstar ‘Family Show of the Year’ award and has sold thousands of tickets this year alone, so it goes without saying that you have every reason to give this one a go.
Tickets for next year’s Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live show at the AO Arena in Manchester go on sale this Friday, 5 September at 10am.
Manchester United are reportedly set to snap up Jess Park from rivals Man City
Danny Jones
Summer signing drama might be over for the men, but not for Manchester as a whole, as Man United are reportedly set to snap up Jess Park from close rivals Man City.
Being two of the clubs not only with one of the fiercest rivalries but that have been among the closest to pushing serial Women’s Super League winners Chelsea to the title in recent years, it seems surprising that there’d be a willingness for the two increasingly competitive teams to negotiate over talent.
Nevertheless, there seems to be more and more concrete talk of midfielder Jess Park moving from the blue half of Manchester to the red, as Man United have grown increasingly keen on the 23-year-old.
A fan favourite at the Joie, Park has been with MCWFC for eight years, making her debut for the club at the age of just 16, but did spend 2022/23 on loan at Everton. With that in mind, her next spell away from Man City could very well be a permanent one.
With a debut goal on her Lionesses debut and strikes like the screamer against Palace in the locker, supporters won’t want to see her go.
A creative outlet for both Man City and England, Park has scored 20 times and registered 17 assists, only increasing her goal contributions each season.
It is this, as well as her overall ability in the middle of the park, that has seen Director of Women’s Football at Manchester United, Matt Johnson, and INEOS decide to pursue the neighbouring player.
As you can see, not only are there plenty of City fans praying that the young international doesn’t depart, but not everyone is entirely convinced by the move over at United, either – especially if a swap deal were to somehow materialise.
Loding Clinton would be so bad. She was growing within the shirt towards the back end of last season, she can easily become a key player here
But when there's no ambition from the top, the coach cannot manage flies let alone people. Then losing a star is inevitable sadly
Online broadcaster and women’s football commentator, Mina Ibrahim, went on to add: “If Man City and Man United do a swap for Jess Park and Grace Clinton, who wins the deal?
“Hasegawa and Clinton midfield is a guarantee. I don’t imagine Park being a starter under the [manager] despite the fact [that] she should be. Why does this feel like a panicked, Deadline Day move?”
What about you, Reds and Blues – how do you feel about Jess Park seemingly leaving Man City for Man United, and what do you make of Grace Clinton possibly going the other way?
Danny Jones -
29th September 2022 
