Sport

Five things we noticed at Manchester United vs Celtic Legends game at Old Trafford

Less match report, more recognition of a wonderful day for the greater good.

Harry Quick Harry Quick - 9th September 2024

Over 33,000 fans welcomed a star-studded lineup of legends to the Theatre of Dreams with Wayne Rooney, Dimitar Berbatov and Paul Scholes all back donning United red in aid of the Manchester United Foundation.

United’s squad were to entertain a Celtic XI featuring Stylian Petrov and former Manchester City man Georgios Samaras. The match ended 1-1 after 90 minutes before the visitors prevailed in a 5-4 win on penalties.

The United legends were on top for large portions of the game, but if ever the men in green and white stripes were up against it, they certainly had a 12th man to boost their motivation.

Here’s what we took away from the wholesome day of charity football.

Five things we learned from the Man United vs Celtic Legends game

Celtic fans travel in force for the United Legends game

The Glaswegian side has followers around the world and the ‘Green Wall’ were in good voice in the away corner of Old Trafford. It was difficult to avoid the shamrock of the hoops on the ride up to the ground, which seemed to be an almost 50/50 colour split on the walk up along Sir Matt Busby Way.

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The reason could lie in Manchester’s large Irish community showing support for their second favourite club, behind the Reds, of course.

They were a constant presence until the final whistle, receiving the result they deserved as Darren O’Dea slotted the winning penalty in the shootout – with a compulsory belly slide celebration to boot.

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Carrick and Fletcher have still got it

Amidst Man United’s current midfield woes, the match on Saturday confirmed that the partnership of Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher still works in 2024. The midfield pairing dictated proceedings with their usual calm and control which never left the duo despite being on the wrong side of 40 years old.

As the match went on and the pace of the game gradually diminished, I couldn’t help but wonder whether my Sunday side could give these old boys a game.

A sequence of one-touch passes and neat flicks around the corner between the pair followed by a meandering run into the box by Carrick quickly put all my questions to bed. They are five-time Premier League winners for crying out loud, we’ll just stick to the local park.

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No such thing as a friendly

Even for a charity match, there is no love lost between ex-professionals. Their bodies might be ageing but the passion for a meaty tackle evidently never goes away.

For the Reds, Phil Bardsley and Fletcher couldn’t help but get stuck in whilst Celtic’s Joe Ledley and Charlie Mulgrew were the main culprits to never shirk a 50/50.

The Celtic boys were flying in around the box, which helped give us the moment of the game – a Wayne Rooney free-kick into the top corner from 25 yards. Textbook.

Rooney never lets you down

If it was ever in doubt, Wazza’s class is permanent. He may be a far cry from the 18-year-old who would go on to score over 250 goals for the Red Devils but he rolled back the years with a pearler of a strike.

After a previous attempt from a dead ball which struck the wall, the former England man obliged with his next attempt. He was hardly going to let the Old Trafford faithful leave without another iconic finish.

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The goal just before the halftime break drew the entire stadium to its feet, including a rightful applause from the travelling support. The second biggest roar came during his departing substitution for Paul Scholes – a fitting tribute to mark the return of arguably United’s best ever.

More than just a game

With the first team action on hold due to the international break, this was the perfect replacement of footballing action for an unbelievable cause.

The match against Celtic generated almost £1 million in revenue, which will help to support the Manchester United Foundation’s work with young people in Greater Manchester and other outreach areas in the UK.

United Foundation Chief Executive John Shiels said: “We’d like to thank our fantastic team of legends for playing so brilliantly in the name of charity.”

“We are incredibly thankful to Manchester United fans for supporting our work all year round, but especially so today, when the price of their ticket goes back into our work supporting young people.”

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The United vs Celtic Legends produced a wonderful atmosphere (Credit: The Manc Group/MUFC via supplied)

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The United vs Celtic Legends game was just the latest in the club’s regular programme of exhibition matches for a good cause among a variety of other annual fundraising activities.

The Foundation delivers community outreach and educational programmes to encourage young people to make more positive life choices across the 10 boroughs all year round.

What better way to connect to our community than through the beautiful game?

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

Featured Images — Manchester United (supplied)

Sport

Viral luxury activewear brand Alo Yoga to open new Manchester city centre store

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Alo Yoga

A premium fashion and lifestyle brand renowned for its luxury activewear is set to open its first UK store outside of London.

That’s right, Alo is coming to Manchester.

Founded in Los Angeles back in 2007, and making a splash on social media and growing in popularity ever since, Alo is a favourite among wellness enthusiasts and celebrities alike thanks to offering a curated collection of elevated performance and lifestyle apparel for all genders, aiming to blend the best of technical excellence with contemporary fashion.

Designed to inspire ‘mindful movement’ and ‘modern living’, the brand has a strong commitment to mind-body wellness, and even likes to call its stores sanctuaries.

Alo already has a selection of stores in London, but its move to Manchester marks the first time the brand has ventured outside of the capital to elsewhere in the UK, and has chosen to open doors at the Manchester Arndale complex, on the ever-popular New Cathedral Street.

Alo Yoga
Alo Yoga
Alo Yoga is opening its first UK store outside of London here in Manchester / Credit: Alo Yoga (Publicity Picture)

Recognised as the home of luxury brands in Manchester – with retailers such as Harvey Nichols, Hugo Boss, and Ralph Lauren already stationed there – Alo is the latest retailer to select New Cathedral Street for its first location in the city.

Alo joins the recently-announced arrivals of Arc’teryx and Represent – the latter of which opened to huge success last October – after signing a 10-year lease.

Asset managers also say Alo’s arrival showcases just how much Manchester has become a ‘magnet’ for fast-growing brands that are keen to access a premium shopper audience.

The luxury activewear and lifestyle brand is moving into New Cathedral Street / Credit: Alo Yoga (Publicity Picture)

“Alo Yoga is a fantastic addition to our retail mix,” commented Scott Linard, who is the Portfolio Director for joint asset managers M&G Real Estate.

“We’re proud to support the growth of innovative brands like Alo Yoga who are seeking high-quality, well-located space to connect with new audiences, and their arrival highlights the strength and diversity of Manchester’s retail offer.”

Steve Gray, who is the Head of European Retail Asset Management at Global Mutual, added: “Welcoming Alo Yoga to New Cathedral Street underlines its reputation as one of the UK’s premium retail destinations.”

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No opening date for Alo Yoga in Manchester has been announced yet, so interested shoppers will need to keep their eyes peeled.

Featured Image – Alo Yoga (Press Pictures)

Sport

Ex-Manchester United player Brandon Williams issues public statement following sentencing

Danny Jones Danny Jones Brandon Williams prison statement dangerous driving

Former Manchester United youngster Brandon Williams and his legal team have issued a statement following his recent sentencing over dangerous driving charges.

The Crumpsall-born defender left the club last year after being released following a 14-year stint in Red, graduating from Man United’s academy and making a number of first-team appearances before being sent out on a pair of loan spells.

After representing Norwich City 26 times and then making just 15 appearances for former youth coach Kieran McKenna‘s Ipswich Town, he hasn’t played professional football for more than 17 months.

Williams was officially given a 14-month prison sentence this past Friday, 23 May, but the term has been suspended for two years, and now Brandon himself has responded following the decision.

The free agent pleaded guilty to driving dangerously earlier this month after it was found had been driving at speeds of up to 99mph in a 70 zone prior to crashing his Audi A3.

Issuing a statement to The Manc via his lawyers at Blackfords LLP, he said: “I would like to thank my legal team headed by Richard Littler KC and Philip Williams of Blackfords LLP for establishing that I was not under the influence of any substance at the time of the accident.

“I have always accepted that my driving that day fell below the standard that is expected of me. It was never my intention to cause injury to anyone, but I am responsible for the standard of my driving. I make no excuses. I have learnt from this experience and will ensure there is no repetition.

“I wish to apologise again to those who were involved in the accident. Now that the case has concluded, I look forward to resuming my career with a new team later this year.”

Despite Chester Crown Court hearing that he and his female passenger at the time “appeared to have yellow balloons in their mouth” – typically associated with imbibing nitrous oxide a.k.a. ‘laughing gas’ – Williams has maintained that he was sober during the incident throughout the investigation.

The crash, which occurred on the A34 near Handforth in Cheshire back in August 2023, saw the left-back collide with a Ford Fiesta after a female motorist travelling behind him on the dual carriageway around 6pm claimed he seemed out of control of the vehicle. Both cars were heavily damaged.

While Williams will be avoiding jail time, his suspended prison sentence has not only seen him banned from driving for three years but will also see him have to complete 180 hours of community service.

In addition to the collision itself, Williams racked up a total of 30 points on his license for multiple offences, including twice failing to declare who was driving, operating a vehicle without third-party insurance, and now this latest development, having already paid a £1,000 fine in May 2024.

The 24-year-old has since spoken out about the incident in brief detail with Ben Foster (a fellow former United player) on his podcast.

Brandon Williams’ most recent statement isn’t the first time he’s touched upon the incident.

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

Featured Images — Ardfern (via WikiCommons)/Instagram/ Fozcast (screenshot via YouTube)

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