With the end of the season fast approaching, we’re already looking towards the 2024/25 campaign and ready to fall in love with a whole new raft of football kits, so when we heard a special Oasis-inspired Manchester City shirt is rumoured to be on the way, our ears pricked up.
The love affair between the legendary Britpop and Man City is long-standing, with both Gallaghers and the band as a whole collaborating on everything from kit launches, adverts, documentaries and the legendary Maine Road gigs down the years, not to mention countless unofficial fashion crossovers.
If you see someone out and about wearing a bit of band merch, you’ll often see them wearing it in their beloved sky blue, but for fans of the Burnage boys and the club, it sounds like you’ll soon be able to buy an official Oasis x Man City kit.
According to reliable football fashion outlet, Footy Headlines, the treble-winners could be following up what would be a record-breaking fourth consecutive title with a limited edition Oasis-themed fourth kit for the 30th anniversary of their seminal debut album, Definitely Maybe.
— Classic Football Shirts (@classicshirts) August 6, 2016
Also reported by The Daily Star, the special kit which would be in rotation for the 24/25 season proper is said to have been designed with help from Noel Gallagher himself, who remains a massive blue and close friend of the club.
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Tunes like ‘Blue Moon Rising’ which if often sprinkled into the matchday playlist and the large cut-out of Pep Guardiola on stage at his Wythenshawe Park gig should tell you enough.
Set to be the first time City have manufactured a fourth playing kit as opposed to other one-off limited edition jerseys, the Star goes on to cite a Gallagher family source who claims that “it’s been in the works for a couple of months and Noel was absolutely chuffed to be asked.
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“He’s watched City since the 1970s and the final design is almost there. [He] once had a pop at Liam when he started his clothing line, Pretty Green, but this is entirely different. Both are mad City fans but it is Noel who was asked.” As for LG himself, he is not thought to be involved in the collab.
Sure to become an instant hit with fans and a collector’s item in the footy fashion world — we’ve already seen how well Man United’s Stone Roses crossover has turned out — you can expect these things to sell out in the blink of an eye if it comes to fruition.
You already see plenty of City and United merch across Greater Manchester on a day-to-day basis but we dare say the Oasis element would make this even more desirable to Mancs who aren’t usually as inclined to get their colours on.
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We haven’t had even a glimpse of what this potential Oasis x Man City kit might look like, we don’t think it’s a particularly bold prediction to guess it’ll be light blue, but be sure to keep your eyes peeled on Footy Headlines — they’re usually pretty accurate with this stuff.
Elsewhere for the Definitely Maybe 30th anniversary, Liam will be doing his own bit to honour the groundbreaking record by playing the tracklist in full across three huge shows.
Stockport County to introduce safe standing at Edgeley Park
Danny Jones
Stockport County will soon be introducing safe standing at Edgeley Park as part of the pending stadium development plans.
The Hatters may have just missed out on promotion to the Championship, but it’s still been an exciting few years for the club that has seen a fresh surge in young new supporters in addition to their passionate lifelong followers.
In more fantastic news for fans, County have announced that brand new safe standing sections will be installed across the ground.
Confirming the news on Wednesday, the club said: “After receiving all necessary approvals and working closely with safety authorities, we are set to install rail seating in two designated areas of the stadium.
Stockport County is thrilled to announce the introduction of safe standing areas at Edgeley Park ahead of the upcoming 2025/26 season.
Visit the club site for more details on this exciting new development ⤵️#StockportCounty
— Stockport County (@StockportCounty) May 28, 2025
As detailed on the club website, there will be two new dedicated safe-standing/rail-seated zones – one in each main stand: the back five rows of seats in the Cheadle End’s upper tier and the back two rows of the Vitality Railway End.
With Stockport Council greenlighting plans for League One side to expand their home capacity, this reconfiguration is set to accommodate a total of 849 County fans and/or supporters.
Although this all depends on final approval from the Safety Advisory Group (SAG), the aim is to deliver a “vibrant and dynamic environment for both home and away fans at Edgeley Park.”
The official statement goes on to explain that the push for safe standing is not just to provide more matchday options for those in attendance, but in hopes of further “enhancing the atmosphere and improving the overall matchday experience for those who prefer to stand.”
Couty has insisted that “The rail-seating system incorporates a barrier for every seat, ensuring that supporters are protected from a sudden surge or crowd movement.”
Safe standing is part of the larger Stockport County stadium redevelopment plans.
Addressing early concerns in a ‘What This Means for You’ section, they go on to add: “Season ticket holders currently in the affected rows will be contacted directly by the Club over the coming weeks with details on their options, including relocating to a seated area if they prefer not to stand.
“Information regarding new season tickets and matchday tickets in the safe standing areas will be released in due course.
“We believe this is another significant step forward for Stockport County and will further enhance the already incredible atmosphere at Edgeley Park. We look forward to seeing and hearing the renewed energy in these new sections.”
The safe standing plan is set to be introduced for the upcoming 2025/26 season, with the administration hoping to make this their last in the third tier. Do you see them going up next year?
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Press Shot (via SCFC)
Sport
Rio Ferdinand is stepping away from TNT Sports after more than a decade
Danny Jones
Manchester United legend and ex-England international Rio Ferdinand has announced he will be stepping away from TNT Sports, leaving more than a decade with the broadcaster.
Ferdinand has spent the best part of the last 10 years serving as a leading pundit and analyst, as well as hosting his own ‘Rio Meets’ online series – the interview format of which has been replicated on his YouTube channel.
However, after having been one of their main anchors both under the BT Sport and even more so since the inception of the rebranded TNT Sports Football umbrella, the 46-year-old has confirmed he has now quit their regular coverage following the Champions League final this weekend.
In a lengthy statement on social media, the ex-Man United defender, who also played for Leeds, West Ham, Bournemouth and QPR, described it as a “difficult decision.”
Taking time to thank the network for their “tremendous support” over the years, especially those “behind the scenes, whose work often goes unseen but has been essential to our success.”
The talented centre-back retired in May 2015 after more than 500 appearances and 81 national team caps, making an almost immediate switch into punditry and remaining a household name.
Rio has also remained a popular figure at Old Trafford and, indeed, across various parts of Manchester since leaving United in 2014.
For instance, his self-titled Foundation has carried out some truly transformational local outreach across various boroughs, as it has back in his home city of London.
Responding to the news, TNT Sports said nothing more than “Thanks for everything, Rio”; meanwhile, fellow former Red, Danny Simpson (who retired last year and also works as a pundit/presenter for MUTV) added: “You’re going to be missed, bro. Every time you’re on, you give us all the mad insight.”
However, he has promised he will remain in the media industry, continuing to work under the Rio Ferdinand Presents digital brand and pursuing “other business interests”.
With his ‘Rio Reacts’ and ‘Vibe with FIVE’ series regularly raking in millions of views, he might not be on the box during European nights but you’ll still be seeing plenty of him.
Danny Jones -
7th March 2024 
