Man United have officially revealed their third kit for the 2023/24 season and beyond the reaction to the shirt itself, fans have been lapping up the announcement video — namely because it stars Roy Keane, giant versions of players and a reference to the infamous ‘prawn sandwich brigade’.
Unveiled on Tuesday, 8 August following a teaser released the day prior featuring the club legend which quickly got everyone talking, United‘s third kit reveal video is probably one of the most interesting things they’ve done in a while, albeit a bit… different?
We would’ve liked a ‘do me a favour’ thrown in there, but you can’t have everything.
As you can see, although there are plenty of more straightforward and stereotypical shots of the players donning the shirt, there are also clips of Keane walking around the pitch as a storm brews above, using Jedi-like powers to grab a pen using the force and a giant Casemiro looming large over Old Trafford.
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As you do.
While some of the moments are genuinely quite compelling — the whole concept revolving around the identity of being a Red Devil and the fact that people are born into supporting the club — it feels a bit jarring to go from a topless Marcus Rashford to an ultrasound of a scan of a baby United fan.
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And then there’s the pièce de résistance, which aside from getting the notoriously grumpy and no-nonsense ex-midfielder to not only promote the ex-employers he’s been critical of for so many years but to do a bit of acting, is undoubtedly the reference to one of his most famous moments in a United shirt.
Roy Keane’s iconic ‘prawn sandwich brigade’ speech in full.
In the legendary interview, Keane took aim at the casual fans and glory hunters who began following the Reds during their most successful years, inadvertently dubbing them the ‘prawn sandwich brigade‘ — a phrase which has been used to describe out-of-towners travelling to the game for decades now.
Moreover, it’s also been used by the likes of Manchester City fans to poke fun at the Old Trafford faithful and the club’s larger fan base: the joke being ‘all United fans are from London’ and prefer the luxuries of hospitality boxes to actually watching the game from the stands etc.
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While the term itself has kind of gone on to encompass casual fans, in general (somewhat similar to ‘armchair supporters’), Man United have struggled to shrug off the negative association ever since. With that in mind, the marketing team clearly thought they might as well lean into it – to great effect, we might add. It made us chuckle, anyway.
Nevertheless, it’s still far from the cut-and-paste kind of kit reveal with lots of flashing lights and too many obscure close-ups, and the shirt itself looks to be a bit of a classic judging by the reaction from the fans. They even got Keano to smile, somehow.
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 -
8th August 2023 
