Sport

Manchester City and Co-op Live reveal plans to upgrade and transform CityLink walking route to Etihad Stadium

The club is putting more money behind helping fans get to and from the stadium in the best way possible.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 15th February 2024

Man City and their soon-to-open neighbours Co-op Live have revealed plans to transform the existing CityLink walking route and bridge over to the Etihad Stadium.

The football club and brand-new music and entertainment venue have submitted a joint planning application to Manchester City Council to regenerate the existing route between the Holt Town tram stop and the Etihad Campus with plans to have initial works completed before Co-op Live opens in April.

Built in 2002 for the Commonwealth Games, the network hasn’t seen a significant update since but will soon provide fans not only with better alternative travel in line with City‘s environmental sustainability goals but also key upgrades to enhance the pre and post-match experience.

If/once approved, supporters can expect everything from interactive lighting installations, busking spots for performances by local musical talent, as well as pop-up food and drink stalls.

It is also said the new and improved walking route will see stewards from Co-op Live and the club staff the route before and after their respective events, along with better overall CCTV coverage.

Furthermore, in line with Co-op Live’s and Man City’s existing commitments to the wider regeneration of the local neighbourhood, an extensive clean-up of the walkway has already started with the trimming of overgrown trees and shrubs already completed, alongside improvements to directional signage.

Better still, the revitalised CityLink will also enjoy new creative visuals and artwork commissioned by Co-op Live and designed by local talent ahead of the venue’s opening, with further football and music design themes to be phased in over time.

The improvements to the walking route will be delivered in conjunction with the council, Transport for Greater Manchester and the arena’s naming rights partner, Co-op. This will also factor into the wider development of the surrounding Etihad Campus and it looks to become a ‘leading tourist destination’.

Plans approved for new ‘best-in-class’ entertainment destination at the Etihad Stadium

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Commenting on the plans to develop the walking route, Managing Director of Man City Operations, Danny Wilson, said: “Ensuring that our fans and visitors have more options for sustainable travel to and from the Etihad Campus is incredibly important as we continue to introduce new entertainment experiences to our site, and welcome more people to a growing year-round destination. 

“At the same time, in line with our ongoing and long-term commitments to the development and regeneration of our local area, we know that the upgraded ‘CityLink’ will benefit members of our local community who will now have a cleaner, brighter and safer walking route to use day in and day out.”

Gary Roden, Executive Director and General Manager at Co-op Live, added: “We are transforming the fan experience of live entertainment one step at a time.

“By investing in the regeneration of the walking route, we are providing a safe, and eco-friendly alternative to car travel and giving the local community a revitalised outdoor space that they can use all year round.” It isn’t the only recent announcement the club has made regarding improved fan travel.

A huge new bus network is being trialled to help Manchester City fans get to the Etihad on matchdays

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Featured Images — Manchester City/Arne Müseler (via Wikimedia Commons)

Sport

Matty Young returns to Salford City FC for a second season following successful loan spell

Danny Jones Danny Jones Salford City resign youth goalkeeper Matty Young

Promising goalkeeper Matty Young has returned to Salford City FC for 2025/26 for a second loan stint following a successful first year last season.

The Sunderland academy product spent the previous campaign on loan at the Peninsula Stadium, enjoying a prolific spell over the festive period, keeping half a dozen consecutive clean sheets between December at the start of January.

Still just 18 years old and impressing plenty up and down the EFL, there was plenty of interest in the boyhood Black Cat (who’s been with the club since he was seven), but with the Tyneside outfit now back in the Premier League and having recently signed two new keepers themselves, minutes looked unlikely.

With that in mind, Salford City have dipped back into the loans market this summer transfer window to secure Matty Young for another 12 months.

Announcing the re-signing on Thursday, 24 July, Salford revealed Young in a series of social media posts, including a highlight reel from his standout showcase last term.

He went on to register a total of eight shutouts in 20 league appearances, as well as another in their second-round FA Cup tie against Cheltenham, which they went on to win 2-0.

The England youngster has already represented the Three Lions at under-18, U19 and U21s level, with both Manchester City and Man United having reportedly been monitoring the growing prospect.

Speaking via the club website, he said: I think knowing what I am capable of and my ability on the pitch, I think there is more expectation now with what I can go and deliver on a match day. I have set very high expectations [for] myself to go and push on, and to be the best keeper in the league this year.

“I think the lads will be pushing for automatics this year, if not, the play-offs, so that is something that me and the team will be looking forward to, and that is the end goal at the end of the day.

“It has all come round very quickly, it feels like we only played Carlisle the other day; me and the team are very excited about that first game against Crewe [Alexandra]. Ideally, we want to come here and win, and I feel that will be the first stepping stone on this journey that we are hopefully going to have.”

The Ammies take on Crewe in the opening round of this year’s League Two competition, and the ambitious young shot-stopper – pardon the pun – will no doubt be looking to lay down the gauntlet as the outright number one as soon as possible.

However, Young isn’t the only new arrival between the sticks, as veteran keeper Mark Howard was also confirmed earlier this week.

The ex-Wrexham AFC number, who has flirted with the first-choice spot plenty before, is technically returning to the team for the second time, too.

Now 38, Howard started his career in Arsenal’s youth set-up, going on to represent 13 different clubs, including Scottish side St Mirren, Bolton Wanderers here in Greater Manchester, Blackpool, Scunthorpe and Carlisle, making at least 30 appearances for all of them.

He spent most of his time at Sheffield United from 2012-2015, playing a total of 80 times for the Blades, before joining Wrexham, where he also reached half a century of games.

It remains to be seen which of the two will push hardest for a spot in the starting XI. Here’s what Salford fans can expect/hope for more of:

Matty Young showed plenty of bright sparks at Salford City in 24/25.

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Featured Images — Salford City FC

Sport

Marcus Rashford officially unveiled as a Barcelona player after sealing blockbuster loan move

Danny Jones Danny Jones Rashford joined Barcelona

Manchester United star and England international Marcus Rashford has officially been unveiled as an FC Barcelona player after signing a new loan deal with the iconic Catalan club.

While Rashford remains a favourite among millions of Man United fans, his time at The Theatre of Dreams has been somewhat turbulent of late, to say the least, and the relationship between him and manager Ruben Amorim was such that it was made clear the lifelong Red was no longer part of his plans.

Having spent the second half of last season on loan at fellow Premier League side Aston Villa, following a fairly uncertain January transfer window, when a move to Barcelona first emerged as a possibility.

The Wythenshawe winger went on to register a combined seven goals and assists in his first half a dozen starts over in Birmingham and quickly became popular among many supporters, but it looks as though his eyes were always set on a switch to Barca.

Leaks of the Mancunian-born and bred footballer and MBE were shared online on Tuesday, 22 July, with Rashford’s arrival at the airport and snaps of him carrying out his first media photoshoot ahead of being unveiled in the famous red and blue stripes appearing on social media.

Joining the Blaugrana on loan under an initial 12-month contract, the deal is reported €14 million (approximately £12m) gross in salary plus bonuses linked to appearance clauses. It was Rashford’s significant wages that made Villa and other clubs’ pursuits challenging.

Most notably, however, the agreement is said to include an option to buy, which would see Barcelona secure Rashford on a permanent basis for an estimated fee of £26 million including add-ons.

At 27 years old and with more goals than United legends like Andy Cole, Tommy Taylor and his ex-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær – more than 30 of those coming against the ‘big six’ – plenty has been made of whether this price is a fitting representation of his value and talent when at his blistering best.

Nevertheless, it appears that his new home fans have no shortage of excitement, as it didn’t take long for street art to hit the streets of Barca; in fact, this particular mural was painted before Rashford had even officially joined, and people lined up outside the Nou Camp to watch him arrive at the hallowed stadium.

Echoing shades of Scott McTominay’s somewhat reluctant move to reigning Italian champions, Napoli, not only does Rashford’s second spell away from his boyhood club seem it could be very well be a long goodbye, but we’ve already seen a few first-team Red Devils excel after leaving Old Trafford.

For instance, Brazilian forward Antony hit the ground running after joining Real Betis on loan (with the club joking that they needed to start a “crowdfunded to keep him“), and now former fellow academy graduate Elanga has moved to his second team post-United, joining Newcastle for a hefty £55m.

Between them, they contributed to 32 goal involvements since donning a different shirt – the latter doing so in just a matter of months.

Even Jadon Sancho managed to regain some semblance of form after rejoining Chelsea on a short-term deal, scoring the penultimate goal in the Conference League final against the aforementioned Betis, though the west London outfit ultimately opted to pay a penalty to avoid their obligation to buy.

Put it this way: if this is set to be the final farewell from the now-ex-number 10 after more than two decades in Man United colours, it isn’t as simple as a fallout with the gaffer or the player just ‘wanting away’. It’s part of a larger and longer-running pattern.

His old teammate, Paul Pogba, also believes his old club are ‘losing a great player‘.

As Gary Lineker hinted at in his recent interview regarding Rashford and Barca, who was the last Englishman to join the La Liga giants nearly 40 years ago, there seems to be a running theme and “problem” over in the red half of Manchester.

Rashford will wear the number 14: the same number that retired Arsenal and legendary French footballer Thierry Henry wore when he arrived at Barcelona – a player who Marcus had made no secret of idolising growing up and mirrors much of his game on.

Do you think it’s the right decision by Rashford and/or Manchester United?

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Featured Images — FC Barcelona/Oleg Bkhambri/Voltmetro (via Wikimedia Commons)

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