One of the best parts about Manchester is that it embracespeople from all walks of life. It doesn’t matter your race, colour, creed; sexuality or gender — as long as you’re sound, you’re welcome.
That being said, another big part of what makes this city so special is its rich sporting history and culture, something that continues to run throughout the fabric of communities across Greater Manchester to this day – football, in particular. We love kicking a ball around.
Now, thanks to Manchester Laces – founded in 2021 – people who identify as non-binary/gender-neutral have the perfect place to keep fit, make new friends and enjoy a kickabout.
Starting just over 18 months ago, Manchester Laces now boasts more than 500 participants, many of which are regular members of the five squads set up by the region’s first-ever inclusive women’s and non-binary football team. Quality.
Furthermore, the LGBTQ+ inclusive team set up their own AF (Alternative Football) League, based out of Whalley Range Sports Centre and Cheetwood Sports in Cheetham Hill and playing games all across 0161.
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Set up by Manchester Laces founder Helen Hardy, 40-50-minute games are played at the two venues most Wednesdays from 6-9pm, with matches varying from five and six to seven and 11-a-side.
The team also competes in divisions two and three of the Greater Manchester Women’s Football League, as well as offering pay-as-you-go sessions on Mondays, training at Platt Lane Sports Complex on Thursdays and various games throughout the week thanks to the FA’s Flexi League.
— Manchester Laces 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ (@ManchesterLaces) October 2, 2022
The success of the club over the past year or so has been incredible, securing sponsors from the likes of the Stadio podcast and global scientific materials manufacturers Avery Dennison for this year.
They couldn’t have topped their meteoric rise any better either, as they also recently went on to win the award for the 2022 National Grassroots Club of the Year. Fully deserved.
As well as appearing on billboards around the city and surrounding communities, their kits for this season are now on show in the National Football Museum, with the Manchester sporting institution recognising the club’s immense dedication towards championing women in football and equality for all.
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You can see visit the ‘Crossing the Line’ exhibition at the museum right now and see how they have recognised the inclusive, community-focused club’s contribution to women’s football and British sport as a whole.
It was a pleasure to welcome some of the @ManchesterLaces squad to the museum yesterday, seeing their contribution to the game reflected in our Crossing the Line exhibition. 🏳️🌈
There is also the South London Laces team, set up in 2016, with both delegations doing their bit to provide a safe, friendly and conducive community space for those looking to keep active and make friends through football.
In fact, the Laces Community Club is made up of four teams total: Limehouse, South London, Manchester and, of course, the Hackney Laces – the original club set up in 2011 by Canadian-born footy coach, Katee Hui, who kicked this whole thing off.
It’s here, and it’s absolute 🔥
Introducing our new Away kit, modelled by your very own South London Laces players. 🤩
The kit is available for pre-order for anyone and everyone through @wearefoudys – follow the link in our bio. Run, don’t walk! You don’t want to miss out. pic.twitter.com/cx2wDD6A5b
With Manchester the first Laces outfit to be established outside of the capital, the organisation now supports nearly 1,000 girls, women and non-binary individuals across the UK. You love to see it.
Moreover, in a year where the footballing narrative is already dominated by a controversial World Cup held in a country that persecutes the LGBTQ+ community and suppresses human rights in general, it’s heartwarming to hear the positive stories of all kinds of people being made to feel welcome.
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Taking in players of all ages and abilities, Manchester Laces and the wider Laces Community is about putting fun first and providing an outlet for people who, sadly, are often marginalised from certain groups and activities like sport, to build a stronger social network of like-minded peers.
Lastly, in a year where we celebrated the Lionesses lifting England’s first trophy in over 50 years, their support for women in sport from amateur level all the way up to professional is admirable, and is no doubt helping garner further interest in female football and its already growing audience.
If you’re interested in giving Manchester Laces a try, you can find out more about how to get involved HERE and you can also help combat inequality by signing their petition for the FA to update their rules on transgender and mixed-gender players.
Louder for those at the back: football is for everyone.
Oasis and adidas drop yet more new merch in the Live ’25 collection
Danny Jones
The Oasis and adidas love affair isn’t over just yet; it isn’t going anywhere, as the legendary Manc band group and global sports apparel franchise are releasing another batch of merch as part of the smash-hit Live ’25 collection.
After shirts, shoes, jackets and bucket hats galore sold out all over the world, adidas is now toasting not only the end of the reunion world tour but “the year that was Oasis” with a second drop in the already iconic crossover.
If you passed through Manchester at all during their Heaton Park homecoming run, you will have no doubt seen countless examples of the ‘adidas Originals x Oasis’ football shirt collaboration alone, not to mention several other bits of fashion in the official Live ’25 fashion line.
Now, just in time for Christmas, there’s a whole new set being introduced into the range of casual wear.
Simply titled ‘Oasis Live ‘25 Drop 2’, the latest additions to the adidas Originals collection are releasing next month and, obviously, will be sold in stores and online.
While the pop-up stores that opened up here in the city centre all over have now shut up shop, Greater Manchester’s adidas locations on Market Street – which turned into an Oasis fan paradise this past summer – and Pear Mill in Stockport will still be stocking the various bits of Britpop clobber.
Although the most recent items will be exclusively available domestically for now, they will be rolled out overseas in 2026.
Considering how quickly most of it sold out last time, you can guarantee most of the options to fly off the shelves just as fast here in the UK.
Honestly, we’ve only just managed to get our hands on the standard black ‘jacquard jersey’.
As you can see, a good chunk of the second drop is that same footy shirt in different colours and other tees in different lengths/variations.
Scheduled to launch on Friday, 12 December, the ‘Oasis x adidas Originals Live ‘25 Drop 2’ will go on sale at 9am sharpish, so you’d best get ready for a scrap in that digital queue.
Naturally, fans, fashionistas and collectors can expect virtually identical costs for the majority of pieces (and buying in-person will obviously help keep the cost down), though it does look like some price points have been adjusted.
As for the Live ’25 tour itself, now that the dust has settled on the ‘Oasis Mania‘ take two, Liam himself has taken to social media to express his gratitude in the most Gallagher way possible…
Sale Sharks sign Joe Marchant in positive boost for England rugby
Danny Jones
An impending rugby union returnee is simultaneously set to bring a positive boost to Steve Borthwick, too, as Joe Marchant has officially signed for Sale Sharks.
Not only will be a welcome restoration to the Gallagher Premiership but England as well, with Marchant’s domestic comeback once again making him available for international fixtures.
The former Harlequins centre has been playing in the French top 14 since after the 2023 Rugby World Cup (RWC), making over a half century of appearances for third-placed Stade Francais, but now he’s on his way back across the Channel on a deal until 2029.
Set to officially move to Greater Manchester and join Sale Sharks for the start of next season, Marchant – who made over 150 appearances for the Quins and shone as one of the stars in their 2021 Prem final win over Exeter – Marchant clearly wanted to put himself in contention for the 2027 RWC.
Nevertheless, there were numerous sides who emerged as suitors in the pursuit of the 29-year-old, but it was the Sharks who have ultimately won the race for his signature.
Addressing the supporters in an official club statement, Joe said: “When I spoke to [head coach] Alex Sanderson he explained the direction he wants to take the club and the ambition he has. It’s a club that wants to win trophies and I’d love to be a part of that.
“Sale have always been a tough team to play against, so I’m really looking forward being a part of that next season. There are a lot of lads at the club who I’ve played and trained with for England and it’ll be great to play with them again.
“They have some of the best players in the country and I can’t wait to play with them. I’d love to get back in the mix for England but I know that first I have to get back into the flow of the Prem and put in some good performances for Sale.”
The Winchester-born outside-centric midfielder, who is often deployed as a winger, represented his country at the last tournament and has 26 caps to his name, but his move to Europe meant that he was ineligible for selection until now.
Now clearly aiming to increase that tally as he approaches the end of his so-called ‘prime years’, he’ll prove to be a great bit of added strength in depth as Borthwick continues to oversee a great era for talent in the national pool. England fans can hopefully look forward to more impressive drives like this:
Sanderson went on to add: “Joe is a world class player. He’s got aspirations to play in the next World Cup and to do that he needs to play for a team that’s competing for the Prem. He believes that’s us.
“He’s got X-Factor on both sides of the ball and in the air. He’s got real gas and if we find him in that outside channels he’ll make something happen. But his ability to read the game defensively is just as impressive.
“He’s excited about playing outside George Ford. He’s some player and we can’t wait to get him here.”
Meanwhile, over in rugby league, the full list of fixtures and dates for the highly anticipated 2026 ‘Rivals Round’ have now been revealed.
Danny Jones -
28th October 2022 
