We are over the moon to announce that the much-loved Manchester Remembers charity football match is back for 2024 and The Manc have once again been proudly chosen as media partners.
Now into its third year, the celebrity-driven charity game which honours those lost in the 2017 Manchester Arena attacks tragedy and raises money for their families and charities set up in their name, is one of the most heartwarming events of the entire calendar.
Returning to Oldham Athletic‘s Boundary Park for the second year, with the club welcoming the Manchester Remembers teams with arms wide opens as the hosts for the very first time in 2023, this year’s fixtures is scheduled for Sunday, 28 July and we already know it is going to be a wonderful day.
Set up by Oldham lads Paul Corrigan and former police officer turned firefighter Aaron Lee, who was a first responder on the night of the attack, these two proud Mancs — along with the help of many other passionate volunteers who hold the cause close to their hearts — have created something truly special.
Last year’s event saw so many famous faces taking part, from the likes of Rick Hatton, Jason Manford, ex-Premier League stars Danny Simpson and Wes Brown, to soap stars Jay Kontzle and Danny Miller, local chef Simon Wood and comedian Lloyd Griffiths, the lineup drew huge crowds into the stadium.
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Even old football legends like Peter Reid took a break from management to pull on their boots for a spell and it was a huge success, serving not only as an inspiring community-driven occassion for locals but something people from all over the region and beyond could rally around, we couldn’t be prouder.
With live music before kick-off and during half-time, not to mention plenty more planned to keep people entertained throughout the day, the 2024 Manchester Remembers charity match is a real family-friendly event and, hopefully, we’ll get a perfect sunny day to boot.
The Manc team will, of course, be attending on the day and sharing more info as and when we have it — as well as hosting the livestream of the match on our Facebook page, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled in lead up to July.
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You can grab tickets HERE and we hope to see you there!
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Manchester Remembers
Sport
Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
Sport
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
Danny Jones -
18th January 2024 
