Man City’s treble parade was always going to be an unforgettable one, but our wonderful city also chose to welcome back the boys in blue in the only way it knows how: with a heavy downpour of rain as thunderstorms spread across the region.
Nevertheless, the thunder, lightning and torrential showers didn’t bother the City fans one bit, as thousands lined the streets of Manchester from Deansgate all the way to St Peter’s Square and while plenty had the good sense to bring anoraks, ponchos and umbrellas, others just had their kits on.
Some didn’t have a shirt on whatsoever — after all, it was a title parade in British summertime.
Even though the parade start itself had to be pushed back to around 7pm, with police, stewards and police horses escorting the open-top bus back underneath a bridge to keep out of the storm, the Cityzens weren’t going anywhere. Once it got going, it was like no one even noticed the weather.
If you look closely, you can the cameraman get sprayed in the eye with champagne by Ederson.
If anything, the weather only seemed to get heavier again once the open-top bus began rolling but, as you can clearly see, there wasn’t a single soul who was letting the weather put them off.
ADVERTISEMENT
Seeing everything from mums with little kids in prams and old boys who’ve been going to the game for decades, to people with their faces painted in full City colours and others wearing Haaland wigs, the fans were in strong spirit throughout.
As the treble parade bus drove further along Deansgate and towards the centre of town, the rows of City fans lining the streets let off flares and waved their sky blue flags as they chanted and sang along with the team — pretty sure there were at least 50 choruses of ‘Johnny, Johnny Stones…’
ADVERTISEMENT
Here’s how it looked from a rooftop not far from Spinningfields:
As for those who gathered near the stage, people had been sprinting through the rain like they were in the middle of a counter-attack to get a spot as close to the front as they could.
Situated just before St Peters Square at the intersection around Oxford Road, Portland Street and Peter Street, a big blue stage fit for a bald king, his council and their three shiny new crown jewels sat waiting for them to arrive.
ADVERTISEMENT
First dubbed ‘Centurions’ and now Treble Winners, Pep Guardiola and this Man City squad have become heroes amongst the blue half of Manchester, so it’s no wonder supporters did whatever they could to get a glimpse of them in all their glory.
Fans legging it to get to the frontThat’s not how you use a bus stop…The crowd packed out quickly as the bus arrivedThat’s a Manchester sky if we’ve ever seen one
As for the aftermath, there was always going to be rubbish, confetti and the rest of it after a big city centre celebration, but we didn’t expect to see a bus stop completely destroyed. Regardless, we’re glad to see that the majority has been cleaned up this morning.
To be honest, whatever ‘carnage’ was left behind following the parade will no doubt pale in comparison to whatever Jack Grealish got up to last night, let alone the rest of the City squad.
We’ll leave you with a few lasting images. Congrats again, Blues.
Be part of the biggest Great Manchester Run ever
Danny Jones
Runners and regular Mancs alike, start lacing up your trainers and sorting safety pins early, because the Great Manchester Run is back for 2026, and you can be part of it.
With sign-ups flying and bibs selling out fast, we really recommend getting a move on and booking your place now to make sure you’re part of what is, without fail, not just one of the most exciting dates on the local sporting calendar, but always a great day for the city in general.
Returning for its 23rd edition and fourth year being backed by principal sponsors, AJ Bell, we can assure it’ll be as well-attended as ever.
In fact, judging by the numbers already and the increasing crowds of spectators every year, this is looking on course to be the biggest Great Manchester Run to date.
The only question is, are you going to help make it the BEST yet by joining the thousands of others already finding the perfect spot to hang their shiny new medal?
Half-marathon, 10k, junior and mini races
As ever, the Great MCR Run isn’t just limited to one event: there are multiple distances, routes and age groups that can race the route in and around the city centre.
Whether you’re a seasoned runner looking to get in a PB, looking to box off your first half, love a 10, or you’re a youngster looking to get in on the action and soak up some of that glory on the day
So, whether you’re a seasoned runner looking to get in a PB, looking to box off your first half, love a 10, or you’re a youngster looking to get in on the action and soak up some of that glory on the day, there really is fun for all ages.
In all seriousness, even watching the massive metropolitan event stood next to the roads with homemade signs promises plenty of atmosphere, but with fancy dress galore, various different activations in the middle of the city, there’s not a chance you’ll get bored.
Even in the years we’ve missed out on running it ourselves (it sold well in advance last year, for instance), the pure buzz we got from joining countless other Mancs cheering from the pavement is enough to keep us coming back time and time again.
All that being said, if you’re looking to sort the perfect Christmas present for a runner, or simply need more reason to give yourself the kick up the backside you’ve been waiting for and just put your name down, this is it.
Besides the full annual marathon in April, running events simply don’t get bigger in this region than this one, so don’t miss out.
Sign up for the 2026 Great Manchester Run right HERE.
Featured Images — Great Run Company/AJ Bell (supplied)
Sport
Wigan Warriors finally reveal next season’s kits following update on delayed release
Danny Jones
Wigan Warriors have now officially revealed their new shirts for next season, following a much-anticipated update regarding the 2026 kits, the release of which had been delayed.
The Greater Manchester club lost this year’s Grand Final but still had a strong season, and with another local outfit having been relegated from the division, they are one of just two teams from the region competing for the title in the upcoming campaign.
However, supporters were fretting that they might not be able to get their new threads until after Christmas due to the launch of the latest merchandise being postponed.
Thankfully, this week, the club not only informed fans that things are getting back on schedule but also officially revealed the Wigan Warriors home and away shirt strips for the 30th anniversary edition of the Super League on Tuesday afternoon.
As you can see, the nearby rugby outfit is staying with Kappa as their manufacturer and, as ever, is sticking with the deep red, white and black colour combos across both jerseys.
Branding the home shirt as the ‘Loyal’ fit and the away one as their ‘Rebel’ version, the kits both feature horizontal stripes and other geometrical variations.
Most notably, Warriors now have a positive update on the status of the kits’ full launch, even if they don’t have an exact timeline just yet.
Writing to fans in an official statement, the club said: “Wigan Warriors are happy to report that [we are] expecting delivery of the 2026 home and away kits imminently.”
They go on to explain that they have been “experiencing significant delays” regarding the supply pipeline, which they say “were beyond the control of the Club.”
Nevertheless, the cogs are moving once again; you can see a closer look at some of the details below.
The home shirt…A.K.A. ‘Loyal’ kitAnd the away jersey…Or ‘Rebel’ strip
Warriors Chief Executive, Kris Radlinski, continued: “We want to thank everyone for their patience and continued support. Due to issues outside of our control, delivery timelines have unfortunately been impacted.
“We understand how frustrating this has been for supporters, particularly so close to Christmas, and we genuinely share that frustration. Please be assured that our team has been working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure delivery as quickly as possible.
“We apologise that we have not been able to provide an earlier update while matters were ongoing. We are pleased to confirm that the delivery has now cleared customs and will be arriving at the Club imminently.”
Although personalisation will not yet be made available due to a focus on processing “as many orders as possible in the shortest time frame”, pre-orders for both shirts are now live, and those interested are being urged to opt for click and collect/visit in store where possible to avoid any further waiting.
Danny Jones -
13th June 2023 
