Sport

Tributes pour in for well-known Manchester United supporter and fancam favourite Abdullah Ghaleiw

A young man with an unbelievable knowledge and love of the beautiful game.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 4th December 2024

Tributes are pouring in online for well-known Manchester United supporter, Abdullah Ghaleiw, who has sadly passed away at the age of just 26.

Aside from being a familiar face among the Old Trafford crowd, Ghaleiw was an online content creator, commentator and hugely popular contributor on the Man United YouTube fan channel, Full Time Devils (FTD), which rebranded back in 2020.

More commonly referred to as just Abdul, both among those on the channel and by the millions who watched him over the years, he was a regular on their post-match fancams, as well as other shows and livestreams on matchdays and beyond.

With other Reds, long-time viewers and supporters from all over the country learning of the news, social media has been awash with people paying their respects to the die-hard footy fan, as well as a much-loved friend and colleague.

Born in Libya but raised and schooled here in Manchester, he was a matchgoing United fan for many seasons. Having gone from fancam favourite to several years working in various roles on the channel, he was most recently a producer for JD Sports. His cause of death has not been shared publicly.

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Stretford Paddock (formerly FTD and now a fan-owned football club too), who Abdullah worked alongside for many years and was a regular face on the channel under their old moniker, told The Manc: “Abdullah was one of the most passionate, knowledgeable and likeable lads you could wish to meet.

“He was an extremely popular presenter on the channel thanks to his ability to not only explain tactics in an entertaining and understandable way, but also because of his great sense of humour and infectious laugh.

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“We’ve shared so many moments with him but his reaction in Paris from our win over PSG remains one of our favourites. We’ll always miss Abdullah and the channel will be a much sadder place without him.”

Speaking in an emotional livestream on Monday after attending his funeral, the company’s founder Stephen Howson went on to tell viewers: “I don’t know what to say – we’ve lost a mate […] The good news is we have so much content [of him] to go back and watch […] He will be missed.”

BBC Radio Manchester presenter, Gaz Drinkwater – who spent a formative period of his career working and talking football with Abdul during his tenure at Full Time Devils – is one of several notable names in and around football journalism to have paid tribute to a peer admired by many.

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Fellow United content creator and Stretford Paddock presenter Adam McKola shared a parting message on his Instagram, writing: “We’ve lost a real one, a great friend and a true bro. Been reading through all the posts and tweets about how much you’ve done for people, the impact you had on their lives and careers, how much we loved you, you will be so, so missed bro.

“We didn’t have you around us because you were good at your job, and believe me you were one of the best, we had you around because you were such a clean hearted, genuine brother. I’ll miss you man. Can still hear your laugh ringing in my head – hope I don’t forget it.

“My love goes out to your family, friends and close ones. Rest in perfect peace, Abdullah – I love you, bro.” His is just one of many others detailing how Ghaleiw touched their lives, from passing on spare tickets to mentoring others looking to get into his line of work.

To this day, his face can be found all over the channel and, just as countless fans wrote in the live chat during Howson’s remembrance livestream, many of FTD/Stretford Paddock‘s most iconic moments had ‘Abdul’ at the heart of them.

Our thoughts go out to all those in the Stretford Paddock family, as well as his friends, family and Reds everywhere. Rest in peace.

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Featured Images — Stretford Paddock (screenshot via YouTube)

Sport

Manchester City’s Stadium Tours are back for the summer and bigger than ever

Danny Jones Danny Jones

Manchester City stadium tours are back for summer 2026, with more to see from the home of the Blues than ever, and with 15% off all tickets until the end of August, too.

It’s safe to say that Man City are going through a HUGE period of change right now: embarking on a new era under Enzo Maresca following the dynasty of Pep Guardiola, vast redevelopments of the wider Etihad Campus, a new club hotel, and the expansion of the North Stand – now named after said Catalan coach.

With that in mind, there’s so much new stuff going on over in East Manchester and arguably more of it all happening in one place than we can recall in recent memory, making it the perfect time for Cityzens to return to the famous home ground – indeed, your Etihad debut if you haven’t made one already.

So let’s see what there is on offer, shall we?

Giving you greater access to areas usually reserved for players and staff only than ever, this exclusive, interactive and virtual tour will take you through the very bones of the storied sporting arena, all the way through to pitchside.

Fans can explore the dressing room and follow in the footsteps of their favourite City players as they walk through the iconic glass players’ tunnel, before walking out into the open air and sitting in the dugout to take in that incredible view.

You can also try out the latest ‘Beyond the Blue Moon’ experience – an immersive VR adventure that sees supporters journey through Manchester City’s past, present, and future.

Following on from Pep lending his likeness, using innovative technology, you can now even have the chance to put your questions to Erling Haaland in the Press Conference Room.

man city museum
etihad stadium city tours
mcfc stadium tours
Credit: The Manc

There aren’t many teams on the planet that offer this level of stadium tour, let alone just here in the UK, so it’s no wonder they remain award-winning almost every single year.

Whether you’re a lifelong City fan, a football lover or visiting this wonderful place we call Manchester for the very first time, there’s something for everyone.

For instance, with The Medlock Hotel and accompanying Medlock Square already lining up its maiden events, the City Football Group (CFG) are once again committing to make the wider Etihad Campus an all-year-round entertainment destination.

That being said, plenty of people online have been generating a lot of buzz about the aforementioned Medlock’s new stadium-view rooms since clips appeared on social media.

As for the tickets themselves, the club have also taken steps to keep the cost affordable.

Standard prices start from just £32 for adults and only £20 for under-16s, with larger family packages available from £60.

BUT, with the 15% discount mentioned earlier, adults currently cost just £27; kids go for just £17, and those family passes start from just £51.

You can find all the options when it comes to stadium tour passes and grab the type of admission that suits you right HERE.

Speaking of tickets, City have also been met with praise for the introduction of new discounted seats for local residents; find out all the details below.

When Manchester City’s cheap tickets for £10 or less go live, and how to get your hands on them
We need more initiatives like this.

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

Sport

René Meulensteen names the ‘ideal’ signing that Man United appear to be overlooking

Danny Jones Danny Jones Rene Meulensteen thinks Man United should sign Micky van de Ven

Ex-Manchester United coach René Meulensteen has named the one key signing that he feels the Red Devils are missing out on by not pursuing this summer.

The former Man United assistant, who served under Sir Alex and has recently returned to the backrooms of the English football pyramid, has given his verdict on what he thinks his old club still needs in terms of reinforcements.

Chatting with TipmanTips, the 62-year-old identified the backline as a persisting problem area for now full-time manager Michael Carrick, insisting that they could do with another central defender.

The footballer in question is his fellow countryman, Micky van de Ven – fresh from a new contract with Tottenham Hotspur – who has surprised many by not securing his next big-money move so far in the transfer window.

Speaking in an exclusive interview, he said his Dutch compatriot wouldn’t just be a great rotation player but a starter coming into the 2026/26 season.

“I still think they’re vulnerable at the back”, says Meulensteen, “and that’s one thing Michael is going to have to sort out as soon as possible when the season starts. Finding a centre-back partnership that works and getting some consistency in the back line will be key.

“Harry Maguire is coming off a good end to last season, but he needs some complementary centre-backs next to him, and then also on the right-hand side next to him with Mazraoui and Dalot not really doing anything.”

“I would have been looking at Micky van de Ven from Spurs before he signed a new deal. He’s powerful, he’s quick, he’s got great experience in playing as a left centre back in the Premier League, and he would have given United a very different dynamic in their defence.

He rounded off the recommendation, however late, by arguing that were Maguire to be a mainstay first-choice centre-half for Carrick this season, “van de Ven would’ve meant you wouldn’t have to worry about his lack of pace in behind, as he can cover so much ground recovering.”

As for who they have brought in so far, they’ve managed a well-balanced, albeit limited number of young and experienced talents, including the surprise return of greatest-ever goalscorers (currently 13th on the all-time list at still just 28) in Marcus Rashford.

While he did go on to cite the likes of Brighton’s Jan Paul van Hecke as a viable alternative, it’s fair to say he would be high up on the shortlist of many fans – and not just United.

On the other hand, we’d once again reiterate that we include ourselves among those stunned that he hasn’t had more suitors floating around of late, especially given he was one of the few bright lights among a side that nearly got relegated last term.

Would you have him as another CB option, Reds?

As for the one-time United assistant, he has recently been introduced to Stockport County FC supporters as the latest addition to the technical staff in an admittedly curious new position…

Former Man United coach under Sir Alex Ferguson joins Stockport County in director role
Even recently retired keeper ‘Big Ben’ Hinchliffe admitted he had “no idea” what it means.

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Featured Images — KrispyKrumpets (via WikiCommons)/Stockport County/Spurs (via YouTube)

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