Sport

One charged for ‘throwing missile’ and another released on bail after ‘tragedy chanting’ during the Manchester derby

The two individuals were swiftly arrested by GMP.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 5th March 2024

Two fans were arrested following the latest Manchester derby at the weekend after one fan threw a missile onto the pitch mid-game and another was suspected of tragedy chanting in the stands.

After being detained by Greater Manchester Police on Sunday, the Manchester City fan who threw a blue flare in André Onana’s direction after Phil Foden’s equalising goal in the 3-1 win has now been released on bail with conditions.

Identified as Adam McNally from Bullcote Green in Royton, Oldham, he has been charged with throwing a missile onto the pitch and being in possession of a firework or flare at the sporting event.

As for the fan arrested on suspicion of tragedy chanting, after stewards inside the Etihad Stadium were notified “following reports made in the crowd, the man was promptly arrested by officers.” He has now also been bailed.

The fan was charged with throwing a flare onto the game area shortly after Foden’s first goal early in the second half.

The member of the home support was captured in images circulated on social media making an aeroplane gesture, seemingly mocking the 1958 Munich Air Disaster in which 23 people, including eight of Manchester United’s famous ‘Busby Babes’ team, were killed.

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It was the 66th anniversary of the crash just last month.

It was only in July last year that another City fan was slapped with a fine and a banning order after mocking the Hillsborough Disaster of 1989 following a game against Liverpool in December 2022 and Man United had to condemn a section of their own fan base for chanting about the same tragedy.

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Despite recent pushes from the Premier League, FA and football clubs all across the UK, tragedy chants like these are still present in the game and remain a prevailing problem in modern fan culture.

Salford City apologise to Bradford City following ‘shameful’ tragedy remark made by staff member on social media
Unfortunately, it’s by no means the derby isn’t the only time Greater Manchester fans have been involved in tragedy chants.

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Neither of the Manchester clubs are yet to come out and issue a statement following the two incidents, but there will almost certainly be a fresh push from increased safety amongst home and away fans, as well as a reminder that tragedy chanting is simply unacceptable.

The Premier League, FA Cup and European champions went on to win the game 3-1 despite Marcus Rashford’s impressive early strike, with Foden grabbing two and Erling Haaland sealing the result at the death.

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You can watch the highlights from Man City’s home victory over Man United in the 192nd Manchester derby down below:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Sky Sports (via screenshot)/The Manc Group/@UTDPatron (via X)

Sport

Wigan Warriors boss Matt Peet named coach of the year after historic quadruple-winning season

Danny Jones Danny Jones Matt Peet wins SJA Committee coach of the year award after quadruple-winning season

Wigan Warriors boss Matt Peet has been named coach of the year by the Sports Journalists’ Association Committee (SJA) following his record-breaking season with the champions.

Peet led the Greater Manchester side to four Grand Slams in a single calendar year, a feat never seen before in the Super League era, achieving the historic feat with a Grand Final win over Hull KR at Old Trafford last month.

In recognition of his incredible 2024 campaign in charge of the Warriors, the Wigan-born local hero was awarded the SJA Committee Award, handed over to the most outstanding coach each year, on Wednesday, 20 November for the second time in his career.

The 40-year-old won the prestigious accolade during his first season with the club back in 2022 but it’s fair to say this one will feel even more special.

The Warriors began the season by defeating Penrith Panthers at The Brick Community Stadium to lift a record-equalling fifth World Club Challenge before success in the Betfred Challenge Cup Final saw Wigan beat fellow North West outfit, Warrington Wolves, at Wembley Stadium in June.

Having sealed the League Leaders’ Shield following a final-round win against local rivals Salford Red Devils, the Warriors then went on to beat Hull – who were competing in their first Grand Final – to become the first team of the Super League era to lift all four trophies within the space of just 12 months.

Speaking on the award via an official club statement, Peet said: “I’m very proud and very grateful to be selected by the committee. It reflects really well on our organisation, our club, players and rugby league in general.

“We never set out with an ambition to win the quadruple, we just set out to improve and learn. It’s not an award rugby league is synonymous with, so to know our sport is getting some recognition, it makes me very proud to be at the forefront of it.”

He went on to tell Sky Sports that it was the “energy and the atmosphere” of Wigan that helped get them across the line after so many games, insisting that they “had the whole town behind [them]”.

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It’s a truly fantastic achievement and to have the award brought home to Greater Manchester once again is wonderful news no matter who you support.

The fixtures for the 2025 Super League season are set to be released tomorrow (Thursday, 21 November), with the action getting underway in February as usual. The Summer Festival of Rugby League will also return after a year off with a blockbuster May Bank Holiday weekend in Newcastle.

Not only will it be a decade since the event was first held in the Toon but it also marks the Magic Weekend’s 18th birthday.

As for SJA coach of the year Matt Peet and the Warriors, it’s looking like a question of just how many titles can they defend next year.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Sky Sports

Sport

Pep Guardiola agrees new contract to stay at Manchester City for at least one more year

Danny Jones Danny Jones Pep stay at Man City for one more year new deal

Blues will be delighted to hear that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is staying after agreeing to sign a contract extension that will keep him at the club for at least one more year.

The Catalan coach and supremely talented tactician has won all there is to win with Man City and after completing not only a record-matching treble but making history by becoming the first English team to win four Premier League titles in a row, you could argue his Etihad project is well and truly completed.

Guardiola, who joined City back in 2016, has gradually been creeping towards the end of his most recent contract, leaving those slowly searching for his replacement and the fan base wondering what the future holds for their next chapter.

But it turns out they don’t have to worry about life after Pep for a little while longer, as the 53-year-old has now extended his stay for at least another season. The blue moon that has loomed over Manchester for the best part of a decade isn’t going anywhere just yet.

Breaking the news on Tuesday evening, 19 November, The Athletic‘s Sam Lee revealed that Pep Guardiola will remain head coach for another season after agreeing to a new one-year deal.

The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager, who is comfortably one of the most decorated and celebrated coaches in football history, was due to leave the club at the end of the current campaign.

However, although his contract would have seen him depart by June of next year, this new deal will now see him stay in post until the summer of 2026, which will talk his tenure to a full 10 years.

Although City themselves are yet to confirm the signing amid the international break, it’s only a matter of time before they deliver the news all Blues have been waiting for – news that will no doubt come as a huge relief given the immense success he has brought to East Manchester.

Despite waiting until now to seemingly decide his future, the man himself has actually been pretty clear on the matter, insisting that he “fell in love” with the club from the moment he got here and saying as far back as 2020 that “unless they [CFG] sack me, I will stay here.”

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Better still, while the details of the agreement are yet to be fully detailed, the report says that his new contract also includes the option to extend for a further year beyond that, meaning we could be looking at Pep in the dugout until 2027.

Should City go on to close the gap on current league leaders Liverpool, it would mean Guardiola would have overseen five title wins with the same team in a row: a feat only matched by very few in European football, most notably Juventus and Bayern Munich, the latter having managed 13 consecutive years.

Who knows if/when Guardiola will actually leave the Etihad Stadium for a new challenge, all we know is he changed modern football forever and has given Manchester – a city already spoilt in this respect – some of the most impressive football it’s ever seen.

All we do know is that the beautiful game’s passionate, bald, tiki-taka extraordinaire known simply as Pep is staying in 0161 for the time being and there are countless fans who are absolutely buzzing about it.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Optus Sport/Sky Sports (via YouTube)/Rufus46 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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