United planning to welcome fans back for Leeds game as spectators return to sport
There is hope that Manchester might be downgraded to a Tier 2 area when the next review of regional lockdown restrictions takes place, and Man Utd are already finalising plans for spectators to return to Old Trafford.
A total of 1,000 boxing fans will enter Wembley Arena this weekend to watch Anthony Joshua fight Kubrat Pulev. A thousand spectators will be socially distanced around Alexandra Palace during each session of the PDC World Darts Championship.
Kempton Park racecourse will also allow spectators through their gates for the first time this season during their popular Boxing Day meeting, and those in horse racing are hopeful that the Cheltenham Festival, which takes place next March, will be played out in front of a healthy crowd.
Premier League football fans returned to stadiums in London, and other areas who aren’t shackled by Tier 3 regulations, last weekend.
There were 2,000 home fans looking on as Manchester United came from behind to beat West Ham at the London Stadium. Sadly, Man City’s home win over Fulham was played out in front of empty stands.
Jaleel Akbash / Unsplash
Manchester remains in Tier 3, meaning sporting venues, along with bars, pubs and restaurants, remain closed to the general public.
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There is hope, however, that Manchester might be downgraded to a Tier 2 area when the next review of regional lockdown restrictions takes place, and Manchester United are already finalising plans for spectators to return to Old Trafford.
“It is important to present these conditional plans for the return of our fans to allow preparations to be made.” said, Collette Roche, Manchester United’s Chief Operating Officer.
“We are eager to welcome them back and thank them in advance for their patience and co-operation with our new operating policies, that are in place to keep everyone safe. Responsible behaviour will help build trust and confidence, helping us move back to greater capacity numbers in the future once Manchester’s restrictions are reduced.
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“We know we are asking a lot from our fans in terms of the adjustments to their usual matchday routines. In return, we are committed to making the experience as safe as possible for them and their families and have also kept ticket prices low.”
Leeds celebrating promotion / Wikimedia Commons
The first opportunity for home fans to return to the Stretford End could be the mouth-watering clash with Leeds United on December 20.
It’s been ten years since the Pennines Derby took place at Old Trafford, and season ticket holders will be clamouring to take up their usual seats in the stands.
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Only 2,000 fans will be permitted to watch United take on Leeds, which is less than 3% of Old Trafford’s overall capacity.
The majority of tickets will be allocated to season ticket holders, who will enter a random ballot.
A small portion will go on sale to the general public, and United have lowered their adult admission price to just £30 to mark this special occasion.
Sport
Manchester City is looking for ‘diehard fans’ to be part of a new documentary series
Emily Sergeant
Manchester City is looking for some diehard fans to be part of a new documentary series by sharing their love for the club.
The Sky Blues are no stranger to a documentary, having had several successful series and feature-length shows air on Amazon Prime, Netflix, and the club’s own online TV platform CITY+, over the past couple of years – drawing in millions of viewers across the globe each time.
But now, it sounds like there’s another one in the works… and you could be a part of it.
The football club is looking for families with four generations of supporters to share their special memories of following Manchester City down the years.
📣 We’re looking for diehard fans to share their special City memories for an exciting new documentary series!
On top of this, the club is also keen to find fan videos that can help take documentary viewers into the stands from a City fan’s perspective, and is asking that people get in touch and send footage that they’ve taken of some of the club’s most famous moments from over the years – including reactions to Sergio Aguero’s famous goal against QPR in 2012, and the Treble-winning season.
Footage could also be submitted from other important milestones such as the 1999 play off final, or from things like random away days in the 1980s, or even City-themed kids’ birthday parties from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s.
No matter whether the footage was taken on a mobile phone, old-school video camera, or something similar, it could come in useful.
Manchester City is looking for ‘diehard fans’ to be part of a new documentary series / Credit: Manchester City
The only condition is that all footage submitted by fans must be their own, and not recordings from commercial media, or copied from YouTube or any other media/social media outlets.
Keen to be a part of the production then?
If you would like you and your family to be considered for the documentary, then you can email [email protected] with your details and stories about supporting City.
All footage to be considered for inclusion in the documentary can be emailed to [email protected].
Featured Image – Manchester City
Sport
Manchester City star Rodri warns that players are ‘close’ to going on strike over too many games
Danny Jones
Manchester City star Rodri has come out to warn that professional footballers could soon go on strike over the number of games they are now playing each year.
The Blues’ Treble and Euro 2024-winning midfielder is one of Pep Guardiola’s most heavily relied-upon squad members and has been absent for the start of the new Premier League campaign thus far, and has once again made his feelings known on the issue of fixture congestion.
Now in what is widely accepted to be the ‘prime years’ of his career, Rodri is only just back in training following an injury in the final between Spain and England back in July; his return to the press conference table saw his addressing the possibility of a potential player strike.
Speaking ahead of Man City’s opening game of this year’s Champions League competition, the 28-year-old said that the number of games in each season is simply becoming “too much”.
"You can play 40-50 games at a top level but not 60-70" 🗣️
Rodri says the increased workload for players in the current schedule is "too much" ⚽ pic.twitter.com/rie3CWKDnL
When asked by a reporter if he believes it will get to a point where players might consider going on strike, he said: “I think we are close to that. I think it’s the general opinion of the players and if it keeps [going] this way, there will be a moment where we have no other option.”
Although Rodri couldn’t give an exact number that he thinks is suitable, he estimated that “40-50” is the top limit for players to keep performing at the highest level, insisting that anything more and you inevitably drop because “it’s impossible to sustain the physical levels.”
The Spanish international, who joined City back in 2019 and has gone on to be part of the greatest period in the now record-breaking side’s history, went on to add: “We have to take care of ourselves. Someone has to take care of us because we are the main characters in this sport, this business, whatever you want to call it.”
He also argued that not only is it a worry for players’ fitness and well-being – with the growing number of games being directly correlated to people becoming more injury-prone – but also for the overall entertainment and “the quality of the show.”
Rodri is by no means the only one either; just earlier this past February, the PFA’s (Professional Footballers’ Association) chief executive Maheta Molango said: “For us, we’ve reached a stage where it is not just about the health of the player, it is about us killing the product.” The calls are growing louder.
🚨🔴 Alisson on new Champions League format: “For the supporters, amazing. But sometimes nobody asks the players what they think about adding more games…”.
Naturally, on the other hand, many fans argue that these are professional athletes on hundreds of thousands of pounds a week and, in the case of teams such as Man City, it’s the club’s responsibility to rotate the squad and use youth players so as to manage fatigue and adequate rest.
Rodri’s right: ‘the beautiful game’ is still a business and whether or not the higher-ups see it within their best interests to stem the increasing flow of games for the sake of player welfare and/or the quality of the most televised sport in the world, the narrative isn’t going anywhere and strikes now sound more plausible than ever.
Do you agree — are professional footballers now expected to play too many games?
You can watch an extended look at his press conference and comments on fixture congestion here:
Rodri on a potential players’ strike over the bloated fixture lists.
The Manc -
11th December 2020 
