The infamous Old Trafford leaks burst open worse than ever this weekend as Manchester United lost 1-0 to Arsenal, with the pictures of flooding from inside the stadium only further symbolising the club’s downfall under the Glazer ownership.
Although the home defeat meant that the Gunners could still potentially go on to beat Man City to the title, it was hard for fans not to turn their attention to the deluge of rainwater that began dumping on various parts of the stadium, which continues to look more and more out of date every year.
It is by no means the first time we’ve seen Man United’s home ground leaking – even sparking the ‘Old Trafford is falling down’ chant from opposing supporters throughout the EFL – but the footage captured this Sunday might be some of the most damning.
This is not the kind of conditions fitting of somewhere long referred to as the ‘Theatre of Dreams’.
In truth, Erik ten Hag‘s defence has been leaky all season, having conceded a record 82 goals since the start of the campaign and famously blowing multiple two-goal leads in various games, but these kinds of scenes do feel rather symbolic of the underlying problems at United.
Seeing their food hygiene rating drop from five stars to just one after serving undercooked meat is yet another example of how not only have the facilities been left to rot but the standards have slipped over the past 10-11 years.
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It’s not just that the brand of football being seen isn’t up to the level of Sir Alex Ferguson, it’s that literal debris has been spotted falling in the concourse, transfers have been botched and the outrage from fans has become so great that they broke into the stadium whilst protesting just a few short years ago.
The alleged state of the away changing rooms at Old Trafford yesterday…
The list goes on and what’s even more indicative of this gradual downfall than anything is that fans now find themselves in the unpleasant position of having to potentially swallow losses against rivals like Arsenal in the hopes that they might stop City from winning a record-fourth division title in a row.
Over the past decade or so, the ‘noisy neighbours’ have gone on to become treble winners, Liverpool returned to their former glory with a Premier League and another European title, Arsenal could be set to do the same and the Red Devils simply aren’t the threat they once were.
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It seems almost hard to believe that Manchester United could still go on to win back-to-back trophies in ten Hag’s first two seasons if they manage to get past Pep Guardiola’s men at Wembley on Saturday, 25 May but, for many, it will still remain merely a plaster slapped over a hole just waiting burst open again.
The Old Trafford flooding isn’t just proof of the shocking state of disrepair it finds itself in but is emblematic of what the Glazers have allowed the club to slip into and just how much work needs to be done by Ratcliffe, INEOS and the new figures working behind the scenes at the club.
Featured Images — @CameronFozzi/Sky Sports (via X)
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More Greater Manchester football matches called off as Storm Goretti sets in
Danny Jones
Yet more scheduled football matches in Greater Manchester and the surrounding regions have been postponed and/or cancelled due to Storm Goretti.
The increasingly cold, blustery and icy conditions moving over from France and across more parts of the UK have already caused schools to close, flights to be grounded, and plenty more disruption.
Another such inconvenience has come in the form of live sports, large swathes of which now look like they simply won’t be taking place.
One of the latest to be called off is Salford City‘s upcoming game against Swindon Town in the FA Cup this weekend, with various other games involving teams up and down the footballing pyramid now facing uncertainty over whether their third-round fixtures will go ahead as planned.
Ironically, this is just the tip of the iceberg, if you’ll pardon the very obvious pun.
Another game that was called off late last week, between Chadderton and FC Isle of Man, is yet to be rescheduled; the same is true of Rochdale AFC’s meeting with Brackley Town, Radcliffe v Oxford City, as well as games involving Bury, Stockport Town, Irlam, Cheadle Town, Prestwich Heys and more.
Other nearby outfits, such as Chorley, Warrington Rylands and Ramsbottom United, just to name a few, are also still unsure of when their next game will be.
In many cases, it is simply a matter of the grounds being largely or completely frozen and deemed unfit for use following pitch inspections.
Oldham Athletic – which has already been hit with plenty of snow and frost – yesterday confirmed that their Notts County clash wouldn’t be going ahead due to that very reason.
With winds of up to 90 miles per hour also being reported, yellow and even red weather warnings have been issued across various parts of the country, with people being urged to check their routes home from work by local authorities.
Storm Goretti should start calming down this evening (Fri, 9 January) and into Saturday morning, but the after-effects could still play havoc over the next few days.
For instance, over in Cheshire, Macclesfield FC are going so far as to call on nearby residents to help clear their playing surface from heavy snowfall.
So, if you’re in the area and fancy helping out, they could sure do with your help.
VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED
Macclesfield FC are once again requesting the help of the fanbase and the local community to help clear the remainder of the compacted snow from the surrounding areas of the https://t.co/fL99QEEJ4D Stadium.
Addressing the supporters on social media, Forrester wrote: “Thank you to all involved at Bolton Wanderers FC for my time at the club.
“A special club with unbelievable people that work within. Also, a massive thank you to the fans for all of the support throughout.”
His sign-off has been met with plenty of love and well-wishers, as plenty have cited his numerous injury problems – including a ‘freak fall’ which required surgery – as having unfortunately hampered his progress with the Wanderers.
One fan commented, “When fit, he was definitely a first-team starter. But had such bad luck with injuries, he missed more than he played for us.
“Best of luck to Will; it’s probably the right decision for both parties. Such a shame.”
Forrester – originally from Alsager (a town located near Stoke-on-Trent and Crewe) – has become Leyton Orient FC’s first signing of the January transfer window.
Will Forrester has penned a two-and-a-half-year deal and becomes the O’s first January signing of 2026 🙌
While he joins the club on a two-year deal, his transfer fee remains undisclosed.
Having said that, his wages are expected to be towards the higher end of player salaries at Brisbane Road, with the third-tier side still sitting dangerously close to the drop zone in 20th place.
Touching on his arrival via an official club statement, Forrester said: “I’m very happy to have signed here. The mindset and the goals the club want to accomplish in the coming years makes this move very exciting, and I can’t wait to get started.
“Speaking to the gaffer, he has outlined his expectations of me, and I want to help push us forward. I know the challenges of reaching the play-offs the year before and want to help the lads get back on track as quickly as possible.”
You can see his first full interview as a member of The O’s down below.
Danny Jones -
13th May 2024 
