The lineup for the Manchester United vs Celtic Legends game has just seen another big name roped in, as none other than Wayne Rooney has now been confirmed as the latest player taking part.
A raft of familiar faces from teams gone by will be once again pulling on the iconic red shirt for a special one-off in aid of the Man United Foundation, which helps support communities all across the 10 boroughs, raising vital funds all year round through events like these.
With the likes of Dimitar Berbatov, Antonio Valencia, Michael Carrick and more already confirmed for the charitable exhibition match against a team of former Celtic pros, supporters were hardly turning their nose up at the lineup to begin with.
But now, with Wayne Rooney – not only the club’s all-time leading top scorer but an England legend too – added to the lineup, even more fans are bound to pile into Old Trafford for the game next month. They first teased the announcement on Tuesday night and immediately set fans heads on a swivel.
— Manchester United Foundation (@MU_Foundation) August 20, 2024
Confirming the news the following morning, the 38-year-old was unveiled as the latest United player set to be pulling on his boots and rolling back the years in front of thousands this September.
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Taking time out of his busy new role as manager of Championship side Plymouth Argyle, the now-retired goalscoring machine – who only called a day on his playing career back in 2021 after a short 30-game stint at Derby County – is sure to still prove more than handy on the pitch.
Sharing the news on social media, the club posted: “One of the greatest players in Manchester United history is joining the Legends squad. And he goes by the name of: Wayne Rooney.”
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That chant will no doubt be ringing around the grounds non-stop when he walks back out under the lights at the Theatre of Dreams.
Other names now confirmed for Celtic’s team include Georgios Samaras, Emilio Izaguirre, Darren O’Dea and Simon Donnelly.
Set to take place on Saturday, 7 September, with a 2pm kick-off for families to make the most of a fun-filled day out, this will be the first Legends game since the Northern reunion against Liverpool back in 2022.
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Tickets are on sale now, with general admission for adults starting from £21 and under 16s prices set at just £11, and proceeds going towards the United Foundation’s crucial efforts across the Greater Manchester region.
You can see the full lineup for the Man United vs Celtic Legends game down below and secure your seat for the highly anticipated match HERE.
Featured Images — Zfscgx (via GoodFon)/United Foundation (supplied)/All-Pro Reels (via Flickr)
Sport
Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
Sport
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
Danny Jones -
21st August 2024 
