It’s the FA Cup final again this weekend and, in case you somehow didn’t get the memo, it’s also another Manchester derby, so the hordes of Mancs who can’t make it to Wembley are obviously trying to figure out the best places to watch it.
Not only a back-to-back meeting between the two teams but just the second time in history that the iconic rivalry has been played out in the final, it’s safe to say it’s going to be a momentous occasion.
While tens of thousands of Mancs are set to descend upon the capital this Saturday, 25 May, we can’t all fit in there, so fans of both sides will be out in full force to watch the big fixture.
So, with that in mind, we thought we’d put together a dozen of the best places in town where you can watch the 2024 FA Cup final right here in Manchester. Let’s start with a few places for each fan base:
Man United pubs in the city centre
1. The Old Nag’s Head
David Dixon (via Geograph)MUSC Nottingham (via Twitter)The best place for any United fan to watch the game, let alone an FA Cup final.
If you’re a Red, there isn’t any other place to start than The Old Nag’s Head, without a doubt the most popular pub for Man United fans in the city. Spread across multiple floors, with plenty of screens, karaoke and a rooftop terrace to boot, it’s arguably the best place to be when you’re not at the game.
Next up is the Sir Ralph Abercromby, literally located just a street over from the Nag and equally packed with United fans on matchdays. With Class of ’92 members often spotted here, a massive beer garden with outdoor screens and even a fast food truck around the back, this place has everything you need to enjoy the game.
And thirdly we have Mulligans of Deansgate: a Manchester institution and home of the best pint of Guinness you’ll find in 0161. This Irish bar is heaving every weekend regardless, but it’s also a second home for lifelong Reds and has live music on every night. You’re sure to be chanting your head off in here if United win.
Now, as for Manchester City pubs, there isn’t any more famous than Mary D’s. The Beamish Bar, to give it its full title, is wall-to-wall with Blues before and after every matchday. Literally on the doorstep of the Etihad Stadium, it has a floor-to-ceiling painting of the old Maine Road ground and boasts affordable pints, live music and ‘the fastest service’ around. A Man City mecca, if you will.
2. The Waldorf
Right near the train station too. (The Waldorf via Instagram)
As for closer to the city centre, you don’t get much more convenient than The Waldorf. Though it often has other fans come through its doors, you can make no mistake about which fan base dominates this pub come a City matchday. Located little just down the steps from Piccadilly Station, it’s always full of Blues before, during and after games — it’s got a great selection of beer and food too.
As for our third and final pick for you Blues, The Townley is another one that is just a stone’s throw away from the Etihad — we’re talking only a couple of minutes. With a beer garden out front and in the back, not to mention still family-friendly enough to take the kids, it’s always a good vibe over here.
Sports bars in Manchester
Now, we obviously need a list of neutral places for people to go along to watch the game and while there are a hundred and one places that are perfect to watch the footy with a pint, but we just thought we’d pick out a few of our recent favourites to get you started.
These are in no particular order, either, we love them all too much to play favourites, so you’ll just have to make up your own minds on this one.
First on the list is BOX bar on Deansgate, which has quickly become not only one of the best places to watch sports in Manchester but one of the busiest bars in town full stop. Spread across two floors with screens on virtually every wall (including a massive jumbotron) not to mention shuffleboard, live music and massive pitchers of beer and cocktails, you can see why people pack this place out every weekend.
Next up is Tib Street Tavern which has remained a go-to for anyone wanting to watch sport in town for years and for good reason. With massive wall-sized screens, quality food, big booths for you to book with you and your mates, as well as great deals on booze, you have to be quick to get in here.
Another one of our personal faves is Calcio! over in the Northern Quarter. A relative newcomer to the Manchester sports bar scene, the Italian football-themed watering hole is a great place not only to watch this year’s Manchester derby FA Cup final but for whenever you fancy great food and retro videogames.
4. The Brotherhood
Last but not least, we have The Brotherhood Of Pursuits And Pastimes, to give it its full name. This Manc institution remains one of the best places to watch sport in town. Also boasting two floors with dozens of screens, pool tables, darts, table tennis and more, including a great food menu, it’s a regular haunt for post-work pints and matchday fans. Just look at how buzzing it was back in December — can’t go wrong.
Next up, it’s a mainstay on the ever-growing list of Manc sports bars for good reason: it’s a solid pub with great grub, lots on tap and, most importantly, lots of tellies. Big sharing platters, a pool table and a nice central location that’s easy for even out-of-towners to find, you won’t go far wrong with Directors Box
Last but not least, we’ve picked Gasworks over on First Street, in part because lots of people don’t realise they show live sport – but having spent many a final, Euros and World Cup match in here, we can confirm they drum up a great atmosphere.
Nice and neutral, not to mention with darts and shuffleboard to keep you busy, you’ll find plenty of footy fans and those just coming along for the day out gathering around the big projector in here come Saturday, 25 May.
A severely underrated spot when it comes to live sport, in our opinion. (Gasworks via IG)
This is, of course, by no means an exhaustive list but there are plenty more pubs and bars that will welcome any football fan ahead of the big fixture.
Regardless of who comes out on top, it’s going to be a massive day for the city and United and City fans everywhere, just make sure you look after each other and enjoy yourselves.
So, who do we reckon is winning it then? Is ten Hag going to make it two domestic cups in his first two seasons or are Pep’s Premier League champions going defend another third of the treble and manage a domestic double?
Featured Image — David Dixon/Calcio/Mary D’s Beamish Bar
Sport
Explaining the ‘Poznań’ and why Oasis fans are doing it at their Live ’25 reunion tour gigs
Danny Jones
The sun is shining, Britpop is back on top and, more importantly, Oasis are BACK – plus, they’ve got thousands of people that aren’t even Manchester City fans doing the Poznań. Here’s why.
Before you jump down our throats, yes, we’re fully aware of what the popular Man City supporter celebration is (including the fact that it’s nicked); however, we have seen plenty of people confused over what it’s all about.
Including a few in our office who couldn’t give a monkey’s about football, which is fair enough.
So, if like lots of other non-footy-obsessed Oasis fans, you’ve also been wondering A) what the Poznań is and B) why people on the Live ’25 reunion tour have been doing it, here’s a brief explanation.
What is the Poznań celebration?
For starters, if you’ve been keeping off social media completely to avoid any spoilers whatsoever, first of all, well done, your willpower is much stronger than ours.
Secondly, if you’ve never seen it before at all, here’s what it looks like:
It came out of Poland, hailing from the place of the same name and popularised by Ekstraklasa (a.k.a. the Polish first division) football team, Lech Poznań, who have been doing it since the 1960s.
As you can see, the group – and in this case, stadium-wide celebration – sees supporters turning their backs on the pitch/the centre of the arena and linking by wrapping arms around each other’s shoulders and jumping up and down in one, massive, continuous wave.
It is quite a striking visual, no question about that.
Why are Oasis fans doing it?
Come on, you must have put two and two together by now.
Manchester City fans adopted this now iconic celebration more than a decade and a half ago, and have been doing it regularly during big games, big scorelines, and big trophy wins, of which there have been a lot since then.
In fact, aside from the Burnage boys being massive Blues, Liam Gallagher himself actually instructed the Cardiff crowds on nights one and two.
Gallagher brothers kick off Oasis world tour with Cardiff show, as Liam tells fans 'do the poznan'.
It’s actually said to originate from Turkey or Greece, where it is also fairly commonplace, being simply referred to as ‘la Grecque’.
They’ve even used some pretty biblical official photography from the opening weekend of the reunion tour as the cover art for a live recording re-released of ‘Slide Away’.
It might be the coolest album artwork we’ve seen in a while, to be honest.
The history of the Poznań and its connection to Man City
Be it at Wembley for a cup final or at the Etihad Stadium, where the majority of fans saw the supporter stunt for the first time, it’s become arguably even more synonymous with City than its creators.
It was 2010, and the blue half of Manchester was hosting Lech Poznań in the group stage of the Europa League, but despite a 3-1 victory on the grass itself, more eyes were fixed on the stands themselves.
An army of 6,000 loyal Lech Poznań fans travelled for the game and had the ground quite physically bouncing with a shade of slightly darker blue, so when Emmanuel Adebayor wrapped up a hat-trick, the home support decided to turn the jubilation on their opponents and do it themselves.
It was all in good spirit, of course, but it went down a pretty instant hit with City fans and has only grown more prevalent and regular ever since.
Perhaps one of the funniest sights in recent years is Noel Gallagher being too hungover to join in, which also led to one of the coldest-looking images of the songwriter ever, and one that was quickly dubbed a perfect album cover for the next High Flying Birds album or, who knows, maybe another Oasis record?…
Ok, this is still up there in the cover art competition too.
So, yeah: that’s pretty much the long and short of it, we just thought it would help if we quickly explained the Poznań to anyone wondering why Oasis fans have been doing it.
Basically, if it was that big over in Wales, don’t be surprised if you see a literal sea of people flood Heaton Park before turning their backs to the stage, which seems to be triggered once Liam introduces ‘Cigarettes & Alcohol.’ It’ll be interesting to see if Man United fans get involved.
And finally, just imagine how much more epic this is going to be back home in Manchester as we brace for quite possibly the biggest headline gig the region has ever seen…
Featured Images — TNT Sports (screenshot)/Oasis (via X)
Sport
Outdoor clothing brand Arc’teryx to open flagship store in Manchester this week
Daisy Jackson
Premium outdoor clothing brand Arc’teryx is opening its first brand store in Manchester this week – and its first UK shop outside of London.
In the brand new two-storey retail space, shoppers will find everything they need for their outdoor adventures, whether it’s hiking, climbing, or snow sports.
The new store will be packed with technical, high-performance outerwear and equipment, from footwear, packs and accessories to Arc’teryx harnesses you can try out in-store.
Everything is designed with a commitment to perform in even the most demanding of environments – and yes, that includes the brutal rain of the North West of England…
It’s a fitting location for Arc’teryx to open a milestone new store, just 25 miles from the Peak District and the gritstone climbs that helped to shape trad climbing in the UK.
Inside the 567 sq metre shop on New Cathedral Street, there’ll also be a ReBIRD™ Service Centre that will offer free gear repair, care, and washing services, ensuring your equipment stays in peak condition season after season.
That’s alongside a dedicated Community Area designed for events, movie nights, and gatherings, plus a local map that highlights the best spots for climbing, hiking and trail running around Manchester.
UK athletes and local ambassadors will be sharing their favourite places to visit, inspiring your next adventure.
Once inspiration strikes, you can pick up a local trail book in the community area, and buy these top-of-the-range bits of kit, choosing from Arc’teryx’s core assortment, including trail and climb gear, with snow gear to follow.
Local artists will be on hand to create inspirational artworks, starting in July with an installation from NOTS.
Sven Radtke, General Manager Arc’teryx EMEA, said: “Manchester is a vibrant urban hub that serves as a launchpad for outdoor enthusiasts. Its proximity to diverse natural landscapes makes it a gateway to the outdoors and a haven for hiking, climbing and other activities.
“Our goal is to help our core communities get out, doing what they love, equipped with the most high-performance gear to reach their goals.”
The Canadian brand is already distributing products through more than 2,400 locations worldwide, but this new Manchester opening is a key milestone for adventurers in the UK.
Arc’teryx opens on 6 New Cathedral Street on Thursday 10 July.
OPENING HOURS
Mon – Sat: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sun: 11:30 AM – 5:30 PM
To celebrate the opening, Arc’teryx is running a series of events and experiences:
10 July – Store opens
17 July – Grand Opening Party (RSVP opens on 11 July and will be linked on Instagram @arcteryxuk)
Danny Jones -
23rd May 2024 
