Trafford

Luxury hotel suite built at Old Trafford for first ever overnight stay at iconic football ground

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 7th April 2022

A luxury hotel suite has been built at Old Trafford, offering some lucky fans the chance to spend the night at Manchester United’s home ground.

Marriott Bonvoy has created the Suite of Dreams accommodation, which will be the setting for the first ever overnight stay at the iconic stadium.

The hotel group is offering a lucky fan and a guest the chance to wake up in the football stadium, with a room overlooking the pitch.

As well as that, the package includes a number of behind-the-scenes experiences, including watching the team training and touring the stadium.

Inside the Suite of Dreams. Credit: Supplied

The winners of the Suite of Dreams stay will also be given match day tickets and hospitality.

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Whoever is chosen to spend the night will wake up at Old Trafford on the morning of the Premier League match against Chelsea in May.

Brian Povinelli, senior vice president of brand, loyalty and portfolio marketing at Marriott International, said: “Bringing our flagship brand, Marriott Hotels, to Old Trafford is just one of the ways we are bringing the extraordinary Marriott Bonvoy portfolio to life through our collaboration with Manchester United, one of the world’s most popular sports teams.

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“We’re thrilled to be creating this hospitality experience at this iconic location, giving a once-in-a-lifetime chance for fans to wake up in the home of Manchester United on the morning of a matchday.”

Read more: Tourist has their mind blown by first trip to the Trafford Centre in a strangely heart-warming TikTok video

Victoria Timpson, Manchester United’s CEO of Alliances and Partnerships, added: “From the very beginning of our partnership, Marriott Bonvoy has created some truly unique experiences, and this is no exception.

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“Whoever wins this opportunity will receive the same first-class hospitality as they would at any Marriott Hotels property around the world, with the added excitement of being hosted at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’, one of the world’s most iconic football stadiums.”

To enter, visit ManUtd.com/SuiteofDreams and complete the form before 11:59 EST on April 15, 2022.

Featured image: Supplied

Trafford

A very wholesome record was seemingly smashed by a group of runners at the Manchester Half

Danny Jones Danny Jones Runners break Guinness World Record for fastest caterpillar time Manchester Half Marathon 2025

It’s been a few days since the 2025 Manchester Half, and news of personal bests and records being matched/broken continues to flood in, but nothing quite beats the fastest caterpillar EVER getting themselves in the Guinness book.

Yes, we did say caterpillar.

In case you have no idea what we’re talking about (it’s pretty much what it says on the tin), a caterpillar refers to when multiple runners stick themselves in a daft bit of fancy dress and race in a line while joined together in a suit that looks like, well, you get the gist…

Fun and wholesome in itself, right? Indeed, better still, though, it appears as though this particular group of fundraisers not only completed this year’s Manchester Half-marathon with the added challenge of running behind one another in a caterpillar outfit, but have just smashed the Guinness World Record.

As you can see, the four top blokes – Matthew Athersmith, Eddie Evans, Andrew Cairns and Jimmy Craig – didn’t just get the 13.1-mile feat completed quickly; they were absolutely RAPID.

The 2025 MCR Half saw plenty of people breaching the 90-minute mark or going even faster, but we were not expecting to see the familiar caterpillar fancy dress sight finishing in 1:14:08.

Utterly ridiculous, boys.

Other notable bits of history made, besides the largest ever crowd of 28k racers and more than £1.6 million raised for different charities, included runner Sophie Godley smashing the women’s record for the fastest time while carrying (*checks notes*) 13 golf clubs. Silly and inspiring – like it.

Although they’re still waiting for full confirmation from the official Guinness World Records organisation, the Manchester Half media team seemingly verified that they beat the previous caterpillar half-marathon record by nearly 15 whole minutes.

Dubbing themselves ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’, the group of mates from Skipton in North Yorkshire ran in memory of one of Matthew’s friends, Darren, who sadly died back in 2022.

Speaking to the BBC following the remarkable achievement, Matt said: “Darren was so loved by everyone; we just didn’t know what was going on beneath the surface.”

Applauding the “unbelievable” and incredibly uplifting atmosphere on the day, they were one of many participants who added on extra caveats to the already impressive fitness and fundraising challenge.

It was nevertheless an emotional day for all of them. For instance, one quarter of the caterpillar, Jimmy, also had a heavily pregnant wife waiting at home that he had to race back to.

Generating money for male mental health organisation and suicide prevention charity, Andy’s Man Club (AMC), which has continued to grow year on year, they went on to add: “It’s OK to talk, and people shouldn’t suffer in silence. We all would have tried to help.”

Andy’s Man Club outposts are popping up all over the place, including many here in Greater Manchester, so for anyone struggling, please know that you are NOT alone and can always speak to someone. If you’re interested in giving AMC a go, you can find your nearest support group HERE.

Last but not least, for those of you local to the region who are ready to reward yourselves now that the big runs are all said and done, look no further.

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Featured Images — Manchester Half (supplied)/Andy’s Man Club

Trafford

George Ford has signed a new long-term contract with Sale Sharks

Danny Jones Danny Jones George Ford new three year deal Sale Sharks contract

Manc rugby union player and fan favourite George Ford has extended his stay at Sale, putting pen to paper on a new and improved contract in what is a key deal for the Sharks.

The England international and Sale Sharks fly-half is one of the Greater Manchester side’s key senior figures and has remained a popular pick among supporters ever since he arrived.

With that in mind, besides tying down the Curry twins to long-term deals back in April, securing a new contract for their crucial kicker is probably one of the most important bits of business the Eccles-based team have done in some time.

Confirming the fresh terms on Wednesday, 15 October, George Ford has now agreed a new three-year deal to stay at Sale as the Sharks boast three wins in their last four games.

Extending his stay at the club until at least 2029, the announcement has obviously gone down a treat with the fan base; reactions have ranged from simple responses of “Fantastic news!” and fire emojis to nothing more than “phew…”, with many worried that the talented 32-year-old might be moving on.

The Oldham-born athlete, who has already earned 102 England caps, became the Sharks’ 358th professional player just a few short years ago.

After shining at Leicester Tigers and Bath Rugby, before going on to become a fully-fledged first-team Red Roses star, Ford returned to the North to sign for Sale ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, with the Sharks going on to finish as runners-up against Saracens.

Despite struggling with an Achilles injury, he recovered in good time and came back strong to help his teammates on their way to a Gallagher Premiership final in his first season with the Sharks.

Since then, he’s scored some crucial penalty kicks and drop goals, racking up a total of 341 points as he closes in on half a century of appearances.

Speaking on signing the new deal, the local lad said: “It’s brilliant to have the contract agreed. I’ve really enjoyed my time here, and I’ve loved representing the North. The importance of that isn’t lost on me.

george ford bath rugby
Credit: Charlie (via Flickr)
how long was george ford at leicester tigers
Kafuffle via WikiCommons
He’s come a long way since his days with the Tigers and Bath, but his kicks have only gotten better.

“I drive from Saddleworth to Carrington [Lane Training Ground] every day, and I can see the city in the distance, and it makes me incredibly proud”, says Ford. “I’m proud to represent the region and the people up here, and I want to inspire the next generation.

“You see so many kids up here who are passionate about playing rugby, and I want us to be a team that inspires those kids to want to do what we’re lucky enough to do.”

Ford committing his future to the club also comes not long after ‘Ernie’ van Rhyn not only signed a new contract but was given the armband for the year ahead – both of which have been received positively by the shiver.

You can also hear what Director of Rugby, Alex Sanderson, had to say on George Ford signing his new three-year deal down below.

As he continues in a full statement shared via the club website, “With the players and the coaches that we have here, I feel like I can still improve and be challenged as a player. I feel the best place for me to do that is right here.

“As a team, we want to take the next step, and I’m more determined than ever to help us do that. The ambition from the club is obvious, and I know we’re going to achieve great things in the future, but we’re at our best when we focus on the next game.

“I want to keep playing well for Sale Sharks, and I want to keep influencing the team as much as I can. That comes first. I love playing for my country, but I know that I only get that opportunity if I’m playing consistently well for Sale. So that’s my focus.”

He also reiterated that, besides enjoying his rugby, being back home has also helped support his family, with his wife running multiple restaurants alongside being a full-time mum, adding: “To be around to help and support her in any way I can is so important to me. That’s played a big part in us being so settled and happy here.”

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

Featured Images — Rugby World Cup (screenshot via YouTube)/Sale Sharks (via X)

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