Sport

Smash-hit fan zone Road to Victory returns to Manchester for Euro 2024

The scenes they produced were among the very best highlights of the Qatar World Cup.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 23rd May 2024

The tournament hasn’t even started yet but you can consider our excitement well and truly through the roof because we can now confirm that Road to Victory, the hugely successful fan zone which debuted at the 2022 World Cup, is coming back to Manchester for Euro 2024.

Presented by entertainment pioneers AIX Live – ‘amplified immersive experience’ – Road to Victory (Rtv) first landed at Depot Mayfield for its maiden tournament but now the huge fan park is making its much-anticipated return at a brand new venue just down the road.

Set to take over popular beer garden and food hall Diecast for the first time, RtV is set to welcome around 3,000 fans for every Euros match and will be screening every England game for as long as we stay in the tournament.

And it all kicks off with the Three Lions‘ opener against Serbia on 16 June, which starts at 8pm but don’t worry, the party will already be in full swing hours before then.

diecast fan zone euros
road to victory fan park manchester
Diecast is set to transform into a massive fan zone for Euro 2024. (Credit: Road to Victory)

With over 30,000 square feet of Euros action, including space for up to 2,500 standing fans in the sprawling Brooklyn Beer Hall, multiple screens and one large festival LED screen, this place is going to be absolutely bouncing.

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They make sure of that too, creating an incredible atmosphere with a fully immersive light show, making the entire venue light up yellow or red as corresponding coloured cards are given out and other big match moments (hopefully lots of goals), as well plenty of music, cheering and chants throughout.

Pre and post-match entertainment is great too, with DJs from start to finish, live on-stage hosts hyping up the crowd, quizzes, special guests, competitions and much, much more.

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The Road to Victory team has fine-tuned the experience since their inaugural event in 2022 and given how electric the crowd was back then, we can only imagine how good this summer is going to be.

The venue will open 2 hours before KO and the events are strictly 18+ because yes, there will be plenty of pints.

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With Diecast‘s unreal food menu also on offer, you’ll be just as sorted for scran as you are the sport. They’ll be serving up their famous ‘NeoPan’ (Neapolitan meets NYC) style pizzas in various flavours, as well as other easy picky bits like their tater tots straight from the Ramona and Firehouse kitchen.

Standing tickets cost £12.50 or just a tenner for early bird ticket holders. Early access has already gone live on the Road to Victory website and you can get ready to grab general admission from 9am on Tuesday, 28 May.

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Alternatively, if you’re looking for hospitality packages – which include one pizza per person, sharing tots, plus table service with ice cold beers to your table for up to eight people per booking – they’ll set you back just £20, or you can enquire about larger booking by emailing [email protected].

Fans are also being encouraged to keep an eye on Road to Victory and Diecast social media channels for further booking links and updates ahead of each game. Let’s hope to see more scenes like this next month. It’s coming home.

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

Featured Images — Supplied

Sport

Roger Espinoza, part of Wigan Athletic’s famous 2013 FA Cup-winning side, has officially retired

Danny Jones Danny Jones Roger Espinoza Wigan retirement

Another member of Wigan’s FA Cup-winning side has decided to hang up their boots as Roger Espinoza has confirmed his retirement at the age of 37.

Espinoza’s most recent club was Sporting Kansas City, who he played for nearly 400 times across two different spells, but in between those two stints, he was part of the famous Wigan team that managed to beat a then resurgent Manchester City in the 2013 FA Cup final.

Now 11 years on, the former Honduran international has revealed that he is calling time on his storied career following the conclusion of the 2023 American season.

As confirmed in an official club announcement, the number 11 will be honoured with a special pre-match ceremony at the home ground of Children’s Mercy Park before their game against Austin FC, along with a fireworks show immediately following the game.

Widely considered not just a footballing veteran but a legend of the league, he goes down as the player with the second-most appearances in Sporting KC history, winning three US Open Cup titles and helping carry them to 10 Audi MLS Cup Playoff appearances.

His time in Greater Manchester, however, was relatively fleeting; the midfielder went on to become somewhat of a utility player throughout his career after joining the Latics halfway through the season but was quickly thrown into the first team through necessity.

Following injuries to Maynor Figueroa and Jean Beausejour, Espinoza was deployed as a left wing-back under Roberto Martínez in that FA Cup final over a decade ago which proved to be a big shock and remains Wigan‘s only major trophy. He played for 42 games before leaving in December 2014.

Having racked up a total of 455 appearances all told – not including his caps for Honduras (52), who represented at two World Cups and even at the Olympics – scoring 17 goals and notching 49 assists, his playing career spans two decades and has already begun the transition into coaching.

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Paying tribute to his long-standing teammate and mate nicknamed ‘Lucky Lefty’, fellow Kansas City legend Graham Zusi was one of countless who paid tribute to Espinoza on social media, writing: “What a human. Ultimate teammate, leader, competitor and friend. Congrats, hermano!”

Roger Espinoza’s retirement also means that there are now just four surviving members of that 2013 FA Cup-winning side: James McCarthy, Callum McManaman, Jordi Gómez and goalkeeper Joel Robles.

Meanwhile, then-manager Martínez is in charge of the Portuguese national team competing at Euro 2024 as we speak, and ex-Wigan talisman Shaun Maloney is still at the club only now as the head coach himself, and has been in post since January 2023.

Any excuse for the ‘Tics to watch it back, eh?

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

Featured Images — Andy Witchger (via Flickr)/Wigan Athletic (via X)

Sport

The Chester Zoo 10k returns for a crucial fundraising cause

Danny Jones Danny Jones 2024 Chester Zoo 10k run

Runners, listen up because the much-loved Chester Zoo 10k is back for 2024 and this year’s run aligns with an important national day in the world of animal conservation.

Just the second time the charity event has taken place, Chester Zoo‘s ‘Run For Nature’ proved a success in its inaugural year and is now set to welcome 2,500 racers to the world-renowned and award-winning wildlife park for one of the coolest routes to jog around you could ever ask for.

In case you were in any doubt, yes, those taking part will stomp through the 128-acre zoo, racing
past Asian elephants, the rare Rothschild’s giraffes, camels, giant otters and more – all before continuing
out into the wider Cheshire countryside and circling back to the finish line at the zoo.

Say no more, sign us up.

Most importantly, this year’s Chester Zoo 10k lands on World Rhino Day, a global moment of observance and recognition of the majestic creatures which are still sadly threatened with potential extinction.

People from all over the globe gather together every try to raise awareness and money for this important cause on 22 September every year, and now both you and the zoo can do your bit lacing up your running shoes and simply going for a jog.

There were once more than 500,000 rhinos roaming across Africa, Asia and parts of Europe; now there are just 25,000 on the entire planet, including those kept in conservation facilities like Chester’s, but the hope is that with the money generated through initiatives like this, the population can rise once again.

Runners of all abilities are being invited to take part in the main 10K and there’s even a special one-mile ‘Zoom’ fun run for kids aged 4-15, so pretty much everyone can get involved.

All participants will receive a sustainable medal on completion of the run, as well as free entry to the zoo on the day. Top fundraisers will also have the opportunity to win a variety of prizes, such as annual zoo memberships, animal adoptions and experiences, as well as bundles of other vouchers.

chester zoo charity 10k
rhinos chester zoo
Credit: Chester Zoo

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All proceeds from the 2024 Run For Nature will go towards the zoo’s efforts to protect rhinos from extinction, which include developing innovative scientific techniques – which they have been pioneering for 15+ years – such as using hormone monitoring to provide crucial insights into the health of rhinos.

For instance, just a few months ago, this technology helped 21 critically endangered black rhinos (with a baby female being born at Chester Zoo back in November 2023) be returned to an area in northern Kenya where they had previously been extinct for 50 years.

Lorraine Jubb, Fundraising Lead at Chester Zoo, said: “We’re really excited to be bringing back our 10k Run For Nature event… it’s a relatively flat route and an excellent opportunity to break your PB!…

“All you have to do is sign up online and we’ll send you a registration pack in the post, which includes all of the fundraising details and your numbered bib, so you can just turn up on the day and start warming up. It’s going to be a fun-filled day that the whole family can enjoy and make a real difference for wildlife.”

So, if you want to get involved and make a contribution to animal conservation this World Rhino Day, you can sign up for Chester Zoo’s 10k Run For Nature on Sunday, 22 September HERE and we’ll see you at the finish line.

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

Featured Images — Chester Zoo (supplied)

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