Or you could go on the day of the game and return the following day for £125 , going via Geneva from Manchester on easyjet and returning via dublin on ryanair.Just answering my own question but after deciding to travel without a ticket I suddenly became eligible for the revised criteria.
If I had followed the club advice and waited until 10am this morning then I could have taken advantage of Easyjet's Manchester-Nice-(Tuesday-Thursday) return flights for just £928.12
My loss!
Gets into Nice at 1330pm
Not ideal for most but it cuts down on costs if you're on a tight budget.