Advice for first Etihad match

I’ve adapted this from something I’ve sent to friends who have visited Manchester for City a match before…

Getting about Manchester

I’d use Uber it’s cheap and the distances aren’t too far. You won’t pay more than £10 for any journey in and around the city centre/stadium.

The walk from Manchester Piccadilly train station to the stadium is a good 20-30 minutes especially if you’ve got kids.

I would suggest getting an Uber/tram to the stadium and walking back to the city/centre train station after the match as public transport is rubbish. It’s good walking with all the fans as one back into town - especially if we’ve won.

Feature In The Match Day Programme

Get a photo of your daughter/and you in the match day programme - email in a photo of you in City gear and tell them how far you’ve travelled.
  • Email: Send your message, photos, and captions to mcfcprogramme@reachsport.com.
  • Content: Include details like the recipient's name, a photo, and a message
  • Don’t forget to then buy a programme as a souvenir outside the ground - I think they’re £5
Big Screen Message

You can also get a short message on the big screens at half time using this form - https://www.mancity.com/help-and-support/scoreboard-message-request/request-form

Man City Kids Fan Zone

I don’t know how old your kid is. But there are free kids sessions and entertainment before the match - you need to book this and can’t just turn up. It’s focussed more on younger kids I think. Keep an eye on this page in the 2 or 3 weeks before the game. It’s free but does sell out.

https://www.mancity.com/ticketing-and-hospitality/man-city-kids-fanzone

City Stadium Tour

You need to book. Better on a non match day as you’ll have more access around the stadium but you can do them on match days.

https://www.mancity.com/tours

Coop Live Arena - next to the main stadium may open before the game. Again you’ll need to book. I think it’s £5 to get in but you then get a £5 drinks voucher to use when you’re inside. Lots of bars and loud pre match entertainment. Keep an eye on this page - https://www.mancity.com/tickets/mens/pre-match-at-co-op-live

Team Bus Arrival

The team bus arriving about 90 minutes before kick off is a kind of event at the main entrance of the Colin Bell Stand. There is a DJ, music, fireworks, big screens and the players are introduced one at a time, as they get off the bus.

Statues

Walk around the stadium to see statues of legends of the club. Lee Bell and Summerbee, Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and my favourite David Silva. Bundobust food van is near the last 3 statues.

Tickets

I’ve got 2 tickets for the game which you could have for £28 each as I’m on holiday. They are in South Stand Level 3. I may have a third ticket too but waiting to hear back from a friend. Direct message me if you’re interested.

Food and drink

The food and rink from the kiosks around the outside of the stadium is better than what’s on offer inside the stadium. Bundobust is my personal favourite serving Indian Street Food. Northern Soul Grilled Sandwiches is also recommended.

If you want a beer at half time - then buy tokens before the game starts from the bars it will be much quicker than queuing at the usual concessions.

The two pubs closest to the ground are pretty grim Mary Ds and The Townley. But any port in a storm.

Cheap eat suggestion - Tony’s Chippy for sit down fish and chips. It’s the best fast food near the stadium. It’s halfway between the city centre and the stadium. You can’t book just turn up. There’s not lots of seats but just wait until a table becomes available. It’s a quick turnaround. Maybe try a local delicacy ‘a baby’s head’ aka Steak Pudding with chips. In the north of England we also have gravy or curry sauce on our chips. Maybe ask for a pot of it so you can try it before slathering it all over your chips. Tony’s is only open before the match and not after.

If you want to splash the cash a little. There are nice bars and restaurants in Ancoats or the Northern Quarter areas of the city centre. 10-15 minutes walk from Manchester Piccadilly train station or a cheap uber. There’s a nice bar called Jimmy’s for drinks. The Edinburgh Castle is a gastro pub but booking is essential. Otherwise use Tripadvisor for suggestions.

If you’re in the city centre (Northern quarter) and looking for a good Full English breakfast then I highly recommend the Koffee Pot.

There’s also lots of places to get good coffee, pastries etc in the Northern Quarter.

Pubs

Here’s a list of good traditional pubs in the city centre. Most will let kids in before 8pm.

Britons Protection
Gullivers
The Castle
Crown & Kettle
Peveril of the Peak
Temple of Convenience
The Salisbury
Marble Arch
Lass O Gowrie
Circus Tavern or Grey Horse
Corbieres

Things To Do In And Around Manchester

If you do visit for a weekend -

National Football Museum - lots of brilliant artefacts and interactive displays on the history of the game - but not enough City material in opinion. (Sort it out Moonchester/Scall)

Lowry Gallery in Salford - a good selection of work from a local and world famous artist who was also a City fan. Get there by tram.

Imperial War Museum also next door in Salford

Whitworth Gallery currently has a Turner exhibition (£16 booking essential)

Maybe catch another local game? There’s lots of lower league teams that play further down the leagues - Stockport County, Oldham Athletic or Bury, but not Salford (who have too many links to Man United). You will get to experience a totally different type of English football culture. Tickets around £15-20.

Pride (Gay Pride) is taking place in the city over the weekend you’re due to visit. Pubs in and around the Gay Village will be packed and hotels in the city will be booked up or expensive. There is a parade but beware there will be a lot of phallus’s waved about which might not be appropriate with a child.
 
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Make sure that you always carry wet bread in your hand. This is the only thing that will kill a wet sawdust monster. You have to press wet bread into the face of the wet sawdust monster.
 
celf said:
You could stay in say Shrewsbury York or Chester all lovely places ,then you only have a hour journey to Manchester on the day of the game .
Click to expand...
All better bets than staying in London!
 
Norbiton said:
Bear in mind too there are major engineering works on the railway in August so there won’t be as many trains and they’ll be seriously crowded immediately after the game whenever it’s played. An overnight stay really is worth considering
Click to expand...
Stockport is shut for most of August for new track layout on the viaduct.
 
bladdered said:
Just join us FOCs in the Hare & Hounds before the game. We're a welcoming bunch.
View attachment 162314
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I considered adding it to list of pubs I recommended but it takes years to build up the constitution to take several pints of Joey Holts Bitter. I didn’t want them shitting rusty water in the South Stand smoking area bogs.
 
If you hadn't realised Spurs are from London so the trains that day will have plenty of their fans on them, which could be lively. Consider an overnight stay in Manchester and take in the sites that Manchester has to offer. Its a world class city, full of history. You could even combine it with a trip to Liverpool (30 mins away on the train) if you're into The Beatles.

An alternative to going to a game would be to take in a guided tour of the ground which is well worth the money, and you get to see the players dressing rooms, press room, hospitality boxes, go pitch side etc.

Hope some of that helps.
 
CaunckFan said:
Hello and apologies if this content is covered elsewhere.

My daughter is a huge City Fan and as part of our trip to the UK this summer, we plan on attending the home match vs. Spurs. I'd appreciate any advice from the forum on how to maximise the experience for her.

As we are a large family, we will likely get tickets through one of the City Hospitality packages (either Legends or one of the bars, if available). We will be taking making a day trip from London but want to give her a full experience. Some questions I have are:
  • How early should we plan to arrive in Manchester? Are there pre-match activities that we would want to participate in?
  • Where is the best place to buy MCFC stuff, beyond what is available online? She really wants a Foden scarf.
  • Are there must-visit local establishments (pubs, restaurants, retail, etc.) near the stadium that we should visit?
  • How insane will it be post-match in terms of getting to the train station? How much time should we plan?
  • Any other match attendance etiquette we should be aware of? We want to be respectful while maximising the fun.
Click to expand...
Get bladdered.
 
TheGhost said:
I’ve adapted this from something I’ve sent to friends who have visited Manchester for City a match before…

Getting about Manchester

I’d use Uber it’s cheap and the distances aren’t too far. You won’t pay more than £10 for any journey in and around the city centre/stadium.

The walk from Manchester Piccadilly train station to the stadium is a good 20-30 minutes especially if you’ve got kids.

I would suggest getting an Uber/tram to the stadium and walking back to the city/centre train station after the match as public transport is rubbish. It’s good walking with all the fans as one back into town - especially if we’ve won.

Feature In The Match Day Programme

Get a photo of your daughter/and you in the match day programme - email in a photo of you in City gear and tell them how far you’ve travelled.
  • Email: Send your message, photos, and captions to mcfcprogramme@reachsport.com.
  • Content: Include details like the recipient's name, a photo, and a message
  • Don’t forget to then buy a programme as a souvenir outside the ground - I think they’re £5
Big Screen Message

You can also get a short message on the big screens at half time using this form - https://www.mancity.com/help-and-support/scoreboard-message-request/request-form

Man City Kids Fan Zone

I don’t know how old your kid is. But there are free kids sessions and entertainment before the match - you need to book this and can’t just turn up. It’s focussed more on younger kids I think. Keep an eye on this page in the 2 or 3 weeks before the game. It’s free but does sell out.

https://www.mancity.com/ticketing-and-hospitality/man-city-kids-fanzone

City Stadium Tour

You need to book. Better on a non match day as you’ll have more access around the stadium but you can do them on match days.

https://www.mancity.com/tours

Coop Live Arena - next to the main stadium may open before the game. Again you’ll need to book. I think it’s £5 to get in but you then get a £5 drinks voucher to use when you’re inside. Lots of bars and loud pre match entertainment. Keep an eye on this page - https://www.mancity.com/tickets/mens/pre-match-at-co-op-live

Team Bus Arrival

The team bus arriving about 90 minutes before kick off is a kind of event at the main entrance of the Colin Bell Stand. There is a DJ, music, fireworks, big screens and the players are introduced one at a time, as they get off the bus.

Statues

Walk around the stadium to see statues of legends of the club. Lee Bell and Summerbee, Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and my favourite David Silva. Bundobust food van is near the last 3 statues.

Tickets

I’ve got 2 tickets for the game which you could have for £25 each as I’m on holiday. They are in South Stand Level 3. I may have a third ticket too but waiting to hear back from a friend. Direct message me if you’re interested.

Food and drink

The food and rink from the kiosks around the outside of the stadium is better than what’s on offer inside the stadium. Bundobust is my personal favourite serving Indian Street Food. Northern Soul Grilled Sandwiches is also recommended.

If you want a beer at half time - then buy tokens before the game starts from the bars it will be much quicker than queuing at the usual concessions.

The two pubs closest to the ground are pretty grim Mary Ds and The Townley. But any port in a storm.

Cheap eat suggestion - Tony’s Chippy for sit down fish and chips. It’s the best fast food near the stadium. It’s halfway between the city centre and the stadium. You can’t book just turn up. There’s not lots of seats but just wait until a table becomes available. It’s a quick turnaround. Maybe try a local delicacy ‘a baby’s head’ aka Steak Pudding with chips. In the north of England we also have gravy or curry sauce on our chips. Maybe ask for a pot of it so you can try it before slathering it all over your chips. Tony’s is only open before the match and not after.

If you want to splash the cash a little. There are nice bars and restaurants in Ancoats or the Northern Quarter areas of the city centre. 10-15 minutes walk from Manchester Piccadilly train station or a cheap uber. There’s a nice bar called Jimmy’s for drinks. The Edinburgh Castle is a gastro pub but booking is essential. Otherwise use Tripadvisor for suggestions.

If you’re in the city centre (Northern quarter) and looking for a good Full English breakfast then I highly recommend the Koffee Pot.

There’s also lots of places to get good coffee, pastries etc in the Northern Quarter.

Pubs

Here’s a list of good traditional pubs in the city centre. Most will let kids in before 8pm.

Britons Protection
Gullivers
The Castle
Crown & Kettle
Peveril of the Peak
Temple of Convenience
The Salisbury
Marble Arch
Lass O Gowrie
Circus Tavern or Grey Horse
Corbieres

Things To Do In And Around Manchester

If you do visit for a weekend -

National Football Museum - lots of brilliant artefacts and interactive displays on the history of the game - but not enough City material in opinion. (Sort it out Moonchester/Scall)

Lowry Gallery in Salford - a good selection of work from a local and world famous artist who was also a City fan. Get there by tram.

Imperial War Museum also next door in Salford

Whitworth Gallery currently has a Turner exhibition (£16 booking essential)

Maybe catch another local game? There’s lots of lower league teams that play further down the leagues - Stockport County, Oldham Athletic or Bury, but not Salford (who have too many links to Man United). You will get to experience a totally different type of English football culture. Tickets around £15-20.

Pride (Gay Pride) is taking place in the city over the weekend you’re due to visit. Pubs in and around the Gay Village will be packed and hotels in the city will be booked up or expensive. There is a parade but beware there will be a lot of phallus’s waved about which might not be appropriate with a child.
Click to expand...
The Ghost with the most - v helpful post
 
TheGhost said:
I’ve adapted this from something I’ve sent to friends who have visited Manchester for City a match before…

Getting about Manchester

I’d use Uber it’s cheap and the distances aren’t too far. You won’t pay more than £10 for any journey in and around the city centre/stadium.

The walk from Manchester Piccadilly train station to the stadium is a good 20-30 minutes especially if you’ve got kids.

I would suggest getting an Uber/tram to the stadium and walking back to the city/centre train station after the match as public transport is rubbish. It’s good walking with all the fans as one back into town - especially if we’ve won.

Feature In The Match Day Programme

Get a photo of your daughter/and you in the match day programme - email in a photo of you in City gear and tell them how far you’ve travelled.
  • Email: Send your message, photos, and captions to mcfcprogramme@reachsport.com.
  • Content: Include details like the recipient's name, a photo, and a message
  • Don’t forget to then buy a programme as a souvenir outside the ground - I think they’re £5
Big Screen Message

You can also get a short message on the big screens at half time using this form - https://www.mancity.com/help-and-support/scoreboard-message-request/request-form

Man City Kids Fan Zone

I don’t know how old your kid is. But there are free kids sessions and entertainment before the match - you need to book this and can’t just turn up. It’s focussed more on younger kids I think. Keep an eye on this page in the 2 or 3 weeks before the game. It’s free but does sell out.

https://www.mancity.com/ticketing-and-hospitality/man-city-kids-fanzone

City Stadium Tour

You need to book. Better on a non match day as you’ll have more access around the stadium but you can do them on match days.

https://www.mancity.com/tours

Coop Live Arena - next to the main stadium may open before the game. Again you’ll need to book. I think it’s £5 to get in but you then get a £5 drinks voucher to use when you’re inside. Lots of bars and loud pre match entertainment. Keep an eye on this page - https://www.mancity.com/tickets/mens/pre-match-at-co-op-live

Team Bus Arrival

The team bus arriving about 90 minutes before kick off is a kind of event at the main entrance of the Colin Bell Stand. There is a DJ, music, fireworks, big screens and the players are introduced one at a time, as they get off the bus.

Statues

Walk around the stadium to see statues of legends of the club. Lee Bell and Summerbee, Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany and my favourite David Silva. Bundobust food van is near the last 3 statues.

Tickets

I’ve got 2 tickets for the game which you could have for £25 each as I’m on holiday. They are in South Stand Level 3. I may have a third ticket too but waiting to hear back from a friend. Direct message me if you’re interested.

Food and drink

The food and rink from the kiosks around the outside of the stadium is better than what’s on offer inside the stadium. Bundobust is my personal favourite serving Indian Street Food. Northern Soul Grilled Sandwiches is also recommended.

If you want a beer at half time - then buy tokens before the game starts from the bars it will be much quicker than queuing at the usual concessions.

The two pubs closest to the ground are pretty grim Mary Ds and The Townley. But any port in a storm.

Cheap eat suggestion - Tony’s Chippy for sit down fish and chips. It’s the best fast food near the stadium. It’s halfway between the city centre and the stadium. You can’t book just turn up. There’s not lots of seats but just wait until a table becomes available. It’s a quick turnaround. Maybe try a local delicacy ‘a baby’s head’ aka Steak Pudding with chips. In the north of England we also have gravy or curry sauce on our chips. Maybe ask for a pot of it so you can try it before slathering it all over your chips. Tony’s is only open before the match and not after.

If you want to splash the cash a little. There are nice bars and restaurants in Ancoats or the Northern Quarter areas of the city centre. 10-15 minutes walk from Manchester Piccadilly train station or a cheap uber. There’s a nice bar called Jimmy’s for drinks. The Edinburgh Castle is a gastro pub but booking is essential. Otherwise use Tripadvisor for suggestions.

If you’re in the city centre (Northern quarter) and looking for a good Full English breakfast then I highly recommend the Koffee Pot.

There’s also lots of places to get good coffee, pastries etc in the Northern Quarter.

Pubs

Here’s a list of good traditional pubs in the city centre. Most will let kids in before 8pm.

Britons Protection
Gullivers
The Castle
Crown & Kettle
Peveril of the Peak
Temple of Convenience
The Salisbury
Marble Arch
Lass O Gowrie
Circus Tavern or Grey Horse
Corbieres

Things To Do In And Around Manchester

If you do visit for a weekend -

National Football Museum - lots of brilliant artefacts and interactive displays on the history of the game - but not enough City material in opinion. (Sort it out Moonchester/Scall)

Lowry Gallery in Salford - a good selection of work from a local and world famous artist who was also a City fan. Get there by tram.

Imperial War Museum also next door in Salford

Whitworth Gallery currently has a Turner exhibition (£16 booking essential)

Maybe catch another local game? There’s lots of lower league teams that play further down the leagues - Stockport County, Oldham Athletic or Bury, but not Salford (who have too many links to Man United). You will get to experience a totally different type of English football culture. Tickets around £15-20.

Pride (Gay Pride) is taking place in the city over the weekend you’re due to visit. Pubs in and around the Gay Village will be packed and hotels in the city will be booked up or expensive. There is a parade but beware there will be a lot of phallus’s waved about which might not be appropriate with a child.
Click to expand...
Great helpful post.

The Titanic Exibition is also on that month in Exchange Hall.

Visit the exhibition – Titanic Exhibition Manchester

titanicmanchester.com titanicmanchester.com

Have a great trip @CaunckFan
 
Lots of nice bars in New Islington near town, merch they'll be stalls outside Etihad, lots of things to do in centre of MCR have a look at some YouTube videos see what takes your fancy, Tony's Chippy and Mary D's if you fancy a proper authentic City experience....:D
 
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