Training at Etihad before home games?

S S

sleepysjs

Member
Joined
9 May 2012
Messages
8
Location
Crewe
Can anyone help?

I heard (somewhere) that the players train at the Etihad on the day before a home match. Is this true? If so, when do the players arrive and depart? I am bringing a group of students to the Etihad tour and am hoping to choose a day when they might be able to see the players. The students concerned hang out at Port Vale on their match days and enjoy gathering autographs and photos.

As a City season ticket holder working in Stoke on Trent, I too would appreciate the opportunity! Work is so hard sometimes!!

Thanks in advance

Fiona
 
Unfortunately they haven't done this since the move to the CFA over the road, apart from one match this season when for some unknown reason they trained at the stadium (which only became public knowledge after the event as the city site posted pictures!)

You can try and wait outside the CFA, i read there's 2 gates to choose from off Clayton Lane. But the day before a home match is not the day to do it as the players sleep at the CFA now so they wouldn't be leaving.
 
kippaxkid74 said:
Unfortunately they haven't done this since the move to the CFA over the road, apart from one match this season when for some unknown reason they trained at the stadium (which only became public knowledge after the event as the city site posted pictures!)

You can try and wait outside the CFA, i read there's 2 gates to choose from off Clayton Lane. But the day before a home match is not the day to do it as the players sleep at the CFA now so they wouldn't be leaving.
Click to expand...

Are you sure that's true? I went on the stadium tour over Christmas and they said the first team still train at the stadium the day before games.
 
Last edited:
^ are you sure? I met people who used to go get autographs and they said definitely not, and also emailed the club a few times and they said it's always at the CFA now the day before games. Maybe the tour was just after the one time this season they did train there? Someone should ask on @mcfchelp - they're usually pretty clueless though but we should try that! (ie supporter services on twitter). I'd be interested to know - if it is back at the stadium again i have a shirt i'd try and get signed, as embarrassing as that is!

Oh and when you view the training photos on the city site from the day before a game (billed as the last training session, so deffo the day before the match), it always looks like the CFA, apart from the one time this season.
 
IIRC the team only ever trains in the stadium as part of an arrangement whereby teams are supposed to provide a brief period of access to journalists to watch their training sessions before each game. I don't think they would allow people to watch it, even as part of a tour that happened to be in the area, because it's supposed to be a closed event for journalists only.

That's going off what I read about 18 months ago. I could be out of date on this.
 
^ yes people couldn't watch training (apart from the old days at platt lane, or over the fence at carrington!), but for the 1 and a half seasons they trained at the stadium they had barriers set up outside and as the players left they would sign autographs, or about half of them would anyway. People are on about access to autographs/photos, not to watch them train.
 
They train at the Stadium before each home game, except when the groundsman asks them not to, which has been more frequently since the rugby World Cup/winter months.
 
Hmmm where do you guys hear this? City told me just after the CFA opened that they now no longer train at the stadium, i checked again early last year as a mate wanted to take his kids to meet them as they left and city yet again said no they now train at the CFA the day before home games. I also went to the CFA myself once to try and get a shirt signed as a presie for someone and the other people there were moaning about the fact you can't get them at the stadium any more.

This is the city site the day before the home match against seville - training at the CFA not the stadium
http://www.mcfc.co.uk/News/Team-news/2015/October/City-v-Sevilla-open-training-session/1445348384

the day before the home match against juve - at the CFA
http://www.mcfc.co.uk/News/Team-new...reparing-for-Juventus-14-September/1442232084

and one last season the day before a home match against west brom
http://www.mcfc.co.uk/News/Team-news/2015/March/Training-gallery-pre-WBA-1029/1426800766

But if i'm wrong i accept it and will shut up! Just want to know how you guys are so sure? City and other fans have told me again and again otherwise.
 
They still train at the ground the day before on the majority of occasions. Training usually finishes around 12.30 , players then leave and return to the ground between 1930 and 2000hrs to park their vehicles and get the coach to the CFA, there has been times when they haven't trained there, but in general they still do.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Unread Posts

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top