It is hidden quite well, but somewhere in the rich club Manchester City, you will find an old English people's club. The charming old Maine Road stadium has been gone for some time now, but the Citizens have become one of England's most successful football clubs, winning one trophy after another whilst playing attractive football.
At the beginning of the century, 'The Etihad' was known as the City of Manchester Stadium. The arena is the eye-catcher of what is a sports city. Unfortunately, the stadium is not in the most exciting neighbourhood. But on the other hand, you will see the rather impressive Etihad from miles away given the lack of buildings in the nearby surroundings.
Etihad has taken a lot of inspiration from other major stadiums in the world. The staircases on the outside are reminiscent of San Siro and the Bernabéu, whilst the roof construction is somewhat similar to Juventus' old Stadio delle Alpi.
The inside of the Etihad is quite nice. Light blue seats, three tiers and stands that are close to the pitch. However, the fans can be quite quiet at times.
Once Man City had the idea to create some statues they did not hold back. Statues of Vincent Kompany and David Silva have already been placed on the east side of the stadium. In 2022, they also unveiled Sergio Aguero's statue. However, the club is also planning to add statues of three players from a different era, including one of Franny Lee, Mike Summerbee and Colin Bell. All great footballers who have achieved extraordinary things. But you do wonder, is there such a thing as too many statues?
The Etihad might not be England's most special stadium, but it may have seen the most iconic moment since the introduction of the Premier League in 1992. Sergio Aguero's last-gasp winner in the 94th minute of the last game of the 2011/2012 season made Manchester City champions of England for the first time since 1968. “Agüerooooo... I swear you'll never see anything like this ever again!” was the legendary reaction of commentator Martin Tyler, words that will still leave all City fans with goosebumps.
Older Manchester City supporters and football fans in general still fondly remember Maine Road, a classic English football stadium in the middle of a residential area, Moss Side in southern Manchester. City played there for eighty years until a new stadium had to be built. The stadium was demolished and new homes were built in its place. However, if you look closely, you will still find something of the old Maine Road in Moss Side. The street names on the old ground have a link to the club (Blue Moon Way, Citizens Place) and most notably, the centre circle has been preserved. You can find it on Carnival Place, together with a memorial of Stan Gibson, who was Maine Road's groundkeeper for many years.
It is a well-known fact that English cuisine does not have the best reputation, so for people who come from a rich food culture, it might take some time to get adjusted to rainy Manchester. However, the Catalan trio of Pep Guardiola (manager), Txiki Begiristain (technical director) and Ferran Soriano (CEO) of Man City came up with an idea. They joined forces and created Tast Catala, a tapas bar/restaurant where the best of Catalan cuisine is prepared by star chef Paco Perez. The restaurant is located at 20-22 King Street in the heart of the city.
Next to the Etihad, you will find several other football pitches. Together they form the Etihad Campus, the beating heart of Man City. It might not come as a surprise that City's facilities are some of the world's best.
The U23s and woman's teams play in the eye-catching Manchester City Academy Stadium at Ashton New Road. A little further you will find Man City's training complex where the first team also has its training sessions.
Opposite the Etihad Stadium, you will find a somewhat crazy detached house that looks like they forgot to demolish it. However, the Maine Road Chippy – named after the old stadium – is a regular pit stop for many Citizens before or after their club's home games. The shop will probably not receive a Michelin star any time soon, but lovers of traditional British stadium food will find what they are looking for.
Given the location of the Etihad Stadium, the area is not exactly filled with cosy pubs. Those who would like to visit a real City pub should head to Mary D's Beamish Bar on Grey Mare Lane, right opposite the stadium. A great football pub, with shirts of players, images from the club's history and a picture of the Gallagher brothers from Oasis.
In England, the people are proud of being the inventors of football and we have to be honest: There is no country with such a great and extensive football history as England. It should come as no surprise that the National Football Museum in Manchester is a gem. In addition to the many special museum exhibits of English football in general – with the holy grail the replica of the 1996 World Cup won by England – the museum also has a strong 'local colour', including the oldest surviving FA Cup – won by Manchester City. The museum is located in the centre of Manchester on Todd Street, right next to Manchester Victoria Station.
A genius idea that is so good, that you wish you thought of it yourself. Matt and Doug, two students from Manchester, decided to start a business selling old football shirts in 2006. The rest, as they say, is history. Classic Football Shirt Shop is world famous on the internet and has now also expanded with two physical stores: One in London and one in Manchester, where it all started. You'll find the store in Manchester along busy Deansgate Street, outside of the Barton Arcade shopping centre.
For an English top club, it is relatively easy to get tickets for Manchester City. Matches against other clubs from the top 6 are a different story, but with everything out there – including Champions League matches – you certainly stand a chance in advance. Tickets can be purchased through the club's official website. Would you like to see City play against a top side? Then it is best to become a member of the club, this increases your chances considerably. A Matchday Membership, with which you compete for match tickets, costs 35 euros.
The Etihad Stadium is easily accessible by public transport from anywhere in the city. The orange and – of course – the light blue tram lines stop at the Etihad Campus stop, which is right in front of the stadium. From the centrally located Piccadilly Gardens, it takes less than ten minutes.
Image: Shutterstock, BSR Agency, SANTOS
