You have to look hard for it, but deep in newly-rich Manchester City is an old English folk club hidden. The club has lost the charm of the old Maine Road for some time, but the Citizens have regained league titles and the best football in Europe.
Opened at the beginning of this century as the City of Manchester Stadium in the east of the city, it is now known by its sponsor name in England as 'The Etihad'. It is a real eye-catcher in a fully sports-oriented 'sports city' with many other sports amalgamated together, created for the Commonwealth Games of 2002. Unfortunately, the stadium is therefore not really in a pleasant neighbourhood, but you can still see it from the outside as quite an impressive stadium.
The fun thing about the Etihad Stadium is that there are a few architectural styles from other major stadiums to discover. The staircases on the outside are reminiscent of San Siro and the Bernabeu, whilst the roof construction is somewhat reminiscent of the old Stadio delle Alpi of Juventus.
The inside of the Etihad Stadium is also quite nice with light blue seats, three rings and stands that extend to the field. It does have to be said: for such a big club it is very quiet at times.
They didn't hold back at Manchester City when it was considered that statues should be placed outside the stadium: Vincent Kompany and David Silva have already received one on the east side of the stadium and Sergio Aguero and three others are still on the schedule . Nothing to the detriment of these gentlemen who have all accomplished extraordinary feats in City's blue, but is there such a thing as an overkill of statues?
The Etihad Stadium may 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 that 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 still give goosebumps on the arms of every City fan.
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 on the street of the same name 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. On Carnival Place is the centre circle, with a memorial to Stan Gibson, many years the groundskeeper on Maine Road, on the centre dot.
It is well known that English cuisine is not highly regarded around the world, so for people from a rich food culture it might take some getting used to in the already rainy Manchester. That could be better, thought the Catalan trio of Pep Guardiola, Txiki Begiristain and Ferran Soriano, manager, technical director and CEO of Manchester City respectively. They joined forces and created Tast Catala, a tapas bar meets 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.
Several other football pitches are located next to the Etihad Stadium, which together form the Etihad Campus, the beating heart of Manchester City. Unsurprisingly, City's facilities are among the absolute best in the world.
The youth teams and the women's team play here, and the men's first team also has their training complex here. Most eye-catching is the Manchester City Academy Stadium on Ashton New Road, the first stadium you come across from the walkway from the Etihad Stadium. This is where the Manchester City U23s play their matches.
Opposite the Etihad Stadium is a somewhat crazy detached house that looks like they forgot to demolish it. Still, 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 here.
Due to the location of the Etihad Stadium, the area is not exactly dotted with cozy pubs. Those who would like to frame the game with a visit to 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 history of the club and a picture of the Gallagher brothers.
In England, the people are proud of being the inventors of football and we have to hand it to the English: 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 of 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.
An idea so good that you regret that you never came up with it yourself. Matt and Doug, two students from Manchester, decided in 2006 to start a business in old football shirts. The rest 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, on the outside of 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 still like to see a top team in the Etihad? 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
