Manchester United may have a somewhat flashy image, but Old Trafford is a great stadium that oozes love for football. A must-see in the famous football temples category.
Camp Nou, Bernabéu and the San Siro are some of the most legendary stadiums in football. Old Trafford belongs to the same category. There is a good reason why the largest club stadium in England has the beautiful nickname: 'Theatre of Dreams', given by no other than Sir Bobby Charlton himself.
From the outside, Old Trafford is impressively grand, but it's inside where the magic really hits you. The sea of red chairs that extends right up to the pitch, the club's name on the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand: When you enter Old Trafford you automatically become silent for a moment. As a supporter, but also as a player when you cross the field from the players' tunnel in the corner. You will not find many stadiums that are more beautiful than Old Trafford.
United are the most successful club in England and has a rich history with numerous top players and managers, each honoured in their own way. On the square in front of the East Stand is the United Trinity, the trio of George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton. The three won the European Cup with United in 1968 under legendary manager Sir Matt Busby. They look, arm in arm, in the direction of the stadium, directly at Sir Matt Busby, who adorns the outer facade of Old Trafford with a statue.
In the same style as Busby's statue, Sir Alex Ferguson has also received a wonderful tribute. Not only was Old Trafford's biggest stand named after the Scotsman but there is also a statue of Man United's most successful manager, accompanied by four giant banners of photos of Ferguson.
In addition to the major highs, United's history also has big lows. The biggest low occurred on February 6, 1958: The Munich air disaster. Due to a failed take-off, the plane containing the entire Manchester United team and manager Matt Busby crashed: 23 died, including eight players and three members of the staff. The Busby Babes lost half the team.
In the Munich Tunnel, under the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand, there's a gallery that serves as a tribute to the deceased Mancunians. Diagonally above the tunnel, you will find the famous Munich Clock, with the date and place of the disaster on it. On the anniversary days of the disaster, the clock is stopped at 15:04, the exact time of the disaster.
In Moorfield Street, in the middle of the Withington area of Manchester, you will find a special mural. It is a tribute to local hero Marcus Rashford. Not only a great player on the pitch but a great man off it too. Rashford made it possible for children from poor English families to get a free meal during school holidays. Rashford, who grew up in poverty himself, was royally awarded for his great social commitment.
Louis van Gaal is always right. Well, he thinks so at least. But on this occasion, we are inclined to agree with him. During Louis' time in England, his wife Truus and him often visited the Chinese restaurant Wings, on Lincoln Square in the heart of Manchester. Wings is indeed a great recommendation, plus a great place to spot star players and managers of both Manchester clubs, whether that's Van Nistelrooy, Rooney, Guardiola or De Bruyne.
The Trafford, only a stone's throw from Old Trafford, is the United pub par excellence. You'll pass it when you walk from the tram to the stadium, on the corner of Chester Road and Warwick Road. A true United-boozer: Red-white-black tiles and the club logo on the floor, photos of players and managers and the famous quote by Eric Cantona about 'seagulls and sardines' on the wall.
Across the street from Chester Road is a snack bar owned by Lou Macari, a former player of Manchester United and the Scottish national team. Here, you can eat fish & chips that contain about half a bottle of frying fat per serving. Macari, now in his seventies, is rarely in the shop himself.
Right next to Lou Macari's snack bar is a special souvenir shop, the Red Star Shop, a tiny shop that is best described as a kind of anti-megastore. It smells a bit stale, but the numbers of old shirts, scarves and programme booklets make this shop a mecca for the avid football collector.
The owners of Manchester United, the American Glazer family, have not won the popularity prize in Manchester. Out of dissatisfaction with the policy and commercialisation of the club, a group of fans decided to set up their own club, FC United of Manchester, in 2005. They play at Broadhurst Park in Moston, a suburb of Manchester, in the seventh tier. A great stadium with a loyal following.
Another club with a link to Manchester United is Salford City in League Two, albeit in a completely different way. Salford is largely owned by 'The Class of '92' (a highly successful generation of homegrown United players). The Neville brothers, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and David Beckham each hold 10% of the club's shares. They play their home games at Moor Lane in Salford, a suburb attached to Manchester.
Another hobby of the Class of '92 is Hotel Football. The football-styled hotel, diagonally behind the East Stand, offers stunning views of Old Trafford and even has a football pitch on the roof. On the ground floor is Café Football, a bar-restaurant where you can have a decent meal and drink before matches. Those who want to book a room have to be quick on match days.
The National Football Museum in Manchester is an absolute gem. In addition to the many special pieces of English football, including a replica of the 1966 World Cup, the museum also has strong local links. You will find George Best's car and a brilliant Renaissance artwork of Erica Cantona and his young teammates pictured as Jesus Christ with his disciples. The museum is located in the city centre on Todd Street, right next to Manchester Victoria station.
An idea so good that you are disappointed that you never came up with it yourself. Matt and Doug, two students from Manchester, decided to set up a business in retro 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 Manchester store along the busy Deansgate, on the outside of Barton Arcade shopping centre.
For tickets, you can go to Manchester United's official website, but Manchester United matches are almost always sold out, especially those in the Premier League. That doesn't mean you can't get in, though. You have to have a membership: United memberships start at £20 and you can buy one ticket with that. Another option is the football travel agencies. They sell 'official' tickets that are more or less reserved for tourists but they are always a bit more expensive.
Right behind the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand is Manchester United Football Ground, but the station has not been in use for several years. A good alternative is the green and purple tram lines. Get off at Altrincham and from here you will reach the stadium within a couple of minutes.
Images: Shutterstock, BSR Agency, SANTOS
