Tag Archives: Bank Street

Fancy Christmas Day in an Armchair at United v City?

It’s Christmas Day 1902 and these were the ticket prices for the big Manchester Derby match played at Clayton (the present day BMX site next to the velodrome). The game ended in a 1-1 draw. It’s so strange to think today that many of us would have headed off to a ground on Christmas Day in years gone by. Notice the seats that you could have at United – arm chairs! That’s right. It’s Christmas Day so I’ll hold off making any funny comments but imagine if Old Trafford advertised ‘arm chairs’.

Merry Christmas to all. I hope it’s a safe, comfortable and enjoyable few days for you all wherever you are.

United’s Bank Street and City’s Etihad Then and Now

I’m not certain how many match going fans realise how close the site of Manchester City’s is to the site of Manchester United’s old Bank Street ground. The Reds moved back in 1910 to Old Trafford and the site is now the home of the BMX indoor centre. You can see the old ground on the right of the old map below (c.1910), while City’s current Etihad Stadium can be seen in the middle of the newer map. A few other things to look out for:

  • Rowsley Street still exists (this is the road that cars turn on to just before the main access road which heads towards the main entrance of the Etihad.
  • Philips Park, the river, the railway, canal and main roads remain.
  • Part of the Electricity works complex still survives, near the Velodrome. As does part of the gas works, north west of the Etihad.
  • Present day Alan Turing Way is a slightly modified Mill Street/Grey Mare Lane. Forge Lane is now within the car parking area, east of the stadium, but the Forge Lane bridge over the canal still exists between the Co-op Live arena and the car parks (to the east of Joe Mercer Way’s more modern bridge).

Move the arrows in the photo to compare maps.

Fancy Christmas Day in an Armchair at United v City?

It’s Christmas Day 1902 and these were the ticket prices for the big Manchester Derby match played at Clayton (the present day BMX site next to the velodrome). The game ended in a 1-1 draw. It’s so strange to think today that many of us would have headed off to a ground on this special day in years gone by. Notice the seats that you could have at United – arm chairs! That’s right. It’s Christmas Day so I’ll hold off making any funny comments but imagine if Old Trafford advertised ‘arm chairs’.

Merry Christmas to all. I hope it’s a safe, comfortable and enjoyable day for you all wherever you are.

United Supporters Club Boycott Committee-Yes, Really!

I’m sure some will believe this didn’t happen but on this day (31 October) in 1930 the previous night’s meeting of the so-called Boycotting Committee of the Manchester United Supporters Club met to discuss their next boycott of a first team game. There was widespread dissatisfaction of the plight of the Reds that season and the season would end with United’s Old Trafford average being 11,685 (the lowest average for either United/Newton Heath or City since Newton Heath averaged 4,650 in 1902). Neither side has attracted a lower average since.

What’s significant about this brief article is the mention of the planned boycott v Arsenal – that game attracted the highest crowd of the season to date! This demonstrates how difficult it is to plan a protest and for all fans to join in.

I explored the boycott and fan related issues in Manchester A Football History (my 2008/2010 update) book. This has been out of print for over a decade but PDFs of every chapter are free to download for all who subscribe. See the following for details of how to subscribe:

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