The Theatre of Dreams/Nightmares (Old Trafford (Manchester United FC))

Member Name: mrjoegoodwin

Product:	Old Trafford (Manchester United FC)
Date:	30/07/09 (128 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Biggest club ground in country, unrestricted views, large superstore

Disadvantages: Home of the devil incarnate, angry red faced Scots in attendance

Before starting this review, let's get one thing clear - I'm definitely in the 'Anyone But United' camp when it comes to football, and there are few things on a Saturday afternoon that bring a bigger smile to my face than seeing the red devils lose a match. That said however, even I can't help but be filled with admiration for the enormous structure that is Old Trafford, home to arguably the biggest football club in the world, and sadly, the nearest football ground to my house.

Since the inception of the Premiership in 1992, Old Trafford has evolved from an old fashioned, outdated and somewhat delapidated stadium, to the largest club stadium in England, dwarfed in size only by Wembley Stadium. Old Trafford can house just over 76,000 fans, and it's a testament to the following that United have that the stadium is full virtually every week, and there is never a spare ticket to be had for the big league, FA Cup or Champions League ties.

One of the easiest ways to access the stadium is to use Manchester's Metrolink tram network, alighting at the Old Trafford stop and making the short 10 minute walk to the ground. The walk takes in the neighbouring Old Trafford Cricket Ground (home to Lancashire County Cricket Club), and on a match day, trams to and from the stadium are packed with fans. There are other nearby tram stops that also serve the ground to alleviate congestion, and there is also a dedicated 'Manchester United FC' train station that pulls up just behind the South Stand on match days, with regular services from the centre of Manchester at Piccadilly station.

Approaching the 'Theatre of Dreams', as it is known, you will notice straight away the huge glass facade at the front of the stadium, with a large stadium of Sir Matt Busby, one of the most famous managers in United's history, and manager of the ill-fated 'Busby babes' era side, many of whom tragically lost their lives in a Munich airport plane disaster, just as the team was in its ascendancy with many young players including Duncan Edwards having their careers sadly cut short. A tribute to the Munich disaster now exists in the form of a clock and a tunnelled walkway by the South Stand.

Beneath the statue is the entrance to the United megastore, a huge indoor football shop that sells everything from replica kits, to duvet covers, stationery, tablecloths and toothbrush holders. Basically, imagine any product that you could buy in any shop, stick a Manchester United badge on it, and you'll find it in the United megastore. Avoid the place like the plague on a match day if you can, the shop is packed, but if you are in the area when there is no game being played, then that is the time to visit, if you have the overwhelming desire to swell the coffers of the world's second richest club of course.

The stadium itself is dominated by the 3 tiered North Stand which dominates one length of the pitch. Having sat in the highest tier for the 2003 Champions League final, I can testify to it being VERY high up! There were also around 15 flights of stairs to climb to access the seats, so if you plan to sit here, make sure you're feeling fit, and don't mind heights. The world famous Stretford End is situated behind one of the goals, and it is here that the hardcore United fans tend to sit and vocalise support for their team.

Having filled in the corners and maximise the potential in each of the available quadrants, it is only the South Stand that is now in a single tier, restricted for future expansion by the aforementioned trainline that runs behind the stand. I can't see anywhere else in the ground that could be built upon to further increase the seating area, unless they somehow found a way to move the train tracks from their current location - that would appear unlikely.

A matchday experience at Old Trafford can be somewhat muted - as the world's most popular team, it's fair to say that the tourist crowd are in evidence at most games, concerned more with taking pictures than singing the terrace songs. For Champions League nights and derbies against local rivals Manchester City and Liverpool, the noise levels are increased dramatically, and you get a real sense of why Old Trafford is such a hard place to visit for an away team.

When leaving the stadium, try to get a photo by the statue of 3 United legends that sits opposite the superstore. George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton were 3 of the greatest players in United's history, and their contribution to United's success in their era is marked with this statue.

Old Trafford is a mecca to some, a normal football ground to others. As the largest football ground in the country with the exception of Wembley, it is worth a visit, and the matchday experience is good fun, if a little too 'corporate' for my tastes these days. But still, I'm cheering for 'Anyone But United' again this season!

Summary: The largest club football ground in the country is worth a visit