Football Ground Guide: Fans Reviews, Old Trafford, Manchester United FC

Old Trafford - Manchester United
Tuesday 5th November 2002
V Leicester City, Worthington Cup Round 2, 8pm
By Robert Parker

1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be)?

I always enjoy a trip to Old Trafford as it is a magnificent stadium and has excellent facilities. Since my first visit I have witnessed it develop from the pre-Taylor report old First Division ground that it was to one of the most visually striking stadiums in Europe. It was Bonfire Night and on our journey to the ground fireworks going off in fields and parks on all sides of us kept us entertained. This was my first visit for almost a year and during the journey I made plans for further expeditions to grounds in the near future.

2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

Old Trafford is not a difficult place to find but actually getting near the vicinity on a match day is another matter entirely. Approaching from the south we hit heavy traffic in the suburbs and it took us longer than expected to finally get within walking distance. Not only is the ground well signposted, but on a match day you will notice that everyone is going in the same direction as you, so even though the journey may drag on, at least you can't get lost! We parked at the nearby Old Trafford cricket ground, which although it cost £5 was well lit, controlled by LCCC stewards without fuss, and provided ample space for the large numbers of cars. From there it was a walk of 10-15 minutes to the outside of the stadium, which again you cannot miss due to the fact that tens out thousands of people are making the journey in the same direction as you.

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?

My friend and I disregarded the idea of trying to get something to eat outside the ground straight away. Although there was a huge selection of bars, café's, mobile kebab fans, fish n' chips stands etc, all were very busy. So instead we headed for the Megastore, now situated under and at the back of the East Stand. Inside, it seemed that every concievable product, football-related or otherwise, had been painted red, had a Man U badge slapped on, and been put on sale. There are huge supermarket-style checkouts near the exit, which seemed to be doing a roaring trade. In a spare moment I asked one of the cashiers how he was coping with the rush, to which he replied that this was a quiet night! I didn't see any sign of trouble outside the ground, and there were numerous Leicester fans sporting their colours freely, which was refreshing. We got a beer and a pie inside the stand, which were enjoyable if a little overpriced.

4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground:

After putting my lungs to the test by climbing the stairway to our seats, I was able to sit back and take in the view. From my seat in the final row of the second tier of the North Stand, I had a panoramic view of proceedings. My seat was away from the Leicester fans but they had a great view too, sitting as they were in the second tier of the East Stand, behind their goal in the first half. Old Trafford seems to get better every time I see it - I last came here with Leicester last November for our league game and it seems to have improved, but I the only thing I can point to regarding this seems to be my eagle-eye view this time. The downside to this was that despite my eagle-eye view of the playing area, it was some distance away. One fan had the good sense to bring a pair of binoculars to help get an idea of what was going on, as I doubt that people with vision problems would have a great time watching the game from my seat. When this stand was first built in 1996 visitors were warned that vertigo-suffers should consider avoiding the third tier, and I can understand as I was in the top of the second tier and feeling a twinge of giddiness and the steepness and height of the stand. The most amazing thing about this ground is the cantilever roof, which extends for a remarkable distance out towards to pitch, with no supporting pillars at all.

If there is anything that lets the ground down it is the South Stand. On my first visit in 1991 this was the newest and most impressive side of Old Trafford, but now it is dwarfed by the North, East, and West stands. From my seat I was so high I could see the city lights beyond the roof of the South Stand opposite. If Old Trafford is to become the best stadium in the world, they need to replicate the towering design of the North Stand for the South, then join up all the jagged corners to form a bowl effect. There is not a bad seat in the house as there are no supporting pillars, and legroom was comfortable if not unusually good. In addition, I was fortunate to be sat right in front of an executive box, which had a TV set showing the game. Having often sat in such boxes at Old Trafford, it was an interesting experience to be on the other side of the glass. Having previously shouted at people of the terraces to move so I could see the game, I was now yelling that the people in the box to move so that I could watch replays on their TV!

5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc.

Worthington Cup ties have often seen Manchester United put out weakened sides to give their youngsters a chance, but this year Sir Alex Ferguson picked a lot of his big guns, such as David Beckham, Rio Ferdinand, and Gary Neville. For the most part the game was fairly even with both sides having chances. The Foxes put up a good show and Paul Dickov was always a threat with his tireless energy. The game was not one that will live in the memory for eternity but there were chances at both ends until a dubious penalty decision allowed Beckham to give United a lead from the spot with ten minutes left, a lead which was doubled in injury time by one of United's youngsters, Richardson.

Both sets of fans were rather more vocal, certainly more so than my last visit here when these sides met in the League last season and it resembled a funeral. The attendance was "only" 47,000 but this still provided a healthy atmosphere. I suppose that not long ago this figure would have been a full house here, and it is still more than almost every other side gets each week. There were many empty seats but this did little to dampen the vibrant efforts of the Reds fans. As I said earlier the pie I had was of decent quality and I would recommend it to any non-Vegetarian visitor. There were plenty of toilet facilities, and although individually they were not large in size, ala Wolverhampton Wanderers, but they were enough in number to cater for everyone comfortably. I encountered no problems with stewards who smiled and were courteous, and only on hand when required. They did not obstruct or impede me or anyone in any way, but there were large numbers of them, especially nearer the playing area to deter would-be pitch invaders.

6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

This was the one disappointing thing about my day. Firstly, in the great swell of humanity making the same journey from the stadium, down Sir Matt Busby Way, to the cricket ground, I got separated from my friend. Luckily we were reunited some way further down but it just shows how easy it is to get broken off from a party, as this is not the first time it had happened on my leaving Old Trafford. When we reached the car we were soon back on the main road, but traffic remained heavy through our entire southbound journey through Greater Manchester. It was only when the houses began to thin out and we got onto the dual carriageway that we were truly able to get going on our way back.

7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Old Trafford is certainly one of my favourite grounds, as it is unparalleled by anywhere in England at this moment (obviously there are grounds in other parts of the UK better placed to challenge, such as the Millennium Stadium, Parkhead and Ibrox). I was not in discomfort for one moment of my visit (apart from the scoreline going against Leicester!), and my experience was added to by fans outside the ground keeping us entertained with impromptu firework displays - it was interesting watching the fireworks going off seemingly directly above the South Stand.

I would certainly recommend a visit here to any fan. On all my visits I have never smelt even a whiff of trouble, except perhaps for the occasion when leaving the ground late after a game some years ago, I was almost run over by Ryan Giggs, who had chosen the same moment and the same path to drive out! People have called the atmosphere at this ground flat and stale but that is not how it turned out on my trip. A ground with no crowd problems, a plethora of various food selections, a grandstand view from every seat, and a down-to-earth traditional feel is a rare on indeed, but that is essentially what a visit to Old Trafford provides.

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