Manchester Prepares for Uefa Cup Fans
Manchester is bracing itself for the Uefa Cup Final on 14th May, which will see an estimated 100,000 football fans descend upon the city to see Glasgow Rangers play Zenit St Petersburg at the City of Manchester Stadium.
Manchester Council officials have urged fans of both teams not to travel to Manchester without a ticket for the match. However, a Manchester council spokesperson also said that they are expecting a number of fans to come to the city anyway, so they plan to put on a programme of entertainment for them. The spokesperson said: “Realistically, city chiefs know that thousands will want to be near their club during the crucial match.”
It is thought that Uefa has allocated around 13,000 tickets for the 44,00-capacity game to fans of each team. Despite this, tens of thousands of Rangers fans are still expected to come down to Manchester from Glasgow for the game, which means that the host city can expect to receive anything up to 100,000 football fans. It is not yet known whether the council will erect giant TV screens in the city, which will enable ticketless fans to watch the important match in Manchester.
The council has confirmed that they will be providing entertainment, food, drink and travel to supporters of both teams in order to make their time in the city as comfortable as possible. It is thought that these facilities will be provided to supporters in a number of dedicated fan zones that will be scattered throughout the city in a variety of locations, including Albert Square and Piccadilly Gardens.
As well as providing entertainment, food and drink in these fan zones, a number of three-a-side football tournaments have also been planned to take place in the Castlefield area of the city. In addition to this, there will be shuttle buses to transport fans between the city centre to the stadium.
Manchester officials have high expectations for match day and are encouraging the community, as well as pubs and hotels in the city, to help them make the day as special as possible for both sets of fans. Gerry Donnellan of Greater Manchester Police said: “Everyone in Manchester has a part to play in creating an enjoyable and busy atmosphere. We want pubs and hotel to be open and to be properly staffed so that we can give visitors a proper welcome. We want to deliver a successful event for everyone who lives and works in Manchester and for our visitors.”
Councillor Pat Karney has told fans that they will be representatives of their own teams and cities, so advised them to behave themselves while they are in Manchester. He said: “It’s going to be a fantastic busy day and we are making plans so that everyone can enjoy themselves. Fans will be ambassadors for their clubs and their cities, so our message to them is, ‘Please don’t let down your home city’.”
Hotels – Travelling by Rail in Europe
When you think of going on your holidays, what springs to mind when it comes to travelling to your destination?
If you’re travelling by air, complications such as crowded airplanes – usually with plenty of screaming children – long waits for shuttle buses to your respective hotels and other general annoyances that come with travelling abroad.
But have you ever thought about rail travel? With prices from as little as £30 return for a journey from London to Paris, holidaying in Europe has never been easier. And with a wide variety of hotels in London available to the avid rail traveller, the potential for weekend breaks by rail travel has become more widely available.
With the recent refurbishment of London St Pancras station, passengers now have the opportunity to travel to Paris and Brussels via high-speed Eurostar services.
For those looking to experience rail travel in more than one country, there are a variety of different railcards available for across Europe. For a single fee you can purchase railcards that are valid for a certain amount of countries in a certain amount of time.
For example, you could start your journey in London, hop on the high-speed train to Paris before going on to a wide range of other destinations – from Munich to Madrid, the choice is endless.
And with some railcard deals stretching to include ferry travel from ports like Copenhagen, the sense of freedom provided by such deals allow for freedom of travel – provided you stick to within the timeframes of the pass.
For longer journeys you have the option of sleeper carriages whilst on board, depending on how long your journey might take you and at what time you will be travelling. Cabins are usually shared and provide the opportunity to either catch forty winks or simply sit back and enjoy the rolling scenery.
And upon arriving at your destination station, you can either go on to your next destination, or choo-choose to stay and take in the sights – finding eateries and hotels along the way – giving a greater sense of freedom and choice during your journey.
