Rome or Mandalay

New website - go to www.redsaway.com

2010-08-02T22:22:00.005+01:00

Please visit redsaway.com for the latest updates.

Fulham ticket, travel and pub guide

2010-07-28T22:09:00.016+01:00

Fulham
Craven Cottage, South West London
Sunday August 22, kick off 16:00
Premier League

Tickets
United are yet to announce how many tickets they have got, but we think it is 2,931 out of a stadium capacity of 25,500.

They are in the Putney End, behind one goal.

Tickets cost £49 for adults, £38 for over 65s and £22 for under 16s.

The application deadline for executive members and season ticket holders to apply has passed. Those who applied can find out on August 4 if they have tickets by calling 0161 868 8000 or online.

The home end is sold out. Some neutral end tickets (essentially an extra away end) went on sale on Seatwave on July 27, but they sold out pretty quickly. It's worth checking Seatwave's Fulham section in case more go on sale, but we predict they won't.

TV
The match will be shown live on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 1 HD, with the show starting at 15:30.

You can also watch the match online. Links to video streams will be posted here two hours before kick off. Download Sopcast or Veetle for the best streams.

Travel

Car - £64
If you are using a satnav of a routeplanner, like our favourite, Greenflag, use the destination postcode KT3 6PT.

Take the M6 to Birmingham, then the M42 and the M40 and go onto the M25.

Follow that south towards Gatwick Airport and get off at junction 10.

Take the first exit and go on the A3 towards London for 11 miles and then the ground is on the left off Malden Way. It takes about three hours, 45 minutes each way.

Petrol costs about £32 each way. Add £4 on each way if you want to take the M6 Toll Road.

Parking - free

On matchday, there is a special restriction in place, which stops you parking for more than an hour in any restricted zone.

The further you get from the ground, the more likely you are to find free parking spots.

If you want to play it safe, there are a few marshalled car parks off Stevenage Road and Woodlawn Road at a fiver each.

If you're really desperate for a free place to park, try Dover House Road (SW15 5AU). There are no parking restrictions, but it's a good 15-minute walk to the ground.

Train - £44.50

There are two ways to get to the stadium from Manchester and back – both as quick as each other and one slightly cheaper than each other.

Route A £44.50

Step 1

Buy a day return from Manchester to Putney. If you do it now via National Rail, it will cost you from £44.50 return, depending on which trains you take. (if you buy three sets of tickets, separately, it ends up fractionally more expensive).

Step 2

Take one of these.

Leave Piccadilly: 08:05 08:20 09:20 10:20 10:35 11:15 11:35 11:55 12:15 12:35 12:55
Arrive Euston...: 10:56. 11:00 12:07. 12:56 13:00 13:31 13:49 14:12 14:30 14:50 15:11
Journey time....: 2:51... 2:40... 2:47... 2:36. 2:25... 2:16. 2:14..2:17.. 2:15... 2:15.. 2:16

Step 3

Take the Victoria Line on the Tube south to Vauxhall. It takes 12 minutes and runs every three minutes. Your train ticket will work in the Tube entrance.

Step 4
Take the train to Putney, which takes 11 minutes and runs every 12 minutes.

Step 5
Walk north up Fulham High Street and cross the Thames on to Putney Bridge Approach. Then walk up Fulham High Street and continue onto Fulham Palace Road. The ground is on your left.

The game to Manchester
Follow steps 5, 4 and 3 in reverse. Then take one of these:

Leave Euston.....: 18:15. 18:35 18:55.19:15. 19:35 19:55 20:15. 20:35 21:24. 21:50
Arrive Piccadilly: 20:30 21:51 21:09 21:30 21:52 22:09 22:30 23:00 00:10 00:53
Journey time.....:.2:15... 2.16.. 2.14.. 2.15...2:17.. 2:14...2:15...2:25....2:46...3:03

Route B - £45.10

Step 1

Buy a day return from Manchester to Euston. If you do it now via National Rail, it will cost you from £39.50 return, depending on which trains you take.

Step 2: Take one of these.
Manchester to the game

Leave Piccadilly: 08:05 08:20 09:20 10:20 10:35 11:15 11:35 11:55 12:15 12:35 12:55
Arrive Euston...: 10:56. 11:00 12:07. 12:56 13:00 13:31 13:49 14:12 14:30 14:50 15:11
Journey time....: 2:51... 2:40... 2:47... 2:36. 2:25... 2:16. 2:14..2:17.. 2:15... 2:15.. 2:16

Step 3

From Euston Tube, buy a one-day Travelcard covering zones 1 and 2 on the Tube for £5.60.

Step 4

Take the Tube from Euston to Putney Bridge, it takes 35 minutes. Services will run every five minutes.

First, take the Victoria Line from Euston to Green Park, then take the Piccadilly Line from Green Park to Earls Court, then take the District Line from Earls Court to Putney Bridge.
Step 5: Walk up Fulham High Street and continue onto Fulham Palace Road. The ground is on your left.

The game to Manchester

Follow steps 5, 4 and 3 in reverse. Then take one of these:

Leave Euston.....: 18:15. 18:35 18:55.19:15. 19:35 19:55 20:15. 20:35 21:24. 21:50
Arrive Piccadilly: 20:30 21:51 21:09 21:30 21:52 22:09 22:30 23:00 00:10 00:53
Journey time.....:.2:15... 2.16.. 2.14.. 2.15...2:17.. 2:14...2:15...2:25....2:46...3:03

Match coach
Thomas Cook Tra vel is running coaches to this game on behalf of United but has not yet said how much places cost.

The Betty Bus is running to this game and leaves Chorlton Street at 07:30. Places cost £35. To book, send your name, number of places needed and a contact telephone number to redsaway@hotmail.co.uk

Coach and Tube - £7 and £5.60
National Express is running five coaches from Manchester to London and three coaches back from London to Manchester

Leave Chorlton Street Bus Station: 05:45 07:45 08:00 09:30 10:15
Arrive Victoria Bus Station..........: 10:50 14:45 13:20..14:50 15:20
Journey time...............................: 5:05...7:00..5:20....5:20...5:05
One-way cost...............................: £4......£5......£4.......£4......£4

From Victoria Bus Station, walk five minutes down the road to Victoria Tube Station (see the map above).

Then buy a one-day Travelcard covering zones 1 and 2 on the Tube for £5.60.
1.Take the Victoria Line from Victoria to Green Park.
2. Then take the Piccadilly Line from Green Park to Earls Court
3. Then take the District Line from Earls Court to Putney Bridge.

It's then a 15-minute walk to the ground. To get there, walk up Fulham High Street and continue onto Fulham Palace Road. The ground is on your left.

Leave Victoria Bus Station............: 19:00 20:00 22;30
Arrive Chorlton Street Bus Station: 23:30 00:45 02:45
Journey time................................: 4:50...4:45....4:15
One-way cost................................: £4.......£5.......£3

Megabus is running five coaches from Manchester to London and three coaches back from London to Manchester on the day of the game, with places costing £8 to £10 each way.

Leave Chorlton Street Bus Station: 04:30 06:30 09:15 10:15 10:30
Arrive Victoria Bus Station..........: 08:30 11:00 14:00 14:50 15:00
Journey time...............................: 4:00....4:30..4:45....4:35..4:30
One-way cost............................... £5.50...£5.50 £9.....£7.50 £7.50

From Victoria Bus Station, walk five minutes down the road to Victoria Tube Station (see the map above).

Then buy a one-day Travelcard covering zones 1 and 2 on the Tube for £5.60.
1.Take the Victoria Line from Victoria to Green Park.
2. Then take the Piccadilly Line from Green Park to Earls Court
3. Then take the District Line from Earls Court to Putney Bridge.

It's then a 15-minute walk to the ground. To get there, walk up Fulham High Street and continue onto Fulham Palace Road. The ground is on your left.

Leave Victoria Bus Station............: 18:30 19:30 23:00
Arrive Chorlton Street Bus Station: 23:00 23:55 03:00
Journey time................................: 4:30...4:25...4:00
One-way cost................................: £9......£5:50 £5.50

Plane and train - £84.92 and £7.50

All British Airways

Manchester to Gatwick (all flight times 55 minutes)
Depart: 06:55 08:25 11:45
Return: 21:00 21:00 21:00
Price: £78.89 £78.89 £83.39

It takes an hour to reach Putney Bridge Tube stop from the airport.

First, take the train to Victoria. The journey takes 30 minutes and services leave every 15 minutes. If you buy in advance via National Rail, a return costs £10. On the day, it will cost £33.80.

Then transfer onto the Tube. Get a one-day Travelcard covering zones 1 to 2 for £5.60 and take the District Line seven stops east towards Wimbledon.

Manchester Heathrow (all flights 60 minutes)
Depart: 08:15 10:00
Return: 20:20 20:20
Price: £120.42 £84.92

Then buy a one-day Travelcard covering zones 1 to 6 for £7.50 and take the Tube on the Piccadilly Line north and get off at Hammersmith and walk 15 minutes down Fulham Palace Road to the ground. The journey takes 41 minutes and services leave every 10 minutes.

Pubs

The Eight Bells, at 89 Fulham High Street, is always one of the biggest draws for reds attending this game. It is a stone's throw away from Putney Bridge Tube Stop and a favoured meeting place a 10-minute walk from the ground.

It has an outside seating area – ideal for a summer away – and serves real ale as well as food.

The pub also has Sky, so you'll be able to watch Hibs v Rangers at 12:15 and the second half of Middlesboro v Sheffield United if you wish.

It's been around since 1629 and the locals love it, though Fulham fans tend to drink nearer the ground on match days. It's open from 10:00.

The Eight Bells can get a bit hectic at the horseshoe-shaped bar, so if you fancy somewhere a bit less crowded, walk up past the ground and call in at The Crabtree in Rainville Road (pictured left).

It's a newly refurbished Victorian pub, with 42 seats in the bar area and 70 in the dining area.

But this venue's highlight is in the huge beer garden, which offers wonderfully relaxing views of the River Thames.

The Crabtree opens at noon on Sunday and serves food straight after opening, with big portions.

The Sunday menu is here. Though most reviews are good, a few people have complained that it takes ages to get served for food.

It also has Sky for televised football and sells real ales.

Back on Fulham High Street at number 4, why not keep the weekend vibe going strong at Joe Cool's? (pictured right)

Yes you might have to endure a long Sunday-morning journey, but this brilliant little bar is a lively place to have a pre-match pint or three.

It's open at noon and used to be Zulu's Bar. And don't worry about size. There are five bars and there is room for 890 people.

A pint of Carling, Grolsch or Guinness will set you back £3.50, which is about the average for this part of London. It serves food like chicken and beef burgers.

Finally, the Kings Arms at 190 Fulham is a 15-minute walk to the ground via Fulham Road and Fulham Palce Road, but it's well worth the visit.

It has the feel of an old-fashion local, but with modern trimmings and excellent service.

It's open from noon and serves Peroni at £4.22 a pint, Heineken at £3.81 and a range of bottled beers and lagers from £3.42. Here is the full drinks menu.

Food is served from noon and there are bar snacks available too, like a bowl of chips for £2.10 and a Cornish pasty for £2.65.

The highlight of the main menu is the belly-busting all-day breakfast at £4.60 though the menu also has healthy options, sandwiches, vegetarian bites, salads and desserts. Here is the full menu.

If you sign up to the pub's newsletter on its website and refer a friend, you get a free drink.

Taxi firms
Atlas Cars 0207 7385 8888
Chelsea Cars 0207 7381 5444
Hayber Cars 0207 736 3000.

Fulham neutral end tickets on sale now

2010-07-27T13:52:00.003+01:00

Tickets for United's trip to Fulham on July 22 have gone on sale in the neutral end.

That is in the Putney End, adjoined to the away section, so it is essentially an extension of the away end.

Tickets cost £65.64 including fees and there are currently 29 left.

Go here to buy them and use the code SWDISCOUNTS for £5 off.

Fulham ticket details released

2010-07-26T12:39:00.002+01:00

Away-end tickets for United's August 22 trip to Fulham will cost £48 for adults, £38 for seniors and £22 for juniors, United have confirmed.

Executive Members and season ticket holders can now apply by calling 0161 868 8000 or online.

They have until 08:00 on Friday.

A full travel guide will be published here by Wednesday.

Kansas City Wizards 2-1 Manchester United

2010-07-26T00:56:00.006+01:00

Two first-half goals were enough to give ten-man Kansas a hard-fought 2-1 win over United.

The Wizards endured the entire second half a man short, lining up with a 4-4-1 formation, but somehow seeing the match out.

In front of a 52,424-strong crowd at the New Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas, the home side went 1-0 up after 11 minutes.

Captain Davy Arnaud got in front of defensive partnership Chris Smalling and Johnny Evans and slotted right footed low to Ben Amos's right.

The Americans competed well throughout the first period and had two more good chances to build on their lead.

Back from injury, Nani showed some promise for United with a solo run and a powerful shot after a solo run, which hit the 'keeper.

But it was Dimitar Berbatov who was to get the reds back into the game.

The Bulgarian was tripped by Jimmy Conrad in the box. The referee awarded a penalty - and shocked the crows by sending off Conrad.

Berbatov scored from the spot, but the Wizards restored their lead three minutes later.

Just two minutes before the break, Kei Kamara scored a wonderful headed goal, getting on the end of a corner and nodding well past Amos.

In hot conditions, United found it difficult to break down a Wizards wall, with substitute Danny Welbeck having the best of a number of chances in the second half.

Though this was a young and much-changed side, Sir Alex will not be happy that the likes of Nani, Giggs and Berbatov have slipped to defeat against this level of opposition.

He will be demanding a huge improvement against the MLS All-Star team on Wednesday.

United: Ben Amos; Rafael, Chris Smalling, Jonny Evans, Ritchie De Laet; Nani, Paul Scholes, Darron Gibson, Ryan Giggs(c); Dimitar Berbatov, Mame Biram Diouf

Subs: Edwin van der Sar, Wes Brown, Danny Welbeck, Fabio, Gabriel Obertan, Federico Macheda, Corry Evans, Tom Cleverley.

Yeovil 3-2 Manchester United XI

2010-07-24T18:00:00.000+01:00

Yeovil came back from one down and hit three against a young United side, who then grabbed a consolation goal.

While the goals tally gave the 6,664 spectators inside Huish Park good value for money, the match was less about the result than it was about the occasion.

The afternoon belonged to Darren Way, the Yeovil player whose prosperous career was cut short by a serious car crash.

To the crowd's delight, the Glovers' legend was able to play a two-minute part in the match.

Yeovil hit the bar early on before Rodrigo Possebon gave United the lead, grabbing his second goal in a week.

He made way at half time for Robert Brady and then came an inspired Yeovil fightback.

They grabbed three goals in four minutes, first through Jean-Peal Kalala from 25 yards, then from Sam Williams from close range and then from an Adam Virgo header.

Brady grabbed a late consolation, but the match ended 3-2, meaning United's pre-season record now stands at played three, won two, lost one.

Their next test will be at Oxford United on Tuesday.

Community Shield ticket update

2010-07-22T12:12:00.001+01:00

All United end tickets for the Community Shield against Chelsea on August 8 have now sold out.

Philadelphia Union 0-1 Manchester United

2010-07-22T02:32:00.004+01:00

A second-half Obertan strike was enough to earn United the win in an otherwise sloppy performance in America.

In front of 44,213 people, United start brightly with Danny Welbeck finding space in the final third.

But he consistently lacked edge in front of goal and failed to make a series of chances pay.

The hosts, however, proved they were not here just to make up the numbers and had three first-half efforts of their own, testing 'keeper Thomas Kuscak regularly. Alejandro Morena and Fred looked a handful for the reds.

At one stage, captain Ryan Giggs made his frustrations clear, ticking off junior teammate Obertan for dwelling too much on the ball.

And, even though the match went through a full spell in the first 20 minutes after the break, it was the Frenchman who put United ahead on 76 minutes.

Undoing all their earlier sterling work, Union gave the ball away sloppily to Welbeck who ran down the right and crossed superbly to Obertan, who slotted home comfortably.

But that strike seemed to paper over the cracks of a flimsy defence, an overrun midfield and a far from clinical strikeforce bolstered by the late arrival of Dimitar Berbatov.

Sir Alex Ferguson's men will be striving to improve when in Kansas, where they next play, on Sunday.

United: Kusczak; O'Shea (De Laet 76), Brown (Smalling 61), J Evans, Fabio (Rafael 61); Cleverley (C Evans 61), Scholes (Fletcher 61), Giggs; Obertan, Macheda (Berbatov 61), Welbeck.

United gear up for Philly challenge

2010-07-21T21:30:00.004+01:00

Sir Alex Ferguson's men are making final preparations ahead of the second game in their second game of the five-match North American tour

The friendly against Philadelphia Union kicks off at 19:30 local time and 00:30 UK time on Thursday.

It's being played at the 68,000-capacity Lincoln Field Stadium and, like in the first game of the tour, in Canada on Sunday morning, the match has not sold out.

But regardless, it should prove a decent opportunity for the tour squad to regain their fitness against relatively weak opposition.

Union, who were only created in 2009, are in sixth position in the eight-strong Major League Soccer Eastern 16 points behind the leaders and two off the bottom.

Here is the pre-match press conference.

You can watch the match live on MUTV and the programme starts at midnight, Wednesday going into Thursday.

Alternatively you can watch the match live online. Find links here.

Reds Away will be bringing you live Twitter updates on the match from 00:25. Add redsaway to Twitter now.

Tour firm offers Wembley travel deal

2010-07-19T19:42:00.004+01:00

Independent United travel firm, Champion Sports Tours are running a £90 package for the Community Shield trip to Wembley.

For the price, customers will get train tickets from Manchester to London, leaving on Saturday August 7 and returning after the match, which is a day later.

They also get a one-night stay in a London hotel.

The price is based on two people sharing a twin room.

For details, go here. To book, call 0161 282 1966 or email debbie@mufctravel.com

Chelsea tickets on open sale

2010-07-19T16:00:00.001+01:00

Tickets for the Community Shield match against Chelsea at Wembley on August 8 will go n open sale later today.

All season ticket holders and members who applied have got tickets, which cost either £40, £30, £20 or £15 depending on where you sit in the stadium. Under 16s and over 65s get £5 off.

From 20:00, anyone can buy tickets online but they must first register.

Or they can wait until 08:00 tomorrow and buy over the phone from United's ticket office on 0161 868 800.

Go here for a full ticket, travel and pub guide to this game.

Dunfermline 1-5 Manchester United XI

2010-07-17T22:48:00.005+01:00

A United XI side continued their good start to their pre-season campaign by coming out 5-1 winners in Scotland.

In front of a crowd of 2,518, the reds went ahead after just 21 seconds when Norwegian striker Joshua King slotted past Chris Smith following a defensive mishap.

The visitors went two up inside 11 minutes when talented attacker Nicky Ajose hit a superb cross-shot from 20 yards out.

It was further bad news for Dunfermline on 16 minutes King grabbed his second, latching on to the end of the through ball of his countryman Magnus Eikrem.

United further proved their superiority just after the half-hour mark when Rodrigo Possebon scored on the counter attack from a Dunfermline corner.

Having made three substitutions, the hosts improved after the break and Andy Kirk pulled them a goal back with a 25-yard free kick.

United were, however, to have the last of the scoring, when William Keane beat sub 'keeper Kyle Allison with a low shot.

The United XI side is next in action at Yeovil next Saturday. Here is a full ticket and travel guide.

United: 1. Conor Devlin, 2. Scott Wootton, 3. Joe Dudgeon, 4. James Chester, 5. Oliver Gill, 6. Rodrigo Possebon, 7. Oliver Norwood, 8. Ravel Morrison, 9. Joshua King, 10. Magnus Eikrem (captian) and 11. Nicky Ajose.

Subs: 12. Ezekiel Fryers, on for 3, 63, 13. Sam Johnstone, unused, 14. Ryan Tunnicliffe, on for 4, 60, 15. Cameron Stewart, on for 7, 46, 16. William Keane, on for 9, 46, 17. Robert Brady, on for 11, 46.

United 3-1 Celtic

2010-07-17T02:03:00.009+01:00

A superb performance from Dimitar Berbatov and a cameo from Paul Scholes capped a decent 3-1 win for the reds.

In the evening Canadian heat, United made a good start, keeping possession on a large, dry pitch.

Scholes delivered some superb crossfield passes and moved the reds up the pitch in the opening half hour.

The first moment of magic came on 31 minutes when Berbatov dashed into the box, collected a Diouf pass with one foot and shot superbly in with the other for 1-0.

After that, the English side dominated the remainder of the first half, but were unable to add a second before the break.

But Celtic came back into it early in the second period, with substitute Georgios Samaras having a head goal disallowed for offside.

The Greek striker was, however, to be rewarded for his energetic performance when he scored from the penalty spot on 61 minutes after Chris Smalling had committed a foul.

It was the Scots who then gained momentum and looked the more threatening, but it was United who were to take the lead.

Again it was Berbatov who looked dangerous, but rather than taking a chance to shoot in the area, he feigned a shot and squared it to substitute Danny Wellbeck, who tapped in for 2-1.

Another substitute, Tom Cleverley, was to benefit from the Bulgarian's man-of-the-match performance on 86 minutes.

Berbatov laid it into the path of the 20-year-old midfielder, whose shot was deflected into the Celtic goal.

After the game, Berbatov said: "I was enjoying the whole game. We started well with a win. Celtic are a very good team. It was a good test of our physical and technical form."

United will fly to Philadelphia tomorrow to prepare for their match against Philalphia Union on Thursday.

United: 1. Edwin Van der Sar, 21. Rafael , 33. Chris Smalling, 23. Johnny Evans (W Brown 46), 20. Fabio (O'Shea 46), 11. Ryan Giggs (Cleverley 45), 24. Darren Fletcher, 18. Paul Scholes (Gibson 46), 26. Gabriel Obertan (Welbeck 62); 32. Mame Diouf (Macheda 63), 9. Dimiatar Berbatov.

Subs: 30. Richie De Leat on for 21 on 62, 6. Wes Brown on for 23 on 46, 22. John O'Shea 46 on for 20 on 46, 35. Tom Cleverley on for 11 on 46, 28. Darren Gibson on for 18 on 46, 19. Danny Welbeck on for 26 on 62 and 27. Federico Macheda on for 32 on 62.

Toronto all set for United welcome

2010-07-15T19:32:00.004+01:00

United are gearing up for their first pre-season test against Celtic in Toronto in the early hours of Saturday.

The match kicks off at 19:00 local time and midnight from Friday into Saturday UK time.

It will be be shown live on MUTV, with an hour-long preview show called Countdown to kick off - USA 2010 being aired at 20:00 and again at 22:30.

The match programme starts at 23:30 and ends at 02:30. All times are UK time.

There will, as ever, be internet links to video streams. Find them here from 21:00 on Friday.

Ticket sales are reportedly not that high, so expect to see gaps around the stadium.

As for the players, humidity has made life pretty uncomfortable for United and the heat won't help either.

During the day, temperatures in the Canadian city will climb up to 29C/84F and it will be very sunny, though it will cool down a little by kick off.

The relatively high temperature might make for a slow tempo match, especially given the fact that it is only the start of pre season.

Fulham neutral end tickets won't be sold to reds

2010-07-15T12:00:00.005+01:00

Neutral end tickets for United's first Premier League away match of the season on August 22 will not go on open sale, Fulham FC officials have confirmed.

At Craven Cottage, the Putney End (pictured) behind one goal has seven blocks - P1 to P7. P1 to P4, which are towards the right and centre as you look at the pitch, are sold as away tickets through the visiting club's ticket office.

Tickets in P5 to P7 are sold through Fulham.

Once United's last league game at Fulham sold out, tickets for those three blocks went on general sale on the website of ticket exchange company Seatwave.

Technically, they were sold at face value, which was £49, though with a hefty commission of £16.90 and a recorded delivery fee of £8.

But despite the inflated price tag, Reds logged on to snap the tickets within minutes.

However, Fulham has confirmed that, this year, only members and season ticket holders will be able to buy Seatwave tickets.

A club spokesman said: "Due to the high level of interest in this fixture, we haven't made any provision for a general sale of tickets for this game and I wouldn't anticipate that position altering."

"Sale of tickets on the exchange is restricted to other season ticket holders and club members."

What it means for reds is that the only place to get tickets for this match is through applying in the usual way to United's ticket office.

United are expected to announce ticket prices sale dates by July 24.

We predict United will get 2,930 tickets costing £49 for adults, £38 for over 65s and £22 for under 16s.

3,000-plus crowd expected for Scots match

2010-07-15T10:00:00.002+01:00

Match organisers have revealed they have so far sold roughly 150 tickets and 100 hospitality places to United fans for the match between Dunfermline and a United XI on Saturday week.

A club spokesman said: "We're not aware of exact numbers of fans from Manchester and beyond, but we'd estimate out of the 1,200 tickets sold about 150 have been to people travelling from England.

"We have also sold 300 hospitality places of which 100 more people have been travelling from Manchester/England."

"We will also be opening a few cash gates around the stadium.

"Ticket sale have picked up over the last week so we're expecting about 3,000-plus people."

East End Park holds 12,509 fans and reds will occupy the East Stand behind one goal, which holds 3,073 fans.

Tickets for the away end are on sale now priced £12 adults, £6 concessions.

Get them from 01383 745 909 on weekdays from 09:00 to 14:00 or from 01383 626 737 on weekdays except Monday from 09:00 until 12:30 and on Saturdays from 09:30 to 17:30.

You can also pay £55 for the complimentary bar package which includes a pre-match two-course meal, a match programme, a seat in the Main Stand, half time refreshments and a free bar from 12:30.

Or you can pay £25 for all of the above except for the free bar. Full ticket details here.

A full ticket, travel, hotel and pub guide to this match is here.

Thomas Cook to offer Wembley coaches

2010-07-15T08:00:00.002+01:00

United's new official coach provider Thomas Cook has announced it will be running coaches to Wembley for the Community Shield match against Chelsea on August 8.

Places cost £35 per person and coaches will depart from the W2 car park.
Those who book will be able to leave their cars parked there during the day.

Departure and arrival times will be confirmed nearer matchday.

Book here or by calling 0870 752 0924.

As previously confirmed, there are two other coach organisers running coaches to this game.

You can find pricing and booking details, as well as a complete ticket, travel and pub guide for the Chelsea match, here.

Community Shield ticket update

2010-07-14T22:35:00.003+01:00

Season ticket holders who applied for tickets to see United play Chelsea at Wembley have all got them.

They check for confirmation online or by calling United on 0161 868 8000.

United have got 26,690 tickets priced at £40, £30, £20 and £15 for adults and £5 less than those prices for under 16s and over 65s.

One United members can apply for tickets at any of those prices from 08:00 tomorrow to 08:00 on Monday either online or by phone.

They will be able to check on Tuesday by phone or online if they have got tickets.

A full ticket, travel and pub guide is for this game is here.

Oxford United ticket, travel, hotel and pub guide

2010-07-12T23:25:00.012+01:00

Oxford United
Kassam Stadium
Oxfordshire
Pre-season friendly
Tuesday July 27, kick off 19:45

Preview
After friendlies at Dunfermline and Yeovil, a United XI squad will play in Oxford four days before the lads hit the road again, heading for St Johnstone.

It will be another opportunity for younger lads and reserve-team players to show what they can and gain a place in the first-team squad in the new season.

Despite suffering a great deal of turmoil in their recent history, Oxford are on a high after winning promotion from the Conference to League Two last season. More than 33,000 Oxford fans travelled to Wembley to see them beat York on May 16.

Of course, they had been a top-flight team (then the First Division) until 1988 before suffering an 18-year decline, the worst coming in 2006 when they were relegated to the Conference.

But the high play-off final following and even a 10,613 crowd at a home match against Luton last September shows there is a mood of resurgence among Chris Wilder's men.

The United match will no doubt be a pre-season moral boost for the Us.

Tickets
The 12,500 stadium has three sides – it is missing one end behind a goal.

Fans attending a United XI match v Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford on July 27 can now by tickets.

Reds have been allocated all of the all-seater North Stand (pictured), which is on the half way line and has a capacity of 5,026.

If you buy in advance, they cost £15 for adults, £11.50 for students and £9 for over 65s and under 16s.

If you buy on the day, they cost £17 for adults, £13 for students and £10 for over 65s and under 16s.

The cheapest tickets are in the Oxford Mail Stand - in the home end behind the goal.

If you buy in advance, they cost £14 for adults, £11 for students, and £7.50 for over 65s and under 16s.

If you buy on the day, they cost £16 for adults, £12.50 for students, and £8.50 for over 65s and under 16s.

All students must carry NUS cards.

Get tickets here or from the ticket office during business hours on 01865 337 533.

Travel

Summary: It's a five-hour round trip by car and there are no train or coach options that are convenient. So either go by car or stay overnight and travel home the next day.

Car - £50
If you've got a satnav, use the destination postcode OX4 4XP if you're heading right to the stadium.

The journey takes two-and-a-half hours and costs about £25 in petrol each way.

The basic route is M6, M42, M40 and A4074.

Parking – free
The stadium is one of a few to offer free parking at the club. There are 2,000 spaces offered on a first come, first served basis.

If that gets full, there's an overflow car park with 400 more spaces next door where the Ozone Bowlplex is. Cars that park on grass verges will get ticketed.

If you still can't find a space, set your satnav for OX4 6DG, which is for Knight Road, a street away from the ground. There are no parking restrictions and there will be hardly any congestion after the game.

Train - £25.50 one way, £42.50 return
There are lots of services there, but no realistic ones home (though it is possible).

There are two stations near the ground: Radley which is 2.4 miles away and Oxford which is 3.6 miles away. It's a lot easier to get off at Oxford.

On the way there
Make sure you leave Manchester after 10:00 because it's a weekday, so pre 10:00 prices are way more expensive than afterwards.

From 10:27, direct trains leave Manchester Piccadilly platform 4 at 27 past every hour.

Those trains take 2 hours and 45 minutes, so the last one you can catch leaves at 16:27 and arrives at 19:14.

There is an indirect route, which requires two changes at Crewe and Birmingham New Street.

From 10:30, services leave Manchester Piccadilly playform 8 at 30 minutes past every hour.

That route takes three hours and 10 minutes, so the last one you can catch leaves at 15:30 and arrives at 18:40.

From Oxford Stration, you can get a taxi for about £10 (see taxi numbers below).

Or, outside the train station, go to bus stop R2 and get on the number 5 service (pictured)

Ask to get off at Knights Road in Blackbird Leys. Buses leave every 10 minutes or less throughout weekdays and the journey takes half an hour. Here is the timetable.

Leave the bus at the Pegasus Road end of Knight Road and walk down to the end of Knights Road, turn left and follow the footpath to the stadium.

On the way back
Buses leave Knights Road to the train station every 10 minutes until 23:05 and, with the game due to finish at 21:30, you should reach the train station by 22:15.

But the problem is that the last service of the night leaves Oxford (pictured) at 21:36 - about the same time as the full-time whistle will be blown.

Leave Oxford: 21:36
Arrive Coventry: 22:22
Leave: 22:31
Arrive Rugby: 22:42
Leave: 22:54
Arrive Manchester Piccadilly: 00:35

If you want to go one way, it will cost £25.60 in advance if you buy from National Rail and £56.50 on the day.

If you want to go both ways, it will cost £42.50 in advance if you buy from National Rail and £56.70 on the day.

Coach - £34.90
It's the same story with National Express.

There are five routes going, but no realistic ones on the way back, unless you are happy to arrive in Manchester at 07:35, spending two hours in Milton Keynes in the process.

Coaches leave Chorlton Street at 07:00, 09:05 and 12:00 changing at Birmingham and arriving in Oxford at 12:50, 14:20 and 17:10.

Coaches also leave Chorlton Street at 09:30 and 11:00, changing at Milton Keynes and arriving in Oxford at 15:25 and 16:55.

The coach station is in George Street in the city centre. If you head towards Hythe Bridge Street and walk for five minutes, you'll reach Oxford Train Station, from where you can catch the bus to the stadium (see the train section above).

On the way home, the coach leaves Oxford at 22:05 and arrives in Manchester at 07:35.
If you buy in advance from National Express, a singe costs £30.70 and a return costs £34.90.

Again, with Megabus, there's a way of getting there, but not back. Leave Shudehill Interchange at 07:00 and arrive Water Eaton Park and Ride in Oxford at 11:55. The one-way fare is £10.

Hotels (all prices are per person, per night for a twin or double room)

Bargain - £31

The three-star Eurobar and Cafe Hotel, at 38 George Street, is right next to the bus station and five minutes from the station, so it's a perfect place to relax after a long train journey...and sleep in before the trip home.

It's comfortable and stylish and the only downside is that you have to share a bathroom.

Value and convenience - £42.50

The Express By Holiday Inn (pictured) is a three-star hotel right next door to the stadium...so you can go straight from the match to the bar and then climb the stairs to sleep it off. It's a big 160-room hotel and all rooms have power showers and Sky. It's free parking for all guests too.

Luxury - £69.50
Staying at The Macdonald Randolph Hotel in Beaumont Street might actually beat the game as the highlight of your trip!

It's a classy four-star joint right at the heart of the city centre with a top-class restaurant, a bar so brilliant that is a tourist draw in its own right, a spa, a jacuzzi and a gym.

You can book any of these hotels at booking.com and can cancel at no cost up to 24 hours before you arrive. You will be charged when you arrive at the hotel.

Pubs
There are dozens of pubs to choose from in the city centre, though our favourite is The Swan and Castle (pictured) in Castle Street.

It's a Wetherspoons pub and offers good, decently priced food and relaxed atmosphere. It opened in December.

The Priory is behind the car park at the end of the ground that doesn't have a stand. It welcome both home and away fans, especially for a friendly match like this.

But if that gets too crowded, there is a decent bar at the above-mentioned Express By Holiday Inn, the hotel opposite the ground, which you can't miss. The staff there are happy for football fans to call in.

Other than that, there's a smaller and quieter bar within the Ozone Bowlplex bowling alley.

Taxis
City Taxis on 01865 201 201
Radio Taxis on 01865 2 42 42 4
Royal Cars 01865 777 333

Wembley (Chelsea) ticket, travel and pub guide

2010-07-09T00:00:00.034+01:00

Chelsea
Wembley Stadium

London
FA Community Shield

Sunday August 8, kick off 15:00

NOTE: The tie must be decided on the day, but there's no extra time – it would go straight to penalties, so the latest fans will leave the ground is roughly 17:15.

Tickets - updated Aug 2

Out of a capacity of 90,000, United have got 26,690 tickets priced at £40, £30, £20 and £15 for adults and £5 less than those prices for under 16s and over 65s.

All season ticket holders and members who applied got tickets. They went on open sale and sold out on July 22.

Chelsea end tickets have sold out.

TV
The match will be shown live on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 1HD, with the show starting at 14:30.

Weather
Information will appear five days before the match

Travel
For live travel information on event days and in the lead up to events call the Wembley Stadium Travel Information Line on 0845 6000 555.

Car - £60

Sat navvies should use the postcode HA9 0WS for Wembley Stadium.

The journey takes three-and-a-half hours and costs about £30 each way petrol (add on £4 if you plan on taking the M6 Toll road).

The basic route is: M6, M42, M1, North Circular Road, Brent and Wembley.

Parking - free

There are four options

1. The Wembley Stadium car park has secure parking for £27.75 a car. Blue badge holders can book places for £17.75 a vehicle. Book both of these here. The car park opens at 07:00. Book here.

2. If you want something cheaper but need to park near the stadium, you will find quite a few car parks on industrial premises charging about £10 per car.

3. A good park-and-ride compromise is parking at a Tube stop and finishing your journey by Tube.

You can pay £1 to park all day at Ickenham Tube Stop car park, which has 176 spaces, then take the Metropolitan Line nine stops east to Wembley Park. Buy a one-day six-zone Travel Card for £7.50, as two singles will cost £8.

You can book places in loads of different tube stops here.

4. If you've got the time, you can easily find a free parking spot within five minutes' walk of Ickenham Tube Stop.

You can then take the Metropolitan Line nine stops east to Wembley Park. Buy a one-day six-zone Travel Card for £7.50, as two singles will cost £8.

Train - about £66.20

From Manchester Piccadilly there are three ways of getting there by train – via Euston, via Milton Keynes and via Watford Junction.

If you buy tickets on the day, it will cost £66.20 for a return. Booking the entire route in advance is the same price.

We advise to book the Manchester to Milton Keynes/Watford/London Euston part of the journey in advance and then buy tickets for the remaining part of your journey. It will save you about £20.

Manchester to Wembley Stadium

Option 1 – journey time 3:11
Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 08:20
Arrive Watford Junction: 10:39
Leave: 11:06
Arrive: Harrow and Wealdstone: 11:12
Leave: 11:22
Arrive Wembley Central: 11:31

Option 2 – journey time 3:18
Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 08:27
Arrive Crewe: 09:02
Leave: 09:13
Arrive Watford Junction: 11:16
Leave: 11:21
Arrive Wembley Central: 11:45

Option 3 – journey time 3:11
Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 09:20
Arrive Milton Keynes Central: 11:12
Leave: 11:25
Arrive Harrow and Wealdstone: 12:13
Leave: 12:22
Arrive Wembley Central: 12:31

Option 4 – journey time 2:55
Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 10:20
Arrive Watford Junction: 12:34
Leave: 12:51
Arrive Wembley Central: 13:15

Option 5 – journey time 3:05
Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 10:35
Arrive London Euston: 13:00
Leave: 13:17
Arrive North Wembley: 13:40

Option 6 – journey time 3:05

Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 10:35
Arrive London Euston: 13:00
Leave: 13:17
Arrive North Wembley: 13:40

Option 7 – journey time 2:55
Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 11:15
Arrive London Euston: 13:31
Leave: 13:47
Arrive North Wembley: 14:10
Option 8 – journey time 3:05
Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 11:35
Arrive London Euston: 13:49
Leave: 14:17
Arrive North Wembley: 14:40

To the stadium from North Wembley station

Follow the pedestrian route under Empire Way and over Olympic Way to the front of the stadium. It takes 10 minutes

To the stadium from Wembley Central station

Turn right and walk along High Road past McDonalds and Burger King to the Wembley Triangle Junction and Clock Tower Island.

Turn Left into Wembley Hill Road, cross the road and follow the pedestrian route across the White Horse Bridge. It takes 15 minutes.

You can also reach Wembley from London Euston and Harrow and Wealdstone via the Tube.
The price is included in your train ticket and your train ticket will work on the Tube turnstiles.

Wembley Stadium to Manchester
You pretty much ave to go via London Euston on the way back. It's just a matter of how you get to Euston.

Route 1:
Get the train from Wembley Central (pictured) to Harrow and Wealdstone and then onto Euston. It takes about 35 minutes and trains leave every 20 minutes or so.

Route 2:
North Wembley direct to Euston. It takes about 25 minutes and trains leave every 10-15 minutes.

Route 3:
From Wembley Park Tube, go 11 stops south on the Jubilee Line to Green Park and then go three stops north on the Victoria Line to Euston. Services go every five to 10 minutes and take about 30 minutes.

Services for Piccadilly leave Euston at: 17:55, 18:15, 18:35, 18:55, 19:15, 19:35, 19:55, 20:15 and 20:35, 21:24 and 21:50. The journey takes 2 hours and 15 minutes, though the last two take closer to three hours.

Package -updated Aug 2
Independent United travel firm, Champion Sports Tours are running a £90 package for the Community Shield trip to Wembley. It is now sold out.

For the price, customers will get train tickets from Manchester to London, leaving on Saturday August 7 and returning after the match, which is a day later.

They also get a one-night stay in a London hotel.

The price is based on two people sharing a twin room.

For details, go here. To book, call 0161 282 1966 or email debbie@mufctravel.com

Coach - £35 - updated Aug 2

United's new official coach provider Thomas Cook has announced it will be running coaches to Wembley for the Community Shield match against Chelsea on August 8.
Places cost £35 per person and coaches will depart from the W2 car park.
Those who book will be able to leave their cars parked there during the day.

Departure and arrival times will be confirmed nearer matchday. Six coaches have sold out. Two places remain on the seventh, and lots of places remain on the eighth.

Book here or by calling 0870 752 0924.

The Betty Bus is running to this game. It leaves from Chorlton Street Bus Station at 06:30, will call at the Bishop's Blaize pub in Chester Road at 06:45 and can call in Stockport at 06:00 by request. Five places remain.

Places cost £35. To book, email your name, number of required places and a contact telephone number to redsaway@hotmail.co.uk

National Express is running coaches to and from the game from Manchester Chorlton Street, with places costing £36 per adult and £18 per under 16. Book here

They leaves Chorlton Street at 07:30, call at Birmingham Coach Station at 09:30 and reach Wembley at 12:15.

On the way back, they leaves the stadium at 17:30 (depending on when the match ends) and reach Chorlton Street at 22:15 after calling at Birmingham Coach Station at 20:15.

It's a 4hr 45min journey both ways.

Coach/Train combo - -updated Aug 2 - £24.30
National Express also runs coaches between Manchester Chorlton Street and London Victoria Coach Station. You can buy returns in advance now from £8.

Outward
Leave Manchester: 05:45
Arrive Victoria: 10:50
Journey time: 5:05
One-way cost £16

From Victoria, walk south to Victoria Tube stop (as shown by the map below) and buy a one-day Travelcard covering zones 1-4 for £6.30

Travel from Victoria one stop north on the Victoria Line and get off at Green Park. Then travel 11 stops north on the Jubilee Line to Wembley Park. That takes about 23 minutes.

To get to the stadium, turn right out of the station and walk down Bridge Road for a few minutes towards Wembley Park Drive. Then turn left onto Olympic Way and the stadium is a five-minute walk straight ahead.

Homeward
Leave Victoria: 19:00, 20:00, 22:30
Arrive Manchester: 23:50, 00:45, 02:45
Journey time: 4:50, 4:45, 4:15
One-way cost: £12, £18, £12

Megabus runs coaches between Chorlton Street to London Victoria.

Outward
Leave Manchester: 04:30, 06:30, 09:15
Arrive Victoria: 08:30, 11:00, 14:00
Journey time: 4:00, 4:30, 5:15
One-way cost: £9, £9, £9

Walk to Victoria Tube Station (use the map on the right) and travel from Victoria one stop north on the Victoria Line and get off at Green Park. Then travel 11 stops north on the Jubilee Line to Wembley Park. That takes about 23 minutes.

To get to the stadium, turn right out of the station and walk down Bridge Road for a few minutes towards Wembley Park Drive. Then turn left onto Olympic Way and the stadium is a five-minute walk straight ahead.

Homeward
Leave Victoria: 18:30, 19:30, 23:00
Arrive Manchester: 23:00, 23:55, 03:00
Journey time: 4:30, 4:25, 4:00
One-way cost: £15, £15, £9

Plane and train combo - -updated Aug 2- £162.70
British Airways is offering flights between Manchester and Heathrow and Gatwick.

At the time of writing, there are four sets of flights for under £100. All flights take an hour.

Leave Manchester: 06:55, 08:25 or 11:45
Leave Gatwick: 21:00, 21:00, 21:00
Return price: £144.40, £166.39, £144.39

From Gatwick, it takes 90 minutes to reach Wembley Stadium train station via Victoria, then across to the Tube and then via London Marylebone. A return costs £18.70.

Leave Manchester: 08:00 on bmi
Leave Heathrow: 20:20 on British Airways
Return price: £166.83

From Heathrow, it takes 80 minutes to reach Wembley Central Tube stop, changing at Piccadilly Circus. A one-day off-peak Tube travelcard covering zones 1-6 costs £7.50. Don't go by train as it costs £46 return.

Pubs
The Torch at 1 Bridge Street, will welcome reds. It has a got a good pre-match atmosphere and is only a 10-minute walk from the ground. Getting served quickly can be a bit of a pain though.

The Greyhound at 324 Harrow Road, is another decent, large football boozer and is a 10-minute walk from Wembley Central and North Wembley station.

If you prefer something slightly quieter, head for The Windermere, in Windermere Avenue, outside South Kenton Tube Station.

It’s out of the way but the queue at the bar will be smaller and you can still make kick off if you leave 20 minutes before the game.

Another decent boozer at which to meet up with friends before the game is the Royal George Hotel right outside London Euston.

Taxis
Cheap Wembley Taxi Firm 0207 183 6499
Angel Cars 0208 900 1111
Radio Cars 0208 8908 0333

Ten United games to be screened live

2010-07-08T03:10:00.004+01:00

The Premier League have announced which matches will be shown on Sky and ESPN between the start of the season and the end of November.

United matches to be screened are:

- NEWCASTLE, now on Monday August 16 at 20:00 on Sky

- Fulham, now on Sunday August 22 at 16:00 on Sky

- WEST HAM, still on Saturday August 28, now at 17:30 on ESPN

- Everton, now on Sunday September 12 at 13:30 on Sky (though if United have to play a Champions League game on September 14, the Everton game will be on Saturday, September 11 at 12:45).

- LIVERPOOL, now on Sunday September 19 at 13:30 on Sky

- Bolton, now on Sunday September 26 at 12:00 on ESPN (though if United have to play a Champions League game on September 28, the Bolton game will be on Saturday, September 25, kick off TBC).

- Stoke, now on Sunday October 24 at 13:30 on Sky (though this will change if Tottenham are playing in the Europa League on October 21)

- TOTTENHAM, still on Saturday October 30, now at 17:30 on ESPN

- Manchester City, still on Wednesday November 10 at 20:00, now on Sky

- Aston Villa, still on Saturday November 13, now at 12:45 on Sky

Dublin tickets on sale to everyone now/update

2010-07-07T13:33:00.002+01:00

Buy them here. They cost e45 (£37.48) or e60 (£49.98) with no booking fees.

We have also been told by the Football Association of Ireland that United will get a separate allocation for an away end, but a spokesman did not reveal any more details.

Here is a full travel guide for the game.

Thomas Cook to run MU Travel

2010-07-06T01:15:00.003+01:00

United have ended their fans' travel agreement with Cooperative Travel Sports and have signed a new deal with Thomas Cook.

It means for the next four years, the firm will provide packages for reds going to Euro away games and coaches going to domestic away games.

But according to United's website, Eavesway still provides coaches for domestic away games, so we are seeking to clear up the situation.

Thomas Cook already provide club-endorsed flight and hotel packages for fans of Aberdeen, Aston Villa, Celtic Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester City and Rangers.

Quite how this change will affect the conditions of getting to away games for ordinary reds remain to be seen.

Some are anxious that a deal to make it compulsory for fans to buy away match travel with tickets, but those are only unfounded concerns at present.

What is certain is that the European Travel Club remains in place for the 2010/11 season.

Here is Thomas Cook Sport's new United website.

United announce Wembley ticket information

2010-07-02T00:47:00.000+01:00

United have announced ticket details for the Community Shield clash with Chelsea on Sunday August 8.

As we predicted on June 14, tickets will cost £40, £30, £20 and £15. Under 16s and over 65s will get £5 off those prices.

United have got 26,690 tickets at the east end of Wembley

Season ticket holders can apply online or by calling 0161 868 8000 from now until 08:00 on Monday.

They will be able to check on July 14 by phone or online if they have got tickets.

We predict every season ticket holder who applies will get tickets and there will be tickets remaining.

Following an announcement that that is the case, One United members will be able to apply for tickets from 08:00 on July 15 to 08:00 on July 19 either online or by phone.

They will be able to check on July 20 by phone or online if they have got tickets.

A full ticket, travel, hotel and pub guide will be published here shortly.

Philadelphia Union ticket, travel, hotel and pub guide

2010-07-01T22:54:00.018+01:00

Philadelphia Union
Lincoln Financial Field,
Pennsylvania
Wednesday July 21, kick off 19:30 local time and 00:30 on July 22 UK time

Preview
This match is the second stop of United's five-game tour of North America.

No United player had made it past the second round stage of the World Cup, meaning all players will have had at least two weeks of rest before this game.

So, potentially, Sir Alex could field a pretty strong side, but expect lots of substitutions and a slow tempo.

As for their opponents, Philadelphia Union are currently lying 7th out of 8th in the Major League Soccer Eastern Union, eight points off a playoff place. The season lasts from March until October.

But to be fair to the club, it has only been around since February 2008 and is only in its first season.

The name Union refers to the Thirteen Colonies, which used to be under British Control, but then declared their independence. Philadelphia was the first.

Union usually play at the 18,500 PPL Park Stadium, so the 68,532-capacity venue this match will be played in will be a bit of a step up.

They're actually playing a league game at home against Toronto FC on Saturday, July 17 at 15:30 local time. Tickets cost from $25 to $150 from here.

Tickets

They are now on sale.

From Ticketmaster, they cost from $30 (£20.22) to $225 (£151.66), though there is usually a 'facility charge' of $4 (£2.69) and a convenience charge of at least $7.65 (£5.15) per ticket.

The facility charge stays the same no matter how expensive the ticket, but the convenience charge goes up with the price of the ticket.

Get your tickets here or click on the logo.

When buying the cheapest tickets from Ticketmaster, make sure you select $30, then 'regular seating' and then 'lower level' else it will put you through to the more expensive seats.

There doesn't seem to any designated away end, though the One United USA supporters club will have its own section. For information, email membership@oneunitedusa.com

Getting there

Tour
Champion Sports Tours has a package, but it is sold out.

It is for a is a seven-night trip to Toronto and Philadelphia.

On July 15, guests will depart Manchester Airport and reach Toronto after one flight transfer.
They will then stay in a three-star hotel for five nights.

On July 20, the group will travel to Philadelphia.

On July 22, they will depart Philadelphia and fly to Manchester Airport.

The package costs £1,050 per person based on two guests sharing a twin room, though upgrades to four and five-star hotels are available.

People paying by credit card will have to pay a two-per-cent charge - £21.00. Insurance is available for both packages.

Independent travel - £512
It isn't cheap. The best deal you're likely to get is £512 return from London Gatwick to Philadelphia International Airport on US Airways, bmi or TAP.

You can also go from Manchester on Delta for £542 return or from London Heathrow on Air Canada or British Airways for £543.

Flight take 7 hours to 7 hours 50 minutes each way.

From the airport

Philadelphia International Airport is the 11th busiest airport in the world and it has six terminals (two of which are absolutely huge).

The terminal you arrive into depends on which airline you fly with.

Downtown Philadelphia is 10 miles north east of the airport and pretty easy to reach.

By road, once you've gone past the golf club, it's just one straight road (Broad Street) into the city centre. Taxis go from outside every terminal and a flat rate of $28.50 (£18.79) applies.

The airport also has its own own train station (pictured) and it costs $7 (£4.61) one way to any of the five stations in the city centre. You can also pay $10 (£6.59) for a day ticket.

There is a separate station linked to each terminal. It takes about 25 minutes to reach the centre. You can get timetable information here.

Orientation
For the purpose of this guide, we will call the central location City Hall, which has its own Metro Station on the yellow Broad Street north-to-south line. Here is a map.

To the stadium
It's very simple to reach from City Hall.

Take seven stops south on the Metro Broad Street line and get off at Pattison, which is right by the stadium. It takes 15 minutes to get there. A metro map is here.

Even though it's effectively in a straight line south, it would take you about 80 minutes to walk.

Hotels (All prices are per person, per night in a twin or double room)

Places to stay in the US are always pretty pricey, mostly because service is everything and three-star level is seen as the minimum, and four-star the norm.

Budget - £36.80
The Society Hill Hotel at 301 Chesnut Street, is a small hotel with only 12 rooms. But it's four-star rated and brilliant value for money. It's located five minutes away from Independence Hall and all rooms have air conditioning. Rooms get booked out very quickly.

Comfortable - £51.30
Hilton City Avenue (pictured) at 4200 City Avenue is as central as it gets. It's a great place to stay and, though it is only three stars, it offers a very comfortable stay, with two restaurants, a superb bar and brilliant rooms.

Luxury - £76.61
It doesn't get much better than the Radisson Plaza-Warwick Hotel at 170 Locust Street. It's in Rittenhouse Square and each of the 301 rooms are brilliant. There's a fitness centre, two restaurants and staff run tours of the city.

You can book any of the three hotels above, plus 40 or so other Philadelphia hotels at booking.com On most bookings, you pay the fee on arrival at the hotel and can cancel for free up to 24 hours before arrival.

Top 10 sights
1. Franklin Square (mini golf, picnic area, fairground rides)
2. Philadelphia Brewing Co. brewery tour
3. Sugarhouse Casino
4. The Liberty Bell (pictured)
5. City tour (leaves from 5th and Market Street regularly throughout the day)
6. Philadelphia Art Museum
7. Philadelphia Zoo
8. Love Park (public part with amazing scenery)
9. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (American Revolution landmark)
10. Eastern State Penitentiary (derelict 18th-century solitary confinement prison)

Pubs
As the MLS season is ongoing, there are pretty much two matches to see every day, so it's best to find a decent pub showing it.

How about Fergie's (pictured) at 1214 Sansom Street? Surely that must be an omen?

It sells 38 bottled drinks including Harp, Heineken and Stella Artois and 12 beers on tap. It's open Monday to Saturday from 11:00 to 02:00 and Sunday from 17:00 to 02:00.

Alternatively, try the Dark Horse Pub at 421 South Second Street, which also shows the matches and serves decent food (the steak and mushroom pie is apparently the highlight).

It has an outdoor seating area if the weather is good and it has one of the oldest working fireplaces in the city. This pub is near the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. It's open daily from 11:30 to 02:00

Other options include Fado Irish Pub at 1500 Locust Street and O’Neal’s Pub at Third and South Street.

Practical information
The currency is the American dollar. 82p makes a $1 and $l.51 makes £1.

At the moment, Althams gives the best conversion rate.

Althams has branches in Bolton, Bury, Farnworth, Denton and many other Lancashire and Greater Manchester locations.

Police/fire/ambulance – call 911 in an emergency. For police, call 311 in a non emergency

Hahnemann University Hospital as at Broad and Vine. Call 215-762-700 in a non emergency.

Internet cafe – Cafe Mocha at 263 South 10th Street, just off Broad Street. Internet access is free when you buy a cup off coffee (which can be pricey).

Philadelphia British Honorary Consulate is on the 33rd floor at 1818 Market Street, Philadelphia. Call 215-557-7665.

If you're calling home or UK mobile phones from Philadelphia, remove the first 0 and add 01144.

More resources
Philadelphia Tourism Website
Metro map
Train timetables

Tickets on sale for Oxford clash

2010-06-29T20:40:00.007+01:00

Fans attending a United XI match v Oxford United at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford on July 27 can now by tickets.

Reds have been allocated all of the all-seater North Stand, which is on the half way line and has a capacity of 5,026.

If you buy in advance, they cost £15 for adults, £11.50 for students and £9 for over 65s and under 16s.

If you buy on the day, they cost £17 for adults, £13 for students and £10 for over 65s and under 16s.

The cheapest tickets are in the Oxford Mail Stand - in the home end behind the goal.

If you buy in advance, they cost £14 for adults, £11 for students, and £7.50 for over 65s and under 16s.

If you buy on the day, they cost £16 for adults, £12.50 for students, and £8.50 for over 65s and under 16s.

All students must carry NUS cards.

Get tickets here or from the ticket office during business hours on 01865 337 533.

A full ticket, travel, hotel and pub guide will appear here shortly.

Toronto (Celtic) ticket, travel, hotel and pub guide

2010-06-17T23:50:00.017+01:00

Celtic
Rogers Centre
Toronto
Pre-season friendly
Friday, July 16, kick off 19:00 local time, 00:00 UK time

Preview

This is United's first pre-season friendly of the 2010 summer warm-up campaign.

It will probably be too early for squad players who played in the World Cup to play, especially those who reached the latter stages of the competition that finishes just five days beforehand.

Having played Philadelphia Union on July 14, Celtic will play Seattle Sounders on July 18 and Sporting Lisbon in Boston on July 21.

United will go on to play matches in Philadelphia, Houston, Mexico and the Republic of Ireland before playing Chelsea at Wembley in the Community Shield.

CAA Sports have organised the match. They represent Nani, Anderson, Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham.

The match will be shown live on MUTV, with an hour-long preview show called Countdown to kick off - USA 2010 being aired at 20:00 on Friday July 16 and again at 22:30. The match programme starts at 23:30 and ends at 02:30. All times are UK time.

There will, as ever, be internet links to video streams. Find them here from 21:00 on Friday.

Weather
During the day, temperatures will climb up to 29C/84F and it will be very sunny, though it will cool down a little by kick off. The relatively high temperature might make for a slow tempo match, especially given the fact that it is only the start of pre season.

Tickets
The Rogers Centre in Toronto holds 54,000 people.

Tickets have been divided into five price bands:
$150.00 (£100.96)
$135.00 (£90.86)
$125.00 (£84.13)
$95.00 (£63.94)
$75.00 (£50.48) excluding service charges.

The stadium website says the United end will be in blocks 118 to 125, which is in the £84.13 price band at the Bremner Boulevard end of the stadium.

Celtic are in a similar-shaped section at the other end of the ground.

This map shows where the price bands are

Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster USA. Select the $125 tickets and 'lower bowl' and it should automatically offer you a seat in the United end.

However, the final price won't be $125.00. The website charges you a $3-per-ticket handling fee and a $12.50-per-ticket convenience charge. Then you can pay $2.50 to print out your own ticket at home or get them delivered internationally for free.

So without postage, that would make one United-end ticket £95.46.

The stadium will probably be three quarters full.

Getting there

Champion Sports Tours has two packages, but both have sold out.

Package One is a four-night trip to Toronto.

On July 15, guests will fly direct from Manchester Airport to Toronto. Flights usually take eight hours.

They will then check in to a three-star hotel and stay there for four nights.

On July 18, guests will fly back from Toronto to Manchester Airport.

The package costs £870 based on two guests sharing a twin room. People paying by credit card will have to pay a two-per-cent charge - £17.40.

Package Two is a seven-night trip to Toronto and Philadelphia, allowing guests to watch United's July 21 match against Philadelphia Union at the Lincoln Financial Field.

On July 15, guests will depart Manchester Airport and reach Toronto after one flight transfer.
They will then stay in a three-star hotel for five nights.

On July 20, the group will travel to Philadelphia.

On July 22, they will depart Philadelphia and fly to Manchester Airport.

The package costs £1,050 per person based on two guests sharing a twin room, though upgrades to four and five-star hotels are available.

People paying by credit card will have to pay a two-per-cent charge - £21.00

Insurance is available for both packages.

Independent travel - £430
Air Transat offers the best deals from Manchester

Outward:
July 12: £236
July 13: £255
July 14: £259
July 15: £303

Homeward:
July 18: £258
July 19: £275
July 20: £272
July 21: £235

So going on the July 12 and returning July 21 would cost £471 return.

Air Transat also offers the best deals from London Gatwick

Outward
July 12: £248
July 13: £271
July 14: £267
July 15: £290

Homeward
July 20: £308
July 21: £272

So going on the July 12 and returning July 21 would cost £542 return.

Book via Opodo

There are other routes available via London Heathrow, but we believe the above routes and prices to be the best.

From the airport

All international flights arrive at Toronto Pearson International Airport, not to be confused with Billy Pearson Toronto City Airport right near the stadium.

It is 17 miles north west of the city centre.

Air Transat flights arrive into and depart from Terminal 3 (pictured).

To get into town, catch the 58A bus from outside the Terminal.

It runs every 15 minutes from 06:00 to 02:00 and takes you to Lawrence West Bus Station right at the heart of town, a few blocks north of Union Station.

From there, you can get a taxi to your hotel for pretty cheap, or get the subway.

If you're staying elsewhere in town, there are other bus services too. Go here for details

A taxi into town from outside the terminal to the city centre would cost about $40

To the stadium

The Rogers Centre lies on the banks of Lake Ontario in the Toronto Entertainment District.

Getting there is easy. It's so unbelievably close to the centre of town that you would probably spend more time queuing for a train or in traffic on a bus than you would walking.

From Union Station, walk south west down Front Street West and turn left onto Blue Jay Way. It's a pleasant 10-minute walk and it's very well signposted.

If you're travelling from elsewhere in the city, or from a different city, perhaps by car, this information guide will be helpful.

Hotels (All prices are per person, per night in a twin or double room)

Bargain - £23.19
Canada's Best Value Inn at 650 Evans Avenue, is a comfortable two-star hotel in the Alderwood part of the city.

This is 10 miles west of Toronto centre, but it's just one straight road into town and to the stadium.

You can walk five minutes to Long Branch Go Station and get the train into Union Station on the A line.

Budget - £35.30
One of the best value hotels in Toronto is the Clarion Hotel and Suites at 592 Sherbourne Street in St James Town.

It's a two-star rating can be deceiving. The tradition décor makes the surroundings grand, and the breakfast buffet comes highly recommended.

Comfortable - £45.10
Situated right next to the Garden District, the three-star Ramada Plaza (pictured) brings style and class at a reasonable nightly price.

It has a fitness centre, swimming pool and even squash courts. It's just a few blocks north of Union Station and within easy reach of all the sights.

Luxury £56
On the same road a few doors down at 225 Jarvis Street, the Grand Hotel and Suites is a stylish way to do Toronto. The grand deluxe rooms are spacious and luxurious.

It has a fitness centre, swimming pool and spa. It's best feature is the rooftop patio, which has brilliant views of the city.

All these hotels can be booked through booking.com and can all be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before arrival. Payment is usually taken on arrival at the hotel, but check terms and conditions carefully.

Top 10 Sights
1.CNN Tower (breathtaking views of the city)
2.Casa Loma Castle
3.Art Gallery of Ontario
4.Royal Antario Museum
5.Toronto Zoo
6.Toronto Sculpture Garden
7.Toronto Islands (beaches, amusement park)
8.Ontario Place Water Park
9.Air Canada Centre (for basketball and ice hockey games)
10.Harboufront Centre (marina and gardens)

Pubs
The city has plenty of bars and restaurants that speak for themselves, but there is one particular attraction Reds will want to check out.

The Main Event Sports Bar and Grill, at 2368 Yonge Street, is set to be the base for reds during this trip. There are loads of screens and you will be able to watch MLS games.

It is the 'headquarters' of the Toronto Manchester United Supports Club. Here's a sample of the atmosphere. Not very OOT, is it?

The club's chairman, Michael Singer, said he hoped the pub would host many reds and that the club will be planning many events. Here is their website.

You can also email Michael directly for help, information and possible special offers on hotel bookings. Email chairman@muscc.net

Practical information
The currency is the Canadian dollar. At the moment, Althams gives the best conversion rate.

Police/fire/ambulance – call 911 in an emergency. For police, call 416-808-2222 in a non emergency

Toronto General Hospital is at 200 Elizabeth Street near the University of Toronto and Queens Park and College Metro stops.

Internet cafe – try Net Space at 275 Queen Street in China Town.

The British Consulate -General is at 777 Bay Street. Details of services here.

If you're calling home or UK mobile phones from Toronto, remove the first 0 and add 01144.

More resources
City map

Downtown map

GO Schedule finder
Travel guide

Reds face Newcastle opener, first away game Fulham

2010-06-17T09:45:00.003+01:00

United will start the new season with a home match against Newcastle before travelling to Fulham a week later.

The 2010/11 season fixtures were released this morning.
Manchester City away will be on November 10, while the trip to Liverpool will be on March 5.

A journey to Blackpool awaits on December 4 and the crunch match at Chelsea is on December 18.

However, fans should not make any plans based on these fixtures.
Around about July 9, Sky and ESPN will announce which games will be screened live, covering the period August to the end of November.

In the meantime, it's worth keeping an eye on the Seatwave website.

Last season, Fulham put 'neutral end' tickets for the United match on open sale 35 days before the game.
It allowed reds get tickets in the Putney End - the same end as the away end - and there is gap between the two.

For last season's game, Seatwave sold tickets for face value (£49), plus an £8 recorded delivery charge and £16.90 commission per transaction.

Community Shield date confirmed

2010-06-14T21:55:00.003+01:00

The FA has confirmed United's Community Shield match against Chelsea at Wembley will take place at 15:00 on Sunday August 8.

Ticket will cost £40, £30, £20 and £15. Details here.

United are expected to get 27,000 tickets, which will go on sale to executive members and season ticket holders in early July.

They are expected to go on general sale at the end of July.

A full ticket, travel, hotel and pub guide will be published here shortly.

Yeovil ticket, travel, hotel and pub guide

2010-06-13T00:29:00.013+01:00

Yeovil
Huish Park
Somerset
Pre-season friendly
Saturday, July 24, kick off 15:00

Preview
This will be the second friendly match of the summer for a squad made up of first-team players not involved in the World Cup and academy players.

After starting their campaign in Dunfermline, they will head to Somerset seven days later to play this match in Yeovil.

This will be a benefit match for former Yeovil midfielder Darren Way, who was forced to retire from the game in February, aged 30.

In December 2008 – nine days before Christmas – Way was involved in a car accident near Yeovil.

A passenger in the 4x4 vehicle, Way had to be airlifted to hospital and was at one stage in a serious but stable condition. He broke an arm, a leg and a hip.

The Plymouth-born man left hospital in January 2009 after having eight operations. He hopes to one day play football again in some capacity.

As a youngster, Way played for England Under 16s and signed a pro contract with Norwich, but not much came of it.

So in 2000, he moved nearer home and signed for Yeovil and scored 26 goals in 207 appearances over the next five-and-a-half years.

He was part of the wonderful Yeovil Conference-winning side that showed their class by demolishing the other team to promoted, Doncaster, 4-0 in a league match that season.

Way's ability and hard work in the centre of the pitch caught the attention of Swansea and he signed for them in January 2006 for £150,000.

But injury and operations restricted him to 16 games in two years. He lost out on a place in the first-team running and so moved back to Yeovil on loan, eventually making the switch permanent in July 2008.

Things started well with two goals and some decent performances in 15 appearances, before the December car accident.

Throughout his time with the green and whites, he was affectionately known as the Weasel for his industriousness in midfield.

Premier League referee Andre Mariner will take charge of the match. Way is hoping to make an appearance at some stage in the match.

Tickets
Huish park will celebrate its 20th anniversary in the month of this match. It holds 9,665 and has 5,212 seats.

Away fans go behind one goal in the Copse Road End or in the end section of the Cowlin Stand on the halfway line.

Tickets on sale now priced at £15 adults, £5 concessions, £35 for two adult and two children. Get them from 01935 847 888 during business hours.

Reds who have bought tickets have praised the Yeovil ticket office staff for sending the tickets by post so they arrive the day after purchase. If only other ticket offices were as good, eh?

Travel

Car - £60
If you're using a satnav, use the destination postcode BA22 8YF.

This journey is just short of four hours and is 238 miles. It will cost you about £30 in petrol each way.

The basic route is the M6, M5 and A37.

Leave the M5 at junction 25 and take the A358 signposted Ilminster until you reach the A303 at Horton Cross.

Keep going and follow the signposts for Andover and London until you reach the Cartgate roundabout.

Then take the A3088 signposted Yeovil. At the first roundabout, take the first exit.

At the Western Avenue roundabout, turn left and then turn left again onto Luton Way. Follow the road round to the stadium.

Parking
You can either pay £2 to pay on the club car park, but you would have to get there early.

There is a field the club uses as an overspill car park too. Getting away after the match can take a while as you're technically in a cul-de-sac.

Train - £78
The nearest station to the ground is Yeovil Pen Mill. Yeovil Junction also serves the town, but there are no decent journeys serving it.

It is three miles away. Buying two singles using option 3 or option 5 outward and option 2 homeward in advance from National Rail will cost £78.

Buying on the day to use any of the routes below will cost £85.60 return.

Going, you have five options. Coming back, you have two

Outward
Option 1 – journey time 5:22
Leave Piccadilly: 05:25
Arrive Stafford: 06:17
Leave: 06:26
Arrive Birmingham New Street: 06:57
Leave: 07:12
Arrive Bristol Temple Meads: 08:38
Leave: 09:09
Arrive Yeovil Pen Mill: 10:47
One-way cost: N/A

Option 2 – journey time 6:00
Leave Piccadilly: 06:10
Arrive Tamworth: 07:18
Leave: 07:48
Arrive Bristol Temple Meads: 09:38
Leave: 09:49
Arrive Yeovil Pen Mill: 11:17
One-way cost: £N/A

Option 3 – journey time 5:23
Leave Piccadilly: 07:15
Arrive London Euston: 09:23
Tube to Waterloo
Leave Waterloo at 10:20
Arrive Yeovil Pen Mill (pictured): 12:39
One-way cost: £35

Option 4 – journey time 5:08
Leave Piccadilly: 08:27
Arrive Birmingham New Street: 09:58
Leave: 10:12
Arrive Bristol Temple Meads: 11:39
Leave: 11:49
Arrive Yeovil Pen Mill: 13:16
One-way cost: £N/A

Option 5 – journey time 5:23
Leave Piccadilly: 09:15
Arrive London Euston: 11:23
Tube to Waterloo
Leave Waterloo at 12:20
Arrive Yeovil Pen Mill: 14:38
One-way cost: £35

It is too far to walk from the station to the ground, so you have two options.

1. A taxi will take 10 minutes and cost about £10-£12. Call Radio Cabs on 01935 426 666 or Abba Cabs on 01935 433 334.

2. Walk a few years to the bus stop outside the Pen Mill Hotel pub (pictured) and catch any bus into Yeovil (the 58A, for example).

Then walk two minutes to the Borough Shopping Centre and get the Number 1 bus to Abbey Manor Park.

Homeward:
Option 1 – journey time 4:59
Leave Yeovil Pen Mill: 17:05
Arrive Bristol Temple Meads: 18:35
Leave: 19:00
Arrive Piccadilly: 22:04
One-way cost: £N/A

Option 2 – journey time 5:14
Leave Yeovil Pen Mill: 18:18
Arrive Castle Cary: 18:31
Leave: 18:40
Arrive Taunton: 19:01
Leave: 19:18
Arrive Birmingham New Street 21:38
Leave: 21:57
Arrive Piccadilly: 23:32
One-way cost: £43

Fans' coach - £23

The Reds Away coach to this game has been cancelled due to a lack of interest.

We will let you know if we hear of any other coaches going to this game.

Apologies to those who enquired about booking.

Bus - £55.90
Megabus doesn't run between Manchester and Yeovil.

National Express runs coaches between Manchester and Yeovil, but you would have to travel there on Friday and back on Sunday.

A return costs £55.90 and the journey takes 7 hours 20 minutes each way, leaving Chorlton Street at 09:45 on Friday and leaving Yeovil Bus Station at 10:55 on Sunday.

Plane
The nearest airport is Bournemouth 80 minutes away, but there are no doable flights from Manchester to there.

There are flights to Southampton which is about 90 minutes away, but a return would cost you £90 plus a length train journey.

Hotel and pub guide to follow

United announce Oxford friendly

2010-06-12T10:56:00.002+01:00

A United XI are to play Oxford in a pre-season friendly at the Kassam Stadium in Oxford on July 27.

Ticket information is still to be announced. The match is likely to start at 7.30pm, though it is to be confirmed.

A full guide will appear here in the coming days.

Dunfermline ticket, travel. hotel and pub guide

2010-06-07T00:42:00.017+01:00

Dunfermline
East End Park
Fife
Pre-season friendly
Saturday, July 17, kick off 15:00

Preview
The Scottish season starts slightly earlier than the English one.

Dunfermline playtheir first game in the Co-operative Insurance Cup first round against Arbroath on Saturday, July 31 – the same day United will be playing St Johnstone in a friendly up the M90.

So this match will give their First Division side a chance to dust off after a brief summer break in time for competitive action.

For United, it will be a chance for youth team and reserve squad players to have a run out.

Don't expect many big names as the first team play Celtic in Toronto the day before, and even that team will be missing plenty of players involved in the final stages of the World Cup.

United last played Dunfermline in August 2007 for Scott Thomson's testimonial. It ended 4-0 to the reds. Chris Eagles and Ryan Giggs scored one each and Wayne Rooney scored two.

Tickets
East End Park used to have an artificial surface a la CSKA Moscow but it was replaced with grass in 2005.

The stadium holds 12,509 fans. All four stands are covered. Away fans will be put in the north end of the Main Stand.

Reds will be in the East Stand behind the goal, which holds 3,073.

Tickets for the away end are on sale now priced £12 adults, £6 concessions. That is £4 and £2 cheaper respectively than the match three years ago.

Get them from 01383 745 909 on weekdays from 09:00 to 14:00 or from 01383 626 737 on weekdays except Monday from 09:00 until 12:30 and on Saturdays from 09:30 to 17:30.

You can also pay £55 for the complimentary bar package which includes a pre-match two-course meal, a match programme, a seat in the Main Stand, half time refreshments and a free bar from 12:30.
Or you can pay £25 for all of the above except for the free bar. Full ticket details here.

As of July 13, Dunfermline had sold 1,200 tickets and 300 hospitality packages, with 250 of those thought to be from reds. The club are expected a crowd of 3,000 plus.

Travel

Car - £60
It's a 249-mile journey which will take just short of four hours each way, depending on the traffic.

The basic route is the M6, M74, A8 and A90. Use the postcode KY12 7RB for the stadium in your satnav.

The stadium is only a two-minute drive and a ten-minute walk into town but if you want to park near the town-centre pubs, use the postcode KY12 7NU.

Parking – free
There is a car park behind the North Stand for cars and coaches. It costs £3 per car but coaches are free.

If that's full, park for free on one of the residential roads opposite the stadium, like Garvock Terrace and Lambert Drive (KY12 7UP). There is plenty of space.

Train - £42
Dunfermline has two stations: Dunfermline Town and Dunfermline Queen Margaret.

All the trains you can catch go to both, but it's easier to get off at Dunfermline Town (pictured).

If you buy in advance from National Rail, you can get there and back for £42. If you buy on the day you're looking at £60.

On the way there are five options. On the way back, there are two.

Outward
Option 1 (journey time 4:34)
Leave Victoria: 06:45
Arrive Wigan Wallgate: 07:21
Leave Wigan North Western 07:37
Arrive Edinburgh 10:22
Leave: 10:48
Arrive Dunfermline Town 11:19
One-way price in advance: £22

Option 2 (journey time 4:05)
Leave Piccadilly 07:45
Arrive Haymarket 11:04
Leave: 11:23
Arrive Dunfermline Town: 11:50
One-way price in advance: £21

Option 3 (journey time 4:04)
Leave Piccadilly 07:45
Arrive Preston: 09:30
Leave: 09:53
Arrive Haymarket 12:16
Leave: 12:23
Arrive Dunfermline Town: 12:50
One-way price in advance: £28.50

Option 4 (journey time 4:52)
Leave Piccadilly: 08:57
Arrive York: 10:23
Leave: 10:34
Arrive Edinburgh: 13:01
Leave: 13:18
Arrive Dunfermline Town: 13:49
One-way price in advance: £88.30

Option 5 (journey time 4:04)
Leave Piccadilly: 10:16
Arrive Edinburgh: 13:39
Leave: 13:49
Arrive Dunfermline Town 14:20
One-way price in advance: £24.50

Walking between the two Wigan stations takes about one minute. Leave Wallgate, turn right and you will see North Western to your left after a few yards.

When you leave the train, you'll exit onto a dual carriageway called St Margaret's Drive.

Turn right and keep walking until you see a bus stop on the other side of the road.

At this point you can either follow the steps by the bus stop onto West Drive and into the town centre – a five minute walk – or keep following St Margaret's Drive to get to the ground.

When you reach the roundabout, turn right onto Appin Crescent and the ground is up ahead on the left after a few more minutes of walking. Be warned though, there are no pubs along the way.

It would cost about £4 in a taxi from the train station. Call A1 Taxis on 01383 415 151 or Abbery Taxies on 01383 735 555.

Homeward

Option 1 (journey time 3:56)
Leave Dunfermline Town: 17:31
Arrive Haymarket 18:00
Leave: 18:16
Arrive Piccadilly: 21:27
One-way price in advance: £21

Option 2 (journey time 4:28)
Leave Dunfermline Town: 18:06
Arrive Edinburgh: 18:41
Leave: 18:52
Arrive Wigan North Western: 21:31
Leave Wigan Wallgate 21:55
Arrive Victoria 22:34
One-way price in advance: £22

Fans coach – £23
The Reds Away coach to this game has been cancelled due to a lack of interest.

We will let you know of any other coaches going to this game if there are any.

Apologies to those who enquired about bookings.

Bus
Megabus does not run services from Manchester to Dunfermline.

If you really wanted to, you could get a return between Manchester and Edinburgh for £8 and then get the train onwards, but it would mean staying in Scotland on Friday and Saturday night and travelling at stupid times of night and morning.

National Express does not run any services between Manchester and Dunfermline on the day though, again you could go to Edinburgh and then get the train, but there are very few coaches and the ones that do run go at stupid times and cost way too much to make it worthwhile.

Plane and train combo (£41.69 one way, £99.38 return)
The nearest airport is Edinburgh Airport, which is only 26 minutes away by road and 55 minutes by bus to Edinburgh and train to Dunfermline.

You can fly from Manchester for relatively cheap on matchday, though you will have to wait until the following morning to fly back.

Saturday
Leave Manchester Airport: 07:45
Arrive Edinburgh: 08:50
Price: £33.99
Airline: flybe

From outside the airport, get the Airlink 100 bus to Edinburgh Train Station.

It costs £3.50 single and £6 return, runs every 10 minutes and takes 25 minutes.

That should get you to the station at 09:30.

From there, reaching Dunfermline Town takes 31 minutes and direct trains leave at 09:17, 10:48 and 11:19. It costs £4.20 for a single. (You cannot buy a return ticket as you are travelling back the next day, so it would be two singles i.e. £8.40 return).

So all being well, you should make it to Perth by 11:23 – more three-and-a-half hours before kick off.

Sunday
Direct trains leave Dunfermline Town at 11:39, 13:39 and 15:42. Then you can catch the Airlink 100 bus from outside the station.

Leave Edinburgh Airport: 18:50
Arrive Manchester Airport: 19:55
Price: £50.99
Airline: flybe

Getting to the ground from the town centre

The stadium is a mile to the north east of the town centre. From the High Street, walk from the Viceroy past Marks and Spencer and keep going until you reach the roundabout.

Go straight on onto Appin Crescent and the ground is on that road on the left side of the road. It's a 10-minute walk in all.

It would cost about £4 in a taxi. Call A1 Taxis on 01383 415 151 or Abbery Taxies on 01383 735 555.

Ryanair slash Ireland flight prices

2010-06-06T00:19:00.002+01:00

Reds looking to go to the August 4 friendly between United and a League of Ireland XI can now get cheaper flights.

Before today, the cheapest return flights between Manchester and Dublin would have cost £44.98

And the cheapest return flights between Liverpool and Dublin would have cost £36.98.

Now, the cheapest Manchester return is £35.90 and the cheapest Liverpool return is £27.35.

But don’t forget Ryanair charges you £5 per return journey to check in and also charges a booking fee, which changes depending what card you use.

You can bypass the booking fee by getting a pre-paid Mastercard Debit Card through Fairfx.

The cards are free, but you have to upload £10 onto them when you order them. They take a week to ten days to arrive. Get one here.

A full ticket and travel guide to the League of Ireland match can be found here.

St Johnstone ticket, travel, hotel and pub guide

2010-06-02T19:29:00.013+01:00

St Johnstone
McDiarmid Park
Perth
Pre-season friendly
Saturday July 31, kick off 14:00

Preview
This match is a testimonial for veteran goalkeeper Alan Main.

Now aged 42, Main made his debut in the Scottish Highland League aged 15.

The Elgin-born stopper signed for Dundee United in 1986 and made 152 appearances in a nine-year spell.

He then joined St Johnstone and appeared 233 times in seven years before spending a year each at Livingston and Gretna.

Main returned for a second spell at St Johstone in 2007 and played 75 games, helping the Saints to promotion to the Scottish Premier Division in 2008/9.

Main, who has played for St Johnstone more than anyone else, broke his hand at the end of last season and so was unable to have a testimonial match.

He will strap up the hand and play some part in the fixture.

United last played at St Johnstone in October 1989, two months after their stadium opened. Brian McClair scored the only goal in a 1-0 win which also featured Mark Hughes and Bryan Robson.

Sir Alex Ferguson played for the Saints from 1960 to 1964, making 37 appearances and scoring 19 goals.

Tickets
Opened in 1989, McDiarmid Park was the UK's first purpose-built all-seater stadium.

The capacity is 10,673. There is the Main Stand to the west, the Ormond Stand to the south, the North Stand and the East Stand.

United fans will be in the north end of the Main Stand. Entry is £15 for adults and £5 for under 16s on the gate. There are no advanced ticket sales.

Travel

Car - £65
From Manchester, the journey will take about four hours and ten minutes each way. It is 263 miles in all.

The basic route is via the M6, the M8 and the M80.

For the stadium, put PH1 2SJ in your satnav. For Perth town centre, which is a five-minute drive away from the stadium, use the postcode PH1 5UB.

Parking – free
At the stadium, there is a large, car park which holds 1,000 cars and 100 coaches. It costs £3 per car. Coaches can park fore free.

There is also lots of free street parking opposite the ground on streets like Newhouse Road and Grange Terrace. However, motorists should look out for signs showing parking restrictions and be mindful that, if they don't abide by them, their vehicles could be ticketed or even towed.

Train - £30.50
If you book the train in advance, it will cost £30.50 to get to Perth (pictured right).

If you buy your tickets on the day, or the advance promotion tickets sell out, you're looking at £78.40 return.

Outward
Option 1 (5.04)
Leave Piccadilly: 06:33
Arrive Glasgow Central: 09:45
Leave Glasgow Queen Street: 10:41
Arrive Perth: 11:37
One-way fare £16

Option 2 (5.09)
Leave Victoria: 06:45
Arrive Wigan Wallgate: 07:21
Leave Wigan North Western: 07:37
Arrive Edinburgh: 10:22
Leave: 10:34
Arrive Perth: 11:54
One-way fare roughly £30 if booked as three single tickets in advance from National Rail.

Option 3 (4:51)
Leave Piccadilly: 07:45
Arrive Preston: 08:22
Leave; 08:37
Arrive Glasgow Central: 11:03
Leave Glasgow Queen Street: 11:41
Arrive Perth: 12:36
One-way fare roughly £30 if booked as three single tickets in advance from National Rail.

Homeward
Option 1 (5:01)
Leave Perth: 16:55
Arrive: Glasgow Queen Street: 18:09
Leave Glasgow Central: 18:40
Arrive Preston: 20:58
Leave: 21:10
Arrive Piccadilly: 21:56
One-way fare: £14:50

Option 2 (5:34)
Leave Perth (pictured right): 17:00
Arrive Edinburgh: 18:25
Leave: 18:52
Arrive Wigan North Western: 21:31
Leave Wigan Wallgate: 21:55
Arrive Victoria 22:34
One-way fare: £14.50

Walking between the two Wigan stations takes about one minute. Leave Wallgate, turn right and you will see North Western to your left after a few yards.

Walking between the two Glasgow stations takes less than ten minutes. Leave Central, turn left onto Union Street. Walk for a couple of minutes and turn right onto Kemp Street. Queen Street is right ahead of you.

Fans coach - £23
The Reds Away coach to this game has been cancelled due to a lack of interest.

We will let you know of any other coaches going to this game.

Apologies to those who enquired about bookings.

Bus - £15
Megabus runs between Manchester and Perth, but the journey time is over seven hours. The only way of getting there and back via Megabus is to set off the day on Friday and return on Sunday.

Friday from Manchester (all prices one way)
Leave Shudehill: 12:40 17:00 £10
Arrive Perth Broxden:18:45 00:05 £5

You will arrive at a park and ride stop on a roundabout to the west of Perth town centre.

From there you can get the 301 bus into town for free.

It runs every 15 minutes from 07:00 to 19:00 so if you're wanting to get to or from the town centre outside of the those hours, you will need to get a taxi. It's only a two-mile journey though, so won't cost more than £5.

Call Perth Radio Taxis on 01738 628 171 or Ace Taxis on 01738 444 000.

Sunday from Perth
Leave Perth Broxden: 06:45 09:35 £10
Arrive Shudehull: 13:00 15:45 £10

The good news is National Express does run a coach from Manchester to Perth which allows you to travel there and back on the day of the match...the bad news it costs an eye-watering £58.00 return.

On the way there, you leave Chorlton Street at 01:10 and arrive on Cross Street, Perth at 08:56 after a 75-minute wait in Glasgow.

On the way back, you leave Cross Street at 20:52 and arrive in Manchester at 03:35 after a 45-minute wait in Glasgow. You can also travel to Perth on Friday and back on Sunday, but it still costs £58 return

Plane and train combo (£41.15 single, £97.24 return)
The nearest airport is Dundee, but flights from Manchester to there are circa £200 return.

But Edinburgh Airport is only an hour away and you can fly from Manchester for relatively cheap on matchday, though you will have to wait until the following morning to fly back.

Saturday
Leave Manchester Airport: 07:45
Arrive Edinburgh: 08:50
Price: £30.65
Airline: flybe

From outside the airport, get the Airlink 100 bus to Edinburgh Train Station. It costs £3.50 single and £6 return, runs every 10 minutes and takes 25 minutes.

That should get you to the station at 09:30.

From there, reaching Perth takes 80 minutes and direct trains leave at 09:35, 10:34 and 11:35.

You can also change at Stirling. Single tickets cost £7 in advance or £12.90 on the day. Returns cost £14 in advance or £14.30 on the day.

So all being well, you should make it to Perth by 11:00 – three hours before kick off.

Sunday
Direct trains leave Perth at 09:35, 10:34, 11:57 and 15:25. Then you can catch the Airlink 100 bus from outside the station.

Leave Edinburgh Airport: 18:50
Arrive Manchester Airport: 19:55
Price: £46.59
Airline: flybe

Getting to the ground

On foot
It would take about 40 minutes from the town centre. From St Ninian's Cathedral, follow the A85, which starts as Barrack Street and turns into Dunkeld Road and Crieff Road. The stadium is on your right.

Taxi
It would take less than 10 minutes and cost about £8. Call
Perth Radio Taxis on 01738 628 171 or Ace Taxis on 01738 444 000.

Hotel and pub information coming soon.

League of Ireland XI ticket, travel and hotel guide

2010-06-01T00:44:00.021+01:00

Airtricity League of Ireland XI
Aviva Stadium
Dublin
Pre-season friendly
Wednesday, August 4, kick off time 20:00 TBC

Preview

The match will take place to celebrate the opening of the new 50,000-capacity Aviva Stadium in the Republic's capital.

An international rugby union game is scheduled to take place on July 31, but the United match will be the first football fixture at the new stadium.

Despite the fact that it is a United XI match, it is understood United have signed a contract with the League of Ireland which insists on the “big-name players” taking part.

Tickets - section updated Aug 3

Tickets are on sale now

If you buy them from the general pot, priced at e45 (£37.48) and e85 (71.20). the e.60 and (£49.98) and e75 (£62.81) tickets appear to be sold out.

Add on to that a e4.50 (£3.76) booking fee per ticket onto the e45 tickets and e5.50 (£4.60) onto the e85 tickets.

Any tickets ordered now have to be collected at the box office. There are no concessions available. Get tickets here.

Weather

The match will be played under sunny skies, according to the BBC.

After a cloudy and rainy night tonight, conditions are due to pick up tomorrow, with temperatures reaching 18C/64C tomorrow day time.

It will be sunny with the odd patch of cloud, with the temperature cooling to about 14C/57F for the evening game.

Get more details here.

Flight - £27.35 - section updated July 29

Here are a selection of the cheapest and most convenient flights available. All flights take 1 hour. All prices one way

Leaving Manchester on August 3
07:55 Ryanair £155.77
08:00 Aer Lingus £170.40
10:55 Aer Lingus SOLD OUT
15:45 Ryanair £76.22
19:15 Aer Lingus £105.40
21:55 Ryanair £55.28

Leaving Liverpool on August 3
06:30 Ryanair £39.99
16:00 Ryanair £39.99
21:45 Ryanair £39.99

Leaving Manchester on August 4
07:55 Ryanair £101.20
08:00 Aer Lingus £80.40
10:55 Aer Lingus £90.40
15:45 Ryanair SOLD OUT
19:15 Aer Lingus £90.40
21:55 Ryanair £39.99

Leaving Liverpool on August 4
06:30 Ryanair £39.99
16:00 Ryanair £39.99
21:45 Ryanair £39.99

Leaving for Manchester on August 5
06:30 Ryanair £33.32

06:30 Aer Lingus £67.06

09:30 Aer Lingus £129.56
17:50 Aer Lingus £217.05

20:35 Ryanair £124.99
20:40 Aer Lingus SOLD OUT

Leaving for Liverpool on August 5
07:45 Ryanair £150.39

17:15 Ryanair £83.72

23:00 Ryanair £33.32

So the cheapest Manchester and Liverpool return is £73.31.

But don't forget Ryanair charges you £5 per return journey to check in and also charges a booking fee, which changes depending what card you use (find out how to avoid the booking fee here).

The return fare on the Terravision bus from Manchester Shudehill to Liverpool Airport is £10.

The train fare from Manchester Piccadilly to Manchester Airport is £6.40 after 10:00 or £7.60 before 10:00.

From the airport to Dublin

The airport is six miles north of the city centre.

From outside the terminal, you can get the Dublin Bus Airlink 747 or 748 service, which runs to the Central Bus Station every 10 minutes or less and costs e6 for a single and e10 for a return. Journey time is 35 minutes. A taxi would cost e28.

Other flights

Another option would be to fly from Manchester to Belfast on bmibaby and then get the two-hour train south to Dublin.

But those flights would cost at least £35, so it would be more expensive and take longer.

Ferry - £55

The ferry goes from Holyhead to either Dublin or Dun Laoghaire. Going to Dun Laoghaire is often cheaper and is 45 minutes away from Dublin by Tube.

There are three ways of reaching the ferry.

Car - £26

You can drive and park for £5 in a car park 500 yards from the ferry (there's even a free bus between the two).

The journey from Manchester costs about £13 in petrol each way and takes roughly two hours and 15 minutes via the M6, M56 and the A55.

Train - £27

Manchester to Holyhead takes 3 hours and 19 minutes changing at Crewe or Chester. The train station is a five-minute walk to the ferry.

You can book for £27 return via National Rail or book a train and ferry package through Stena for £55 return.

The cheapest ferry (not including train) we can find is £33 return from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire so it makes sense to book the whole thing through Stena.

Coach - £50

The good news is the coach station. The bad news is, it is only served by National Express and returns cost £50 and arrive at ridiculously unsociable hours.

Stena Ferry Times:

Holyhead to Dublin
Aug 3 board by: 09:30 departs: 10:00 arrives: 12:00
Aug 4 board by: 09:30 departs: 10:00 arrives: 12:00

Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire
Aug 3 board by: 13:05 departs: 13:50 arrives: 17:05
Aug 4 board by: 13:05 departs: 13:50 arrives: 17:05

Dublin to Holyhead
Aug 5 board by: 07:35 departs: 08:20 arrives: 11:35
Aug 5 board by: 20:30 departs: 21:15 arrives: 00:30

Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead
Aug 5 board by: 12:45 departs: 13:15 arrives: 15:15

Arriving in Dublin

The town centre is four miles east of the ferry port. A taxi takes about 15 minutes and costs about e12.

The number 53 bus from outside the port will take you to Dublin Bus Station on Amien Street for e1.80 single.

You will have to pay for either in euros, but there's a cash machine outside the port building.

Arriving in Dun Laoghaire

The ferry port is right beside Dun Laoghaire DART (Irish Tube) station. From there, you can get the DART north to Dublin.

It takes about an hour to reach Connolly Train Station in Dublin and services run every 10 minutes or less throughout the day. An adult single costs e2.30 or a three-day pass costs e11.40.

Getting to the stadium

On foot

The Aviva Stadium is two miles south east of Connolly Train Station. and would take about 40 minutes to walk there.

It's slightly quicker to walk from St Stephen's Green, which is a mile away.

Walk up Merrion Row, Baggot Street Lower, Baggot Street Upper and cross the Grand Canal at Baggot Street Bridge.

Then go straight down Pembroke Road and cross the road at the junction of Northumberland Road 0and Merrion Road.

By Tube

Get the Dart from anyone of a number of city centre stations to Lansdowne Road Station, which actually passes under the West Stand. An adult single costs e2.30, a return costs e4.20 or a three-day pass costs e11.40.

By bus
Services 7, 8, 45 and 84 go past the stadium. A single costs e1.80.

Official North America tour video

2010-05-30T16:03:00.002+01:00

Kansas tickets now on sale

2010-05-16T16:32:00.001+01:00

Tickets for United's match against the Kansas City Wizards at the New Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas on July 25 are now on sale via Ticketmaster.

They cost from $30 (£20.22) to $300 (£202.28) depending on where you sit. This map of the stadium gives a full breakdown of ticket prices and locations.

Kick-off time has been confirmed for 17:00 local time which is 23:00 UK time.

United announce Dublin friendly

2010-05-12T15:05:00.002+01:00

A United XI side will play a pre-season friendly against a League of Ireland XI in Dublin on Wednesday, August 4, United have confirmed.

The match will take place to celebrate the opening of the new 50,000-capacity Aviva Stadium in the Republic's capital.

An international rugby union game is scheduled to take place on July 31, but the United match will be the first football fixture at the new stadium.

Tickets will go on sale in June.

Travel information will be posted here later.

Philadelphia tickets on sale now

2010-05-11T00:15:00.003+01:00

Tickets for United's July 21 friendly match against Philadelphia Union in Philadelphia on July 21 are now on sale.

From Ticketmaster, they cost from $30 (£20.22) to $225 (£151.66), though there is usually a 'facility charge' of $4 (£2.69) and a convenience charge of at least $7.65 (£5.15).

Get your tickets here.

Kick off time for the match has been confirmed as 19:30 local time, which is 00:30 UK time on July 22.

Kansas City Wizards ticket details announced

2010-05-11T00:01:00.003+01:00

Tickets for United's match against the Kansas City Wizards at the New Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas on July 25 will go on general sale on Saturday at 16:00 UK time.

They are currently on sale to Wizards season ticket holders but will be available to everyone at the weekend via Ticketmaster.

They will cost from $30 (£20.22) to $300 (£202.28) depending on where you sit. This map of the stadium gives a full breakdown of ticket prices and locations.

Kick-off time has been confirmed for 17:00 local time which is 23:00 UK time.

Ticket sale date for Toronto clash

2010-05-10T23:05:00.005+01:00

Tickets for the match between United and Celtic in Toronto on July 16 will go on sale on May 20, the hosts have announced.

The match will be played at the Rogers Centre and, according to the stadium's website, tickets will cost $150.00 (£100.96), $135.00 (£90.86), $125.00 (£84.13), $95.00 (£63.94) and $75.00 (£50.48) excluding service charges.

You can get them from Ticketmaster.

The match will kick off at 19:00 local time, which is 00:00 UK time (that is, the start of Thursday).

Go to Toronto and Philadelphia with Champion Sports Tours

2010-05-10T20:23:00.003+01:00

Champion Sports Tours has announced two travel packages for United's pre-season tour of North America.

Package One

It's a four-night trip to Toronto, allowing guests to watch United's July 16 match against Celtic at the Rogers Centre.

On July 15, guests will fly direct from Manchester Airport to Toronto. Flights usually take eight hours.

They will then check in to a three-star hotel and stay there for four nights.

On July 18, guests will fly back from Toronto to Manchester Airport.

The package costs £870 based on two guests sharing a twin room.
People paying by credit card will have to pay a two-per-cent charge - £17.40.

Package Two

It's a seven-night trip to Toronto and Philadelphia, allowing guests to watch United's July 16 match against Celtic at the Rogers Centre and the July 21 match against Philadelphia Union at the Lincoln Financial Field.

On July 15, guests will depart Manchester Airport and reach Toronto after one flight transfer.
They will then stay in a three-star hotel for five nights.

On July 20, the group will travel to Philadelphia.

On July 22, they will depart Philadelphia and fly to Manchester Airport.

The package costs £1,050 per person based on two guests sharing a twin room, though upgrades to four and five-star hotels are available.

People paying by credit card will have to pay a two-per-cent charge - £21.00

Insurance is available for both packages.

A Champions Sports Tours spokesman said: "We are currently looking at further options and we will send them out via the mailing list and website once they are available."

To book either package call 0161 282 1966 or email Debbie@mufctravel.com

Tickets on sale for All-star game

2010-05-10T13:17:00.003+01:00

You can now buy tickets to see United take on a Major League All-Star team at the Reliant Stadium in Houston on July 28.

The match will have a 19:30 kick off local time, which is 01:30 UK time.

Tickets cost from $65 (£43.32) to $347 (£231.28) depending on which part of the ground you go in.

Buy your tickets here.

Reds line up three American stops

2010-05-07T22:27:00.006+01:00

Dates have been finalised for United's pre-season tour of North America.

As previously confirmed, the reds will play at the 54,00-capacity Rogers Centre in Toronto.

That will take place on Friday, July 16 and the opponents will be Celtic.

Fergie's men will face Philadelphia Union on Wednesday, July 21, at the 68,532-capacity Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

They will then play Major League Soccer team Kansas City Wizards on Sunday, July 25, to open the 77,000-capacity New Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas.

After that. United will travel to Texas, to face an MLS All-Star team at the 71,500-capacity Reliant Stadium in Houston on Wednesday, July 28.

And finally, the squad will head south to South America - as previously confirmed - to play Club Deportivo Guadalajara on Friday, July 30 to open the Estadio Chivas in Mexico. United will play Club Deportivo Guadalajara.

July 16 Celtic in Toronto 01:00 UK time.

July 21 Philadepelphia Union in Philadelphia 00:30 on July 22 UK time

July 25 Kansas City Wizards in Kansas 23:00 UK time

July 28 MLS All-Star Team in Houston 01:30 on July 29 UK time

July 30 Club Deportivo Guadalajara in Guadalajara

In the coming days and weeks, we will bring you ticket, travel and opponent information.

Feel free to email any questions about the matches to redsaway@hotmail.co.uk

Chilly welcome awaits reds up north

2010-04-29T22:56:00.002+01:00

The good news is that Sunday's match against Sunderland will be played in sunshine with a bit of cloud.

The bad news, however, is that it'll be pretty damn cold.

Despite the recent high temperatures, the high for the final day of the season will be 7C/45F and the low will be a pretty chilly 2C/36F.

Police warn - "Don't travel without tickets"

2010-04-28T12:29:00.002+01:00

Police are advising fans not to travel without a ticket to this Sunday's end of season game at the Stadium of Light.

Northumbria Police are reminding fans travelling to the Sunderland vs. Manchester United match on Sunday that this is a ticket-only fixture and no tickets will be available on the day.

Supporters who turn up without a ticket will not gain entry to the stadium.

Sunderland area commander Temporary Chief Superintendent Kay Blyth said: "We want people who are coming in the city over the bank holiday weekend to be able to enjoy their visit and not have it ruined by a few troublemakers.

"Extra police officers will be on patrol before during and after the game, if they see any individuals or groups whose behaviour has the potential to get out of hand they won't hesitate to intervene."

Superintendent Steve Neill of Northumbria Police's Operations Department said: "Our priority at all football matches is to maintain a safe environment for all supporters and we prepare thoroughly before every match so we can police it appropriately.

"We hope Sunday's end of season match between Sunderland and Manchester United passes without incident and that it is enjoyed by supporters of both clubs.

"We would remind fans they need to behave responsibly both inside and outside the stadium or they risk being arrested and banned from future matches.

"The overwhelming majority of football fans are well-behaved and want nothing more than to attend games free from the fear of violence or disorder.

"We will continue to work closely with fans and our local clubs to make football matches safe events for all concerned."

Sunderland announce Sunday security measures

2010-04-27T12:04:00.003+01:00

Police will form a filter cordon around the entire stadium before United's match there on Sunday, Sunderland officials have announced.

There will be extra officers forming a barrier around the away-end turnstiles. People will only be allowed access if they have match tickets.

Sunderland's safety officer Paul Weir said: "In conjunction with the police, we will have a filter cordon around the stadium especially at the away turnstiles.

"This cordon will check tickets as we will as people disembark from coaches.

"Those without ticket will be turned away or told to stay on the coaches."

Sunderland ticket, travel and pub guide

2010-04-26T19:23:00.016+01:00

Sunderland
Stadium of Light
Premier League
Sunday May 2, kick off 16:00

Tickets

Out of a capacity of 48,453, United have 1,700 tickets, priced at £33 for adults, £22 for over 65s and £12 for under 16s.

All tickets have been sold and posted out.

The low allocation has proved very controversial and we recently encouraged fans to lobby Sunderland about potential problems with reds getting tickets in the home end.

Home-end tickets are still on general sale to people who have a booking history with Sunderland. Expect every Mackem and his dog to be selling them in town on the day of the game. For about £300.

Weather

The good news is that Sunday's match against Sunderland will be played in sunshine with a bit of cloud.

The bad news, however, is that it'll be pretty damn cold.

Despite the recent high temperatures, the high for the final day of the season will be 7C/45F and the low will be a pretty chilly 2C/36F.

TV
Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 1HD will show the match live, with the show starting at 15:30 and ending at 18:00.

Travel
We recommend: Megabus there for £5 and train home (option 2) for £23.50 single - both booked in advance.

Car - £37
If you are using a sat nav or an internet routeplanner, use the destination postcode SR5 1SU.

The journey takes about two-and-half hours each way and petrol will be roughly £18.50 each way.

The basic route is: Take the M62 to J29 and join the M1 northbound. Get off at J62 and follow the A690 and signs for Sunderland city centre.

Parking – free
Because the ground is so close to the city centre, it is hard to find spots nearby for cheap and that won't have you queuing to leave for ages.

When you arrive in town, you'll see signs for Matchday Parking and they will lead you two sights at the University of Sunderland but they will probably charge you £5, it's a 10-minute walk to the ground and getting out afterwards will be a nightmare.

We recommend you use the free park-and-ride service. You park at Sunderland Enterprise Park and then buses leave every five minutes from 1.30pm and regularly afterwards after the game until everyone has been taken back.

To reach Sunderland Enterprise Park, leave the M1 at J65 and take the second exit onto the A1231.

Keep going for six miles over five roundabouts and the enterprise park is signposted.

Train - £44.50
It will take you about four hours and probably require four different trains to get there and the same on the way back, though if you go at the right time, it should be more straightforward.

If you buy your ticket on the day, it will cost you £61.90. If you book in advance via National Rail it will cost you £44.50, travelling Option 1 outbound and Option 2 inbound. No other discounts are available.

Manchester to Sunderland (pictured right)

Option 1 (Journey time 3:44)
Leave Piccadilly: 06:42
Arrive Thornaby: 09:16
Leave: 09:35
Arrive Sunderland: 10:26

Option 2 (Journey time 3:34)
Leave Piccadilly: 07:42
Arrive: Newcastle: 10:29
Leave: 10:31
Arrive: Newcastle Central Metro: 10:39
Leave: 10:50
Arrive: Sunderland: 11:16

Option 3 (Journey time 3:29)
Leave Piccadilly: 08:32
Arrive: Newcastle: 11:24
Leave: 11:25
Arrive: Newcastle Central Metro: 11:34
Leave: 11:35
Arrive Sunderland: 12:01

Option 4 (Journey time 3:19)
Leave Piccadilly: 09:42
Arrive: Newcastle: 12:23
Leave: 12:24
Arrive: Newcastle Central Metro: 12:33
Leave: 12:34
Arrive Sunderland: 13:01

Option 5 (Journey time 3:34)
Leave Piccadilly: 10:42
Arrive: York: 12:20
Leave: 12:35
Arrive: Newcastle: 13:32
Leave: 13:33
Arrive: Newcastle Central Metro: 13:42
Leave: 13:50
Arrive Sunderland: 14:16

Option 6 (Journey time 3:54)
Leave Oxford Road: 11:07
Arrive: York: 12:51:
Leave: 13:09
Arrive: Newcastle: 14:12
Leave: 14:13
Arrive: Newcastle Central Metro: 14:22
Leave: 14:55
Arrive Sunderland: 15:01

Option 7: (Journey time 3:34)
Leave Piccadilly: 11:42
Arrive: Newcastle: 14:35
Leave: 14:36
Arrive: Newcastle Central Metro: 14:45
Leave: 14:50
Arrive Sunderland: 15:16

The ground is a 15 minute walk from the station.

Leave the station by WH Smith, turn left and walk down High Street West. Turn left again into Fawcett Street. This leads to the Wear Bridge. Cross the bridge, and turn left into Millennium Way.

Sunderland to Manchester

Option 1 (Journey time: 3:22)
Leave Sunderland: 17:47
Arrive: Newcastle Central Metro: 18:15
Leave: 18:16
Arrive Newcastle: 18:25
Leave: 18:29
Arrive York: 19:29
Leave: 19:45
Arrive Oxford Road: 21:09

Option 2 (Journey time: 3:08)
Leave Sunderland: 18:28
Arrive Newcastle: 18:48
Leave: 19:06
Arrive Piccadilly: 21:36

Option 3 (Journey time: 3:22)
Leave Sunderland: 18:47
Arrive: Newcastle Central Metro: 19:15
Leave: 19:16
Arrive Newcastle: 19:25
Leave: 19:35
Arrive York: 20:34
Leave: 20:45
Arrive Oxford Road: 22:09

Option 4 (Journey time: 3:06)
Leave Sunderland: 19:28
Arrive Newcastle: 19:52
Leave: 20:07
Arrive Piccadilly: 22:34

Option 5 (Journey time: 3:49)
Leave Sunderland: 19:47
Arrive: Newcastle Central Metro: 20:15
Leave: 20:16
Arrive Newcastle: 20:25
Leave: 20:31
Arrive York: 21:26
Leave: 22:12
Arrive Piccadilly: 23:36

Option 6 (Journey time: 4:15)
Leave Sunderland: 20:28
Arrive Newcastle: 20:47
Leave: 21:06
Arrive Thornaby: 22:02
Leave: 22:12
Arrrive Piccadilly: 00:43

Coach - £21
United are running coaches from Old Trafford to the game. At the time of writing, there are six places left on it.

Places cost £24 per person. The coaches leave the Old Trafford N2 carp ark at 10:00 and are due to return by 20:30. Book by calling 0161 868 8000.

The Betty Bus is running two buses to this game. They are both sold out.

They leave Chorlton Street at 10:00.

Red Army Travel are not running a coach to this game.

National Express is running a coach from Manchester to Sunderland on the day of the game for £19.50 one way, but none on the way back.

It leaves Chorlton Street at 08:30 and arrives at 14:05.

Sunderland Coach Station is on Park Lane, which is a two-minute walk from Sunderland Train Station and a 15-minute walk to the ground.

Walk up Park Lane, turn right onto Holmeside and then a left onto Fawcett Street. Keep going up and cross the bridge. The ground is on your left.

Megabus is running a coach from Manchester to Sunderland on the day of the game for £9 return but you'd have to miss the last 15 minutes of the match to make the return coach.

Outgoing, it leaves Shudehill at 08:40 and arrives at 11:50 costing £5 one way
In going, it leaves Sunderland at 17:45 and arrives at 21:25 costing £6 one way.

Pubs
The ground is a 15-minute walk from the city centre and there are no bars next to the ground, so all our chosen pubs are in town.

Probably, the meeting place for reds will be The William Jameson (pictured left), a Wetherspoons pub a stone's throw away from the train station at 30 Fawcett Street.

It's been open for 13 years now and has decent service and a cheap food menu.

And, fingers crossed, if the weather is good, there is an outside drinking area at the front.

The WJ doesn't have live football though, but you can go to another Spoons bar a couple of streets away in Low Road to watch the Liverpool v Chelsea 13:30 kick off at The Lambton Worm.

A good place to try is The Borough at 1 Vine Place. 'Quirky' doesn't begin to describe this joint.

There are always a few odd-but-friendly characters dotted about the place and there is a fantastic jukebox if you like your rock tunes.

Drink prices are about average (£2.50 for most pints of lager), but you can warm up your belly with a Borough Bomb cocktail, which costs £3.50 and is made up absinthe, Red Bull and Aftershock – served on fire.

It also has a big screen so you can watch the Liverpool game.

Another decent boozer is Sinatras at 31 Holmeside right near the train station, though it is quite near to Yates, which is firmly a home-fans' pub on matchdays.

But by far our favourite pre-match watering hole in this part of the North East is Laings at 26 Olive Street.

The prices are low, the Guinness is good and even the Stella goes down well.

It's named after a local shipping dynasty and, while it's not massive, it is big enough for you not to be too crammed in on matchdays and get served quite quickly.

Sunderland coach information

2010-04-26T13:40:00.002+01:00

United have got six places left on their final coach running to Sunderland on Sunday.

Kick off is 4pm. The coaches leaves the OLd Trafford N2 car park at 10:00 and is due to return by 20:30. Places cost £24. Book by calling 0161 868 8000.

The Betty Bus is full, but you can get on the reserve list by emailing your name, contact number and number of places to redsaway@hotmail.co.uk

Red Army Travel is not running a coach to this game.

Megabus is running a coach there for £3 one way, but you would have to miss the last 15 minutes of the game to make the £6 return coach.

A full travel guide will be published her later today.

Loyalty pot "to stay"

2010-04-23T17:28:00.003+01:00

United have agreed to keep the Loyalty Pot after a Fans Forum meeting today.

The club will, however, tweak the system to allow LP members the freedom not to apply to up to two consecutive games.

At the moment, LP members must apply for every game to keep in the LP.

As a result, they sometimes end up with tickets that they cannot use and the club is concerned they then get sold on to people who may not behave as well as LP members who have more to lose.

The idea is also aimed at freeing up more tickets for other applications, who currently miss out because LP members have to apply for every game.

A club source described the 600 or so LP members as "the most loyal fans in the world" and added: "There is no link between the LP and behaviour, which is a much bigger issue."

The LP change will be trialled for a year.

The club said nothing about plans to introduce an away travel club or a charge for applying for away tickets.

United set for 'north-to-south' tour

2010-04-22T13:08:00.003+01:00

United look set for one game in Canada, three games in the USA and one game in Mexico in the summer, Reds Away sources have said.

As reported yesterday, the reds are very likely to play Celtic in Toronto on July 16 or 17.

Reds Away understands the players will travel from Canada to Massachusetts on the east coast to play either an English team or New England Revolution at the Gillette Stadium outside of Boston.

They will then make their way south to Philadelphia to play against Major League Soccer side Philadelphia Union at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Union are already scheduled to play Valencia this summer.

After that, United will play a MLS all-star team at the Reliant Stadium in Houston, Texas.

Each July since 2003, an MLS all-star team plays against a UK side in an exhibition game. Previous opponents include Fulham, Chelsea, Celtic, West Ham and Everton.

No dates have been finalised for these games but it is likely they will take place three or four days apart. The schedule is prone to be reordered.

They are being organised by CAA Sports and Soccer United Marketing.

One date that has been confirmed is a July 29 friendly to open the Estadio Chivas in Mexico. United will play Club Deportivo Guadalajara.

What happens then depends on whether United end up in the Community Shield, which will take place on August 8.

If United win the league or Chelsea win the FA Cup, United will play in that and it is unlikely anymore away pre-season friendlies would take place.

However, traditionally there is a home friendly against a high-profile side in the first week of August.

United line up Celtic friendly

2010-04-21T16:23:00.003+01:00

United will face Celtic in a pre-season friendly in Canada on either July 16 or 17, Reds Away sources have revealed.

Though the fixture has yet to be confirmed, it is claimed plans will be finalised in the next few days and that the match will take place at the 49,539-capacity Rogers Centre (pictured) in Toronto, Ontario.

It would be the reds' first friendly of the 2010 pre-season campaign and would be less than a week after the World Cup final.

The second game, already confirmed, will be played on July 29 in Mexico, against Club Deportivo Guadalajara.

Both stadiums have artificial surfaces.

United to scrap Loyalty Pot?

2010-04-21T11:13:00.002+01:00

The club's 15-member fans forum is set to meet this week to discuss the possibility of the Loyalty Pot being scrapped.

As revealed on Red News on March 31, United are considering changing part two of the Club Charter.

It states that away tickets are divided between season ticket holders in the Loyalty Pot and season ticket holders in the Standard Pot.

The logic behind it is this:

- The LP discriminates against young people who, by definition can't get into because they haven't been going long enough. It's not their fault they weren't alive when LP members began 'earning their stripes'.

- Scrapping of the LP would actually benefit fans because, at the moment, clubs including Spurs, Sunderland, Bolton and Villa are, season by season, decreasing the size of United's away allocation due to persistent standing. Getting rid of standers would mean more tickets, in theory at least.

In 2006, the club suspended the LP for the match at Bolton in a bid to stop fans standing.

Though their publicity at the time stopped short of blaming LP members for standing, club representatives might hold the possibly shortsighted view that 'LP members are at away games a lot and because standing happens at away games, they must be to blame'.

Of course, that does not take into account that, LP member or otherwise, individual fans can't exactly persuade a 3,000-strong crowd to sit down on his own.

And even if he then sat down during the entire game, the club would have no proof he did so or joined in with the persistent standers.

In short, there's no proof that getting rid of the LP would reduce persistent standing.

So what other motive could United have for scrapping the LP? Money, perhaps?

There is talk that, a season after launching the European Travel Club, United would seek to do the same for domestic away games.

Each executive members, season ticket holder and One United member would have to join an Away Travel Club for the privilege of applying for away games.

Whether a joining fee would be involved is unclear.

But the aim of such a club might be to use it to introduce devices to stop persistent standing.

For example, putting names on all away-end tickets and threatening to ban supporters who do not sit in their designated seats.

That could be followed up by recording the names and addresses of the fans who sit on the back row of the away stand and working with stewards to ensure anyone who does not sit down when asked will be ejected and possibly banned from future games.

One possibly development could be United stewards and security officials usually seen at home games managing the away end, in a similar way to European away games when they sometimes operate at the turnstiles.

Whatever happens, the discussion of these issues at this week's fans forum meeting is set to unsettle members of the LP and all fans who attend away games, who will surely be fearful that the one pleasure reds have left - daring to enjoy away games - could be snatched from their grasp.

City 0-1 United

2010-04-17T15:03:00.001+01:00

Police prepare for Manchester derby

2010-04-16T08:34:00.001+01:00

Preparations are in place for the derby match between Manchester City and Manchester United on Saturday.

The match will take place at the City of Manchester stadium and Greater Manchester Police has plans in place to ensure the event is safe for the thousands of fans expected to attend.

Part of GMP's operation is to stop potential troublemakers spoiling the day and responding to anti-social behaviour quickly and robustly.

Anyone caught with alcohol on the streets within the alcohol exclusion zone, stretching from the city centre to the stadium, will have it confiscated. In addition, anyone arriving at the stadium under the influence of excess alcohol will be refused entry.

There will be additional police patrols in place in the city centre and around the ground to deal with the large number of fans who are attending and officers will be visiting pubs where the match is being shown live on TV.
Greater Manchester Police has been working hard to minimise traffic disruption on the day, but with such a large crowd expected, there will inevitably be delays in the area around the stadium and on Mancunian Way. Fans are advised to give themselves extra time to make their way to the ground.

Assistant Chief Constable Ian Hopkins, Gold Commander in charge of the policing operation for the game, said: "Our main aim is to ensure it is an enjoyable experience for all fans.

"The overwhelming majority who attend football matches are there to support their teams but when a minority of people misbehave or come to games with the sole intention of causing trouble, it spoils it for everyone.

"This is a high-profile fixture and we have been working closely with Manchester City Football Club to ensure the day passes off peacefully.

"Greater Manchester Police is very experienced at policing football matches. We will have the appropriate number of officers and resources within the ground and the surrounding areas to both deal with any incidents and offer reassurance to the public."

United to play in Mexico

2010-04-15T00:17:00.003+01:00

As part of the deal which brought Javier Hernández Balcázar to United, the reds will play a pre-season friendly on Thursday July 29 against the club they bought him from, Club Deportivo Guadalajara.

CDG currently play at the Jalisco Stadium, which was built in 1952.

This summer, they will move to a new 45,500-capacity stadium called Estadio Chivas.

The match between United and CDG will be held to officially open the stadium.

In the coming weeks, we will bring you flight and hotel recommendations for this trip.

Sunderland game date change

2010-04-14T20:41:00.002+01:00

United's final away game of the season against Sunderland will now take place on Sunday May 2 with a 16:00 kick off.

It will be shown live on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 1HD.

Sunderland have still not said how many tickets United will get but we believe it will be between 1,300 and 1,700.

The application process has ended and ballot results will be available on Friday. We will publish a travel guide in the next few days.

Home-end tickets are now on sale to customers with a booking history with Sunderland. Details here.

Blackburn away ticket, travel and pub guide

2010-04-10T23:03:00.000+01:00

Blackburn Rovers
Premier League
Ewood Park, Blackburn
Sunday April 11, kick off 13:30

Tickets
United have got 6,900 tickets in the entire length of both upper and lower tiers of the Darwen End (pictured right).

They cost £35 for adults, £25 for over 65s and £15 for under 16s.

All away-end tickets have been sold and posted out.

Home-end tickets are on sale now to people who have previously bought home-end tickets from Blackburn. Details here.

Weather
This section will be updated five days before the game

TV
Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 1HD will show the match live, with the show starting at 13:00 and ending at 15:30.

Travel

Car - £10.
If you're driving to the match and are using a satnav or an internet routeplanner, use the destination postcode BB2 4JF.
It takes about 45 minutes to get there from Manchester and will cost about £10 in petrol for a return journey.

There are two ways to get there, the first being the M61, then the M65, then the A666 and the second being the M66, then the M65 and then the A666. Either way it's very easy. Leave the M65 at junction 4 for Darwen.

Parking - free
If you arrive early, street parking isn't a problem. The best streets to park are a five-minute walk away from the ground towards Darwen (so away from Blackburn Town Centre).

Anywhere in the Jack Walker Way and Oakdale area will be fine before 12:45ish. Use the postcode BB2 4JJ to get there.

Otherwise, there are quite a few paid-for car parks just off the A666 charging about £3 per car. Our preferred one is on Branch Road, as it allows you easy access onto Sandy Lane and then the M61 after the match.

Train - £6.40
You can either get off at Blackburn and walk for 20 minutes down a hill or get off at Darwen and walk for 15 minutes up a hill.

We recommend the latter because it's a slightly shorter train journey and you pass better pubs on the way up to the ground.

But, as previously mentioned, anyone arriving at Darwen is usually searched by police and officers won't tolerate anti-social behaviour, so don't arrive drunk.

At Manchester Victoria (pictured above), ask for a day return. It will cost £6.20

To the match
It's quite straightforward. Trains leave Manchester Victoria at:

08:01, 09:00, 10:00, 11:00 and 12:00 and arrive at Darwen 41 minutes later.

When you arrive, come out of the station, turn right, and walk right up Bolton Road until you reach the ground on your right.

From the match
Trains leave Darwen at 10 minutes past the hour ever hour until 23:10 and arrive at Manchester Victoria 42 minutes later.

One problem with this is that many reds will have walked up to Blackburn station (pictured right) and the train that stops at Darwen comes from Blackburn, so the train might be full by the time it reaches Darwen.

Trains leave Blackburn at 03 minutes past the hour ever hour until 23:03 and arrive at Manchester Victoria 49 minutes later.

If you're really lazy, you can go from Manchester Victoria to Blackburn and then get another train to Mill Hill (Lancs) as that station is a 10-minute walk to the ground.

The whole journey takes an hour, but by the time you've changed trains, you could have walked to the station.

Coach - £13
United are running coaches to this game. Places cost £18 per person.

The coaches leave from the Old Trafford N2 car park at 11:00 and are due to return at 16:45. To book, call the ticket office on 0161 868 8000 or go online.

The Betty Bus is running to the game and, at the time of writing, has 10 places left. Places cost £13 each. The bus leaves from Chorlton Street at 10:15.

To book, email your name, contact phone number and required number of places to redsaway@hotmail.co.uk
Red Army Travel are running a coach to this game, with places priced at £14 per person. Go here for booking details.

Public bus £10.20
You can get to Blackburn by public bus.

It does take ages, but at least it drops you off right outside the ground, avoiding a long walk from the town centre and the usual police attention fans get when they arrive via Darwen.

First, you will need to get to Bolton.

The quickest way is to get the First Bus 8 service from Manchester Shudehill to Bolton Moor Lane bus station. It takes 45 minutes. The timetable is here.

A day saver costs £4.

Then get the Transdev Lancashire United 225 service to Blackburn and get off at Ewood Park. It takes about 55 minutes. The timetable is here.

A day saver costs £6.20.

Pubs
Most reds who go to this fixture annually will equate 'Ewood Park boozers' with the Fernhurst Arms (pictured left) – the pretty big Thwaites pub at 466 Bolton Road, which is a five-minute walk from the ground.

But it's never been our favourite pre-match drinking choice. It gets packed early, it attracts idiots and, unsurprisingly, it attracts more police than the G20 Summit protests.

When it's full, the pub serves cans of Carling from a marquee outside,

One of our favourites is The Fox and Hounds off Albion Road, which is a two-minute walk from the ground right by McDonald's.

It's a home fans only pub, but if you don't wear colours, you should get in okay and the locals are friendly enough anyway. The lager is good and you get served surprisingly quick in the run up to kick off.

None of the other pubs heading up towards Blackburn town centre are worth trying as they tend to get packed out and have bouncers on the doors demanding to see home-end tickets.

But there's three heading the other way, towards Darwen that we quite like.

The Hindle Arms (pictured right), at 18 Raikes Bridge is off the beaten track, but you can enjoy a decent, quiet pint there pree match.

Alternatively, you could try The Blackamoor Inn which is on the same road a bit further down or The Golden Cup at 610 Blackburn Road (just underneath the motorway bridge) which tends to get pretty busy on matchdays, but has a good atmosphere.

Bright sunshine for Blackburn trip

2010-04-08T10:34:00.003+01:00

It will be time to dig out that short-sleeved shirt when the reds travel to Blackburn on Sunday.

The BBC is predicting a quite staggering temperature of 14C/57F and bright sunshine.

Betty Bus sold out for Blackburn

2010-04-08T10:32:00.001+01:00

Places for the Betty Bus's trip to Blackburn have all been snapped up. For alternative ideas of how to get to Blackburn, click on the link on the left of the page.

Last chance to apply for Sunderland tickets

2010-04-08T08:00:00.002+01:00

Executive members and season ticket holders have one more day to apply for tickets to see United at Sunderland on May 1, kick off to be confirmed.

Tickets cost £33 for adults, £22 for over 65s and £12 for under 16s.

Sunderland have not yet announced how many United will get, but we believe it will be close to 1,400.

The authorities have continued to reduce United's allocation at Sunderland in recent years due to persistent standing in the away end.

You can apply for tickets online or by calling the ticket office on 0161 868 800 before 08:00 tomorrow.
Ballot results are out on April 16.

A full travel guide will appear here tomorrow.

Reds out of Europe

2010-04-07T20:48:00.004+01:00

United are out of the UEFA Champions League after losing on away goals to Bayern Munich.

The Germans face Lyon in the semi finals. The other two teams competing for a place in May's final will be Barcelona and Inter Milan.

Barca and Inter into last four

2010-04-06T21:47:00.002+01:00

Should United make it past Bayern Munich and Lyon or Bordeaux in to UEFA Champions League final, they will face either Barcelona or Inter Milan.

A whirlwind performance by Lionel Messi netted him all four of Barcelona's goals as they romped to a 4-1 win over Arsenal at Camp Nou, giving them a 6-3 aggregate win.

Earlier in the day, the 10 men of CSKA Moscow flopped out of the competition, losing 1-0 at home on the night and 2-0 on aggregate to Inter Milan.

Tomorrow night, United take on Bayern Munich at Old Trafford and, with the tie locked at 2-1 in the Germans' favour, the reds need to score one goal to go through to the semi final.

They would play the winners of Lyon and Bordeaux, who go into their return match with hosts Bordeaux 3-1 down.

Should United go through, we will bring you all the best ways of getting to the semi final away leg right on full time.

Apply now for Sunderland tickets

2010-04-05T13:51:00.001+01:00

Executive members and season ticket holders can apply now for tickets to see United play Sunderland at the last domestic away game of the season.

Tickets for the May 1 match cost £33 for adults, £22 for over 65s and £12 for under 16s.

Sunderland have not yet announced how many United will get, but we believe it will be close to 1,400.

You can apply for tickets online or by calling the ticket office on 0161 868 800 before 08:00 on Friday.

Ballot results are out on April 16.

A full travel guide will appear here on Friday.

2010-04-03T21:39:00.001+01:00

United progress hangs in the balance

2010-03-30T21:40:00.002+01:00

An early away goal was the dream start for the Reds in Munich tonight - but two second-half goals by the host leave United on the back foot going into next Wednesday's return leg.

That said, a goal in that game at Old Trafford would be enough to put United through to the semi final, where a two-legged tie with either Lyon or Bordeaux would await.

In the first leg in Lyon tonight, the home side won 3-1. The second leg of that match also takes in eight days.

If United did make it through, the away leg of the semi final would be played on Tuesday, April 27.

See highlights from both games here.

Munich ticket, travel and pub guide

2010-03-28T22:44:00.012+01:00

Bayern Munich
UEFA Champions League quarter final first leg
Tuesday March 30, 2010, kick off 19:30 UK time and 20:30 German time
Allianz Arena, Munich

Tickets
United have got 3,048 tickets costing £46.50. About 800 of those will be priced at £91.50.

All tickets have been sold and have been sent out by special delivery.

All tickets in the home end are also sold out, making the match a 66,000 sell out.

Weather
According to t he BBC forecast, those making the trip are in for a treat.

It's not quite t-shirt weather in the Bavarian capital, but it's not far off.

Those arriving on Monday will be welcomed by light rain broken by sunshine and temperatures of up to 13C/55F.

Match day itself will bring sunny internals and temperatures of up to 17C/63F, though it will probably drop down to 5C/41F for the match.

It will be a much colder 8C/46F as most reds make their way home on Wednesday in light rain.

TV
Sky Sports 2 and Sky Sports 2 HD will show the match live, with the show starting at 19:00 and ending at 21:45.

From Munich Airport to town
The airport is 17 miles north east of the city centre. You can take the train or the bus into town or hire a car from the airport or get a taxi.

By train, follow the airport signs to Munich Airport Station, which is in a tunnel beneath the central section of the airport, similar to the layout at London Stansted.

Take line S1 or S8 on the Suburban Railway service. It takes 45 minutes to reach the central Munich Train Station, called Hauptbahnhof and trains leave roughly every 10 minutes at peak hours and every 30 minutes off peak. It costs e8 one way.

Lufthansa provides an airport bus shuttle to town, but it costs e8 one way and takes longer than the train. It's not worth it.

By taxi, it will take you about 40 minutes and cost you about e55.

Of course, there's plenty to do away from the stadium.

Hotels
If you've not sorted a room out yet, we have options for all budgets in our guide which can be found here.

Things to do in town
First, get to grips with the Metro. It's as easy to navigate as any other city. Here is a map.

The restaurants are fantastic if a little pricey (a pint of lager will set you back about e.3.75, by the way) and there's plenty in the way or architecture, with many gems on show, like the New Town Hall and The Peterskirche church - both close to the central Marienplatz square.

Pubs
There two Irish pubs mainly which will be the meeting point of reds.

The main one is Killains at Frauenpltz 11 (pictured), just off the central Marianplatz (it can be a bit tricky to find through a maze of backstreets though).

And the other one is The Shamrock at Trautenwolfstrsse 6 – but we recommend Killains.
What other sites are there to see?

The Munich Memorial
It's in the quiet district of Trudering at the spot that marks where the plane came down on February 6, 1958.

From the central Munich Train Station, called Hauptbahnhof, take the red U7 service 11 stops east towards Messestadt-Ost and get off at Trudering.

Walk up the steps and, with the parkland on your right, walk about 500 yards straight and follow the road round to the right.

Walk for another few minutes and you should see a football pitch/park on your right and a pub on your left.

Turn left past the pub and you'll see the memorial right in front of you. There's also a shop and florists opposite the pub.

Getting to the ground
From Hauptbahnhof, take the U4 line two stops east toward s Arabellapark and get off at Odeonsplatz.

Then take the U6 line 10 stops north towards Garching-Forschungszentrum and get off at Frottmaning.

From there, follow the crowd. You can see the stadium when you leave the station. It's a 10-minute walk to the turnstiles.

Other useful information

Read the Foreign Office's travel advice for Munich here.
Read the Munich Tourist Association's webpages here.

Bolton ticket, travel and pub guide

2010-03-26T22:18:00.000Z

Bolton Wanderers
Reebok Stadium
Premier League
Saturday March 27, kick off 17.30pm

Tickets
Executive members and season ticket holders who can find out now if they have them.

United have got 2,800 tickets in the South Stand lower tier.

They cost the same as they did last season £27 for adults, £21 for over 65s and £13 for under 16s.

When Liverpool played at the Reebok Stadium in August, they got 4,635 tickets.

Home-end tickets are now on sale to anyone with a booking history with Bolton.

TV
ESPN and ESPN will show the match live. The show starts at 16:45 and ends at 19:45.

Weather

Saturdays' game between Bolton and United will be played in light rain in temperatures of 9C48F, according to the BBC.

But despite the forecast, the Wanderers' stadium in Horwich is on high ground and it is renowned for a biting wind to whip around the stands.

Another plus is that heavy rain is predicted for Sunday and Monday, but only light rain is forecast for Saturday during the match.

Travel
Yes, it’s only up the road, so it won’t be a long guide, but some people may wish to know train times and where to park for free.

Car - £5.20
It’s very simple from Manchester. Take the M61 to junction 6, do a right at the roundabout and you’ll see the stadium in front of you.

Do a right at the next roundabout for Lostock Lane. For the Beehive, go straight on at that roundabout and you’ll see it right in front of you at the next roundabout.

If you’re using a satnav or a routeplanner, key in the postcode BL6 6JS. It’s 20 miles away and will cost £5.20 in petrol.

Parking
A space on the stadium car park costs £6 and there are a few industrial estates dotted nearby, like off Lostock Lane, with spaces for £3.

There’s an Asda supermarket adjacent to the ground. Non-customer parking is banned on matchdays, but there’s nothing to stop you going in to buy a newspaper before the game. Putting your receipt on the dashboard also helps.

Depending on how far you want to walk, there are free spaces further down Lostock Lane and past the Beehive Pub. You can park at the Beehive for £5.

Train - £3.30
Get an off-peak return ticket to Horwich Parkway, which is a two-minute walk to the stadium.

To the match
Direct trains leave Piccadilly at 10:46, 10:54 and then at 46 and 54 past each hour after that.

All those trains call at Oxford Road three minutes later and Deansgate three minutes after that.

The journey takes roughly 30 minutes from Piccadilly.

At 16 past each hour starting at 10:16, you can get a train from Piccadilly to Bolton and then change for Horwich Parkway. The whole journey takes 40 minutes.

All of these trains leave from Platform 14 at Piccadilly.

Don't leave Piccadilly after 16:54 else you'll miss kick off.

Direct trains leave Victoria at 10:22 and then at 22 minutes past the hour up to and including 15:22 and then the final one leaves at 16:20. They all leave from Platform 6. The journey takes 27 minutes.

There are trains every 15 minutes or so that take you to Salford Crescent where you can change for Horwich Parkway. The full journey takes 40 minutes.

Don't leave Victoria after 16:22 else you'll miss kick off.

From the match
Trains leave Horwich Parkway to Manchester at:

19:14V, 19:27P, 20:14V, 20:27P, 20:39P (change at Chorley), 20:39P, 21:14V, 21:27P, 22:14V, 22:27P, 23:14V, 23:27P, 23:56V. The journey takes roughly 30 minutes.

The first few trains after the game will probably run differently and more frequently to the timetable and will go to Victoria non stop.

Bus - £1.50
Bolton runs 13 bus services to and from the stadium on matchdays for £1 single and £1.50 return.

They start from Bury, Radcliffe, Swinton, Leigh, Farnworth, Bolton, Bromley Cross, Darcy Lever, Chorley, Wigan and Egerton. Timetable information is here.

You could, for example, catch the Metrolink to Radcliffe (on the Bury Line) and walk two minutes to Radcliffe bus station and catch the number 3 bus, listed above.

Coach - £13
United are running coaches to the game with places costing £14 per person.

The coaches leave the Old Trafford N2 car park at 15:30pm and are expected to return at 20:45. Call United on 0161 868 800 or go here to book.

The Betty Bus is running to this game. Details to follow shortly.

You can book by emailing your name, number of places needed and a contact number to redsaway@hotmail.co.uk

Red Army Travel is running a coach to this game with places costing £15 per person. Call 0161 998 4455 or 07545 39 1999 to book.

Pubs
Scotts, in between the train station and the ground, is only open to fans showing home end tickets on the door. There’s usually a fair bit of a room there on match days and you can get served quicker than you’d expect.

My favourite when visiting the Reebok is The Bromilow Arms in Lostock Lane. You can park there for £3 and they do brilliant food.

It can get quite packed pretty early and it can sometimes take 15/20 minutes to get served.

It’s technically a home fans’ pub but you won’t get any trouble from the locals, mainly because it’s popular with older fans who come for the real ales and with families who come for the decent food, especially the curry.

You can also park on the car park outside The Beehive (pictured) in Chorley New Road.

Believe it or not, it’s a Grade Two listed building. It’s much bigger than the Bromilow, has an outdoor seating area at the front and is pretty much the main away fans’ pub for this ground. It opens at 11am.

But because of that, you tend to get lots of police and the (albeit small) chance of trouble. But it’s only a five-minute walk to the ground, as is the Bromilow.

If you’re after something a bit quieter, you’ll have to venture a bit further from the stadium, but it’s worth it.

Head towards the motorway roundabout and turn left at the next roundabout onto Chorley Road. At number 480, you’ll find The Royal Oak, which is a great little place for a pre-match pint.

And further down that road, you’ll find The Wagon and Horses, which is a decent little boozer.

Time to stand up to Sunderland!

2010-03-26T09:00:00.002Z

Yes, it's that time of year again!

United are playing Sunderland away, and those nice old councillors at Sunderland Town Hall are about to reduce the number of away-end tickets.

Last season United got 1,700 tickets and councillors will meet on Monday to discuss "the possibility of restricting the number of seats available to Manchester United as a sanction for persistent standing at the corresponding fixture in the 2008/09 season."

However, it's not too late to influence the decision.

Our view at Reds Away - as it is at Stretford End Flags - is that, rather than improving fans' safety, reducing the allocation would actually endanger it because thousands of United fans would, rightly or wrongly, try to get in the home end.

This is Sunderland AFC's view on the subject.

Responding to an email from Stretford End Flags, Sunderland's safety manager, Paul Weir, said: "We are duty bound to encourage people to sit in our all seater stadium in consideration of spectator safety and comfort.

"Your view regarding standing is exactly that, your view.

"I have complaints from other supporters complaining that they and their children could not see the game due to people standing for long periods."

And, quite provocatively, he added: "One way of ensuring an increased allocation is to comply with the ground regulations, and not to consider yourself above them."

But luckily for us, it's not Paul who makes the final decision.

Sunderland City Council's regulatory committee will meet on Monday afternoon.

Here is the report they will consider.

You can make your views known on the issue to the people making the decision.

Email the committee's chairman at cllr.amy.wilson@sunderland.gov.uk
and the other committee members can be contacted at:

cllr.peter.gibson@sunderland.gov.uk
cllr.paul.maddison@sunderland.gov.uk
cllr.sylvia.old@sunderland.gov.uk
cllr.ivan.richardson@sunderland.gov.uk
cllr.james.scott@sunderland.gov.uk
cllr.john.walton@sunderland.gov.uk
and
cllr.denis.whalen@sunderland.gov.uk

Here is some sample wording to inspire you.
Finaly, the councillors only have to consider the views of people who live in Sunderland, though, should someone email them and simply say they were from Sunderland, they would have no reason to suggest they were lying.

Blackburn ballot results expected today

2010-03-26T09:00:00.000Z

Executive members and season ticket holders who applied for tickets to see United at Blackburn can find out today if they have them.

United have been given about 6,900 tickets in the upper and lower tiers of the Darwen End at Ewood Park.

They will cost £35 for adults, £25 for over 65s and £15 for under 16s.

A full travel and pub guide will appear here shortly.

United in the news

2010-03-26T07:00:00.000Z

Rooney and Carrick tuck into junk food after training at United (Georgina Littlejohn, Daily Mail)

With a huge Champions League match on the horizon, is this really the kind of food we want our Premier League stars gorging on? More.

United fast-track Owen Hargreaves' return (Louise Taylor, The Guardian)

Sir Alex Ferguson summoned the midfielder to train with the first team this morning, raising hopes that he may have a part to play in the title race. More.

Bolton's Cahill could return against United (The Sports Network)

The 24-year-old former Aston Villa star has been sidelined since the end of January when it was revealed that he had a blood clot in his arm. More.

Mild conditions await United at the Reebok

2010-03-25T09:17:00.001Z

Saturdays' game between Bolton and United will be played in light rain in temperatures of 9C48F, according to the BBC.

But despite the forecast, the Wanderers' stadium in Horwich is on high ground and it is renowned for a biting wind to whip around the stands.

Another plus is that heavy rain is predicted for Sunday and Monday, but only light rain is forecast for Saturday during the match.

United in the news

2010-03-25T07:00:00.002Z

Worry over Rooney knee injury (Daily Mail)

Wayne Rooney is facing a difficult battle to be fit for Saturday's game at Bolton after sitting out two days of training. More.

Bucs haven't suffered because of United - Glazer (TampaBay.com)

Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer said his family's commitment to the Bucs has not wavered since their purchase of the Manchester United soccer club and vowed they will do "whatever we've got to do to win." More.

The Glazers feel the heat (Zae, Vital Football)

Don't get fooled though: it does not necessarily mean that the Glazers are considering giving up on United. More.

Chelsea demolish Portsmouth 5-0 to go within a point of United (Metro)

Drogba set them on their way when David James raced out of his area to make a clearance but missed the ball, leaving the Ivory Coast striker to tap into an empty net. More.

Hargreaves: I feared I'd never play again (David McDonnell, The Mirror)

"I wouldn't say I'm pain-free," said Hargreaves. "I'm still in the process of getting some injections to try to manage the pain." More.

Robben brilliance sends Bayern through to final (UEFA.com)

FC Bayern München will meet Werder Bremen in the German Cup final after Arjen Robben scored a brilliant individual goal. More.

Munich flights for £227.64

2010-03-23T23:43:00.002Z

Tuesday March 30
flybe.com
Leave: London Gatwick 07:25
Arrive: Dusseldorf International 10:00

Airberlin.com
Leave: Dusseldorf International 12:20
Arrive: Munich 13:35
Price: £57.94

Wednesday March 31
Airberlin.com
Leave: Munich 12:20
Arrive: Dusseldorf International 15:00

flybe.com
Leave: Dusseldorf International 17:00
Arrive: London Gatwick 17:30

flybe.com return price: £117:11
airberlin.com return price: £110:53
Total: £227.64

Champion Sports Tours Munich trips sold out

2010-03-23T11:54:00.001Z

A company spokesman said: "We have now sold out of all our Day Stop & 2 Night stay packages.
"Due to circumstances beyond our control there will be no further charter flights available for this trip."

United in the news

2010-03-23T07:00:00.000Z

United must beat Chelsea, says Paul Scholes (James Ducker, The Times)

“The game against Chelsea at Old Trafford next week is going to be massive and we need to win that one, but it’s not the only important match. More.

The star was bright, Fernando - but Torres ain't shining any more (Derek McGovern, The Mirror)

Sunday's latest show of petulance from the Spaniard underlines the frustrations at Anfield this season. More.

Watmore quits in row over discipline and rugby at Wembley (Daily Mail)

It is the five representatives from the professional leagues on that committee whose obstructions to his plans have forced Watmore out, one of which is David Gill. More.

Co-op travel day trip sold out

2010-03-22T19:39:00.003Z

A day trip to Munich provided by Cooperative Travel Sports on behalf of United is now sold out.

Places cost £329 per person excluding insurance but including the price of a match ticket, which is guaranteed to all members of the club's European travel club. Three planes will be going on this trip.

If you're making your own way there and need to book a hotel, here is our hotel guide.

Check now for Blackburn and Bayern tickets

2010-03-22T19:32:00.002Z

If you applied for tickets to see United play in Munich or Blackburn, you can find now if you got them.

Check by calling the ticket office on 0161 868 8000 or online here.

All tickets will be posted out by special delivery.

Anyone who gets Munich tickets has until 08:00 on Friday to provide United with a travel report detailing how they plan to get to and from Munich.

Bolton home-end tickets still on general sale

2010-03-22T13:00:00.000Z

Home end tickets for Bolton Wanderers against United on Saturday are still on general on sale.

Tickets will be sold to those with a purchase history of buying tickets from Bolton.

It is a category A game, so adult tickets cost from £32 to £37.

The away fans will be in the South Stand.

You can buy tickets from 09:00 by calling 0844 971 2932 or in person at the Reebok Stadium.

Miss Ellies offers trip to Munich

2010-03-22T12:00:00.000Z

Details here.

Champion Sporst Tours announce Munich trip details

2010-03-22T11:00:00.000Z

Champion Sports Tours have announced details of two trips they are running for United's UEFA Champions League quarter final match in Munich a week tomorrow.

There is a day trip, with places costing £255 per person excluding match ticket price and insurance.

For that, you get return flights between Manchester and Munich leaving at 07:00 on matchday and returning after the match as well as coach transfers to and from the Allianz Arena.

Loyalty Pot members can also get a match ticket, though it is not included in the package price.

There is also a two-night trip which costs £359 per person based on two people sharing a twin room.

You will fly out from Manchester at 07:00 next Monday, get a coach to a two or three-star hotel in Munich.

Breakfast is included and you can star at a four or five-star hotel if you wish to pay extra.

Leisure time is yours, including the match, up until the Wednesday when you will get a coach back to the airport and fly from Munich at 15:00.

To book any of these trips, call 0161 282 1966 or email Debbie@mufctravel.com

Co-op travel still offering Munich package

2010-03-22T09:00:00.004Z

On behalf of United, Cooperative Travel Sports are running a day trip to Madrid for United members who are also members of the club's European travel club.

For £329 per person excluding insurance, you get return flights between Manchester and Munich, coach travel to and from the Allianz Arena (pictured right) and a guaranteed match ticket.

Two planes have already sold out and, at the time of writing, there are 10 places left on the third one.

Book here.

If you're making your own way there and need to book a hotel, here is our hotel guide.

Apply for Manchester City tickets now

2010-03-22T08:00:00.000Z

Executive members and season ticket holders can now apply to get tickets for United's trip to Manchester City on April 17, kick off 12:45.

United have got 2,569 tickets in the upper and lower tier of the south end of the stadium.

Depending on whether you're in the upper or lower tier, they cost £41 or 40 for adults, £21 or £20 for over 65s and £10 for under 16s.

You can apply online or by calling 0161 868 8000 through to 08:00 on Friday.

Those who apply can find out if they have got tickets on April 2.

United in the news

2010-03-22T07:00:00.000Z

One giant leap for Manchester United: Advantage Fergie in title race but Rooney limps away (Matt Lawton and Ian Ladyman, Daily Mail)

One giant leap for Manchester United: Advantage Fergie in title race but Rooney limps away. More.

United's width stretched Liverpool to breaking point (Guardian blog)

Dirk Kuyt and Maxi Rodriguez were forced to concentrate more on containment than supporting their isolated attack. More.

United are in pole position, says Carlo Ancelotti (Matt Hughes, The Times)

“We have less probability of winning the title, but we want to fight. We need to work together, stay compact and the game against Portsmouth is very, very important. We can stay close to Manchester United." More.

Debate: Can anyone stop Manchester United winning the Premier League? (Daily Telegraph)

United are now the odds-on favourites to win a 19th league title after a perfect Sunday. But is this unpredictable season really done and dusted? More.

2010-03-21T15:00:00.000Z

Munich hotel guide

2010-03-20T20:00:00.007Z

Munich is certainly no strange place reds and many of you making the trip for the match on Tuesday, March 30 may already have your favoured hotels to book.

Many of you will have visited the city to visit the Munich air crash memorial while others will have enjoyed the Audi Cup there last July.

But if you're looking for some inspiration on where to put your head down, you needn't worry – the Bavarian capital has plenty to offer in terms of accommodation.

Luxury - £106.62 pr pn

One of the finest hotels in town is the five-star Le Meridien (pictured above) at Bayerstasse 41 – right opposite the main train station.

It has its own gym, swimming pool, restaurant, a sauna and a steam room. You can grab a superior twin room for £106.62 per room per night.

Book via booking.com with a credit card. If you cancel, you will still have to pay. The cash is taken off your card at the time of booking.

If you want even more luxury and you're willing to push the boat out a little more, book at the Sofitel Munich Bayerpost (pictured right) at Bayerstrasse 12, which is the same street as the Meridien.

It has the same standard of facilities as its neighbour, but boasts a more modern design.

You can grab a superior twin room for the night for £128.30 with booking.com – but again, you can't cancel and get a refund and the cash is taken from you when you book.

Value - £40.32 pr pn
If you've got an eye on your wallet but won't compromise on quality, the place for you is Pension Lugano at Schillerstrasse 32, Ludwigsvorstadt.

It's a two-minute walk away from the central train station, which is a decent meeting place and allows you to get a two-minute Tube to Marienplatz – the proper heart of Munich.

It's only a one-star hotel, but that's only because most of the rooms have shared toilet facilities.

But the rooms (pictured left) are stylish, have all the usual modcons and there's even a ground floor bakery selling great value food. The hotel also has a breakfast buffet, but you have to pay a bit extra to use it.

The only bad thing about this hotel for us is that it only has 13 rooms so you might not be able to snap one up quick enough at the value prices.

It's £40.32 per twin room per night and £49.28 per triple room per night so three people would pay £16.42 each.

Book via booking.com with a credit card. You can cancel for free up to 18:00 on the day before you arrive and you pay on arrival.

Another recommended hotel is slightly further out of town, but is a steal at £44.40 per twin room per night.

The four-star EuroHotel and Suites (pictured right) at Kronstadter Strasse 10 in Bogenhausen, is a four-star hotel with 137 well-presented rooms.

As well as all the expected mod cons like satellite TV and minibar, there's a sauna and a fitness centre.

It's a five-minute walk to the nearest S-bahn station, Berg am Laim, but it's only another two minutes from there on the train before you reach the city centre.

Better still, a taxi will have you in the centre in five minutes, depending on traffic.

Book via booking.com with a credit card. You can cancel for free up to 18:00 on the day before you arrive and you pay on arrival.

Cheap - £38.53 pr pn
If you don't mind spending 20 minutes on the S-bahn train to Marianplatz, the Golden Leaf Hotel at Therese-Giehse-Allee 76, Perlach.

It's a three-star 57-room hotel in the Perlach district to the south east of the city.

The Golden Leaf has 57 comfortable rooms (pictured left), each with satellite TV and a minibar.

You can also pay a bit extra for the breakfast buffet. It works out as £38.53 per twin room per night.

We particular recommend this to people hiring cars as it's close to the autobahn and avoids the hustle and bustle of the centre.

Book via booking.com with a credit card. You can cancel for free up to 18:00 on the day before you arrive and you pay on arrival.

Cheapest - £12.62

So you're not bothered about quality or privacy – you should want a place to get your head down for a few hours before the flight home.

You can get a bed in a 12-person dorm (pictured right) at the 4 You Munich Hostel in Hirtenstr 16 – right opposite the central train station – for £12.62. Eight-bed are a fiver more expensive and six-bed dorms are £7 more expensive.
You can also pay £21.63 per person per night for a twin room – but that's just as expensive as the four-star Euro Hotel mentioned above.

You can book a bed at this hostel with a Maestro or credit card at hostelbookers.com. You pay 10 per cent up front and the rest when you arrive. You can cancel up to 24 hours before arrival for free.

Co-op travel reveal £329 day trip for Munich

2010-03-19T14:59:00.001Z

Details here.

Champion Spourt tours announce primary Munich plans

2010-03-19T12:13:00.002Z

Champion Sports Tours has announced it will run a day trip and a two-day trip to Munich for United's match there on Tuesday March 30.

It's website said prices will hopefully be published tomorrow morning.

Quarter final date legs confirmed

2010-03-19T12:04:00.003Z

The away leg will take place on Tuesday March 30. The home leg is eight days later.

Best Munich deals - post constantly updated throughout the day

2010-03-19T11:35:00.007Z

From: Manchester
on: Monday March 29
To: Munich
back on: Wednesday March 31
Airline: bmi
Live price: £134.50 return

From: Stansted
on: Monday March 29
To: Munich
back on: Thursday April 1
Airline: easyJet
Live price: £131.58 return

From: Stansted
on: Monday March 29
To: Baden-Baden
back on: Wednesday March 31
Airline: Ryanair
Live price: £108.55
Then a four-hour train to Munich costing £65 booked in advance.

From: Gatwick
on: Monday March 29
To: Munich
on: Thursday April 1
Airline: easyJet
Live price: £162.98 return

Champions League draw - opponents guide

2010-03-19T11:22:00.001Z

Bayern Munich

Many reds will have fond memories of United's last tip to south east Germany, when United competed in the four-team Audi Cup tournament last July.

Those who went speak of a carnival-like atmosphere with Bayern, Milan and even Boca Juniors fans joining in a celebration of booze and barbecues with reds over for some pre-season fun.

They got a chance to see the new (ish) Allianz Arena in full swing.

The capacity is 69,901 providing UEFA allow standing and United would get about 4,000 tickets - possibly more.

The city is well worth a visit. The centre has some excellent bars and some worthwhile tourist spots like the town hall and two of the world's most grand churches closeby.

And, of course, there is the second spiritual home of every red - the Munich Memorial - a great chance to pay your respects to the Busby Babes.

There are quite a few ways to reach Munich.

Here are the ones we have found. All prices are based on flying out on Monday March 29 and returning on Thursday April 1.

Flights

Munich
Manchester - Lufthansa, bmi, Sindapore Airlines, easyJet - £96
Gatwick - easyJet - £77
Stansted - easyJet, Air Berlin - £80
Heathrow - Lufthansa, bmi, British Airways - £140

Salzburg
Stansted - Ryanair - £86

Then a 100-minute train costing £34 return

Stuttgart
Stansted - germanwings, TUlfly, Air Berlin - £118
Heathrow - British Airways, bmi, Lufthansa - £160

Then a 2.20 train costing £34 return

Frankfurt
Stansted - Ryanair - £35
Edinburgh - Ryanair - £71

Then a 3.30 train costing £52 return

Dusseldorf
Leeds - Jet2 - £120
Stansted - Ryanair - £76
Birmingham - Ryanair - £80

Then a five-hour train costing £55 return

Zurich
Gatwick - easyJet - £102
Luton - easyJet - £109

Then a five-hour train costing £60 return

Cologne
Gatwick - eayJet £66
Stansted - germanwinges, TUlfly - £106

Then a 5.40 train costing £55 return

Dortmund
Luton - easyJet - £66

Then a 6.40 train costing £55 return

BREAKING NEWS: It's Bayern Munich!

2010-03-19T11:01:00.007Z

United will face Bayern Munich over two legs in the UEFA Champions League quarter final.

The first leg is away and the second leg is home.

The first leg will take place on either March 30 or 31.

The second leg will take place on either April 6 or 7.

Exact dates will be announced in the next few minutes.

If United make it through, they play either Lyon or Bordeaux in the semi finals.

The full quarter-final draw is:

Lyon v Bordeaux

Bayern Munich v Manchester United
Arsenal v Barcelona

Inter Milan v CSKA Moscow

The full semi-final draw is:

Lyon/Bordeaux v Bayern Munich/Manchester United

Arsenal/Barcelona v Inter Milan/CSKA Moscow

United in the news

2010-03-19T07:00:00.000Z

United are still hungry, says Carrick (Simon Stone, The Independent)

"We are playing some good stuff and have been on quite a good run lately. It is a good time to be doing it but we have no intention of finishing that now." More.

Hargreaves takes first step on long road back for United (James Ducker, The Times)

The England midfield player showed no signs of discomfort as he played the first 45 minutes of the Manchester United reserve team’s 2-0 win over Burnley at Moss Lane. More.

United await European draw (BBC Sport)

Manchester United and Arsenal could meet in the quarter-finals or semi-finals of the Champions League when the draws are made at 11:00 today. More.

Giggs spurred on to beat Liverpool's league title record (Mark Ogden, Daily Telegraph)

“But as a United fan, for me it (surpassing Liverpool) comes into it because I grew up seeing Liverpool win everything." More.

Darren Ferguson keen to turn sign United's Matty James (Daily Mail)

The 18-year-old has been outstanding on loan for Ferguson’s Preston side since arriving last month. More.

United gear up for Champions League draw

2010-03-19T00:36:00.003Z

Make a date with Reds Away as United embark on their next European adventure.

At some point between 11:00 and 12:00 today, the reds will discover who they will face in the UEFA Champions League quarter final - and we will be there to bring you all the latest news.

United can draw Arsenal, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Bordeaux, CSKA Moscow, Inter Milan or Lyon.

The draw for the semi final will also be made at the same time.
Later today we will bring you:

- The draw live

- The fastest information on when United will play the first and second leg
- The best flight deals
- Recommended alternative ways to get to the match, by train and car
- The best hotels
- Visa information should the reds draw CSKA Moscow
- Ticket allocation information

- answers to your ticket and travel questions sent to redsaway@hotmail.co.uk

Last chance to apply for Blackburn tickets

2010-03-18T08:00:00.000Z

Executive members and season ticket holders have one more to apply for tickets to see United play at Blackburn.

Applications close at 08:00 tomorrow and ballot results are out a week tomorrow.

United have been given about 6,900 tickets in the upper and lower tiers of the Darwen End at Ewood Park.

They will cost £35 for adults, £25 for over 65s and £15 for under 16s.

Apply online or by calling 0161 868 8000.

A full travel and pub guide will appear here shortly.