Middlesbrough travel and pub guide

Middlesbrough
Riverside Stadium
Premier League
Saturday May 2, kick off 12:44


Tickets

United have got 3,148 tickets in the South Stand. The stadium capacity is 35.100. Tickets cost £32 for adults, £19 for over 65s and £17 for under 16s.

All away-end tickets have been sold, but it is worth calling the ticket office on 0161 868 800 on Thursday and Friday morning to see if there have been any returned tickets.

At time of writing, Middlesbrough have 300 home-end tickets left to sell, priced at £29 to £37 for adults, £19 to £27 for over 65s, £17 to £36 for 18 to 21 year olds and £12 for under 18s. Call 0844 499 1234 for details.

Weather
Supporters who went to this fixture last year, which was played a similar time of year, will remember the snow that fell during the game.

Thankfully, it won't be the same today. The match will be played in bright sunshine with a temperature of about 13c.

TV
The match will be shown live on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 1HD, with the show starting at 12:30 and ending at 15:00.

Travel

Car - £28
If you're driving to the game and using an online routeplanner to print directions or using a sat nav, use the postcode TS3 6RS.

From Manchester, the journey takes two hours and cost about £14 in petrol each way. The basic route is: M62, M1, A19 and the A66. Follow signs for the train station. The stadium is well sign posted.

Parking - free
There are no parking spots on the stadium car park, but there are a number of private car parks off the A66 offering spaces for a fiver a car in and around the ground.

We recommend parking for free outside The Bridge Inn, a pub that is opposite the train station and on the main walk up to the ground, though it is a 15-minute walk.

If you arrive early enough, you'll be able to park right outside for free and it's an easy way back to the motorway, though you can queue for 20 minutes or so to get out of town.

Train - £29.50
Despite the early kick off, there are plenty of trains to get you to the game on time.

If you buy your ticket on the day, it will cost you £46.40 for an off-peak return.

But if you buy in advance via the National Rail website, there are discounts available. These are all direct trains

1. There: Option 1, back: Option 7 or 8 - price £29.50
2. There: Option 1, back: Option 1: £36
3. There: Option 4, back: Option 1, 5 or 6 - £38

Option 1 - journey time: 2:38
Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 06:54
Arrive: Middlesbrough: 09:32

Option 2 - journey time: 2:41
Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 07:11
Arrive Darlington: 09:14
Leave: 09:23
Arrive Middlesbrough: 09:52

Option 3 - journey time: 2:50
Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 07:26
Arrive Darlington: 09:29
Leave: 09:51
Arrive Middlesbrough: 10:16

Option 4 - journey time: 2:35
Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 07:55
Arrive: Middlesbrough: 10:30

Option 5 - journey time: 2:42
Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 08:10
Arrive: York: 09:36
Leave: 09:47
Arrive Darlington: 10:13
Leave: 10:20
Arrive Middlesbrough: 10:52

Option 6 - journey time: 2:43
Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 08:26
Arrive: York: 09:52
Leave: 10:03
Arrive Darlington: 10:30
Leave: 10:47
Arrive Middlesbrough: 11:09

Option 7 - journey time: 2:33
Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 08:57
Arrive: Middlesbrough: 11:30

Option 8 - journey time: 2:44
Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 09:11
Arrive: York: 10:35
Leave: 10: 47
Arrive Darlington: 11:16
Leave: 11:30
Arrive Middlesbrough: 11:55

Option 9 - journey time: 2:33
Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 09:57
Arrive: Middlesbrough: 12:30

To the stadium

Leave the train station and turn right. About 100 yards up is the Bridge Inn.

Walk past there and follow the road for 15 minutes and you'll arrive at the ground.

It's an easy route to follow as it the one which most fans take to the ground on foot.

Middlesbrough to Manchester

Option 1- journey time: 2:29
Leave Middlesbrough: 14:50
Arrive Manchester Piccadilly: 17:19

Option 2 - journey time: 2:54
Leave Middlesbrough: 14:55
Arrive Darlington 15:20
Leave: 15:42
Arrive Manchester Pccadilly: 15:42

Option 3 - journey time: 2:54
Leave Middlesbrough: 15:27
Arrive Darlington 15:55
Leave: 16:04
Arrive York: 16:32
Leave: 16:40
Arrive Manchester Pccadilly: 18:05

Option 4 - journey time: 2:29
Leave Middlesbrough: 15:50
Arrive Manchester Piccadilly: 18:19

Option 5 - journey time: 2:20
Leave Middlesbrough: 17:00
Arrive Manchester Piccadilly: 19:20

Option 6 - journey time: 2:26
Leave Middlesbrough: 18:07
Arrive Manchester Piccadilly: 20:33

Option 7 - journey time: 2:23
Leave Middlesbrough: 20:10
Arrive Manchester Piccadilly: 22:33

Option 8 - journey time: 2:29
Leave Middlesbrough: 20:50
Arrive Manchester Piccadilly: 23:05


Coach
United are running coaches to the game. For details, call 0161 868 8000.

National Express runs coaches between Manchester Chorlton Street and Middlesbrough bus station, but does not have a service that will get you there in time for kick off.

It is, however, running two services back. The first leaves Middlesbrough at 16:10 and arrives in Manchester at 20:05 after a 40-minute wait in Leeds.

The second service also leaves at 16:10 and goes direct, arriving at 20:55. A one-way ticket costs £17.50.

Megabus does not run coaches between Manchester and Middlesbrough.


Pubs
The best place to grab a pre-match pint is the Bridge Inn on Bridge Stree East. It's not technically an away-fans pub, but the landlord and landlady welcome everyone and it's a reasonably priced pint at £2.30 going off last season's prices.

You may find that the police will hang about outside as kick off approaches and, if you leave it too late to set off on the 15-minute walk to the ground, they may come in to guide you there, starting the escort from the pub.

The city centre is only a two-minute walk from the train station and you can find plenty of pubs there. But many of them will have bouncers on the doors and will not groups of lads in, especially if you're wearing colours.

If you want to grab a bargain, call into The Isaac Wilson, at 61 Wilson Street, or The Resolution, at 19 Newport Crescent.

They are both Wetherspoons pub serving San Miguel at 99p a bottle.

And both pubs are taking part in a Real Ale Festival, offering 12 beers from around the world plus loads of UK favourites too. It's a good chance to drink something different.

One more day for Hull applications

Reds have one more day to apply for tickets for the match against on Hull - the final match of the season, on Sunday May 24, kick off 16:00.

United have got 2,450 tickets in the North Stand priced at £24.50 for adults, £14.50 for over 65s and under 16s.

Box holders, executive members and season ticket holders can apply by calling 0161 868 800 or online before 8am tomorrow.

Applicants can find out if they have tickets on May 6. We will publish a full travel guide on May 6.

Hull applications open tomorrow

Reds can apply for tickets for the final match of the season, at Hull, from 8am on Monday for five days.

United have got 2,450 tickets in the North Stand priced at £24.50 for adults, £14.50 for over 65s and under 16s.

Box holders, executive members and season ticket holders can apply by calling 0161 868 800 or online.

Applicants can find out if they have tickets on May 6.

We will publish a full travel guide on May 6.

Applications open for Arsenal away

United fans have from now to 8am on Wednesday to apply for tickets for the Champions League semi final second league game at The Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, May 5.

Box holders, executive members, season ticket holders and One United Members can apply for tickets online or by calling 0161 868 8000.

Applicants can find out if they have got tickets on Friday.

Those who get tickets most write a travel report and send it to United before 8am on April 27 due to regulations set out by UEFA.

United have not said how many away tickets there will be, but we think it will be around the 3,100 mark.

The club have also not said how much the tickets will cost, but we suspect tickets will be priced at £49, with a small number of VIP tickets available at about £90.

Everton (Wembley) travel and pub guide

Everton

FA Cup semi final

Wembley Stadium, London

Sunday April 19, kick off 16:00

NOTE: The tie must be decided on the day, so there's a chance it could go to extra time and penalties, so the latest fans will leave the ground is roughly 19:00.

Tickets

Out of a capacity of 90,000, United have got 32,041 tickets priced at £53.80, £44, £34.30 and £24.50 for adults and £10 less than those prices for under 16s and over 65s.

United Season ticket holders and One United members can buy tickets by calling the club on 0161 868 800.

Internet 'agents' World Ticket Shop, and other touts, are selling United end tickets for £188.10 each.

TV

The match will be shown live on ITV1 and ITV1HD, with the show starting at 15:30 and is due to finish at 18:15, extra time and penalties pending. Scottish viewers can watch it on Setanta Sports 2.

Travel
Car - £60

If you're using a satnav or a routeplanner, 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. Brent Council have said there are major roadworks taking place near the ground at the moment so expect long traffic queues.

Parking - free
The Wembley Stadium car park has secure parking for £25 a car, but it is sold out, though Blue badge holders can book places for £12 a vehicle here. The car park opens at 13:00.

Paid-for parking spots at tube stops near Wembley, like Ickenham Tube Stop, are sold out. (If you have already bought one, take the Metropolitan Line nine stops east to Wembley Park. Buy a one-day Travel Card for £7.50, as two singles will cost £8.

That leaves you two options.

1. Take your chances around the stadium. You will find quite a few car parks on industrial premises charging about £10 per car.

2. 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 Travel Card for £7.50, as two singles will cost £8.

Train - £72.20
With only three days to go before the match, there are no saver tickets left so the cheapest ticket you can get is a standard-class off-peak return ticket for £72.20, available on the day.

It's true that £65 return tickets are available on the day, but they are valid on so few trains on the way back that it's not worth getting one.

Manchester to Wembley Stadium

Option 1 – journey time 2:55

Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 08:20

Arrive Watford Junction: 10:41

Leave: 10.55

Arrive Wembley Central: 11:15

Option 2 – journey time 3:11

Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 09:20

Arrive Milton Keynes Central: 11:15

Leave: 11:25

Arrive Harrow and Wealdstone: 12:13

Leave: 12:22

Arrive Wembley Central: 12:31

Option 3 – journey time 3:50

Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 09:20

Arrive London Euston: 12:11

Leave: 12:47

Arrive North Wembley: 13:10

Option 4 – journey time 2:55

Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 10:20

Arrive Watford Junction: 12:35

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 3:00

Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 11:15

Arrive Milton Keynes Central: 12:53

Leave: 13:05

Arrive Watford Junction: 13:33

Leave: 13:51

Arrive Wembley Central: 14:15

Option 7 – journey time 3:05

Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 11:35

Arrive London Euston: 13:49

Leave: 14:17

Arrive North Wembley: 13:40

Option 8 – journey time 2:55
Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 12:15
Arrive London Euston: 14:30
Leave: 14:47
Arrive North Wembley: 15:10

Option 9 – journey time 3:05
Leave Manchester Piccadilly: 12:35
Arrive London Euston: 14:48
Leave: 15:17
Arrive North Wembley: 15:40

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
The services covered by the £65 ticket are in bold below.

Option 1 – journey time 2:56

Leave North Wembley: 18:13

Arrive London Euston: 18:40

Leave: 18:55

Arrive Manchester Piccadilly: 21:09

Option 2 – journey time 3:07
Leave Wembley Central: 18:23
Arrive Harrow and Wealdstone: 18:31
Leave:18:43
Arrive London Euston: 18:57
Leave: 19:15
Arrive Manchester Piccadilly: 21:30

Option 3 – journey time 3:16

Leave North Wembley: 18:43

Arrive London Euston: 19:08

Leave: 19:35

Arrive Manchester Piccadilly: 21:59

Option 4 – journey time 2:56

Leave North Wembley: 19:13

Arrive London Euston: 19:40

Leave: 19:55

Arrive Manchester Piccadilly: 22:09

Option 5 – journey time 3:07

Leave Wembley Central: 19:23

Arrive Harrow and Wealdstone: 19:31

Leave:19:43

Arrive London Euston: 19:57

Leave: 20:15

Arrive Manchester Piccadilly: 22:30

Option 6 – journey time 3:17
Leave North Wembley: 19:43
Arrive London Euston: 20:08
Leave: 20:35
Arrive Manchester Piccadilly: 23:00

Option 7 – journey time 3.22

Leave Wembley Central: 19:53
Arrive Harrow and Wealdstone: 20:01
Leave: 20:06
Arrive Watford Junction: 20:13
Leave: 20:32

Arrive Birmingham International: 21:31

Leave: 21:38
Arrive Manchester Piccadilly: 00:15

Coach - £34.50
United are running coaches to the game, but all places are sold out.

National Express is running coaches to and from the game from Manchester Chorlton Street, with places costing £32 per person. Book in advance here.

It leaves Chorlton Street at 08:45, calls at Birmingham coach station at 09:45 and reaches Wembley at 13:30.
On the way back, it leaves the stadium at 18:30 (depending on when the match ends) and reaches Chorlton Street at 23:15.

National Express runs coaches between Manchester and London Victoria Coach Station, but it's pointless doing this journey when you can go direct to the stadium by taking the coach mentioned above.

Going via Victoria is 50p more expensive before you've added on Tube fare. Plus, it would be ambitious to make 19:00 bus home from Victoria anyway, let alone if it went to extra time.

If you're travelling to the game from elsewhere in the country, search National Express's network map for services from your area.

Megabus is running three coaches from Chorlton Street to London Victoria on the morning of the game.

They leave at 06:30, 08:45 and 10:30 and take roughly four-and-a-half hours.

But the only coaches leaves at 23:00 and doesn't make it back until 03:00. Still, a return would cost £25. Book here.

From there, walk five minutes to Victoria Tube Station and get the Tube to Wembley. It will cost you £6.30 for a Zone 1-4 off-speak Travelcard for the Tube.

Plane - £255.80

Most places are sold out on British Airways and bmi flights between Manchester and Heathrow and Gatwick. The remaining places are so expensive, it's not worth bothering with.

More information getting to Wembley is here.

Pubs

The Torch at 1 Bridge Street, will welcome reds on Sunday. 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 (pictured) at 324 Harrow Road, is apparently a Spurs pub for the match but I can't see reds being turned away unless they are misbehaving.
It has a licence that allows it to open at 7am.

A special food menu will be on offer and you can get a pint of lager for £3.60 (Fosters, Carling) or £3.80 San Miguel.It’s a decent pub, with Sky, four pool tables (which will probably be covered up at some point), a big (ish) car park and a small porch area.

It's 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…and walk fast.

Another decent boozer is the Royal George Hotel right outside London Euston.

If you're going via Euston, it's a handy place to meet with mates pre-match and get in a couple of early pints before heading to the ground on the Tube.

Boro match date changed again

United will face Middlesboro away on Saturday May 2 with a 12:45 kick off after a shake up of the reds fixture list.

The match was scheduled for 15:00 on May 2 but was moved to Sunday 16:00 when Sky Sports chose it for TV coverage.

But it has been changed back to Saturday so United have a day extra to prepare for their Champions League semi final second leg match against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday May 5.

For the Boro game, United got 3,148 tickets, costing £32 for adults, £19 for over 65s and £17 for under 18s.

All away-end tickets have been sold and applicants can check their booking history to see if they got one.

Home-end tickets go on general sale here on April 21, priced at £29 to £37 for adults, at £19 to £27 for over 65s and at £17 for under 18s.

Will you book for Rome for £35?

With the reds just two games away from a second successive Champions League final, some fans may be thinking about risking booking flights for the final.

Like last year, United fans would have the luxury of knowing they were through a full 24 hours before Chelsea/Barcelona, allowing extra time to book.

BUT.

You could do it now and, with betfair, bet on Arsenal reaching the final for of 2.36.

So a £35 bet would return you your stake plus £50.40 profit - enough to cover the cost of the flights below.

Monday, May 25

12.20 flight from Manchester to Dusselforf for £30 on Ryanair
19: 40 flight from Dusseldorf to Venice for £3.06 on Ryanair

Tuesday, May 26

08:00 flight from Venice to Rome for £2.21 on Ryanair
OR
18:55 flight from Venice to Rome for £2.21 on Ryanair

Wednesday, May 27
The Champions League final in Rome.

Friday, May 29
15:00 flight from Roma to Timisoara for £35.37 on Wizzair (including Maesto/Solo booking fee)

Sunday, May 31

06:40 Timisoara to London Luton £12.88 on Wizzair (including Maesto/Solo booking fee)

Total cost: £83.52.

United through to Arsenal semi

After beating Porto 1-0 tonight and 3-2 on aggregate in the Champions League quarter finals, United now face Arsenal in the semi finals.

The first leg will be at Old Trafford on Wednesday April 29 and the second leg will be at The Emirates Stadium on Tuesday May 5.

Ticket and travel information will be published here when released by United.

Porto travel guide - print it out and take it with you

Since we're getting close to the end of the season, we thought we would try something new for the Porto travel guide.

So here it is. The idea is that you view the PDF and print it out at home (ideally with a colour printer) to take it with you on your trip.

The version now available is a second draft after the earlier draft contained a couple of small errors.

To download it, follow this link, scroll to the bottom and click on the link next to where it says 'Save file to your PC'.

Then your computer will give you an option to open or save the file.

Enjoy!

Sunderland travel and pub guide reminder

If you're travelling to the game tomorrow, be sure to check out our Sunderland travel and pub guide.

Wigan ticket details due tomorrow

United will tomorrow announce how big the allocation is and how much supporters will pay for the May 13 trip to Wigan.

It is expected the reds will get a 4,520 allocation in the JJB Stadium's North Stand, with tickets costing £27.50 for adults, £19.75 for over 65s and for under 16s.

Box holders, executive members and season ticket holders can apply from 9am on Easter Monday through til 8am on April 17 online or by calling 0161 868 800.

The match kicks off at 20:00. A full travel and pub guide will be published here soon.

United fixtures changed for TV

The reds' trip to Middlesboro will now be at 16:00 on May 3 after Sky announced which games it would be showing in May.

It was originally due to take place 25 hours earlier, but, as this blog said last week, it was always a strong contender to be changed.

United's home derby clash with Manchester City will take place on May 10 at 13:30 and the last home game of the season, against Arsenal, will now start at 12:45 on May 16.

Remaining fixtures:

April

11 Sunderland, 15:00

15 PORTO (CLQF2), 19:45

19 Everton (FACSF) 16:00

22 PORTSMOUTH 20:00

25 TOTTENHAM 15:00

28 POSSIBLE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI FINAL FIRST LEG19:45

May

3 Middlesboro 16:00

6 Possible Champions League semi final second leg 19:45

10 MANCHESTER CITY 13:30

13 Wigan 20:00

16 ARSENAL 20:45

24 Hull 16:00

30 Possible FA Cup final 15:00

One day left for Boro applications

Executive members and season ticket holders have until 8am tomorrow to apply for tickets for the league match at Middlesboro on Saturday May 3, kick off 15:00.

United have got 3,148 tickets, costing £32 for adults, £19 for over 65s and £17 for under 18s.

Apply online or by calling 0161 868 8000.

Fans are being warned the date and kick-off time of the match could change if Sky or Setanta choose to show the game - a real possibility.

Readers' questions - Porto

Q. In Porto. will they have buses provided to take us from the city centre to the stadium?

Also, I am considering booking flights with bmibaby.

Will it be possible to dive on a coach or will it have to be a taxi. I take it bmibaby aren't including transfers? Martin.

A. Police won't lay coaches on from Porto city centre to the stadium simply because it's not needed, as you can get there easily by Metro.

But it's easier to answer your second question first.

One of the best things about Porto is the brilliant public transport network.

Conveniently, the Metro Do Porto runs right from Aeroporto Francisco Sá Carneiro through the city city to Porto's stadium.

It takes 35 minutes on the Violet Line and runs from 06:00 to 01:30 and costs e1.35 each way.

Services run every half hour between midnight and 7am and every 20 minutes at all other times.

And it's pretty much impossible to miss your stop, as the stadium is at one end of the line and the airport is at the other.

So if you were to book the bmibaby flights, you would land in Porto at 11.05 and, once clearing passport control, you could be near the ground by noon.

But if you fancy soaking up some of the city-centre atmosphere beforehand. get off at Trindade and take the Yellow Line south two stops to Sao Bento.

Then walk down R. de Mousinho de Silveria and turn right onto R. do Infante do Infante Dom Jenrique, where you'll find Ryan's Irish Bar at number 18.

When you're ready for the match, take the Yellow Line back up to Trindade and then take the Violent Line south to the stadium.

Even if the match were to go to extra time and penalties - and if the police keep away fans in for half an hour - you'll be out of the stadium for 11pm. That gives you plenty of time to get to the airport by Metro in time for your 01:15 flight back to Manchester.

bmibaby aren't providing transfers, but they have factored in all possibilities of the match ending late and Metro delays in planning their flight time.

However, I would definitely recommend checking in online beforehand, so the latest you could arrive is 00:45.

Here's a Metro map. It's probably the simplest one in Europe.

Sunderland travel and pub guide

Sunderland
Stadium of Light
Premier League
Saturday April 11, kick off 15:00

Tickets

Out of a capacity of 49,000, 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.

World Ticket Shop, an internet touting agency is charging £179.10 for home-end tickets and £211.50 for away-end tickets.

Home-end tickets have been on general sale for a month and continue to be so.
But only members who have bought tickets before can buy them, and Sunderland are warning buyers they will be responsible for the behaviour of ticket users.

TV
The match will not be shown on TV in the UK, but you can watch streams at MyP2P. Links will be go online five hours before kick off.

We recommend downloading Sopcast or Veetle for the best quality.

Travel

Car - £36.30
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 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.

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.

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 - £62.10
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. Get an off-peak return ticket on the day for £62.10.

Manchester to Sunderland

Option A – Journey time: 3:59
Leave Piccadilly: 07:10
Arrive York: 09:06
Leave: 09:34
Arrive Newcastle: 10:33
Leave: 10:35
Arrive Newcastle Central Metro: 10:43
Leave: 10:45
Arrive Sunderland: 11:00

Option B – Journey time: 3:44
Leave Piccadilly: 07:26
Arrive Leeds: 08:23
Leave: 08:35
Arrive York: 09:25
The rest of the journey is the same as Option A

Option C – Journey time: 4.15
Leave Piccadilly: 07:35
Arrive Selby: 08:58
Leave: 09:15
Arrive York: 09:45
Leave: 10:00
Arrive Sunderland: 11:50

Option D – Journey time: 3:50
Leave Piccadilly: 07:55
Arrive Leeds: 08:54
Leave: 09:05
Arrive York: 09:55
Leave: 10:03
Arrive Newcastle: 11:04
Leave: 11:06
Arrive Newcastle Central Metro: 11:14
Leave: 11:18
Arrive Sunderland: 11:45

Option E – Journey time: 3:59
Leave Piccadilly: 08:10
Arrive York: 10:06
Leave: 10:34
Arrive Newcastle: 11:32
Leave: 11:34
Arrive Newcastle Central Metro: 11:42
Leave: 11:44
Arrive Sunderland: 12:09

Option F – Journey time: 3:43
Leave Piccadilly: 08:26
Arrive Leeds: 09:23
Leave: 09:35
Arrive York: 10:25
Leave: 10:34
Arrive Newcastle (pictured right): 11:32
Leave: 11:34
Arrive Newcastle Central Metro: 11:42
Leave: 11:42
Arrive Sunderland: 12:09

Option G – Journey time: 3:48
Leave Piccadilly: 08:57
Arrive Leeds: 09:52
Leave: 10:05
Arrive York: 10:55
Leave: 11:04
Arrive Newcastle: 12:02
Leave: 12:04
Arrive Newcastle Central Metro: 12:12
Leave: 12:18
Arrive Sunderland: 12:45

Option H – Journey time: 3:44
Leave Piccadilly: 09:26
Arrive Leeds: 10:23
Leave: 10:35
Arrive York: 11:25
Leave: 11:34
Arrive Newcastle: 12:32
Leave: 12:34
Arrive Newcastle Central Metro: 12:42
Leave: 12:44
Arrive Sunderland: 13:10

Option I – Journey time 3:58
Leave Piccadilly: 10:11
Arrive York (pictured right): 12:06
Leave: 12:29
Arrive Newcastle: 13:25
Leave: 13:27
Arrive Newcastle Central Metro: 13:35
Leave: 13:42
Arrive Sunderland: 14:09

There are two later journeys, but we would not recommend them because one delay would mean you miss the match.

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 A – Journey time: 4:03
Leave Sunderland: 17:30
Arrive York: 19:13
Leave: 19:55
Arrive Piccadilly: 21:33

Option B – Journey time: 3:31
Leave Sunderland: 19:02
Arrive Newcastle Central Metro: 19:30
Leave: 19:32
Arrive Newcastle: 19:40
Leave: 19:44
Arrive York: 20:41
Leave: 20:54
Arrive Piccadilly: 22:33

Option C – Journey time: 3:46
Leave Sunderland (pictured right): 19:50
Arrive: Thornaby: 20:39
Leave: 20:55
Arrive Leeds: 22:30
Leave: 22:40
Arrive Piccadilly: 23:37
Option D – Journey time: 4:46

Leave Sunderland: 20:02
Arrive Newcastle Central Metro: 20:30
Leave: 20:32
Arrive Newcastle: 20:40
Leave: 20:47
Arrive York: 21:51
Leave: 23:07
Arrive Piccadilly: 00:48

Coach - £21
United are running coaches from Old Trafford to the game for £21 per person. Book here.

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 14:30.

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 does not run coaches between Manchester and Sunderland.

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 above), a Wetherspoons pub a stone's throw away from the train station at 30 Fawcett Street.

It's been open for 12 years now and has decent service and, of course 99p bottles of San Miguel 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 Blackburn 12:45 kick off at The Lambton Worm (pictured above).

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 v Blackburn 12:45 kick off.

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 (pictured right) 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.

Reds receive Middlesboro allocation

United have got 3,148 tickets for the May 3 league game at Middlesboro.

Tickets are priced at £32 for adults, £19 for over 65s and £17 for under 18s.

Executive members and season ticket holders can apply from at 8am on Monday for five day online or by calling 0161 868 8000.

Fans are being warned the date and kick-off time of the match could change if Sky or Setanta choose to show the game - a real possibility.

Ryanair cuts Porto flight price

Ryanair is cutting the price of its Porto flights on April 15, returning April 16, to £139 return.

The airline was offering return flights for £199, but the announcement that bmibaby was offering a day trip from Manchester to Porto for £149.88 forced their hand.

Ryanair's outbound flights leave Liverpool Airport on the day of the game at 07:00, arriving in Porto at 09:20.

The following day, you can either return at 09:45 or 13:45, arriving into Liverpool at 12:05 and 16:05 respectively.

Book with a Visa Electron card to avoid a £9.50 card charge, which would take the total fee up £9.50.

Also remember Ryanair's new compulsory check-in online system, which carries a £5 each way fee. So that would add another tenner on to the fee.

There are also other optional things to buy, like luggage space, priority boarding and insurance.

Terravision runs coaches from Chorlton Street in Manchester to Liverpool Airport. It costs £6 one way and £8 return. Get times and book tickets here.

ShuttleDirect runs coaches from Porto Airport to Porto centre. Prices vary. Book here click here.

bmibaby to run direct flights to Porto

bmibaby will run a direct flight to and from Manchester to Porto as part of a day trip to the Champions League quarter final second leg.

This is the cheapest way of getting from Manchester to Porto on the day - or the week - of the game.

The outbound flight leaves Manchester at 08:30 on the day of the game and lands in Porto at 11:05.

The inbound flight leaves Porto at 01:15 and lands at 03:55. A return right now is £149.88 plus extras.

Book here.

Reds can email redsaway@hotmail.co.uk with any questions about flights, trains, accommodation, pubs or other related issues about Porto or any other United away game.