Apply for Stoke tickets now

Executive members and season ticket holders can apply for tickets to see United play at Stoke now.

They can apply here or by calling 0161 868 8000 up until 08:00 on September 4.

Ballot results will be out by September 11, but will probably be viewable on September 9.

United have got 2,861 tickets - 61 more than last year.

They will cost £35 adults, £24 for over 65s, £20 for under 17s - the same as last season.

A full travel and pub guide will be published here when ballot results come out.

Istanbul flights - deal of the day

If you're hoping to see United play Besiktas in a couple of weeks but still haven't booked anything, how about this for just under £200?

The flight there is direct and though the flight home needs a change of planes cross city, it's at least back to Manchester and a comfortable amount of time to change.

It's about the best thing on offer at the moment. More inspiration is here. Recommended hotels to come.

Sunday September 13 - easyJet - London Stansted to Istanbul Sabinha Gokcen - £62.99 one way

Wednesday September 16 - SunExpress - Istanbul Sabinha Gokcen to Frankfurt am Main - £111.31 one way

Wednesday September 16 - Ryanair - Frankfurt Hahn to Manchester - £19.91 one way.

Total: £194.21.

Book your Wolfsburg hotel now

Hotel rooms in Wolfsburg are going fast ahead of United's December 8 clash with the Germany champions.

There aren't many hotels to start with, as not many tourists flock to the city, which is about the size of Bolton.

If you're still looking for a room, we advise you to book fast.

Many reds going on this trip will be aiming to stay in Wolfsburg only on the night of the game.

Instead, they will spend the nights before the game in neighbouring cities like Berlin, Hannover and Hamburg – all of which have plenty of quality and cheap accommodation on offer.

But the same cannot be said of Wolfsburg itself.

Among the recommended hotels that have sold out are:

The three-star Global Inn Hotel at Kleiststrasse 46, Wolfsburg
The four-star Tryp Hotel at Willy-brandt-platz 2, Wolfsburg
The Holiday Inn, Rathausstr 1, Wolfsburg

If you want to stay anywhere near Wolfsburg centre, there are only two hotels offering affordable rooms, and they are only single rooms.

They are

The two-star Hotel Am Klieversberg at Rontgenstrasse, Wolfsburg. It costs £48.42 per person per night. Book via expedia.co.uk, which makes you pay the full fee up front.

The three-star Hotel Restaurant Conni (pictured left) at Neahser Stasse 19, Wolfsburg. It costs £57.11 per person per night including breakfast. Book via booking.com and pay when you leave the hotel.

If you're happy spend more there are still rooms left at two hotels.

They are:

The five-star Ritz-Carlton at Stadtbrucke, Wolfsburg. It costs £232.84 for a double room per room per night, including breakfast. Book via booking.com and pay when you leave the hotel.

The four-star Hotel An der Wasserburg at An der Wasserburg 2, Wolfsburg. It costs £148.49 for a double room, per room per night including breakfast. Book via booking.com and pay when you leave the hotel.

But if you want a real bargain, get booked at the Morade Hotel (pictured right) at Isenbutteler Weg 56 in Gifhorn. It costs £72.55 for a twin room per night, just over £36 each. Book with booking.com and pay when you leave the hotel.

It's nine miles east of Wolfsburg. It takes 13 minutes by train and, after the game, would cost about £20 in a taxi.

Apply for Stoke tickets from tomorrow

Executive members and season ticket holders can apply for tickets to see United play at Stoke from 09:00 tomorrow.

They can apply here or by calling 0161 868 8000 up until 08:00 on September 4.

United have got 2,861 tickets - 61 more than last year.

They will cost £35 adults, £24 for over 65s, £20 for under 17s - the same as last season.

Ballot results will be out by September 11, but will probably be viewable on September 9.

A full travel and pub guide will be published here when ballot results come out.

United to face Wolves in cup

The reds have been drawn to face Wolverhampton Wanderers at home in the Carling Cup third round.

The match will be played on the week beginning September 21 - most likely on Wednesday, September 23 with a 20:00 kick off.

Season ticket holders who opted into the club's automatic cup scheme should expect to have the price of the ticket deducted from their account within the next few days.

United introduce Euro away membership scheme

A Manchester United European Travel Club has been set up - and anyone who wants to apply to future Euro aways must be a member.

United made the announcement earlier today, saying it was aiming to provide a safer and more responsible environment for genuine Manchester United supporters who wish to follow the team across Europe.

However, some of the terms and conditions have provoked a strong reaction from seasoned travellers.

To join, members must not have certain criminal convictions.

And, if they are to avoid having their memberships revoked, supporters must obey strict rules - and even dress appropriately.

Condition 6 says: "A member shall not wear clothing that the club considers to be inappropriate when attending or travelling to/from a foreign match."

We have written to United asking them to clarify what 'inappropriate' clothing is.

Fans have also expressed concerns that membership won't, in future, be free.

United have admitted they have introduced the scheme to "mirror [the England international team] system.

Currently the englandfans system costs £95 to join (£70 if you do it online) as a 'premium member' and £90 to renew each year (£65 online).

It costs £70 to become a normal member (£50 online) and £65 to renew each year (£45 online).

Reacting to today's announcement on Red Issue, E34 said: "Clothes police? What next, a dress code that says you can only get into games wearing official club merchandise?"

Serbianwarcriminal said: "In short, Uncle Malc is trying to pass off a need for even more cash from the fans as being 'safety' motivated!"

Only executive members, season ticket holders and One United members can apply.

Apply here
United announcement here
Full terms and conditions here
What convictions ban people from becoming members are here.

If you have any questions about the scheme, email redsaway@hotmail.co.uk and we will relay questions to United.

Fans' group publishes guides

To help reds get to - and stay safe in - Istanbul, Moscow and Wolfsburg, the Football Supporters' Federation has published three guides to the respective cities/teams.

The organisation, which aims to represent the interest of fans from the UK, has released information on the respective countries, stadia, accommodation and restaurants.

Read the guide for Besiktas here

Read the guide for CSKA Moscow here

Read the guide for VfL Wolfsburg here.

The FSF can be contacted at info@fsf.org.uk.

If you have any questions related to any of the three of the aways, email us at redsway@hotmail.co.uk

VfL Wolfsburg travel guide

VfL Wolfsburg

UEFA Champions League

Volkswagen Arena, Wolsburg

Tuesday December 8, 2009, kick off 20:45 local time, 19:45 UK time

Tickets

The Volkwagen Arena has a capacity of 30,000. United have got 1,522 tickets priced at £26.50 for a standard ticket or £59 for a VIP seat - add £4.50 for special delivery onto that total.

Only members of the new Manchester United European Travel Club can apply for tickets. Details here.

TV

The match will be shown live on either the ITV or Sky networks. Links to live video streams will be posted here on the day of the game.

Weather

Too early to say, but the weather in northern Germany in early December is roughly 3c/37F in the day and -1C/30F at night, for the match.

The city itself is in the central north part of Germany...kind of in the same position as Leeds or Newcastle are in England. You can reach it easily from Hamburg, Berlin, Hannover and Leipzig.

Travel


Flights (all prices approximate and return)

Official trip
On behalf of the club, Cooperative Travel Sports is offering trips to this fixture. No details have been released yet. Register your interest here.

Champion Sports Tours

The company is offering two trips.

The first, WHICH IS NOW SOLD OUT, is a two-night stay with direct flights between Manchester and an airport near Wolfsburg.

Flights leave at about noon on December 7 and return on December 9 at about 15:00.
Guests will stay in a four-star hotel, which includes breakfast.

The cost is £345 per person based on two people sharing a hotel room.

If you want to save £30, Champion is also offering another two-day trip, but with indirect flights.

Guests leave Manchester on December 7 at about 07:00 and arrive at an airport near Wolfsburg at 13:30.

On the way back, you leave Germany at about 15:00 and arrive in Manchester at 18:00.

You would stay at a three-star hotel, which includes breakfast.

You would pay £315 per person based on two sharing.

A Champion Sports Tours release says: "We have limited availability on both trips.

"A deposit of £55 secures your booking.

"Match tickets available for executive members, season ticket holders & One United members and insurance available."

To book or get more details, go here.

Miss Ellies Travel
The company may run trips to this game. Register your interest by calling 0161 228 7363. Details here.

Red Army Travel
The company is offering trips for £245 per per son, though no specific details have been released. Go here for more.

Independent routes

Newcastle to Hannover on TUlfly and Flybe for £50
Manchester to Hannover on Flybe for £80
Birmingham to Hannover on Flybe for £80
London Stansted to Hannover on Air Belin or Lufthansa for £100
Southampton to Hannover on Flybe for £100
London Heathrow to Hannover on bmi or Air Belin for £130

and then a 30-minutes train for £20

Liverpool to Berlin Schoenefeld on easyJet for £55
East Midlands to Berlin Schoenefeld on Ryanair or germanwings for £10
Edinburgh to Berlin Schoenefeld on Ryanair or germanwings for £15
London Stansted to Berlin Schoenefeld on Ryanair for £25
Bristol to Berlin Schoenefeld on easyJet for £35
Glasgow International to Berlin Schoenefeld on easyJet for £49
London Gatwick to Berlin Schoenefeld on easyJet for £55
London Luton to Berlin Schoenefeld on easyJet for £70

and then an hour-long train for £70

London Stansted to Hamburg Lubek on Ryanair for £5 and then train for two hours for £85

Manchester to Bremen on Ryanair for £50
London Stansted to Bremen on Ryanair for £60
Edinburgh to Bremen on Ryanir for £55

and then train for two hours and 15 minutes for £50

London Luton to Dortmund on easyJet for £35 and then a two-hour 15-minute train for £90

Manchester to Paderborn on Air Berlin for £90
London Stansted to Paderborn on Air Berlin for £100

and then train for two hours and 40 minutes for £60

Manchester to Frankfurt Hahn on Ryanair for £10
Birmingham to Frankfurt Hahn on Ryanair for £10
Edinburgh to Frankfurt Hahn on Ryanair for £10
Glasgow Prestwick to Frankfurt Hahn on Ryanair for £10
London Stansted to Frankfurt Hahn on Ryanair for £10

and then train for three hours for £140

Manchester to Dusseldorf Weeze on Ryanair for £10
Birmingham to Dusseldorf Weeze on Ryanair for £30
Edinburgh to Dusseldorf Weeze on Ryanair for £15
London Stansted to Dusseldorf Weeze on Ryanair for £15

and then train for three hours and 10 minutes for £105

London Gatwick to Cologne on easyJet for £45
London Stansted to Cologne on germanwings for £50
Edinburgh to Cologne on germanwings for £100
London Heathrow to Cologne on Lufthansa and bmi for £105
East Midlands to Cologne on Lufthansa for £105.

and then the train for three-and-a-half hours for £120

London Stansted to Nuremburg on Air Berlin for £90 and then a three-hour 45-minute train for £170

London Stansted to Baden-Baden on Ryanair for £15 and than a five-and-a-half-hour train for £195

London Stansted to Zweibrucken for £60 and then six-hour train for £180

London Stansted to Memmingen for £70 and then a six-hour and 15 minute train for £200

London Stansted to Friedrichshafen for £60 and then a seven-hour train for £120.

Hotels

We have produced a full hotel guide here.

Besiktas travel guide

Besiktas
UEFA Champions League
Tuesday, September 15, kick off 21:45 local time, 19:45 UK time
BJK İnönü stadium, Istanbul

Tickets:

The BJK İnönü stadium capacity is 32,145. United have got 1,400 tickets priced at £35.03, though all tickets will be posted by special delivery at a cost of £4.95 per ticket. There are also a few VIP tickets priced at £105.10.

Executive members, season ticket holders and One United members can apply until 20:00 on September 7.

You can apply online or by calling 0161 868 8000.

However, only those who applied to become members of the new Manchester United European Travel Club before 20:00 on September 2 can apply.

Ballot results will be published on September 9.

Supporters who get tickets must fill out only travel reports and send them to United before travelling to Turkey.

TV
The match will be shown live on Sky Sports 2 and Sky Sports 2HD, with the programme starting at 19:30.

Online video links to be put up on here on the day of the game.

Weather
To be updated nearer the time, but it is likely to be roughly 20C/72F during the game and 25C/77F during the day

Currency
In Turkey, they use Turkish Lira (TL) and Kurus. 1TL = 40p. £1 = 2.40TL

Travel

Getting into the country
You will need a visa, but don't panic. You don't need to fill out any forms or do anything else before you arrive.

When you arrive at the airport (or, if you're going by train, when you cross the border), you pay £10 or 24.3 TL. More information here. Your passport must be valid for six months or more.

Official trip
On behalf of the club, Cooperative Travel Sports is offering a day trip for £389. For that, you get return flights, a match ticket, transfers and "CES security". You can pay £75 extra for a VIP ticket (a ticket in the main stand).

Champion Sports Tours
Champion Sports Tours have announced details of two trips to Istanbul for United's game against Besiktas on September 15.

The Sir Matt Busby Way-based company is offering a one-day trip from Liverpool and a three-day trip from Birmingham.

The Liverpool trip, WHICH IS NOW SOLD OUT, costs £349 and includes indirect flights in both directions.

However, the company is advising to keep checking its website in case more seats become available.

The Birmingham trip leaves on Monday September 13 direct for Istanbul, returning on Thursday September 16.

The price, including three nights' accommodation based on two people sharing a room is £365 per person. Book here.

Miss Ellies Travel
The company said it was considering running a trip to this game but has not released any specific information.

Red Army Travel
As above.

Independent routes - circa £200
Istanbul has two airports.

Sabinha Gokcen International Airport (pictured left) is about 12 miles east of the city centre.

Ataturk International Airport is about 15 miles west of the city centre.

Most travellers will be wanting to go on Saturday/Sunday/Monday and return on Wednesday.

For the cheapest deal, it is best to go from London, otherwide you're paying roughly £250 more from Manchester.

If you want to fly from Manchester, don't go independently - go on one of the organised trips above. You won't get as much time as an independent trip, but £450 flights is a rip off by anyone's standards.

The best combinations are:

1
Sunday September 13 - easyJet - £62.99 one way - Luton to Istanbul Sabinha Gokcen
Wednesday September 16 - Pegasus Airways - £131.55 one way - Istanbul Sabinha Goken to Stansted.
Total price: £194.54.

2
Sunday September 13 -Turkish Airlines - Stansted to Istanbul Ataturk
Wednesday September 16 - Turkish Airlines - Istanbul Ataturk to Heathrow
Total price: £189.66

3
Monday September 14 - Pegasus Airways - £59 one way - Stansted to Istanbul Sabinha Gokcen
Wednesday September 16 - Pegasus Airways - £131.55 one way - Istanbul Sabinha Gokcen to Stansted.

Total: £190.55

Due to Turkey's vastness, it really isn't practical or cheaper to fly into, or out of, other parts of the country.

That is with the exception of Izmir, which is six hours south of Istanbul by a combination of train and ferry.

That gives you this option:
4
Sunday September 13 - easyJet - £62.99 one way - Luton to Istanbul Sabinha Gokcen

Wednesday September 15 - Thomas Cook - £130 one way - Izmir to Manchester

However you might want to do part - or all - of the journey by train and get onward flights.

5
Sunday September 13 - easyJet - London Stansted to Istanbul Sabinha Gokcen - £62.99 one way
Wednesday September 16 - SunExpress - Istanbul Sabinha Gokcen to Frankfurt am Main - £111.31 one way
Wednesday September 16 - Ryanair - Frankfurt Hahn to Manchester - £19.91 one way.
Total: £194.21.

Seat 61 is an amazing website which brings you a step by step guide from reaching Istanbul from London, stopping off in Paris, Munich, Vienna, Budapest and Bucharest along the way.

You can use Sky Scanner to find appropriate flights that link up with your train journey.

But you'll be lucky to get a cheaper deal doing it this way and, due to the length of the train journey, it will certainly be a lot slower, so only do it for the fun of it!

Hotels
We've written a full hotel guide here.

What to see and do

We've written a full guide here thanks to ex-pat red Andy Olfield, who now lives in Istanbul.

Getting to the ground

It is opposite the Dolmabahçe Palace along the road from Beşiktaş to Taksim.

You will come across the Beşiktaş İnönü Stadium right at the end of Gümüşsuyu Avenue when traveling from Taksim.

It is within a walking distance of 10 minutes from Beşiktaş or Taksim Square which you could reach by subway, minibuses called “dolmus” or buses.

Those who travel from the Anatolian side could use the ferry which departs every 30 minutes, or the boat which operates continuously from Üsküdar and Kadıköy to Beşiktaş and Kabataş.


Other useful information
The Football Supporters Federation has put together a guide to Besiktas and Istanbul for reds making the trip. Read it here.

The Foreign Office also have a country guide for Turkey here. In particular, it mentions that the holy month of Ramadan will be on going until September 19, so be wary that most Turks will not eat or drink in public between sunrise and sunset.

CSKA Moscow travel guide

CSKA Moscow

UEFA Champions League

Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow

Wednesday October 21

Kick off unconfirmed. Likely to be 20:30 local time, 17:30 UK time

Tickets

The match will be played at the 78,000 capacity Luzhniki Stadium - the scene of United's famous Champions League final triumph in season 2007/8.

Similar to when the reds travelled to Kiev in the same season, there is likely to be heavy segregation and a reduced capacity for this game, probably down to about 50,000.

United have got 1,700 tickets. Everyone who applied got one. Any fans wishing to grab a last-minute ticket can get one by calling United on 0161 868 8000.

But you must be a member of the new Manchester United European Travel Club. Details here.

TV

The match will be shown live Sky Sports 2, Sky Sports HD2 and Setanta Ireland. The programme starts at 17:00 and finishes at 19:30.

Weather

Light rain, some cloud and about 7C/45F during the match.

Travel

Getting into the country

To enter Moscow, you must have a visa. You can get them from the Russian National Tourist Office in London.

An application form is here.

Follow the instructions, fill in the relevant sections and attach the required photographs. Send it to the stated address, preferably by recorded delivery and with a pre-paid recorded delivery return envelope enclosed.

Champion Sports Tours is running a two-night trip for £450 per person, but it is sold out.

Cooperative Travel Sports, Miss Ellies Travel and Red Army Travel are not running trips.

Useful advice for your trip

United have compile a fans' guide for this match here.

Here is a Moscow Metro map both in English and Cyrillic.

The Football Supporters' Federation has prepared a guide for this game here.

The British Foreign Office has provided this general advice for British Nationals travelling in Russia.

Vfl Wolsburg - £10 flights!

Book via Ryanair

London Stanstead to Hamburg Lubek leaving on Monday December 7 at 06:25

Hamburg to London Stanstead leaving on Wednesday December 9 at 21:00.

£10 with a Visa Electron
£20 with a Maestro card

Onward train takes two hours and costs £25. You can find out timetable information here.

Group stage match dates revealed

Matchday 1 - Tuesday September 15
Besiktas Manchester United

Matchday 2 - Wednesday September 30
Manchester United v Vfl Wolfsburg

Matchday 3 - Wednesday October 21
CSKA Moscow v Manchester United

Matchday 4 - Tuesday November 3
Manchester United v CSKA Moscow

Matchday 5 - Wednesday November 25
Manchester United v Besiktas

Matchday 6 - Tuesday December 8
Vfl Wolsburg v Manchester United

United learn group stages fate

United will play CSKA Moscow, Vfl Wolfsburg and Besiktas in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League.

Last year's finalists will make trips to Russia, Germany and Turkey between September and December

We will bring you a fixture list of all the group games before 20:00 tonight.

We will also bring you hotel and flight information in the next few hours.

Match dates:

Matchday 1 - 15 & 16 Sep 2009
Matchday 2 - 29 & 30 Sep 2009
Matchday 3 - 20 & 21 Oct 2009
Matchday 4 - 03 & 04 Nov 2009
Matchday 5 - 24 & 25 Nov 2009
Matchday 6 - 08 & 09 Dec 2009

All aboard the Betty Bus to Spurs

You can now book your place on the Betty Bus for United's trip to Spurs on September 12, kick off 17:15.

The coach leaves Chorlton Street station at 10am and the Bishops Blaize at 10.15. Places cost £35 per person.

To book, email your name, address and phone number to redsaway@hotmail.co.uk

Champions League draw line up complete

Five more times have made it through to the group stages of the Champions League ahead of tomorrow's draw in Monaco.

The sides that won on aggregate in tonight's third qualifying round are: Arsenal, Apoel Nicosia of Cyprus, Fiorentina of Italy, Olympiacos of Greece and VfB Stuttgart of Germany.

The final line up for tomorrow's daw is as follows. United must draw one team from each of pot 2, 3 and 4.

Note 2: Will play group matches in Ramat Gan at Ramat Gan Stadium as Maccabi Haifa's Kiryat Eliezer Stadium did not meet UEFA criteria.

Note 3: Will play group matches in Bucharest at Stadionul Steaua as Unirea Urziceni's Stadionul Tineretului did not meet UEFA criteria.

Note 4: Will play group matches in Budapest at Stadium Puskás Ferenc as Debrecen's Stadion Oláh Gábor Út did not meet UEFA criteria.

Five more teams through in Champions League

Atletico Madrid of Spain, Debrechen of Hungary, Lyon of France, Maccabi Haifa of Israel and FC Zurich of Switzerland have made it through to the Champions League group stages.

They join 22 other teams already through to the group stages.

Five more will go through tomorrow night.

The group stages draw will take place on Thursday at 17:00.
We will link you to a live broadcast of the draw.

Stoke ticket information out

Executive members and season ticket holders can apply for tickets to see United play at Stoke from 09:00 on Bank Holiday Monday.

They can apply here or by calling 0161 868 8000 up until 08:00 on September 4.

Ballot results will be out by September 11, but will probably be viewable on September 9.

United have got 2,861 tickets - 61 more than last year.

They will cost £35 adults, £24 for over 65s, £20 for under 17s - the same as last season.

A full travel and pub guide will be published here when ballot results come out.

To come this week

It's never easy to watch loads of other teams have all the fun in midweek while we wait for Saturday tea time to come along, so here are a few United-related things to look forward to this week.

Okay, the Carling Cup draw might bring a (compulsory attendance) home game against The Bridge Inn XI, but it could just easily produce a cracking away match somewhere random.

And speaking of random trips, anyone for Rubin Kazan or Unirea Urziceni? Watch the UEFA Champions League draw here this week. Then come back to find out the best way to get there!

Tuesday

13:00 If you applied for Tottenham tickets, it's time to check your booking history. United say ballot results will be out on Thursday, but they nearly always do it two days before the 'official date'.

21:30 Five teams will make it through to the UEFA Champions League group stage.

Wednesday

21:30 Five more teams will make it through to the UEFA Champions League group stage, completing the 36-team line up. We will publish each of the four nine-team pots and tell you who United can draw.

Thursday

17:00 The draw for the UEFA Champions League group stages takes place in Monaco. We will bring you the draw live via a video link.

20:00 approx UEFA will publish a match day list for the group stages. Once dates have been confirmed we will bring you recommended hotels and flights for each of United's three games.

21:45 The last of the Carling Cup second round ties ends, completing the draw for the third round (see below).

Friday

09:00 We will bring you ticket news for United's September 26 trip to Stoke.

Saturday

12:15 The draw for the Carling Cup third round will be made on Sky Soccer Saturday. Thirty two teams, including United, will be in it.

17:15 United face Arsenal at Old Trafford. We will bring you links to live video streams for this game.

Last chance for Spurs tickets

Executive members and season ticket holders have one more day to apply for tickets to see United play at Spurs on Saturday, September 12.
United have been given an allocation of 1,948 in a corner where the South Stand meets the West Stand.

Last season, Tottenham announced United fans would no longer be able to sit in the upper tier of the away end because of persistent standing.

Tickets for this game cost £42.10 for adults, £24.50 for over 60s and £22.60 for under 16s.
Applications close at 8am tomorrow. Apply online or by calling 0161 868 800.

United say ballot results will me published on August 27, but it's always worth checking two days before, as the club tend to inform fans early if their application has been successful.

We will publish a full travel and pub guide here one the day the ballot results come out.

Wigan travel and pub guide

Wigan
DW Stadium
Barclays Premier League
Saturday, August 22
Kick off 15:00

Tickets

Out of a capacity of 25,135, United have got 3,976 tickets in the North Stand. This stand holds 5,378 supporters.

Tickets are priced at £28 for adults and £20for over 65s and under 16s.

All tickets have been sold and posted out. United Ticket Agency is selling tickets in the away end at £120 each.

There are still tickets left for the home end priced between £20 and £30, but Wigan have said they will only be on sale to people who have a history of buying tickets in the Wigan home end.

TV
The match will not be shown live on TV in the UK, but will be available to view via foreign feeds online. Go here two hours before the match.

Weather
This section will be updated five days before the match.

Travel

Car - £5
If you are driving to the game and using a satnav or an internet routeplanner like the Greenflag one, use the destination postcode WN5 0UH.

The basic route from Manchester is the M62 to junction 10 and the M6 to Junction 25. Continue along the A49. The stadium is well sign posted from the motorway.

Parking - £5 or free
There is an away fans' car park a two-minute walk from the away end. Only fans with match tickets can use it though. It costs £5 per car.

Access is via Stadium Way (turn right off Scott Lane once you've passed the leisure complex and Asda on your right).

There are many free parking spots on side streets close to the town centre. but you're looking at a 20-minute walk to the stadium.

Train - £3.20

Buy an off-peak day return ticket for £3.20.

You'll have absolutely no problem getting there or back, as trains between Manchester's two main stations and Wigan run three times an hour throughout the day.

Manchester Victoria to Wigan Wallgate
Trains leave on 07 and 33 every hour and take about 35 minutes. The last one you can get to make kick off leaves Victoria at 13:33.

Manchester Piccadilly to Wigan Wallgate

Trains leave at 22 minutes past the hour and take 40 minutes. The last one you can get to make kick off leaves Piccadilly at 13:22.

It is a 20-minute walk from the train station to the stadium.

To get to the ground from Wallgate, turn right out of the station and keep walking for 10 minutes or so, passing the Seven Stars Hotel.

After that, you'll pass under a railway bridge and the Robin Park leisure complex will come into view. You will be able to see the stadium from there.

Wigan Wallgate to Manchester Victoria

Trains leave at 17:20, 17:58, 18:20, 18:58, 19:32, 20:27, 21:27, 22:27 and 22:57. The take 40 minutes.

Wigan Wallgate to Manchester Piccadilly

They leave at 17:54, 18:53, 19:55, 20:55, 21:55 and 22:55. They take 45 minutes.

Coach

The Betty Bus leaves Manchester Chorlton Street at 10:30 to arrive in Wigan at 11:30. The cost is £13 per person. To book, email your name, address and phone number to redsaway@hotmail.co.uk

Pubs
If you're driving and parking on the away fans' car park, the best place to pop in for a pre-match tipple is The JJB Soccerdome bar which is right in between the away-end entrance and thecar park.

It holds about 150 people and you can get served pretty quickly. It's about £2.60 a pint and they do pretty decent pies for £2.

But if you're catching the train, you might want a pint in the town centre.

You might want to avoid The Brunels, which is next door to Wigan Wallgate station.

That particular boozer attracts police and the staff don't like the usual weekend of fun-seeking football fans, for some reason, especially if they sing songs.

You're much better off walking a few doors down and calling into the The Swan and Railway (pictured above), where you'll get a warm welcome and a pint for £2.30.

If you want to be nearer to the ground, call into Wigan Pier where you'll find The Orwell (pictured above right).

If you've got time to grab a bite to eat, they do some cracking food. It's always a good place to call in to on your way home from the match while you're waiting for the train, even though it's a 10-minute walk to the station.

Stoke ticket details will be out on August 28

United have said they will release ticket details a week on Friday for the reds' September 28 trip to Stoke.

Last year, the Champions played at the Britannia Stadium on Boxing Day, with Carlos Tevez scoring a late winner.
On that occasion United got 2,800 tickets out of a capacity of 28,383.

They were priced at £35 adults, £24 for over 65s, £20 for under 17s and £17 for under 11s and will probably be fractionally lower this season due to the Government's VAT cut, which was implemented in the new year.

Apply for Spurs tickets now

Executive members and season ticket holders have from now until 8am on Friday to apply for tickets to see United play at Spurs on Saturday, September 12.

United have been given an allocation of 1,948 in a corner where the South Stand meets the West Stand.

Last season, Tottenham announced United fans would no longer be able to sit in the upper tier of the away end because of persistent standing.

Tickets for this game cost £42.10 for adults, £24.50 for over 60s and £22.60 for under 16s.
Apply online or by calling 0161 868 800.

United say ballot results will me published on August 27, but it's always worth checking two days before, as the club tend to inform fans early if their application has been successful.

We will publish a full travel and pub guide here one the day the ballot results come out.

Spurs ticket information out

Executive members and season ticket holders can, from 8am tomorrow, apply for tickets to see United play at Spurs on Saturday, September 12.

United have been given an allocation of 1,948 in a corner where the South Stand meets the West Stand – that is 48 tickets more than in 2008/09.

Last season, Tottenham announced United fans would no longer be able to sit in the upper tier of the away end because of persistent standing.

Tickets for this game cost £42.10 for adults, £24.50 for over 60s and £22.60 for under 16s.

The prices have been slightly reduced on last year to take into account the Government's VAT reduction.

Apply online or by calling 0161 868 800 from 8am tomorrow until 8am on Friday.

United say ballot results will me published on August 27, but it's always worth checking two days before, as the club tend to inform fans early if their application has been successful.

We will publish a full travel and pub guide here one the day the ballot results come out.

Champions League draw preview part 8

13 days to go

In the run up to the UEFA Champions League group stage draw on August 27 in Monaco, we will preview one of United's possible opponents each day.

Inter Milan

To give them their full title, FC Internazionale Milano are no strangers to this competition and will be hoping to do a bit better than last year, when United knocked them out at the last 16 stage.

Jose Mourinho's men retained their Serie A last season and they are the only club to have spent their entire history in the division.

Inter find themselves in Pot 2 for the draw and should present a pretty tough challenge to their group mates.

Last year at this stage, they finished second in Group B. Panathinaikos won it and Werder Bremen and Anorthosis missed out.

Their stadium is the world-famous San Siro, an 80,074 cauldron of noise 10 minutes west of the bustling city of Milan.




Away supporters generally get about 4,000 tickets in the lower tier of the Curva Sud. Getting there is straightforward, but time consuming.

You get the Metro to one of three stops near to the stadium, but you must walk the final 20 minutes of the journey. Providing you keep a low profile, the approach from Inter fans towards you will be relaxed.

As for the city, it's not one of my favourites.

It boasts the impressive Duomo cathedral and houses da Vinci's Last Supper painting at the Santa Maria delle Grazie, but apart from seeing those famous landmarks, there's little to do, and few central meeting points for fans to gather.

Its saving grace is that it is easy and cheap to reach, even if it is e4.50 a pint when you arrive.

Ways to get there (prices are approximate and return)

Manchester to Milan Malpensa on Flybe for £170
Bristol to Milan Malpensa on easyJet for £60
London Luton to Milan Malpensa on easyJet for £80
London Gatwick to Milan Malpensa on easyJet and AirBaltic for £90
London Heathrow to Milan Malpensa on British Airways £120
Edinburgh to Milan Malpensa on easyJet, germanwings and Flybe for £125

London Gatwick to Milan Linate on easyJet for £120
London Heathrow to Milan Linate on British Airways for £280

Manchester to Milan Bergamo on Ryanair for £45
Bristol to Milan Bergamo on Ryanair for £20
London Luton to Milan Bergamo on Ryanair for £50
London Stansted to Milan Bergamo on Ryanair for £80

then an hour-long coach for £12

London Gatwick to Turin on British Airways for £140
London Luton to Turin on easyJet for £140
London Stansted to Turin on Ryanair for £140

then a two-hour train for £13

London Gatwick to Genoa n British Airways for £120 then a four-hour train for £30

Liverpool to Pisa on Ryanair for £60
Manchester to Pisa on jet2.com and Thomson Flights for £250
Birmingham to Pisa on Ryanair for £90
East Midlands to Pisa on Ryanair for £145
Edinburgh to Pisa on Ryanair and Jet2.com for £150
Bristol to Pisa on easyJet £160
London Stansted to Pisa on Ryanair for £180
London Gatwick to Pisa on easyJet, British Airways and Thomson Flights for £205

then a six-hour train for £60

London Stansted to Lyon on easyJet for £50
London Gatwick to Lyon on easyJet for £50

then a six-hour train for £100

Liverpool to Geneva on easyJet for £45
Manchester to Geneva on easyJet, Swiss Air, Jet2.com and bmi baby for £50
Birmingham to Geneva on easyJet and bmibaby for £45
East Midlands to Geneva on easyJet and bmibaby for £45
Bristol to Geneva on easyJet for £50
Newcastle to Geneva on easyJet for £60
Edinburgh to Geneva on easyJet for £50
London Gatwick to Geneva on easyJet, British Airways and airBaltic for £45
London Stansted to Geneva on easyJet for £55
London Luton to Geneva on easyJet for £50

then a four-hour train for £80

By coach
National Express (Eurolines) run coaches between Manchester Chorlton Street and Turin, with changes at London Victoria and Paris for £96 return. It's a 28-hour journey each way.

By direct train
For about £105, you can go from Manchester Piccadilly through to Milan, with changes in London for the Eurostar and Paris for a sleeper train. Leaving Manchester at noon on a Monday would get you there at 05:38 the next morning.

By car
Driving would cost about £340 in petrol and take 15 hours each way without a break. It's 964 miles each way.

Fun factor: 4/10
Safety factor: 7/10
Bargain factor: 6/10
Convenience factor: 7/10
Score: 24/40

Champions League draw preview part 7

14 days to go

In the run up to the UEFA Champions League group stage draw on August 27 in Monaco, we will preview one of United's possible opponents each day.

Sporting Lisbon

Okay, they're not strictly through to the group stages, but I had to include Lisbon in this guide because, as a city, it's just so good!

Having finished runners up to Porto last season, the southern Portugese side must beat Fiorentina over two legs to get a place in Pot 2 of the August 27 draw.

Anyone who has been to both Lisbon and Porto will appreciate that it is probably a good thing that Lisbon is a possible destination in this year's group stages, as it is a far superior destination in every way.

It's generally easy to get from the North West to Lisbon than to Porto, the stadium is nicer and so is the welcome from the locals.

The Estadio Jose Alvalade looks impressive, has a world-class atmosphere and holds 50,080. The away end usually holds about 3,000 fans and is split between the upper and lower tiers at the south east corner of the ground.




And, most unusually, Sporting Lisbon sometimes sells away end tickets from its own ticket office on open sale to supporters of the other team. Hard to believe, but true.

The stadium is easy to get to by Metro 10 minutes out of the centre. There are dozens of hot dog stands with beer pumps dotted around the outside of the ground – perfect for a sunny evening game.

The city itself is brilliant. Since England fans behaved themselves at Euro 2004, the locals have offered a warm welcoming to any English fans.

While it lacks Irish bars, Lisbon is bursting with traditional Portuguesee bars serving two of the best lagers you'll ever taste – Sagres and,more soo, Superbock.
You can even take a three-hour walking guided tour of the city for just e8 – a bargain if ever there was on.

Ways to get there
To follow...

Fun factor: 9/10
Safety factor: 9/10
Bargain factor: 6/10
Convenience factor: 6/10
Score: 30/40

Champions League draw preview part 6

15 days to go

In the run up to the UEFA Champions League group stage draw on August 27 in Monaco, we will preview one of United's possible opponents each day.

AZ Aklmaar

Not only did this relatively small Dutch team lift the Eredivisie championship last season, but they did so by 11 clear points of nearest challengers Twente. Ajax and PSV barely got a look in.

It was the first time since 1981 that they'd reached the summit, so just being in the Champions League group stages is an hour.

That's not to say this handy outfit won't compete.

They are in Pot 2 of the draw and a trip to their DSB Stadion will prove a stern test for even the most experienced of opponents.

The three-year-old ground only holds 17,023 though, so an away allocation of about 1,000 tickets could be expected for an English team making the trip, sections K and L behind the goal.

That was what Newcastle were given for a UEFA cup match in March 2007.

There are no pubs anywhere near the ground and not much public transport to get to it from the town, which is a good 10-minute drive out of town.



The town itself is in the north of Holland, 30 minutes north of Amsterdam and 15 minutes from the west coast, which faces the east of the UK.

It's a small town and its biggest attraction is the traditional cheese market, which is said to offer the best and widest variety of cheese in all of Europe.

Some of you will be glad to know there's a bustling red-light district and an area packed with pubs and clubs right by the cheese market.

However, most foreign fans stay in Amsterdam and caught frequent train services to Alkmaar.

Ways to get there (prices are approximate and return)

By ferry

Hull to Rotterdam on P&O Ferries for £170 including a two-bunk cabin, taking 12 hours and then a two-hour train for £40.

Newcastle to Amsterdam on DFD Seaways for £130 including a two-bunk cabin, taking 15 hours and then a 30-minute train for £20.

Harwich in Suffolk to Amsterdam on Stena Line for £52 taking seven hours and then a 30-minute train for £20.

By train
Manchester to London in two hours 30 minutes and then London to Brussels by Eurostar followed by an intercity or 'Thalys' train onto Amsterdam. Do the whole trip in eight hours and for £90.

By plane
Manchester to Amsterdam on bmibaby and Flybe for £50
Liverpool to Amsterdam on easyJet, KLM and Air France for £70
Leeds Bradford to Amsterdam on Jet2.com, KLM and Air France for £100
Birmingham to Amsterdam on bmibaby for £80
East Midlands to Amsterdam on bmibaby for £70
London Gatwick to Amsterdam on easyJet, British Airways, Cimber Air and airBaltic for £70
London Luton to Amsterdam on easyJet for £75
London Stansted to Amsterdam on easyJet for £75
London Heathrow to Amsterdam on British Airways, bmi, Qantas and Lufthansa for £115
London City to Amsterdam on British Airways for £125
Bristol to Amsterdam on easyJet for £100
Southampton to Amsterdam on Flybe for £110
Edinburgh to Amsterdam on easyJet and Flybe for £110
Exeter to Amsterdam on Flybe for £135

and then a 30-minute train for £20

Bristol to Eindhoven on Ryanair for £10
London Stansted to Eindhoven on Ryanair for £10

then a two-hour train for £40

You can also fly to any number of other European cities and get the train onwards. These include Brussels, Duisberg and Dortmund.

Fun factor: 9/10
Safety factor: 9/10
Bargain factor: 6/10
Convenience factor: 6/10
Score: 30/40

No extra trains for Burnley match

No extra train services will be laid on for reds making their way home from the August 19 match with Burnley, Northern Rail have confirmed.


It follows supporters' concerns that they would not have enough time after the end of the match to catch the last Manchester-bound service from Burnley Central, which leaves at 21:57.


A Northern Rail spokeswoman said: "Unfortunately we do not have any additional resource to be able to run a special service for this match without seriously compromising our ability to run our normal timetabled services, which obviously have to be given priority.


"Therefore travelling fans will need to either catch the 21.57 and change at Blackburn or find alternative transport. British Transport Police are aware of the situation."


However, there are alternatives available, with National Express and The Witch Way both providing cheap buses back into Manchester after the match.


You can also book your place on The Betty Bus by emailing us at redsaway@hotmail.co.uk

A full travel and pub guide to the Burnley game can be found by clicking the link in the top left of this page.