Entertainment event announced for Rome

Pete Boyle, Primal Scream's Mani and red legends are inviting you to join the red party in Rome at a special two-day party.

FergieFields, which will run on Tuesday May 26 and Wednesday May 27, has camping room for 1,000 tents in a fenced off enclosure manned by a security firm.

As well as showing the match on two big screens, there will be lots of other entertainment as part of the event to mark the 10th anniversary of the UEFA Champions League success in Barcelona and it being 100 years since the birth of Sir Matt Busby.

There will good food, pints of lager for e3, hot showers and three huge tents just in case it rains.

It all takes place at Spazio Roma, Viale Tor di Quinto 57, which is a 20-minute walk to the stadium and a brief stroll from the nearest Metro, Tor di Quinto.

One night's sleeping costs £25 per person. Two night's costs £35 per person. That includes entertainment.

Entertainment-only passes costs £12. Book here.

Fans' group publishes Rome guide

Independent fans group the Football Supporters' Federation has published a handy guide for fans for Rome.

You can visit it here or click on the link in the left-hand menu of this blog.

The FSF have also said they hope to have a fans' embassy in Rome should reds get into any difficulties during their trip. Negotiations are ongoing with the Italian authorities with a view to setting one up.

The exact location has yet to be announced, but the FSF said you will be able to contact them 24 hours a day on +44 7956 12131 if you need their urgent help while in Rome.

Wigan away travel and pub guide

Wigan
JJB Stadium
Barclays Premier League
Wednesday May 13
Kick off 20:00

Tickets

Out of a capacity of 25,135, United have got 4,000 tickets in the North Stand. This stand holds 5,378 supporters.

Tickets are priced at £27.50 for adults and £19.75 for over 65s and under 16s.
All tickets have been sold and posted out.

There are still tickets left for the home end, but Wigan have said they will only be on sale to people who have a history of buying tickets in the Wigan home end. They are priced between £27.50 and £29.50.

TV
The match will be shown live on Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 1HD. The programme started at 19:30 and ends at 22:15.

Weather
There will probably be some light rain during the match. The temperature will be around 10C (50F).



Travel

Car
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
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
The journey between Manchester Victoria and Wigan Wallgate (pictured left and below) takes about 38 minutes and is direct.

You'll have absolutely no problem getting to the game, as trains run every 10 to 15 minutes throughout the day.

But on the way back there are only three trains back to Manchester.

Option 1:
Leave Wigan Wallgate: 21:55
Arrive Manchester Victoria: 22:34

Option 2:
Leave Wigan Wallgate: 22:27
Arrive Manchester Victoria: 23:13

Option 3:
Leave Wigan Wallgate: 22:55
Arrive Manchester Victoria: 23:37

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

Turn right out of Wigan Wallgate 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.

Pubs
The most obvious choice - especially for a midweek game - the JJB Soccerdome bar which is right in between the away-end entrance and the away fans' car 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 - again, perfect for a night game.

But if you're catching the train, you might want a pint in the town centre. Definitely avoid The Brunels, which is next door to Wigan Wallgate station.

Police (unsurprisingly) hang around outside and the staff have been known to frown on away supporters and singing of any kind.

Instead, walk down Wallgate 20 yards and call into 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.

Foreign office creates Rome travel advice page

The Government is aiming to keep reds travelling to Rome updated with useful information ahead of their trip.

They have created this web page and are urging supporters to check it regularly.

If you don't want to, we'll do it for you and pick out the best bits and publish them here.

Meanwhile, the Football Supporters' Federation has said it will set up a fans' embassy in Rome to help United fans with problems or questions during their visit.

Its website has lots of useful information about Rome and the stadium.

However, we will bring you a 16-page colour guide tailor made for United fans going to Rome, available to download in a PDF file seven days before the match.

Printed copies will also be made available. Email redsaway@hotmail.co.uk with a postal address if you want one.

Rome ticket cards will hold personal data

Today, United said: "Tickets for the game will be access cards which will be linked to the details that are provided in the travel report.

"The in-design tickets will be similar to the season ticket access cards and will contain [the personal details] of the supporter.

"According to UEFA, entry to the stadium will only be permitted on production of the ticket and a valid identity document with photograph.

"Supporters are advised to have their passport with them at the game as proof of identity.

"It is imperative that supporters quote the details of the travelling supporter’s passport when completing the travel report."

Our reaction:

Don't panic.

It is naive to think that 70,000 people using the tickets will be the ones who bought them.

Even out of the 19,500 United end tickets, there will be thousands of people with genuine reasons why the ticket is being held by the person other than the one referred to in the travel report.

Following this system of rigorous checks would require hours and would impractical in the run up to kick off.

Besides, many hotels hold on to your passport for security reasons or for safe keeping during your stay. Supporters may not feel comfortable carrying them around town.

And also, supporters were told beforehand they would not get access to the San Siro stadium when United played Inter Milan earlier this season. That never materialised.

Fans were also warned of strict security in Moscow, which was much more relaxed than stated.

As above - don't panic.

Keep checking our travel guide below for updates and feel to send in your questions to redsaway@hotmail.co.uk

Rome travel guide

Note: this page will be continously updated for the rest of the week. Please check back for updates.

United v Barcelona
Olympic Stadium, Rome
Champions League final
Wednesday May 27, kick off 8.45pm CET

Tickets

Stadium capacity: 66,044
Public ballot: 10,000. These have already been distributed.
Barcelona allocation: 19,544
UEFA football family: 17,000
United allocation: 19,500. These cost £65, £83, £128 or £183, depending on the seat location

United fans will occupy the north side of the stadium, better known as Curva Nord.

People can apply from 8am on Wednesday until 8am on May 12.

Executive members and season ticket holders who have been to all domestic and European home cup games this season can apply online.


The more Champions League away games you applied for, the higher your chance of getting a ticket.

Payment will be taken from May 12 to May 14 and ballot results will be announced from 8am on May 15.

Those with tickets must send a travel report to United by 8am on May 17

All tickets must be collected in person from Old Trafford from May 18.

Travel

Rome has two airports. Fiumicino (FCO) and Ciampino (CIA)

The Rome police are likely to sanction one airport for United and the other for Barcelona.

Both will be hurrendously busy on the day of the game, and so some organised tours may instead fly to Pescara Airport, which is two hours by coach to Rome.

Organised trips to game

These will be offered by: Travelcare Sports on behalf of Manchester United, Champion Sport Travel, Miss Ellies Travel, Low Cost Sport

Travelcare Sports

On behalf of United, they are running seven trips. They are inviting fans to register interest in three of them now. They are:

An executive two-day trip
A two-day trip
An executive day stop.

One United members can now book places on four other trips. They are:

A day trip
A two-day trip
A three-day trip
A four-day trip.

Prices are unclear at this stage.

Miss Ellie Travel
They are offering day stops and a two-day stop.

Day trip Option One - £495
Fly from either Luton or Birmingham to Rome
Transfers to and from the stadium

Day trip Option Two - £529
Fly from Manchester to Rome
Transfers to and from the stadium

Two-day trip - £669
Fly from Manchester to Rome
Two nights' accommodation
Transfers to and from the stadium

Book here or by calling 0161 228 7263


Champion Sport Tours

They are offering a day trip, three seperate two-day trips and one three-day trip.

Day trip - £450

Flights will leave Manchester. Luton and Birmingham between 04:00-07:00
Latest match ending 23:30
Flights will leave FCO/CIA/Pescara between 02:30 and 06:00.

Two-day trip Option One - £689

Tuesday May 26
AM: Fly from Manchester to FCO/CIA/Pescara
PM: Check in to three and four-star hotel in central Rome, stay for two nights

Thursday May 28
PM: Fly from FCO/CIA/Pescara to Manchester

Two-day trip Option Two - £639

Tuesday May 26
AM: Fly from Manchester to FCO/CIA/Pescara
PM: Check in to three and four-star hotel in suburbs of Rome - six miles out of the centre - stay for two nights
There are occasional free coach transfers into the centre. Taxis cost e25 each way, though the hotel will be close to a Metro stop.

Thursday May 28
PM: Fly from FCO/CIA/Pescara to Manchester
Two-day trip Option Three

Two-day trip Option Three - £699

Tuesday May 26
AM: Fly from Manchester to FCO/CIA/Pescara
PM: Check in to a four-star hotel in Ostia on the coast - 30 miles out of the centre - stay for two nights
Trains run to Rome every 10 minutes and take 45 minutes. Taxis cost e55.

Thursday May 28
PM: Fly from FCO/CIA/Pescar to Manchester

Three-day trip - £749 for a standard room and £799 for a superior room

Bank Holiday Monday May 25
Fly from Manchester to FCO/CIA/Pescara
Check in to four-star hotel in the Bay of Naples - two-and-a-half hours away from Rome.

Tuesday May 26
Optional boat visit to the Isle of Capri, the ancient Pompeii or Sorrento.

Wednesday May 27
9am: Coach to Rome
After the match: Coach back to the hotel

Thursday May 28
Fly from FCO/CIA/Pescara to Manchester

Low Cost Sport
Is running day trips, a two-night trip, a three-night trip and a coach trip.

Coach trip - £249

Bank Holiday Monday May 25
6am: Leave Manchester. Pick up passengers at the following motorway junctions:

Knutsford, Keele and Hilton Park on the M6, Frankly on the M5, Warwich and Oxford on the M40, Junctios 12 and 7 of the M25 and Clacket Lane on the M11.

Tuesday May 26
13.50am: Arrive Rome

Homebound details not yet released.

Day trip One - £450

Leave Manchester: 08:00
Arrive Rome: 11:40
Transfers to and from stadium
Leave Rome: 02:30
Arrive Manchester: 04:00

Day trip Two - £450

Leave London Gatwick: 05:00
Arrive Rome: 08:00
Transfers to and from stadium
Leave Rome: 01:30
Arrive London Gatwick: 02:45

Day trip Three- £450

Leave London Luton: 07:10
Arrive Rome: 10:35
Transfers to and from stadium
Leave Rome: 03:45
Arrive London Luton: 05:20

Day trip Four - £450

Leave Glasgow: 05:00
Arrive Rome: 08:20
Transfers to and from stadium
Leave Rome: 03:30
Arrive Glasgow: 04:50

Two-night stay Option One - £679

Tuesday May 26
09:00 Fly from Manchester
12:45 Arrive in Rome

Check in to one of five three-star superior hotels.

Thursday May 28
16:00 Fly from Rome
17:30 Arrive in Manchester

Two-night stay Option Two - £649
Tuesday May 26
07:00 Fly from Manchester
1o:45 Arrive in Rome

Check in to one of four three-star hotels or a four-star hotel.

Thursday May 28
22:30 Fly from Rome
00:00 Arrive in Manchester

Two-night stay Option Three - £679
Tuesday May 26
07:00 Fly from London Gatwick
1o:35 Arrive in Rome

Check in to one of five three-star superior hotels.

Thursday May 28
12:50 Fly from Rome
16:25 Arrive in London Gatwick

Three-night stay - £749

Bank Holiday Monday, May 25
09:00 Fly from Manchester
12:30 Arrive Rome

Check in to one of two three-star superior hotels or a four-star superior hotel.

Wednesday May 27
Transfers to and and from the stadium

Thursday May 28
15:00 Fly from Rome
16:00 Arrive Manchester


Independent travel
There are deals on offer ranging from two-day trips to seven-day trips.
The general rule is: the longer you go for, the cheaper flights will be (but obviously, accommodation will be more expensive).
　
Car - £460
Some groups are planning to travel down to Rome from Manchester. It would take 19 hours of continuous driving each way and cost about £175 in petrol, £40 in toll costs and £18 in road tax each way.
http://www.greenflag.com/routeplanning

Hull ballot results due out today

Reds who applied for tickets for the match at Hull on Sunday May 24 can find out today if they have got them.

United have got 2,450 tickets in the North Stand for the last match of the season, priced at £24.50 for adults, £14.50 for over 65s and under 16s.
Find out online if you have a ticket.

A full travel guide will follow later today.