Whilst staying up in Manchester I was keen to watch one of the region's footballing giants.
Unfortunately I was a day too late to attend Salford City's 8-goal thriller against Leeds Under 21's in the Papa John's Trophy, so had to make do with Man City.
I've never seen a Champions League fixture before, so was happy to pick up a ticket to watch City take on Club Brugge for an unexpected bargain price.
Walking through the city centre at lunchtime the Brugge supporters were already assembling outside Sinclair's on Shambles Square...
Obviously Belgium is short of good beer so they're making the most of the Sam Smiths while they can.
With all the great traditional pubs in Manchester, trust me to head to a converted shipping container under the Mancunian Way.
Next to the Metropolitan Uni is Hatch, a collective of bars and eateries with live music and DJs.
ÖL Nano Brewery & Bar (Unit 2, Hatch, Oxford Road, Manchester, M1 7ED)
Well, it originally housed a nano-brewery, but that seems to have disappeared, leaving a minimalist craft bar with 8 beers advertised on the blackboard.
I picked the strongest - naturally - Rivington 'Army of Darkness', roped in by the Evil Dead Halloween theme and the fact that I can't resist a good imperial stout. And very good it was too.
I decided to ask Retired Martin for a pre-match pub recommendation, being as he's a 21-22 City season ticket holder and has been to a pub or two.
"The Bulls Head for your Marston's fix or Port Street Beer House for 8% craft", he said.
So that's exactly what I did.
There were a decent number of folk in the Bulls Head, keeping the bar staff pulling pints at a fair rate of knots.
I guess that what I've come to consider as 'busy' in the past 16-months is having to wait while one other person is served before me. I had to wait my turn behind several people in the Bulls, although I imagine it's shoulder-to-shoulder on a match-day normally.
I picked the Thwaites 'Wainwright' solely on the basis that 3-pints of it had been pulled in the past minute.
And it was lovely.
It made me realise just how often I've been served a dull pint of this - when it's fresh and getting a good turn-over it's a fine beer.
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| Still trying to work out what's being marketed as 'Stickylicious' just behind my pint |
I managed to grab a stool at the bar and took in the general hubbub of conversation which was probably all about Man City players I've never heard of.
Lovely pub, pleasant atmosphere, and well-kept beer - good recommendation.
Port Street Beer House (39-41 Port Street, Manchester, M1 2EQ - web)
The first time I visited this bar, when it was relatively new, it had very little competition in the area. Not so now, with a plethora of craft ale bars and revitalised boozers nearby.
But the Port Street Beer House is still a good'un. Seven cask ales from breweries including Mallinson's and Kirkstall and Fallen Acorn whose 5.8% oatmeal stout 'Sith Faced' was my pick.
But the Port Street Beer House is still a good'un. Seven cask ales from breweries including Mallinson's and Kirkstall and Fallen Acorn whose 5.8% oatmeal stout 'Sith Faced' was my pick.
So, not quite the 8% craft this time, but I knew I shouldn't even look at the keg list, otherwise I'd be in danger of being late for the football.
Leaving the Port Street Beer House, it was a 25-minute amble toward the Etihad.
I was a bit uncertain of directions at first, but gradually reached streets with obvious footy fans walking along them, until I was part of the crowds heading along Ashton New Road.
I negotiated the electronic ticketing at the turnstiles - shame, I like a paper ticket as a souvenir, but I guess I'm now very retro.
Then out onto the stands, my seat being on the front row of the third tier.
To my left a pre-match (and half time) DJ, spinning all your fave indie rock classics like the nineties never ended.
To my right, the Brugge fans who'd made the trip, who made a fair bit of noise but only managed to elicit much reaction from the City fans with their wind-up rendition of 'You'll Never Walk Alone'.
I'm not gonna even try to describe anything that happened in the match - I tried to do that on a post from a German football trip some time back and it didn't go well.
Suffice to say that City won 4-1 and made pretty easy work of it, on the whole.
And, my, wasn't there a lot of Oasis booming out of the stadium PA?!
I was a bit uncertain of directions at first, but gradually reached streets with obvious footy fans walking along them, until I was part of the crowds heading along Ashton New Road.
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| Nope. I preferred Maine Road. |
Then out onto the stands, my seat being on the front row of the third tier.
To my left a pre-match (and half time) DJ, spinning all your fave indie rock classics like the nineties never ended.
To my right, the Brugge fans who'd made the trip, who made a fair bit of noise but only managed to elicit much reaction from the City fans with their wind-up rendition of 'You'll Never Walk Alone'.
Suffice to say that City won 4-1 and made pretty easy work of it, on the whole.
A distinctly unimaginative range of four pale beers of similar strength in the Bull's Head. :-(
ReplyDeleteIf you look closely you can see me on the left at the far end of the stadium. So you had the blue ticker tape and the big ship below you then ? Never sat there.
ReplyDeleteYou've made Hatch, I haven't yet.