I went to the football at Old Trafford yesterday, really enjoyed it apart from the final result of the GB game, but some good football on display, I was quite impressed by UAE, some good touches and quite a bit of pace which could cause GB some problems if they aren't as hesitant around the box. Saurez was getting booed by, I presume, Man Utd fans sat near by and then Liverpool fans started a Saurez chant everytime that happened...was quite amusing and all pretty good natured. I used the park and ride facility at Sport City and that was a breeze getting to Old Trafford from there. There was a big queue to pick up tickets but fortunately I'd given myself plenty of time, I was at the park and ride by 3pm, at Old Trafford by 3:45. Security is much tighter than at an "ordinary" game, but plenty of people telling you where to go. They were handing out small clear plastic bags for you to put contents of your pockets in, so quicker for pat down searches. If you had bigger bags you were directed to the tables around the perimeter outside where they searched them and placed into big clear bags and taped them up, you could unfasten once inside. Ticket scanning machines on the turnstiles. So all that was fine, but once again the inadequacies of UK stadium catering come to light. Firstly the range of food on offer is very limited,,,,,just pies or perhaps a pasta pot or salad box. Beer (I use the term loosely)...at £3.50 for a lukewarm can of John Smiths or Heineken. I expected far better at Old Trafford, but it's as bad as Oakwell. Even worse was when I decided to get some food at the end of the first game, they'd completely sold out! Can't they work out you've got 2 games so more people will want something to eat than if there was just 1 game. Would have been better off getting something outside but at that time I didn't want anything, So I had to wait til I was out of the stadium at 10pm to get something. Coming out of the stadium, there's a narrowing between the fence and stadium as you are following the signs to the park and ride....poor design there and an accident waiting to happen. The organisation of the P&R coming back wasn't so great either....but once a couple of police came to get the queue in order, the huge line soon went down as they starting filling buses up, and I was out of the car park pretty quickly once I'd picked up the car. Got on a bus at 10:50pm, I was home at 12:30am.
I am going on Sunday so this info is much appreciated. The security measures (although I understand why) sound quite frustrating. We're looking at being in the stadium for around four hours I should imagine so it's a shame that the catering is so poor but I will just hang on and getting something after unless I'm really desperate.
You'll be able to take in a small cool bag so I'd recommend taking some sarnies or similar. I think you are allowed to take in small quantities (i.e. obviously for own use) quantities of food. The security stuff seemed to work pretty well, much better then it sounded like in Cardiff day before. Hopefully they've learned some lessons from yesterday.
I went yesterday to Old Trafford and was in the ground for 3.30pm If you have a bag (as in ruck sack etc)you HAVE to have it checked before you get to the turnstile - there were BIG queues for the bag check. The queue for the tickets (I only bought mine 2 days before the match so had to collect at ground) at 2pm was 20 minutes - people complained of 1.5 hrs waits at 5pm. You can take "food" into the ground - i took, sandwiches, fruit, unbagged You can take 100ml plastic bottles in - the lid must be removed If you wish ...It is relatively easy to "smuggle" 100ml plastic bottle with their tops on - small children are not searched - and for adults the ground steward body search is NOT a rubber gloved full body cavity search !!! how far do you want to go. The catering looked shi* - £6 for a sausage butty ..... beers were small bottles of carlsberg - My advice - no "proper" bag - carry loose food, have a big drink of water prior to eground entry, and take a 100ml bottle of water with lid off
Ippon - I think I was queueing about 20 mins for tickets and that was about 4pm. I bought mine a week ago. Agreed that the search isn't extensive....I was holding my jacket in my outstretched hand and he didn't even check it! I just bought a couple of bottle of pop in the ground. I did like the "meal deal" advert- sausage roll and a bottle of pop for £4.30. Individually the sausage roll was £2 and the pop was £2.30!
I think I will take my own sarnies in then. The first game is New Zealand v Egypt so it might not get too full until the afternoon when it's Brazil v Belarus so there could be a bit of snap left. Not sure if I'll pay £3.50 for a can of John's though.
