A City That Lives for Football

I arrived in Manchester both times by train. That pleasure of getting to know cities while the train slowly enters the outskirts is something that has always fascinated me. It has the charm of those old journeys when people traveled into uncertainty without maps and pinned locations we “must” visit.

My first encounter with the city was filled with some strange, raw energy. Without grand announcements or theatricality. Just a city living by its own rhythm. Old brick buildings constructed during the time when industrialization shaped Manchester. Manchester is not a city with postcard beauty that instantly makes you pull out your phone and post stories. But it has something much stronger. A soul and an atmosphere that intoxicates you as you walk its streets.

MANCHESTER CATHEDRAL AND OLD PUBS

Around the old cathedral, Manchester feels completely different. Stone buildings, narrow streets, and pubs that look as if they haven’t changed their interiors in centuries. This is where you best feel the British spirit of the city and the story no guidebook can truly convey.

Pubs are half of the Manchester experience! Without them, this city, like many others in England, would hardly exist! This is where matches are watched, life stories are told, people meet, and the real energy of the city is felt. Old wood, the smell of beer, music, and noise… Sometimes it is enough just to sit and observe the atmosphere around you.

In one small pub just behind the main street, a bearded bartender puts down a pint of beer and asks where I am from. When he heard “Montenegro,” he nodded. He knew our national football teams had met a few times. Of course, he also knew about our Joveta, who spent two seasons wearing the “Citizens” jersey.

I visited The Old Wellington Inn, one of the oldest pubs in Manchester. It survived centuries and was badly damaged in the IRA bombing in 1996. After restoration and relocation during the city center reconstruction, it once again became one of the most popular places for beer and football lovers. Inside — the smell of old wood, people watching matches on TV and shouting. I felt as if time had not changed.

I ate and drank, enjoyed music late into the night, and was as happy as a little child!

NORTHERN QUARTER — A NEIGHBORHOOD WITH SOUL

Now this is the Manchester that stays in your mind. Graffiti on the walls, small cafés, vintage shops, music echoing from bars, and people who are not trying to be cool — they simply are.

The Northern Quarter is where I felt the true pulse of the city. This neighborhood has an authentic atmosphere, with street art at every corner, giving the area its unique identity. While wandering through the streets, looking into unusual shop windows and thrift stores, I also came across local markets where you could find everything from strange plants and animals to second-hand goods and unofficial merchandise.

Step by step, I eventually reached the home of the “Citizens,” the famous Etihad Stadium!

A RIVALRY THAT NEVER ENDS

I visited the Etihad to learn about City’s history, but I was met with a rather modest museum exhibition. The history of the “Citizens” does not overflow with trophies like that of their city rivals!

Manchester is a city of football. Not only because it is home to United and City, but also because it hosts the National Football Museum. It is a place lovers of the world’s most important secondary thing never skip.

I entered the museum expecting to see a few trophies and old jerseys, but I left feeling as if I had walked through the complete history of the world’s most popular sport. At every step there were stories about great matches, legendary players, and moments that changed football forever. What especially caught my attention were the original jerseys, old trophies, and exhibits showing how the game developed from humble beginnings into a global phenomenon. Even if you are not a passionate football fan, this is a place that reminds you why this game connects people all around the world and inspires such passion on every continent.

THE MAGIC OF OLD TRAFFORD

The highlight of the entire Manchester trip, however, was match day. A true English football day that begins hours before the referee’s first whistle. The city completely changes rhythm then. Pubs are full from the morning. Red jerseys everywhere. Everyone talks only about football. Everyone heads toward the stadium.

Anyone lucky enough to watch a match at Old Trafford is a happy man!

I am not a fan of the “Red Devils,” but I truly love football. So imagine my excitement when more than seventy thousand people in the stadium chanted for their beloved club.

West Ham visited United that cold Sunday afternoon. By the end of the match, the “Hammers” goalkeeper from London had picked the ball out of the net three times. Every goal scored by the “Red Devils” sent the stands into delirium. At the end, the fans escorted their heroes to the locker room with frantic applause and chanting. After the match, I went to a nearby pub to celebrate the victory with the supporters late into the night!

The next day I was leaving for London, so I wanted to say goodbye to Manchester in great style!

With the hope that I will visit this city at least one more time!

GLORIOUS HISTORY AT THE “THEATRE OF DREAMS”

Old Trafford is not just a stadium. It is a temple of football. And everyone who has had the chance to step foot in the Theatre of Dreams realizes that the moment they arrive.

There is something special about this place. Something you cannot explain with trophies, capacity, or fame. It feels more like stepping into a piece of football history that is still alive. And the United museum?!? Honestly, it was one of those moments when you realize football is much more than a game.

As I walked through rooms filled with old photographs, jerseys, balls, and trophies, I had the feeling that the football history of one of the world’s most decorated clubs was unfolding before my eyes.

And there is so much to see that I would need an entire separate feature just for that.

The famous Busby Babes generation tragically killed in Munich. The era of Sir Alex Ferguson. Global legends and local heroes. What a constellation of football titans! Here you truly feel how United went through highs and lows, yet never lost its identity.