Watching a game at Old Trafford – all you need to know!

When we hear about English football, there’s always a team that goes hand in hand with it – Manchester United. One of the most revered clubs globally, Manchester United is the stronghold that knits English football together.

Founded in 1874 as Newtown Heath, the team is nicknamed the “Red Devils” and has been a dominant force in the sport for the longest of times. In 1902, the club was named Manchester United, and they moved to the current stadium Old Trafford in 1910.

Nicknamed as the “The Theatre of Dreams,” Old Trafford speaks of volumes of history and rich tradition associated with the red shirts. Despite their recent lackluster form, the club has won the most trophies in English club football to date, including a record of 20 league titles.

The other triumphs include 12 FA Cup titles, 5 English League Cups, and a record of 21 FA Community Shields. Manchester United has risen to European fame, winning the UEFA Champions League on three occasions. They’ve also bagged the UEFA Europa League, the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, the Intercontinental Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup.

The success of the Red Devils is credited to legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson who took the club from an ordinary outfit to an extraordinary one. Ferguson was the club’s longest-serving manager and the most successful manager across England, winning 38 trophies that included 13 league titles, 5 FA Cups, and two UEFA Champions League titles.

Manchester United is the second-most supported football club worldwide, behind Real Madrid. The blend of football that Manchester displayed for years and the extravagant ambassadors they’ve built for the sport has kept fans close to the club, even at distressing times. Buying a Manchester United ticket is a dream for the millions of fans that rally behind the team every season.

As the name sounds, the Theatre of Dreams is a place where dreams do come true. Several greats have donned this red jersey and ended up becoming great, and David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, and Cristiano Ronaldo are a few of the long list of greats produced by the club.

Club Overview: 

Home ground: Old Trafford

Address: Sir Matt Busby Way, Old Trafford, Stretford, Manchester M16 0RA, United Kingdom

Phone: +44 161 676 7770 

Club colors: Red

Club Captain: Bruno Fernandes 

Club Manager: Ralf Rangnick 

Current league position: 5th

Expected finish: 4th 

Team Performance

The Manchester United side has a season to forget this year. Despite a great start, the team continued to end with disappointing performances week after week.

The irregular performances by the side saw the exit of club manager ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the management seeking out German manager Ralf Rangnick for the remainder of the season.

Manchester kicked off their season in style, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival was the icing on the cake. With everything set for glory, United failed miserably. They’ve lost out to all of their major rivals this season and currently have just 11 wins out of the 23 games they’ve played.

Currently, Manchester United plays in the following tournaments:

Premier League

UEFA Champions League – Round of 16

Tournaments knocked out: 

FA Cup – knocked out in the 4th round

EFL Cup – knocked out in the third round 

Despite the performances, the team is never short of fan support. You will never find a match without a packed house at Old Trafford, and this shows the competition to purchase Manchester United tickets.

The fans of United understand that this is the time to stay with the club, and they’ve constantly been turning up for games, despite the result not favoring the side on most occasions.

Finding your way to Old Trafford

The stadium in Manchester is easily accessible in many ways. If you are a Manchester United ticket holder, there are many ways to get to the stadium on time to indulge in the pre-match festivities before proceeding to the grounds.

Here’s a quick brief: 

Train: Old Trafford station is situated within a five-minute walk to the ground.

Bus: The Trafford line is now open and stops at the Imperial War Museum and Wharfside – both a short walk to the ground. Buses are waiting shortly after the game to get you home.

Taxi: If you are traveling to Old Trafford by taxi, the postcode M16 0RA can come in handy. There are taxis available from any region, and finding Old Trafford isn’t tricky. From the Manchester airport, a taxi will be roughly £35.

By bicycle: There are freecycle racks available at Old Trafford in the N2, E2, and W2 car parks, and the club requires you to secure the bikes only on the authorized cycle racks.

By car: Compared to other stadiums, Old Trafford has decent parking spaces for the fans, and you are expected to book your parking slots in advance to avoid disappointments. But you’ll need to arrive early.

The Stands – where to sit

When choosing Manchester United tickets, you have several options. The Old Trafford categories are divided into the classic Long-side / Short-side – Upper-tier / Lower tier categories, along with VIP areas and plenty of Executive boxes (Salford Suite, Manchester Suite, 500 clubs).

Each block starts with a letter, followed by 2 or 3 digits. For example, E239 refers to the block located on the East Stand, second tier, block 39. 

The stands

The Sir Alex Ferguson Stand  the largest of the four stands, standing three tiers high, hosts up to 26,000 supporters. The stand is named after Manchester United’s long-serving manager, Sir Alex Ferguson.

The Sir Bobby Charlton Stand  is home to most of the ground’s executive suites and often hosts any VIP guests to the stadium. The Stand is single-tiered and is also the location of the television cameras. The stand has a capacity of about 9,400 seats.

The West Stand – Formerly known as The Stretford End, hosts the most loyal Manchester United fans and is a double-tiered structure that can hold just over 14,000 fans.

The East Stand – has two tiers and hosts around 13,300 people. It is the stand that away supporters are placed in and is also the home of the club’s disabled supporters. 

Purchasing Manchester United tickets

Every year, thousands of fans rally around to purchase one out of the 76,000 Manchester United tickets at Old Trafford to watch their team play. A few make their dream a reality, and a majority often lose out.

Regardless of the performances, Manchester United fans are always loyal to their clubs, and getting a Manchester United ticket is still one of the trickiest tasks. Ticket prices for games played at the Theatre of Dreams depend entirely on the competition and the opponent.

European competitions such as the UEFA Champions League tickets will be costly, but thanks to Seatsnet, any fan could quickly access a United game with a few taps.

Seatsnet, The largest ticketing destination dedicated to sport and music events across the globe, the platform simplifies getting a ticket.

You will find a list of authorized sellers and their sales history when you filter out based on the game and the tournament. Next, you see the available options, and you could make your choices based on the type of seat you are looking for.

Once completed, you could receive your tickets by email or by hand based on the ticket. All sellers on the platform are verified and go through a series of security checks to ensure that buyers receive authentic tickets and receive the opportunity to watch Manchester United play at Old Trafford.

The goal even with Seatsnet is always to plan early – figure out the dates on which you want to be at Old Trafford and search for options.

Also, don’t lose hope if you didn’t find a suitable ticket on the first attempt. Watch the space regularly, and you’ll soon discover a user with a ticket that fits you.