COME ON ENGLAND!
CROWDS TO FLOCK INTO CITY FOR WORLD CUP EPIC/
THE eyes of Manchester will be on Moscow tonight as England play in their first World Cup semi-final in nearly 30 years.
The city’s streets will fall silent as the Three Lions take on Croatia in the Russian capital.
Pubs will be full and sofas will be packed as footy fans cheer on Gareth Southgate’s men.
More than 8,000 tickets for the screening of the match at Castlefield Bowl in Manchester city centre sold out in just 10 minutes on Monday evening. Some are already being flogged for up to £100 – much to the annoyance of those who missed out.
Bosses at Manchester council and Auto Trader, who have organised the event, have also voiced their disappointment.
Bowlers in Trafford Park will also screen the match to 3,000 people.
The venue has decided to branch out into football after previous big events around music, food and drink, and sci-fi.
Meanwhile, in the shadows of Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium, Hotel Football is planning to show the match on a big screen.
Victoria Warehouse in Trafford will screen the match for 3,000 people and the Albert Hall on Peter Street in Manchester will take in 2,250 people.
Thousands are also expected to gather in and around the Printworks and Peter Street bar Impossible to cheer on England.
Manchester council’s city centre spokesman, Pat Karney, said touting of the free Castlefield Bowl tickets was ‘sickening’ – and that town hall officers were working to identify those trying to make money from the event. He said: “It’s sickening that people would try to scam football fans over free tickets. “This should be a celebration of our national team, not a way to make a cheap buck. We are doing what we can to try and find out who these people are, but I would urge those who want to see the game not to be taken in by these crooks.”