Storm to sheikh-up stadium

MANCHESTER CITY’S desert sheik is ready to plough a slice of his fortune into an ice hockey team.

Already Abu Dhabi-based sports-mad magnate Sheik Mansour has transformed the footballing landscape in this country with his £1billion-plus investment in Premier League leaders City.

Now he is prepared to support Elite Ice Hockey League side Manchester Storm, whose ambitions are being restricted by playing their games in a modest 2,440-capacity stadium in neighbouring Altrincham.

‘Skate’ Mansour, together with Manchester Council, are looking at building a new bigger venue for the Storm, who once attracted crowds of almost 20,000 in the 1990s – a British record turnout.

But those halcyon days soon faded with less than 2,000 turning up at their final game at the Manchester Arena before the club folded through financial problems in 2002.

Two years ago they reformed, basing themselves in the Altrincham Ice Dome, having been accepted back into the Elite League.

Now thanks to Sheikh Mansour eagerly following the sport in the Middle East their fortunes are set to change.

He was informed of their plight while watching an ice hockey game in Abu Dhabi and quickly offered to help.

With the financial backing of Mansour and the local council, a new venue is on the cards to be built in the Sport City complex which also encompasses Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium and the surrounding Campus, with its various training pitches and learning centres.

If plans are approved a state-ofthe-art ice dome will sit alongside other impressive sporting stadia which include the velodrome, home of British cycling, the National Squash Centre, a tennis centre and an athletics track.

A Storm insider told People Sport: “We’re having a fantastic time at the moment – the club is back up and running but we need a bigger venue.

“We’re regularly selling out at Altrincham and some of our fans are missing out.

“There is talk about a new home being built around the Etihad complex.

“There are loads of sports already there and it would be great if ice hockey could join them.

“We hear that Sheikh Mansour is a big ice hockey fan attending games in his own country and has been made aware of our predicament.

“Wouldn’t it be great if we could have a new stadium right on his Manchester City doorstep?”

Sheikh Mansour (below) has always been a huge sports fan.

In addition to watching football and ice hockey, he is keen on horse racing, basketball, volleyball and handball.

Now he is anxious to increase his sporting influence around the world, already illustrated by his purchase of more football clubs linked with Manchester City.

New York City FC and Melbourne FC have given the Mansour football portfolio a truly international look.

Now he has other sports in mind as he explores ways of making an impact with his personal fortune estimated at around £35bn.