Watching the Derby in Manchester

Mistertonblue · February 5, 2015

I'm in Manchester at the weekend and am seeking any - sensible - advice on irritant free public houses where I can watch the match.

Gracias.

ROBERTOMARTINEZ · February 5, 2015

Travel to Liverpool, only down the road

efcfanwirral · February 5, 2015

There are quite a few, but like anywhere it'll be 3 to 1 in the red favour so you obviously want to stay away from the dodgier ones and maybe the student areas.

First choice is Barca in Castlefield, as it isnt the most popular bar for football in the winter (its a beer garden bar really), so it wont be hugely busy. Pints aren't cheap but its the best place to watch football - the screens are exceptional quality, i rarely notice things like that but it beats a grainy projector any day.

Cons are its a bit out the city (near Deansgate tram stop). If you need to be more central give Bierkeller in the Printworks a go - loads of screens and a good atmosphere. It'll be busy. I watched the September derby there and it was literally 5 reds to 1 blue but it was so good when the Jagielka goal went in - people were so angered at my celebrations "like we'd won". Don't think I'd have got out alive if we'd scored from that free kick at the end!

Edit:
Sawyers Arms on Deansgate is the other place i'd recommend, but god knows how busy Saturday 5.30 will be, it was rammed for the Tuesday night and lunchtimes games the last two seasons.

efcfanwirral · February 5, 2015

honestly for a football city, you'd be surprised how few places there are to watch the game

efc1878efc · February 5, 2015

Any particular part of Manchester ? I live and go out here a lot. Yes im a wool

Hibbertinho · February 5, 2015

Try 'The Courtyard' just off Oxford Road... they have a load of screens (and minimal replica shirt wearers of a red persuasion).

Mikey_Fitzgerald · February 5, 2015

The Footage on Oxford Road should be alright

I watched a Derby, while wearing colours, there without incident a few years back

efcfanwirral · February 5, 2015

I was going to say Courtyard, used to live round the corner, the only problem is that its right in the student area so the amount of reds will be down to who the students from this year's intake support, and it might be more of a place for banging music for people to get ready for a night out with incidental football on at that time on a Saturday night. Same for footage.

Bierkeller and Sawyers are probably the only places that'll have dedicated football on out of the ones suggested by any of us so far! Hadn't thought of that

Mikey_Fitzgerald · February 5, 2015

Norwegian Blue in The Printworks will no doubt have it on as well

Watched matches there before and it's been fine

Brennan · February 5, 2015

efcfanwirral said:
There are quite a few, but like anywhere it'll be 3 to 1 in the red favour so you obviously want to stay away from the dodgier ones and maybe the student areas.

First choice is Barca in Castlefield, as it isnt the most popular bar for football in the winter (its a beer garden bar really), so it wont be hugely busy. Pints aren't cheap but its the best place to watch football - the screens are exceptional quality, i rarely notice things like that but it beats a grainy projector any day.

Cons are its a bit out the city (near Deansgate tram stop). If you need to be more central give Bierkeller in the Printworks a go - loads of screens and a good atmosphere. It'll be busy. I watched the September derby there and it was literally 5 reds to 1 blue but it was so good when the Jagielka goal went in - people were so angered at my celebrations "like we'd won". Don't think I'd have got out alive if we'd scored from that free kick at the end!

Edit:
Sawyers Arms on Deansgate is the other place i'd recommend, but god knows how busy Saturday 5.30 will be, it was rammed for the Tuesday night and lunchtimes games the last two seasons.

Manchester pubs will be 3 to 1 in favour of Liverpool ? I don't think so tbh. Manc fans of either persuasion would want us to win.

efcfanwirral · February 5, 2015

Brennan said:
Manchester pubs will be 3 to 1 in favour of Liverpool ? I don't think so tbh. Manc fans of either persuasion would want us to win.

Ah yes i forgot about the neutrals! I was just talking about straight up fans of both

TheodoreDonaldKerabatsos · February 5, 2015

Some truly horrendous suggestions in here.

Tib St Tavern (probably the best place in town for sport) and Montpelliers are both very good options.

Steer clear of anything Printworks, absolute hole.

Courtyard and Footage are OK if you want to be surrounded by students.

efcfanwirral · February 5, 2015

TheodoreDonaldKerabatsos said:
Some truly horrendous suggestions in here.

Tib St Tavern (probably the best place in town for sport) and Montpelliers are both very good options.

Steer clear of anything Printworks, absolute hole.

Courtyard and Footage are OK if you want to be surrounded by students.

I know what your saying about print works but I've always found bierkeller to be really good for watching football though 5.30 is around the crossover time to the absolute cretins of this local area coming out from their holes in the suburbs.

eddy · February 5, 2015

The aussie bar is ok, cheap beer just off Deansgate, think its quay st. Cheap beer and big screen and the Mancs want us to win as like everybody else hate the dirty kopites!