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Five good reasons to visit the National Football Museum

If you are in Manchester and do not know what to do, here is a very valid reason

Five good reasons to visit the National Football Museum If you are in Manchester and do not know what to do, here is a very valid reason

There are different opinions about the city of Manchester: who prefer it to other English cities, London above all, because it's cool and less chaotic, who (still today the majority) continues to consider it as one of the most sad of the whole English soil, grey in every sense. It's true that it rains at least 140 days a year and that the winter is extremely cold, but the old Mancunia also has great strengths: Oasis' music for example, and the two among the most rich and prestigious football team in the world. The morning after Manchester United-Juventus, the city offers not much to see and the National Football Museum is the ideal place for those, passionate about football at 360 degrees like us, want to spend a couple of hours before lunch. But do not be fooled by the premise, it's a well-known place in the UK: the National Football Museum is the official museum of the English National team and was inaugurated in 2001, but is in Manchester only since 2012, after being transferred from Preston's Deepdale. Why it's so important? First of all because inside you try to know why football is 'the people's game' and England is the home of football. So, push by curiosity, we went for a ride with great pleasure, also because getting there was a moment and because is free entry, even if a spontaneous donation is well accepted. There are also some Juventus fans who are still in town, even if the real flow was the day before our visit, as the National Football Museum was chosen (what a very good idea!) as a venue for the distribution of tickets to fans from Italy. Between a gem and another, we decided to select the five reasons (but in the end maybe they were even more) so it was really worthy.

 

The graphics of Bands F.C.

On the ground floor, immediately after the entrance, there's a large space dedicated to the graphics of Bands F.C.. If you've never heard about it before, it's an English collective that last July had the brilliant idea of ​​mixing football and music, creating original football team's logos with the names of famous bands. Now that they have exceeded 400 badges, it was time for them to exhibit them in a right place. These collector's items are also on sale in the store at the end of the trail.

 

Listen to old commentary

One of the things we liked the most was the opportunity to listen to a tide of old commentaries, thanks to the support of the huge BBC Sport archive. Yes, there are two big computers equipped with headphones, thanks to which it's possible to go back in time: the FA Cup final in 1953, the final between Manchester United and Benfica in 1968, the Northampton goal with which they eliminated Liverpool in the 2010 League Cup and many other famous commentaries. But in addition to the categories 'classic', 'funny' and 'milestones' you can also directly select your favorite team. And it's not a problem if you want to listen to something from Accrington Stanley or Tranmere United because there's not just Premier League material, but also some about lower divisions.

 

Over 1400 memorabilia

The second floor is a continuous dip in the memories of English football, but not only. From the leather balls used in the last century to the South African vuvuzelas, from the special collections from Euro 1996 to exclusive pics by David Beckham and George Best. It's an immense container: there's a huge box dedicated to the old trophies, and then still spaces to the history of the National Three Lions and the most famous badges of the English teams. It's full of memorabilia and unique stuffs, but most of the attractions are modern and technological. Between a documentary on Bradford's fire and an immense painting about Eric Cantona (Michael Browne's The Art of The Game), there is also a collection of Colin Yates' portraits of black footballers called 'The Black Looks' and a small corner dedicated to the shirts of Classic Football Shirts.

 

Even the children have fun

Do not be afraid to take your children with you: in the open space in front of the structure there's an area dedicated to games for the kids but inside the situation is even more appealing: there are many interactive quizzes that, to be honest, also encourage more adults. And then on the third floor there is also a special area that contains many old games of the past, well preserved.

 

'The Game'

Perhaps the most interesting part of the whole building is on the top floor. It's a permanent exhibition that will be open until next March and is simply called 'The Game': 55 beautiful shots by Stuart Roy Clarke. 30 years dedicated to photographing fields, grandstands, famous people and not related to the world of English football. It's a real wonder, fortunately there is also a book that will make you feel like you are there.