Quote: Dropkick Murphy "It always amazes me how many people don't know about that. I'm going to Old Trafford tomorrow night and planning to use that station, but still I have mates who have been enough times before to know better talking about the tram.
One year after a United/Liverpool match I was in a pub by Oxford Road and text my mate asking where he was and his response was "In the queue at the tram stop" - he's been there ten times as many times as I have!
After the Grand Final last year we left a couple of minutes before the end and walked straight into the station and on to a train. The rest of those who did the same got straight on a train to Warrington at Oxford Road, but I was in Manchester for a while and saw the chaos that came later both there and Piccadilly.
Even if you're elsewhere in Manchester earlier in the day and get the tram to the ground in the first place, the train is still by far the best way to get back. It'll probably be free (it was last year) but even if you have to pay, you'll be spending about three quid and avoiding a lot of hassle at the tram stops.'"
Just takes a bit of research, but as you say most arrive like headless chickens then blame Northern Rail/Manchester United/RFL/Richard Lewis/ClubCall/Eddie Hemmings. (Delete as appropriate.
I am lucky in that I am a 15 minute walk from Sankey, so we don't have to worry, although I usually head over to Manchester some time in the morning before there are any crowds. From what I can remember less than 20 people got on the train to OT at Oxford Road, yet by all accounts people were ramming themselves onto the trams.
I guess I am lucky in that I travel to most games on the train so am used to it.