Yeah the plastic glasses are annoying. If not there, a walk over to Waxy O'Connor's (Best Pint of Guinness in Manchester city centre) and a shuffle through the city via northern quarter I think. Turtle bay and Crafty Pig, then towards Deasngate. Brewdog, Revolution, The Knott, Atlas Bar and as always the traditional last stop for us, the Deansgate tavern

Sam Platts kicked off the year before against Leeds with groups of idiots fighting and throwing glass bottles at each other so guess they changed policy.

Leeds. Shock.

the Quadrant behind the cricket ground for us...minibus there and back.

Good laugh before and after...a few Wigan fans go there too...always been good banter and good rugby talk though....

The atmosphere for that game was just menacing. Spotted guys in football jackets from other cities who were out for trouble, and saw three or four scuffles break out inside OT and outside too.
Twelve months later, much much more pleasant an ambiance all round.
Costello's prior to the metro is an option.

If you're planning on drinking near OT, would be worth checking If the Railway Club is open. Really popular when Utd are at home and though it's a private member's club they usually let you in for a quid or so. They normally put a bit of grub on (pies, hot pot etc) as well and beer is cheap. The Railway Club 837-839 Chester St, Stretford, Manchester M32 0RL 0161 865 6755 https://g.co/kgs/a7R5VZ Anyone heading to the ground via Eccles (if you're on the Lime St train) then you have plenty of drinking options before you jump on the tram. The Eccles Cross (Wetherspoons) is the usual "go to" but there is a new Craft Beer place which has decent reviews as well.... The Northern Type 20 Church Street, Eccles, Manchester M30 0DF https://g.co/kgs/wVXwxG

If you're planning on drinking near OT, would be worth checking If the Railway Club is open. Really popular when Utd are at home and though it's a private member's club they usually let you in for a quid or so. They normally put a bit of grub on (pies, hot pot etc) as well and beer is cheap. The Railway Club 837-839 Chester St, Stretford, Manchester M32 0RL 0161 865 6755 https://g.co/kgs/a7R5VZ Anyone heading to the ground via Eccles (if you're on the Lime St train) then you have plenty of drinking options before you jump on the tram. The Eccles Cross (Wetherspoons) is the usual "go to" but there is a new Craft Beer place which has decent reviews as well.... The Northern Type 20 Church Street, Eccles, Manchester M30 0DF https://g.co/kgs/wVXwxG

Eccles would be a decent shout if Northern Rail weren't on strike...

Hotel Football will once again host a pre Super League Grand Final event for supporters this Saturday in association with the Steve Prescott Foundation

DETAILS rlhttps://warringtonwolves.com/grand-final-fan-event-at-hotel-football/rl

https://warringtonwolves.com/wolves-tea ... ierkeller/

https://warringtonwolves.com/wolves-tea ... ierkeller/

We will be travelling in on club coach does anyone know of a pub near by...or may be a case of just killing time till kick off

Driving there and back, may have a few wine gums if things are going well

Seems like Northern Rail are living up to their reputation again with strikes and Eccles is out of the equation for people. So I'd imagine most Wire fans will be heading to the game via Oxford Road or Piccadilly train stations. If Oxford Road, there are a few decent options within a few minutes walk which give you easy access to the tram from St Peters Square or Deansgate.

If you want cheap and cheerful then you've got a choice of Wetherspoons, The Paramount, which is on the corner of Oxford Road and Portland Street or The Waterhouse (my preference) which is by the Town Hall on Princess Street. If you're after a Sports pub then The Courtyard is cheap and cheerful and a couple of minutes the opposite direction, just over the road from where the old BBC building used to be.

Quite a few real ale type pubs also in the vicinity of Oxford Road station, The Lass O'Gowrie, Peveril of the Peak, Briton's Protection and City Road Inn all within spitting distance. You're unlikely to get in Rain Bar though as they're a bit ar$ey about people wearing sports shirts.

If you're looking for a good bar near the ground I'd recommend The Dockyard. Slightly more expensive than your average boozer but it has some decent draft bevvies and the music is quality (plenty of Indie and no Taylor Swift/1D etc) and not the sort of e you'll have to put up with in some of the city centre bars!

PS. As a thank you for this helpful advice can we have BMM back please?