#Trafford Park

[manchestergalore]

Recreation Hall, Trafford Park Village on Third Avenue

1910s

[old-transport]

RPPC of Great Central Railway loco No. 969 @ Trafford Park by Frederick McLean Via Flickr: An old RPPC of Great Central Railway (GCR) steam locomotive No. 969 outside Trafford Park engine/locomotive shed (13A). This real photo postcard was produced by 'F. Moore's Railway Photographs' of London, in the very early 1900s. It is annotated with "outside Trafford Park shed". No. 969 was a X4 class 4-2-2 engine, built in the Gorton Works, and new to GCR in Aug 1900. In 1923 the existing railway companies were grouped into 'the big four', the GCR becoming part of the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) who renumbered the engine as 5969 in Aug 1924. The locomotive was withdrawn from service in Jul 1926, then scrapped back at the Gorton Works. Old/new overhead maps view of shed and sidings:- maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=16.0&lat=5... If there are any errors in the above description please let me know. Thanks. 📷 Any photograph I post on Flickr is an original in my possession, nothing is ever copied/downloaded from another location. 📷 -------------------------------------------------

[reallyhardy]

remember a while ago i was asking if anyone from manchester (UK) remembered a certain family-oriented dark ride inside the trafford centre and it seemed like there was almost no information about it left on the internet? yeah. the ride creator sent me everything. let me tell you the story, let me show you the ride. subtitles in cc.

[carraville-barlowen]

Fuck you very much, Gary. As a Mag, I’m annoyed Jamie placed St. James’ Park last simply because ‘he’ll go with Gary’. You may be in love, but there’s just no need.

JAMIE, STOP AGREEING, YOU’RE ACTING LIKE A HUSBAND

[cityzenchick]

Pics of the England guys on the bench during the 'Friendly' International match vs Bosnia and Herzegovina last night (Okay, so, tbh I am actually only looking at John Stones but that's just me!😍🤭)

[ilovetodrinkwater]

going to an alligator lake was truly one of the peaks of my life i miss them there were so many all just hanging out what a beautiful sight

[the-offside-rule]

Mason Mount (Manchester United) - Theatre of Dreams

Requested: yes

Prompt: 10) Baby's first game

Warnings: none

Baby Prompts

The sun hung low in the sky as Mason, his wife Y/n, and their son Joshua approached the iconic Old Trafford stadium for Joshua's first ever football match. Excitement buzzed in the air, and little Joshua, donned in a mini version of his dad's jersey, couldn't contain his giggles. "Daddy, are we going to see you play?" Joshua asked, his eyes wide with anticipation. Mason chuckled, holding onto his son's tiny hands, carefully leading him into the stadium. "Yes we are, bossman." He replied, lifting him up as he spotted the few reporters and photographers, not wanting to reveal his son, nevermind startle him. Whilst everyone knew the couple had a child, they didn't know what he looked like or anything about him. "Can you score? You haven't scored in ages." Mason looked over to Y/n who attempted to hide a grin. "Yeah, I'll try."

Mason showed Y/n and Joshua up to the box where most of the WAGs stayed, telling them about where everything is and how to leave after the final whistle blew. "So I'll wait for you in the car park?" Y/n asked. Mason nodded. "Yeah, just-" He was cut from his wrds as he felt a small tug at his trousers. The couple looked down to see Joshua pointing out the window. "Daddy, it's so big!" Joshua exclaimed, his voice filled with awe. Mason grinned, sharing a look with Y/n and once again lifting Joshua up. "Yep, it's one of the biggest stadiums, buddy. You're going to have a great time." Mason placed a gentle kiss onto his son's cheek. "Now, you sit with Mummy and I'll see you after the game, yeah?" He suggested, handing him over to Y/n.

"Bye, Daddy!" Joshua smiled, pulling at his mother's jacket. "Oh, before I leave-" He paused and reached for a black Manchester United bag, pulling out a small box and handing it to Joshua. "I got you a quick pressie." Joshua examined the box carefully before pulling the lid off and being confronted with a bright red jersey. He lifted it and looked at the back, his father's number staring back. "What do you think?" Mason asked gently. "It's not blue." Joshua replied. Mason couldn't help but feel his heart drop a little bit, the thought of his son not supporting him lingering in the back of his mind. "But red is my favourite."

Mason beamed with joy and ruffled his hair. "Good man." He grinned. "I'll see you after the game." He stood up and leaned over to Y/n. "Love you." He whispered. "Love you too."

As the players took to the pitch, Y/n and Joshua cheered with unbridled enthusiasm, their voices merging with the chorus of supporters around them. "I see daddy!" Joshua exclaimed, clapping his hands. "No, baby. Daddy is number 7, not 19." She explained calmly. "Oh. Okay." He searched the pitch again before turning back to his Mum. "What number is 7 again?"

As Mason walked back to the car, he smiled gently upon seeing Y/n leaning against the car. "Missed you." He said with a tender smile, grateful for her unwavering support. She giggled as he practically fell into her arms. "Ot has been 2 hours." He shrugged. "I dom't care. Couldn't wait to get off the pitch for once." He said, pulling away and looking behind her. "Was he okay?" He asked, referring to Joshua who was asleep. "He was fine. He's just a bit sleepy now." Mason nodded. "We should get home and get him to bed."

As the couple reached home, they stopped in silence for a moment. "This is mad, you know." Mason arched a brow. "I mean, I remember my first match as your girlfriend and now we have our son coming with us. That's all I mean." Mason smiled sleepily. "It is mad when you put it that way." Mason undid his seatbelt and hopped out of the car. "Would you mind bringing in my kitbag and I'll bring Joshua to bed?" Y/n agreed before grabbing his bag and heading inside.

With tender care, Mason unbuckled Joshua's seatbelt, his movements slow and deliberate so as not to disturb the tranquility of sleep. He marveled at the innocence that radiated from his son's peaceful countenance, a sight that never failed to fill his heart with a sense of warmth and pride. Gently cradling Joshua in his arms, Mason stepped out of the car, the cool night air washing over him like a soothing balm. As Mason made his way towards the house, his footsteps were soft and deliberate, each one a testament to the love that guided his every move. He savored the weight of Joshua in his arms, the bond between them forged in the quiet moments of tenderness and affection.

Mason kicked off his shoes upon reaching the front door. He loved home. The warmth of the house enveloped them like a comforting embrace and each step on the soft carpet adding to the comfort. Mason tiptoed up the stairs, his movements fluid and effortless as he navigated the familiar terrain of their home.

Mason opened the nursery door, hushing Joshua as he stirred in his sleep. Mason gently laid his sleeping son down in his crib, tucking the blankets around him with infinite care. He lingered for a moment, his gaze lingering on Joshua's innocent face. "You doing alright?" He turned to see Y/n leaning by the door. "Just fine. I'll be right back to you in a minute and we can go watch a film or something." He replied. "Or try for baby number 2." He almost jumped at the suggestion. "Do you mean it?" Y/n chuckled softly at her husband's reaction. "Maybe. Don't leave me waiting too long." She said before heading away downstairs.

"Goodnight, Joshua." Mason said as he brushed a gentle kiss against Joshua's forehead. With a final glance, Mason tiptoed out of the room, the door closing softly behind him, and for his son to sleep after spending his evening in the Theatre of Dreams.

[19ndonboy]

i don’t know anything - mason mount

words: 2.2k

A/N: feeling really self-conscious about this, i wasn’t sure about posting it but here we go! i hope you’ll like it and feedback is really appreciated, thank you <3

you and mason have been friends for months. you two met at a common friend’s party. you would always joke about how it was one of the most boring parties you ever went to until this brown haired man showed up in front of you, with a defeated look on his face asking for help to save him from a random girl following him everywhere he went.

and at this time, he probably thought of it as a conversation that would last for five minutes until that girl got bored of him. but what was supposed to be like a polite gathering full of thank yous ended up as you two laying on deckchairs by the pool laughing out loud, capturing other people’s attention there and then.

reece watching you from afar with a grin on his face. he would be lying if he said he wasn’t hoping for this to, somehow, happen during his party. although mason had made friends up north and he was accommodating well to his new life in manchester, reece knew his friend needed someone outside the football’s world to speak to. and his mind went directly on you.

to him, you were a bubble of joy, always finding the good words to give comfort to your loved ones when they needed it, making them laugh to the point their stomach hurts and never missing an opportunity to banter. and this was all mason was asking for after going through rough times for the past year.

and so after this party, what happened was you and mason meeting up in cafés, at parks or in the comfort of your homes. and if you couldn’t see each other, you would call for hours with one of you always falling asleep on the other end of the phone, most of the time it being mason after his long draining training sessions.

at some point, you even found yourself in the stands at old trafford, with a red shirt on your back with his name on it, cheering for him. and you wouldn’t strew roses at your feet as he made it where he is by himself but no one could deny how him having you in his life helped him a lot career wise. he was back to his inner self on the green rectangle and you think you could kill just to see his cheshire cat smile after his games.

with you learning about his love for football and his job, this is how he found himself at a work party your company had organized and for which you had begged him to come with you. he wasn’t really hard to convince but as he loved to play with you, he took his sweet time giving you his positive answer, having made up his mind about it just after you asked but you couldn’t know that.

you were wearing a long blue silk dress with an open back and mason was wearing black pants with a white shirt, with the first buttons open. you two would make the perfect pair, some of your colleagues not missing an opportunity to whisper to you how good of a couple you two would make.

another comment you would wave off. they’d often tease you about the smile you’d have on your face for the rest of the day after a text from mason asking you to pass by his house after work as he missed you. they didn’t have to be the smartests to know you had catched feelings for your handsome friend.

but to your defense, no one could resist his silly jokes. and his arm around your shoulders while you were deep in a conversation with friends. and his hand on your small back when you would make your way into a club. and his eyes always on you at a party. and his never ending jokes just to see little wrinkles appear around your eyes. yeah, no one could resist.

you had been at this party for two hours now but the only thing you wanted to do was to leave. maybe bringing him here was a bad idea after all. well, that’s what you thought when you turned around to see him talking with one of your colleagues you weren’t deeply fond of, rebecca. surely nothing was interesting enough for him to have all his attention on her and her shrill laugh.

you tried your best not to let it affect you but as her hand was resting on his arm, you couldn’t take it anymore and you feigned not feeling good and went to them to ask mason to go home. you were well aware of how pathetic and childish this was. but you hated how sick to your stomach it made you feel to see them going along so well, with him paying no attention to you since she went up to him.

and as if the night couldn’t get worse, on the way home, he couldn’t stop but gush over how pretty and funny rebecca was for the whole ride. you were pretty sure you could hear something break into you when he confessed that he wanted to see her again. could he not see how every word that left his mouth hurt you a little bit more? no of course, he couldn’t, it’s not like he even knew about how you felt about him.

he left you home and with a small goodnight and a smile that looked like a grimace, you quickly made your way to bed to forget about this night, hoping that nothing would come out of it.

but maybe you hadn’t prayed enough. because as you were arriving at work two weeks later, rebecca was the first person to run to you. for what seemed like the hundredth time since the party, and you already know what she was going to talk about, but still, you weren’t expecting this.

“oh my god, oh my god y/n” she screamed. too engrossed in what you were doing on your computer, you didn’t pay much attention to her words until “mason invited me out tonight”. great. yes, this was great. no, this wasn’t great. you felt your heart getting heavier by the minutes you spent thinking about how their date could turn out tonight.

what if something came out of it? what if he really liked her after? what if she was the one for him? you would have to be happy for him, no? yes, maybe you were going too ahead of yourself and the only thing you could do is watch what happens anyway.

later that day, you went home to find yourself on your sofa wallowing in self-pity with mason on the other side of your phone, getting ready for the night.

“earth to jack, hello? come on y/n you’re supposed to help me with that! you’re the one who knows her. i want to impress her.” if only he knew, he didn’t have to do anything to impress me, you thought.

“i don’t even know her that much, we barely talk.” you muttered but he didn’t even pay attention to what you were saying, hesitating on the choice of shirt to go well with his grey jeans.

and what turned into one date became nights in at mason’s house, him cooking her his signature pasta dish, the one you loved so much. but this might not be the one thing that made you feel like someone is pulling at your heartstrings from morning to night. no, what made you feel like you were slowly but surely losing yourself in a deep hole was how he would barely call you anymore and give you his free time. but again, maybe it was better than having to hear him gush about her for hours as if she hung up the moon.

could he not see you were the one for him? what did she have that you don’t? maybe it was her hair that was always soft and shiny when yours would get in your way with the breeze. maybe it was her posture that would always have everyone’s eyes on her when yours looked like you’ve been carrying the world on your shoulders for years. maybe it was her kindness that made everyone go to her when you had your grumpy days.

as you were torturing yourself with these questions for weeks, you knew you wouldn’t have them answered and so, you did what was best for you. they were getting closer every day and as they did, you vanished from mason’s life.

no more dinners at his – if they even happened still, no more movie parties, no more late night drives, no more picnics outdoors, no more calls while doing the most mundane things. no more you and him.

and you wish there was but as of now, nothing could mend your broken heart as you saw him doing so well without you. doubts creeping in your head when you heard rebecca nattering about how he arrived at her place with her favorite flowers in his hand last night. pathetic. this was the only right way to describe you.

and although, your friends would never admit it to you because they know how much you hate when people feel pity for you, they couldn’t bear to see you like that. eating ice cream on your sofa at 4pm watching love, rosie for the hundredth time.

so, as good friends – that’s what they would describe themselves as – they took you out for drinks and you couldn’t thank them enough for getting you out of your house. and as silly as it sounds, it helped you.

you started to go out again, you enjoyed drinking your coffee in a park, you got yourself new clothes and a fresh haircut, you met new people. and you didn’t hear about mason in weeks or months, you didn’t know anymore. but that was until he showed up at your house, uninvited.

you opened the door in a rush, thinking it was your date, noah. someone you met in a grocery store. he had come up to you hoping to receive some advices on a recipe and it ended up with you two talking for 30 minutes between shelves. numbers exchanged, he texted you the following day, asking you out.

you felt like you were back in high school while getting ready, hoping he would find you pretty in your little black dress. but as mason was standing in front of you, his eyes wandering on your body, you were stupidly hoping he would too. until you mentally slapped your face, remembering rebecca is the one he gushes over, without so much as an effort from her side.

“where are you going?” he asked. no hello, no greetings, nothing.

“why would you want to know? what are you doing here?” it was so obvious that you didn’t want him here and this realization made him feel so uneasy.

he was about to talk, words close to coming out of his mouth until he was stopped by the doorbell. you didn’t look him straight in the eyes, nerves engulfing your body as you made your way to the door to meet noah. sure, he was looking good but you noticed how he didn’t have dimples that would usually make you weak to the knees, like mason’s.

“hi y/n, you look gorgeous” he went to kiss your cheek when he noticed mason’s presence behind you. he went to greet him, mason shaking his hand, his body stiff as he connected the dots between your outfit and this guy.

so many questions were spinning around in his head. who is he? when did you meet? how did you meet? is it your first date together? do you like him? he couldn’t stop them. lost in his thoughts, he didn’t realize you were calling his name for two minutes now.

“mh mason we- we’re going to leave… i’m sorry, what were you here for?” but he brushed you off and with a sigh, he left without saying a word. why did he feel like he had a lump in his throat on the way home, blinking away the tears as hard as he could when the only thing he wanted to do was to ask the traffic lights if it will be alright. they wouldn’t know, he thought.

days passed by and you didn’t hear back from mason since this night. you could ask rebecca if he was okay but you felt nauseous just at the thought of getting news from her.

little did you know he also wanted to know how you were, which got him in the position he is right now. waiting by his car, parked in front of your workplace.

you were finally here. with a smile on your face when you took your eyes off your phone. his heart beating so hard until it fell in the void, he was here. and you were making your way to him, not mason. “fuck” he groaned in misery. and that’s when it hit him. he was so stupid he didn’t realize he fell for you until you slipped through his fingers, now giving your heart to another man.

he should’ve known. he should’ve been there before.

tag: @10vnderhaze @mountymase @fallinforerling

[sheadre]

Phantom of the Opera (Anthony Bridgerton x Reader) Chapter Six

Summary: Lady (Name) Granville, daughter and only heir of Duke Granville just arrived back for this season from her tour in Europe. However, she came back to London with a secret. And it seems Anthony Bridgerton just found out that secret.

Word count: 1116

Warnings: fluff, romance, angst

It took you by surprise when Lord Vincent de Trafford appeared at your door. He was one of the eligible bachelors interested in finding a wife this season. You danced with him once and he was likeable. But he was no Anthony Bridgerton. You hated yourself for still thinking about him just like now, when you were standing in front of Lord Trafford. As you looked up at him, you had to strain your neck but his bright smile made you forget about it.

“Lady Granville, I asked Lady Danbury if I could join the two of you to promenade in Hyde Park today with my mother and younger sister.”

His deep voice was caressing your ears as he spoke. His smile was so bewitching, everyone was smitten with him but lately during all the balls since he and his family arrived, his attention seemed to be solely on you. His presence drew everyone’s attention especially because of his mysterious background no one really knew about.

Your heart flattered in your chest as you tried to find the words of agreement.

“And I agreed to it.” your aunt walked out from the drawing room. “Are you ready, my dear? Ophelia and Margaret are waiting for us outside.”

With a simple nod, you intertwined your arm with your aunt and let her lead you to the carriage outside. Lady Danbury seemed like she had a plan in her mind because the other day she was warning you about Lord Trafford and now she was ready to let him close to you. The ride to the park was filled with small talk and you tried to pay attention to it so you could respond respectfully to any questions asked. Getting out of your head was quite hard these days.

After Sienna asked you to give up your dreams, you thought over her reasons and left the theatre. Ever since then, you felt numb. The only thing you truly enjoyed in life was taken from you because of your simple existence. Having responsibilities you never asked for but was forced into, made you feel bitter. Your anger soon died out, however, leaving only numbness behind. It has always been like that. You got angry quickly but it just as quickly snuffed out and you accepted how things were. Reality hit you hard that way sometimes but that is life and one has to move on if they want to experience other things as well.

Once you arrived at Hyde Park, you felt relieved, the carriage was crowded with all five of you inside besides, you were still not used to Lord Trafford. He was a stranger after all. Your eyes widened at that. Wasn’t Anthony a stranger as well in that sense?

“Lady Granville, we haven’t had time to talk ever since the play-hunt.” Lord Trafford smiled gently down at you. “How are you fairing? Have you read anything interesting lately?”

“Actually I quite enjoyed the latest poems of Lord Kershaw. He is a unique talent.” you replied. “Do you enjoy poetry or do you prefer novels?”

“It depends on the author. It is not the genre but the style that piques my interest.” he said as he stared ahead, Lady Danbury and his family behind the pair of you. The weather was nice, there were only a few white puffy clouds in the blue sky. This environment felt peaceful like this. You didn’t need to be on guard by Lord Trafford’s side, you didn’t need to think about ulterior motives.

Then, as you listened to Lord Trafford’s musings about literature, your eyes landed on three familiar figures in the distance. Benedict Bridgerton was telling his brothers about his latest story when your eyes met with Anthony’s. His brown eyes were trained on you, his smile that lighted up his handsome face by the funny story only brightened when your eyes met his. Your heart skipped a beat and you quickly turned your head avoiding further eye contact.

He only made your life miserable so far, you shouldn’t be spending even just a second thinking about him. As you walked with Lord Trafford and his family, you slowly seemed to ease into a tranquil conversation. Your heart slowed down its pace and small smiles and chuckles left your lips when the lord made a few jokes.

Your group found a perfect spot for your picnic, sandwiches and small cakes were passed while conversation flowed. Then suddenly, a ball hit the back of your head making you spill tea on your dress as you sat on the blanket.

“Hyacinth!” a familiar voice cried out partially from anger. You looked back still in surprise to see little Hyacinth standing a distance away, staring at you in fear. Then came running up to her a frustrated looking Anthony Bridgerton with furrowed eyebrows. He crouched down to her level, said something to her and then held her hand and led her toward your group.

You stayed put, your heart beating so rapidly in your chest at the sight of Anthony you thought it would jump right out of your body. He greeted everyone with a dashing smile and then looked to Hyacinth and encouraged her to apologise.

“Hyacinth came here to apologise for being careless when playing, right Hyacinth?”

As you looked at him, your mind was filled with thoughts of how much Anthony looked like a father. Shaking your head a little to clear your head, you smiled at them and listened to Hyacinth’s apology. She looked ready to burst into tears, her lips pouted and her cheeks grew red.

“I-I… I’m really sorry!” she cried out and then hid behind Anthony’s legs. You smiled at her and reached out for her to grab your hands.

“It is quite alright, darling, no harm was done. Are you alright as well?”

Hyacinth seemed to calm down seeing your reaction and soon she was sitting in your lap. Then Lady Danbury spoke up:

“Lord Bridgerton, why are you not joining us?”

There was a pause in the air, then he cleared his throat and said: “I would not want to impose on-”

“Brother, you shouldn’t say no to a lady when she invited you herself.” Benedict Bridgerton clapped his hand on Anthony’s shoulder with a wide grin on his face. Lady Danbury laughed and motioned for you to move over to her side. Benedict pushed Anthony down next to you before his brother could protest. It was way too obvious that Lady Danbury and Benedict Bridgerton were in on something but you couldn’t help but focus on the close proximity you found yourself in with Anthony.

You knew you were doomed.

To be continued…

[cassie48]

OMG WE NEED PART 2 TO HOMESICK

A/N: Sorry it’s taken me so long to answer……

But thank you so much for the request 🫶 I’m actually BEGGING y’all to request rn.

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𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗣𝘁𝟮

𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗷𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗼 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗰𝗵𝗼 𝘅 𝗳𝗲𝗺 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿

You and Alejandro had been going out for around 3 months now. Since that day on the training ground you’ve gotten close and really connected. You two even live together.

Marc skinner had still been treating you horribly, sometimes taking you off when you had been playing well. For example, last week you had just scored a goal in the 50th minute, then two minutes later he took you off.

You had even gotten upset about it when you got home, crying to your boyfriend.

“Pensé que jugué bien!” You had said crying into his shoulder. (I thought I played well)

“lo hiciste mi amor él es simplemente cruel” He had replied, kissing your head. (You did my love he is just cruel).

Today you were in the stands of Old Trafford, with your best friend Ella Toone. You and Ella had become very close since you moved to the women’s United team. She was the first person to help you get settled in.

The two of you were here to watch Man united vs Liverpool. You knew it would be a tough game, but you believed in them.

Mams you were right to because in the final minutes of extra time, Amad Dialli had scored making united win 4-3. The entire stadium was buzzing with happiness.

You and Ella made your way out of the top stands, and you walking out to the car park so you could meet your boyfriend, you bid Ella goodbye.

Once you turned the corner, you saw Alejandro walk out with Kobbie, the two with huge smiles on their faces.

“Ale!” You called out running up to him.

“Mi amour” he smiled, you ran up and jumped into his arms.

“Jugaste tan bien!” You said kissing his cheek.

“Hey y/n” Kobbie said, smiling cheekily at you.

“Hey Kobbie we’ll done today you deserved the win” you said as he left.

“ven vamos a celebrar” Alejandro whispered with an eager look on his face.

You laughed but it was cut off when he leant down and kissed you passionately.

“Te amo ale” you whispered leaning your forehead against his.

“Te amo” he whispered back, before wrapping an arm around your waist and leading you to his car.

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I know this is really short I just wanted something cute xx

[macrowitchphotography]

Lovely double rainbow over trafford park bunker site!

[illusionsdelusions101]

if you’re still taking requests could you do an alejandro garnacho x reader imagine where he brings her to training to introduce her to the united team? thank you so much🫶

Love of my Life~ Alejandro Garnacho

A/N: sorry for slacking lads, BUT DID U SEE BRUNO'S AND MAINOO'S GOALS AGAINST LIVERPOOL TODAY!? FUCKING HELL LADS, I SCREAMED. btw, requests are always open. absolutely spam me with requests and i wouldn't mind.

Type~ Fluff

"Baby?" Alejandro calls out in our small apartment. You shout that you're in the bathroom. He makes his way over to the bathroom, leaning on the doorframe between yours and Ale's bedroom and the bathroom. You've just finished curling your eyelashes, fluffing your hair in the mirror and finally taking a deep breath as you look at yourself. "Ready?" Ale makes eye contact with you in the mirror. "Ready."

It had been a warm English afternoon for once, and you were going to meet the rest of the Manchester United squad. Now, why? Your Argentinian boyfriend, decided to out of the blue ask you last night, if you wanted to meet the squad. Since you were practically asleep, you agreed and when he told you about it today, you freaked out. Rushing to get yourself ready, you just now parked at Old Trafford Training Centre. Garnacho takes your hand for your lap and holds it. "I promise. They will love you." He smiles at you reassuringly and you nod.

You go out onto the pitch where everyone is. Ale is holding your hand. "Hey guys!" He shouts, and all the teammates look at him. They all start approaching Garnacho, seeing you so Ale can introduce you. If your boyfriend wasn't holding your hand so tightly, knowing that you get shy in these situations, you would've been in the car already.

"Guys, this is my girlfriend. Y/N." He smiles at you. All the lads say hello. "Hey, I'm Harry." You hear the awfully thick English accent. "Marcus." He lifts his hand up as a greeting. "Hiya, I'm Mason." He takes your other hand and shakes it. And all the others introduce themselves. You laugh slightly out of nerves and greet them back. Then Erik calls them for training. "Go sit in the stands. I'll see you after training, okay?" He kisses your cheek and you nod.

After a while Højlund, comes for water. "Hey, you're Nacho's girlfriend, right?" He says, out of breath. "Yeah, I am." You say, slightly laughing at his nickname. "Garnacho's been so much happier recently and now I know why." He smiles at you while he takes a sip of water. You grin and Erik shouts for Højlund. "I gotta go, see you around!" He waves and runs back to Erik.

~~~~~~~~~~~After Training~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You did well." You smile at Ale as you get into the car. "Thank you. And thank you for coming. The guys love you." He takes your cheeks and kisses you. You giggle. "Really?" You look at him. "Really."

"Glad everyone could meet the love of my life." He whispers against your lips.

[usafphantom2]

25th July, 1939. First flight of the twin engined Avro Manchester bomber at Ringway. Due to the RAF’s urgent need for modern aircraft, an initial order had been placed for the type before the two prototypes flew, but its entry into service was delayed by a Luftwaffe raid against Avro’s Trafford Park factory. The first operational sortie flown by Manchesters eventually took place against Brest in February 1941.

During the aircraft’s development, it had become clear that its complex Rolls Royce Vulture powerplants were not only chronically unreliable, but failed to produce their designed performance. Manchesters struggled to reach altitudes above 10,000 feet, leaving them vulnerable to flak and fighters, and proved incapable of flying for any distance on one engine. Around 30 aircraft are believed to have been lost due to engine failure during the type’s brief career.

With various modifications improving reliability during 1941, it’s possible that the problems with the Vulture could have been resolved in time, but it was not to be. With Rolls-Royce now fully focused on the Merlin engine, it was decided to test a new variant of the Manchester, which itself was a fundamentally sound design, powered by four of these instead. This would ultimately result in the Avro Lancaster, which shared many of its predecessor’s components.

Production of the Manchester was curtailed after only 200 had been produced; more than half were lost on operations or in accidents. The type flew its final sortie with Bomber Command in June 1942, serving on for a few more months as a conversion trainer for the Lancaster.

Pictured:

1) Avro Manchester first prototype at Ringway. A central tailfin was soon introduced to correct instability. This would be removed on later production examples, which featured the larger outer fins used on the Lancaster.

📷 baesystems.com

2) Manchester Mark I of 207 Squadron in flight, showing the early tail configuration.

📷 IWM CH 17291

3) Manchester IA flying over Lincolnshire in November 1941. The lineage to the Lancaster is clear in this image.

📷 IWM CH 3890

4) A 2000lb bomb about to be loaded into an Avro Manchester, probably of No. 207 Squadron, circa April 1942. The capacious bomb bay of the type would prove an asset for its successor.

📷 IWM HU 107781

[unitedbydevils]

Signings Galore

It's not just the men's first team bringing in the new recruits...

Elizabeth Terland - Striker

Terland is a free signing from Brighton and Hove Albion, and a much needed reinforcement to the centre forward position. 17 goals and 1 assist in 35 appearances last season would be a very welcome addition to our goal output, and at 23 there's still a lot of time for development from the Norwegian.

Melvine Malard - Striker/Wing Forward

The loanee from Lyon had a great impact as a striker and left wing forward last season. Many of us hoped we'd make this a permanent move, and I'm so relieved we have. Like Geyse she has bundles of technical skill, as well as a nice balance and sense of timing to be able to use both feet and her head on goal.

At 24, Malard has her best years ahead of her, and hopefully leading United to success.

Dominique Janssen - Centre Back

The Dutch international has moved from Wolfsburg to join United as a new, more senior centre back choice for Marc Skinner.

29 year old Janssen spent four years in England with Arsenal, before moving to Wolfsburg in 2019. She has 112 caps for the Netherlands, won Euro 2017, and has played in the women's Champions League final twice with Wolfsburg - losing to Lyon and Barcelona respectively.

Anna Sandberg - Left Back/Left Wing

This is my personal favourite signing of the bunch. 21 year old Anna Sandberg of BK Hacken. The roving left back / wing back / left wing offers some strong offense down that side, similar to Jayde Riviere on the right. She's pacey and tenacious, and dovetailed with Gabby George's physicality and composure will offer Skinner genuine LB options this year rather than the make-do approach of RB Hannah Blundell.

Simi Awujo - Centre Midfield

The youngest signing of the bunch so far, Canadian international Simi Awujo is just 20 years old. This is her first professional contract, a three year deal, having just left USC Trojans - the University of Southern California women's side - a year before graduation.

The defensive midfielder has made 19 appearances for Canada in two years, and is a promising prospect for the future. With United losing both captain Katie Zelem and Irene Guerrero, a new DM/6 is very welcome and guaranteed gametime. On paper you'd think a double pivot with Lisa Naalsund is the immediate option, but with the likes of Grace Clinton and Emma Watson back... there are options.

Beyond these five there are rumours about Leicester goalkeeper Lize Kop. The Dutch keeper has two years left on her deal, and it's an odd one - United paid good money for Phallon Tullis-Joyce. She played well in the Conti Cup last season. Surely she's our number 1 now with Mary Earps gone? She deserves a shot at it.

Wouldn't surprise me to bring someone else in though, use them, and lost PTJ next summer. INEOS are so focused on the men's team and the Old Trafford rebuild that the women's team might be getting overlooked. I'll do a post after the Community Shield match review about Dan Ashworth's recent meeting with the women at St George's Park.

[anintrovertwriter]

In sickness and in health

Being sick wasn’t fun, and even more frustrating when it was on gameday. Jadon had a game at home against Aston Villa this afternoon, but when I woke up with an odd feeling and my throat hurting like hell, I sadly had to cancel my plans for the day. 

He tried, as the gentleman and caring man he was, to cheer me up and said it wasn’t a big deal. 

“ How come me not going is not a big deal ? “ I asked, clearly offended.

“ Your health is more important.” He left no place for arguing, and I did my best to fight against the pain that was spreading in my all body. 

“ Seems like you’ve caught a cold my love.” 

“ I hate being sick.”

“ It’ll only last a few days. And I’ll take care of you.” 

“ But I won’t get kisses, and I hate not having them.”

“ Who said you wouldn’t get any? “ He asked, getting closer but I pushed him away. 

“ Me ! I don’t want you to catch it ! You have big games coming !” 

“ Let me hug you at least, my sick baby.” 

I nodded and we both relaxed under each other’s touches. 

“ Have a good game my love. I’ll be watching.” 

He tried to kiss me, but even though I wanted it as much as him, instead I put my head in the crook of his neck. A scoff could be heard before I felt a kiss on my hair. 

We looked at eachother with so much love my heart exploded. And not without a one last hug, Jadon left our shared house. 

“ Where’s Y/N ?” Asked Marcus when Jadon parked his car next to his friend’s. 

“ Home. She caught a cold. I had to force her to stay there. And now I’m on a kissing ban.”

Marcus laughed at his friend’s pouting face. 

I, in the meantime, felt sicker by the hours, with fever and non stop coughing. I managed to leave the bed for the couch, put on one of Jadon’s jersey and watch the game, which was a good one. But as soon as Jadon was subbed off, I fell asleep, cuddled up under the covers. 

Jadon came home shortly after the game, wasting no time in staying at Old Trafford and rushed home. He wanted to look after his girl, and was a little preoccupied since she didn’t answer his texts. 

He quietly made his way into their home, and melted at the sight of her girlfriend, sleeping in his shirt, the tv with the game playing. It wasn’t rare to see her with his clothes, but he felt so in love everytime he saw her with his last name on her back. 

He quickly got back to reality though when he heard her coughs. She opened her eyes and smiled when she saw her man sitting next to her, one hand stroking her messy hair. 

“ Sorry if I woke you up.” He said, continuing his actions.

“ S’not you, it’s the freakin coughing.” She said with a hoarse voice, that contrasted with her usual sweet one. 

“ Good game by the way” She said holding his hand

“ You watched it ?”

“ Of course ! Who do you think I am ? But I kinda fell asleep once you were subbed. But I saw enough of you, and the goal against the Peaky Blinders. You still won?” I asked, concerned about missing something. He laughed before saying

“ Course we did.

Now let me take care of you. I’ll pick up some medicine, prepare a soup and run you a bath. 

How does that sound ?”

“ Perfect. But as soon as you bathe with me.”

“ Deal”

“ Thank you babe”

“ Anytime. In sickness and in health remember ?”

Shock was readable on my face.

“ I don’t remember marrying you”

“ Soon.” He said with a wink before disappearing God knows where.

He’ll be the death of me. How can he say such a thing and leave? I thought to myself.

I stood up waiting for him and for the coughing fit to end. I saw a shirtless Jadon coming with a glass of water.

“Here you go. It’s for fever and what you have. I asked my mom about it.”

“ I think I might have more fever.”

“ Why?” He already had his hand on my forehead to check, but me, on the other hand, was watching intensely his tattooed arms and exposed chest.

He saw my look and laughed.

“ I’ll let you alone in the bathroom then”

“ Don’t you dare !"

He picked me up, still laughing at my delirious state, but what could I do ? I was still amazed to call this man mine. 

“ Thank you for taking care of me J. I love you”

“ I love you angel”.He responded, holding me tight against him.

It was only a few days after that I woke up to a stifling noise. I looked at a poorly Jadon. 

“ I told you not to kiss me !”

“ Couldn’t resist.”

“ Now it's my turn to take care of you.”