FOOTBALL fans heading to the Etihad Stadium via its newly opened tram stop will be helped along the way by Mancini and co. on match days.
The Blues’ manager and players Joe Hart, James Milner and captain Vincent Kompany will feature on the tram’s PA system announcing stops to and from the Etihad.
Sunday 17 February will see the inaugural use of the messages with City entertaining Leeds United in the FA Cup Fifth Round.
The Etihad Campus stop opened this week on 11 February as part of the new East Manchester line and offers direct access to the stadium.
The Etihad Campus stop is the third stop from Manchester Piccadilly. The voiced stops are Piccadilly (Vincent Kompany), New Islington (Joe Hart), Holt Town (James Milner) and Etihad Campus (Roberto Mancini).
Keeper Joe Hart’s recorded message indicates he could retire into a cushy Metrolink job when his playing days are up. Although Roberto Mancini’s pronunciation of ‘Droylsden’ shows he’s yet to pick up that Mancunian twang in his three years here.
Sunday 17 February will see the inaugural use of the messages with City entertaining Leeds United in the FA Cup Fifth Round.
New Droylesden Tram
Steve Sayer, Director of Operations for Manchester City, said: “The new Metrolink service will greatly improve access to the Etihad Stadium for supporters on match days and other visitors to the Etihad Campus during the week.
“It’s a nice touch for the fans that some of our star players and manager will announce on the way to our home stadium to get everyone in the mood for the match.”
Peter Cushing, Transport for Greater Manchester’s Metrolink Director, added: “We are grateful to Roberto, Joe, Vincent and James for taking time out of their busy schedules to record these messages.
“We know that the Etihad Campus stop is going to be a very popular destination – especially on match days – and we thought this will be an interesting addition to people’s journeys before and after the game.”
The new stop is part of the on-going East Manchester line project which will eventually run from Bury via Manchester Piccadilly to Ashton-under-Lyne once it is complete is winter 2013/2014.
Have a listen below:
