National Football Museum

Our tour of striking Manchester buildings continued today. The National Football Museum, Cathedral Gardens, is so big you can’t see it. Or maybe you can’t see it because it blends in so well. It matches the sky and the weather and changes with them, chameleon-fashion. It’s just a few metres away from Victoria Station and the main shopping centre. A refuge for shopping-hating partners?  It’s a fascinating place anyway, stuffed full of football facts and images. And it’s acoustically pleasing.

We talked of trams or the lack of them. Why do they always disrupt public transport on important football days? It’s the same all over the country. But folk managed to get to the Football Museum anyway, though one or two of our members were late.

“City’s playing at home today,” said one of the tenors. “Better do ‘Blue Skies’ hadn’t we?”

So, we did. There was some red, of course, in Wonderful World: ‘red roses, too’ though that’s followed by ‘skies of blue’.

We contemplated what it would be like doing a medley of football songs – though we reckoned we’d have to avoid the favourites of the local teams.

The time just flew by today.  We sang from just after 12.00 until just before 3.00, with three short breaks. We grabbed drinks and snacks at the museum café – and very good value for money it was too.  

We did manage to go through all of the songs we’re taking to the competition in North Wales next week –three times - and a few other favourites as well.

We were made to feel extremely welcome by the National Football Museum staff. Thank you for having us.  

And look what we managed to do!