Football - how Manchester created the modern game (Part 2)

Today Manchester City and Manchester United are sporting superpowers with supporters around the globe. But both clubs can trace their origins to the industrial boom of the late 19th Century and workers craving respite from drudgery of mills and factory life. In this episode, we discuss the early stars, sponsors and business interest that propelled these clubs to professionalism - including the role of tenacious social reformer Anna Connell in creating the club that would become City. We also discuss how the intense rivalries between the two Manchester has grown over time, what the atmosphere was like in the Victorian terraces, and the influence of rail, road and transport links in fuelling fan culture.

 

Special thanks: Manchester BIPC; Image: Hardman Creative; Our podcast provided by The Podcast Host and Alitu: The Podcast Maker app.