The Ultimate UK Footy Trip: You Won’t Believe What You Missed!
By: Mike Tirone
As we were planning our inaugural Footy Travelers group trip, it seemed only fitting to target the proverbial ‘home of football’: the United Kingdom (although some might argue ‘England,’ specifically, I like getting under the skin of a Brit, and this is my blog post, innit?). And if you’re going to cross ‘the pond’ for football, it would be a shame not to do it up proper, right? So we gave ourselves — and the Fellow Footy Travelers (FFTs) wise enough to join us — a week to remember. Appropriately bookended at the beginning with a visit to the place where football is said to have started, and at the end where the Premier League title currently resides, it was nothing short of spectacular, filled with football, culture, and camaraderie. If you weren’t there, you missed out. Good news is, you’re here now, reading this. So here’s a recount of our memorable trip, day-by-day, as we explored the heart of British football… and beyond!
Our merry band of Fellow Footy Travelers (FFTs) outside Wembley Stadium
Day 1: London - The Home of Football
We kicked off our UK tour in London, the vibrant capital city that welcomed our Fellow Footy Travelers from both sides of ‘the pond’. The day was spent strolling through the city's iconic streets and parks, enjoying the surprisingly excellent weather. Our first official stop was the “historic” Freemasons Arms. As a tribute to the birthplace of modern football rules (The Freemasons Tavern, c. 1863) it was the perfect venue to gather and celebrate the start of our footy adventure.
Day 2: Wembley Wonders
Our excitement reached new heights at Wembley Stadium, as we donned our red, white and blue to support our Lady Eagles, the USWNT, as they faced off against rival England in an iconic friendly. The stadium buzzed with over 78,000 fans, a testament to the growing popularity of the women's game. Although the match ended goalless, the experience of being part of such an historic event – in an even more historic venue – was unforgettable. Meeting fellow fans and catching up with old friends (some even coincidentally, which made the world feel just a little bit smaller) added to the magic of the day. The icing on the spotted dick (a British cake, ya pervs!) would have been a USA victory on English soil, but… we still had three more matches to see some goals, and victories for our favorite teams!
Day 3: Chelsea vs. Aston Villa
While some FFTs took the day to play tourist around foggy London-town, three of us more insatiable footy fans ventured into the heart of London for a Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge. As a Chelsea fan, this was a dream come true for me. The atmosphere was electric, with pre-match pints in the Fulham and Chelsea neighborhoods setting the tone for a proper match day in London. We checked out the Chelsea FC megastore before heading into the hollowed grounds. The Westview block stands provided an excellent experience in the concourse with great food options and plenty of drinks, TVs and refuge from the light rain and cold. The match was exactly the result we all wanted (me mostly), with beautiful goals, a fun atmosphere, and some solid fan banter. Three good mates, three banger goals, and three needed points for the home squad. Up the Chels!
But our day was not done! After having some post-match pints with FFT Kunal at the famed Butcher’s Hook Pub (where Chelsea FC was founded) and seeing a few players and managers leave in their lavish cars, the Chelsea trio headed southwest to Richmond — home to the (fictional) AFC Richmond Gaffer, Ted Lasso — to rendezvous with the rest of the FFTs for the second half of our epic London day.
The preposterous positivity of Ted was actually quite palpable in Richmond, itself a quaint and cozy town. The entire group made sure to pay a visit to the brilliantly crafted Ted Lasso Store before we all headed into The Prince's Head next door (aka The Crown & Anchor in the show) for a delicious Sunday Roast. We chatted with "Mae", threw some fictitious darts, had some superb food and soaked up all the positive vibes emanating from the neighborhood that has been highlighted by such a transformative TV show (can you tell I’m a fan?).
All-in-all, a spectacularly special day packed with just about everything we Footy Travelers seek out: unique experiences, signature culture, exciting football, good friends and conversations, and a whole lot of appreciation for it all. I’d like to think Ted would be proud of such an epic day, and such a genuine gathering of both familiar and new friends. As Trent Crimm (of the Independent) would say: "If the Lasso way is wrong, it's hard to imagine being right."
Outside Ted Lasso’s neighborhood pub, The Crown & Anchor (aka, The Prince’s Head in real life)
Day 4: Welcome to Wrexham
Leaving (not so) foggy London behind, we journeyed to Wrexham, Wales, a town put on the map by the FX series "Welcome to Wrexham", but brought to life for us thanks to the diligent organization of FFT Mark “Eagleman” Cranston (more on Mark in due time). The weather was… quintessentially Welsh—cold and rainy—but the warmth of the locals made up for it in scores. We explored the town's football history on a fantastic guided tour from local legend Delwyn, and enjoyed a hearty meal afterwards at The Fat Boar with our other Wrexham guide Bryan. One of my favorite parts of the entire trip though, came after dinner, when we ventured to The Turf, the popular pub attached to Wrexham AFC’s stadium The Racecourse (which, by the way, is the oldest active international football venue in the world!). We had seen the inside of the pub, along with owner Wayne, throughout the show, but being inside a place that holds such memories for this town and country was truly special. Surrounded by what seemed to be an endless array of “Welcome to Wrexham” memorabilia, we traded our more “American-familiar” billiards cues for snooker sticks, and met some great locals as we sunk our balls deep in their pockets (wait, what?). After a very full first day in Wales (very much a completely different country than England), it was safe to say we were very much welcomed to Wrexham!
Day 5: Wrexham AFC vs. Barnsley
Another match day for the Footy Travelers and we had a lot to pack in! We began with a private tour of the Wrexham Miners Project (WMP) — a poignant reminder of the town's rich, yet tragic history — from now global legend, Michael “Scoot” Hett of The Declan Swans. Scoot is a tremendous human who we were fortunate to meet and spend time with, and we were honored to learn more about the great work of Wrexham Miners Project from him. To learn about the Gresford tragedy through Scoot’s stories about the experiences of fellow miners was very moving. We highly recommend that anyone visiting Wrexham visits WMP to learn about the mining history that is woven into the DNA of this close-knit community.
The group with Scoot, following our tour and a hearty Welsh breakfast at the Wrexham Miners Project
More sightseeing in the Welsh countryside brought us to the stunning Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, overlooking fog-filled valleys atop signature mountains, and into the adorable town of Llangollen. We met some friendly locals (as we do), bought some gifts for our loved ones at home, and bore witness to why people find Wales so endearing.
But the highlight of the day – and our time in Wrexham – had to be the match at the historic Racecourse Ground! Standing inside the historic venue made us feel not only like we were connecting the past we had just learned about with the present of Rob and Ryan's work & vision, but also the tremendous energy around what the future looks like for this club & town. Only fitting that the match took 90+ minutes for a beautiful Wrexham game winner to make the memory that much sweeter!
After the match? Celebratory drinks with the likes of Wayne, Scoot & a slew of amazingly joyful locals at The Turf was exactly how we dreamt it. Up the Town!
Day 6: Manchester City vs. Nottingham Forest
Another day, another city. This time, The Second City, Manchester, to see… you guessed it. City!
After making our way back into England for the final match of our UK adventure, we enjoyed a lovely welcome ‘cuppa’ with friend and guest of the pod, ESPN’s Mark Ogden (Episode 46). The evening kick-off of the trip’s fourth match allowed for some much needed leisure time, so we took the opportunity to explore the beautifully holiday-decorated Piccadilly area, and paid a visit to the ever-popular, Classic Football Shirts. The shop was energetic and filled with incredible football culture, from great kits and gear to video games and beer (they have a bar downstairs serving their very own beer!). Ahead of the game, we swung by Mackie Mayor Market, an upscale food hall with great vibes, lots of delicious food, drinks, and intoxicating energy. There we met up with another friend and guest of the pod Tom Stoker (Episode 72) – and yes, despite the availability of public transport and Uber, we can confirm he walked to the market (IYKYK). It was also at Mackie Mayor where our eye-catching Footy Travelers jerseys and scarves served as catalyst to a bit of an education on some local football, courtesy of some West Didsbury & Chorlton AFC supporters who struck a convo with us.
From there, it was off to the home of the defending Premier League champions, Etihad Stadium. Our FFT extended network had provided us with access to tickets for the 93:20 Lounge, whose themed dedication to Sergio Aguero’s 2012-13 title-clinching goal (at that exact minute mark) did not disappoint. And though the weather was cold and damp, the pitch was on fire, with the likes of two red devils (of Belgian kin, not those other red devils from across Manchester) Jérémy Doku and MOTM Kevin De Bruyne netting themselves onto the score sheet. The bruised and battered City squad put on a show for us, pummeling Forest with three beautiful goals to dig them out of the brutal form the Cityzens had been in. And though this was our fourth and final match of this epic trip, there was still technically one more day…
Day 7: Manchester’s Other Club
Call it fate, call it intentional, but I had to fly back to the States very early the next morning, which did not leave me time to explore the other side of Manchester — the red side. Given Manchester United is my least favorite club in the world (sorry, not sorry), I wasn’t too upset. Luckily, for the sake of The Footy Travelers’ full Manchester experience, Colin wasn’t departing until a day later, giving him a full 24 hours extra to soak in the history and culture of one of the world’s most famous sports franchises. Alongside his stadium tour of Old Trafford, aka “The Theatre of Dreams,” was able to scout out the new(ish) Cafe Football just next store, the restaurant and bar attached to the similarly named Hotel Football, a business venture of some of the Man Utd “Class of ‘92.” From there it was on to the more broadly focused National Football Museum, just steps away from Manchester’s Victoria train station.
As any good pilgrim of the beautiful game would do, on his final night of the trip, with matches and cultural excursions properly checked off the list, Colin was sure to conduct a proper “last supper.” And with the evening to himself (though hopefully not his lonesome), where would the most appropriate spot to enjoy a quiet, reflective meal be? Why Tast Catala, of course! Co-founded by none other than Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. And so it was, with tapas in Colin’s belly and his heart set on another footy adventure sooner rather than later, that our 2024 UK adventure came to a close.
In the end, it was a celebration not just of football, in the place of its most celebrated origins, but of friendship and the unique cultures and experiences that make each city special. From the historic streets of London, to the welcoming warmth of Wrexham, and the football fervor of Manchester, this trip was a reminder of what we love about the game and what and where it brings us. Until next time, “Up The Footy Travelers!”
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(Disclosure: We sometimes ideate, draft, and/or refine content with the aid of artificial intelligence tools, and revise it to reflect our own personalities & intended message.)
