Boxing Day beauty: A traditional trip to Bury and Manchester United at Christmas

Words: Han Balk

Images: Han Balk

Boxing Day football is a truly unique British institution and is appealing to us in the Netherlands as our football comes to a halt at Christmas time.

It gave me time to spend some time with my daughter Iris at a traditional moment for sport in the UK.

We have made a few trips in the previous years. In 2022, we attended Watford vs Milwall and Luton vs Norwich.

This time, Bury against Prestwich Heys and Manchester United – Aston Villa were on the agenda.

The alarm went off on the other side of the North Sea at 3:30 to land at Manchester Airport well before 8:30.

We took the Metrolink to the city, checking in at the hotel, and searched for an English breakfast.

At 13:00, it was time to take the tram to Bury.

The last time we were there, the Shakers had been through a terrible crisis and scarves and flags hung on Gigg Lane fences poignantly. I never expected to see another match there.

We were in for a treat. The White Blue Army celebrated its 10th anniversary with a tifo, and Bury set a new attendance record.

Just before the end, we left Gigg Lane to catch the tram to Piccadilly Gardens and briefly stopped by the hotel.

Then it was time for Old Trafford and a football tea of a footlong hotdog and a pie on the corner of Sir Matt Busby Lane.

©Han Balk/ Terrace Edition. Manchester United FC.

We were lucky to get excellent seats through the Dutch branch of the Supporters’ Club. The game initially seemed to be heading towards disappointment, but nothing could be further from the truth; a bizarre comeback created a fantastic atmosphere.

Around 12:00, we turned off the lights in the hotel room. A day of over 22 hours had come to an end. But it was worth it.

From time to time there is talk of a winter break in England but losing the Boxing Day fixtures would be a real shame.

Christmas is about bringing people together and there is no better way to do that than at the football.