Match of the day

Reds v Blues, the derby match with a difference, is back – and it’s bigger and better. On 17 November at 5.30pm, two teams in the colours of Manchester United and Manchester City will take the field at Altrincham FC’s J Davidson stadium to do battle.

In the view of OBI and our fellow sponsors MoneyPlus Group the whole event is a fantastic way of raising funds for a charity we’ve been working with for some time, Factory Youth Zone.

Anyone can apply to play, with 17 places up for grabs in each squad, with the requirement being a £350 donation. Players receive full kits with their name and squad number and receive training and instruction from some professionals who’ve been involved at the very top of the professional game. If you’d like to play, or become involved as a sponsor, or require further information about any aspect, you can find details here.

The first match, in 2016, saw City run out comfortable 6-0 winners, but the real winner was the Factory Youth Zone, for which £11,000 was raised.

This excellent charity does some amazing work in providing things to do for kids in some of the most disadvantaged parts of Manchester. The range of activities they provide allows kids to have a go at all manner of things: arts, crafts and textiles; cookery; dance, drama and music; after-school clubs and of course a range of sports.

Reds v Blues is a pretty special occasion and everything’s falling into place for a truly memorable day. Last season, the two teams were managed by Gary Neville and Dennis Tueart, two legends at their respective clubs. Dennis is staying on to manage the Blues – well, with a 100% record, why would you change things? – while Gary’s brother Phil will be bossing things from the technical area for the Reds.

So if you can spare the time, do come along to Moss Lane on the afternoon of Friday 17 November. For one thing, the raffle prizes are better than your average day at a non-league ground. It’s all about doing what we can to support a great Manchester charity and do what we can to help the youth of this city.