themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-26--Ian gets beaten up and soaked while saving lives... but he still loves us

Manchester should be very grateful to have Ian Shortman .
Come rain or shine , 24 hours a day , he is one of only two cyclist response paramedics for the North West Ambulance Service ( NWAS ) based in the city centre .
Standing 6ft 6in tall , and usually clad in a bright yellow uniform , he is hard to miss .
Unlike a traditional ambulance , the bikes wo n't get held up by traffic or narrow streets and so if there 's an emergency , they will be there in a matter of seconds .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ca n't , such as railway stations .
Consequently , Ian and his colleague Andrew are often the first member of the emergency services at an incident .
Their ability to respond so quickly can be the difference between life and death .
It also saves NWAS a huge amount of time and money as Ian and Andrew can immediately assess whether an incident requires further resource or not .
It is believed the two cyclist paramedics save around 800 ambulances being sent to Manchester city centre every year .
In that context @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to attack Ian or Andrew seems inconceivable .
And yet , tragically , that is exactly what happened .
On the weekend before Christmas , Ian was treating a patient near Manchester Central when he was the victim of a vicious assault .
He was knelt down on the pavement , when an attacker kicked him in the head with such force he was thrown into the road .
A man was detained at the scene by members of the public and nearby security staff and arrested .
It is understood the Crown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bring charges .
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News a month later , Ian has fortunately made a full recovery .
He told us how , though violent abuse has become a regular problem , it wo n't keep him from a job he 's loved for more than 14 years .
'Unfortunately it 's part of life now , it 's so so sad' On the night of the attack , Ian was rushed to hospital where doctors carried out a CT scan fearing a possible bleed on the brain .
Thankfully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ although he suffered dizziness and headaches for several weeks .
But it has been a harrowing experience for Ian and his loved ones regardless .
His partner Vivienne Bowden happens to be an NWAS dispatcher , and in fact had sent Ian to the scene where he was attacked .
`` She heard it all [ on the radio ] , '' said Ian , 53 .
`` She was obviously upset .
`` They took her out of the room [ in the dispatch centre ] so she could concentrate on what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mistake .
`` She 's happy that I 'm not letting it effect me .
`` But she does know that we are extremely vulnerable , we ca n't hide in a car or an ambulance , we do n't wear stab vests , we 've no protection , we have nothing ... because we should n't have to !
`` Twenty years ago I would have never dreamt of [ getting attacked ] .
`` Unfortunately it 's part of life now , it 's so so sad . ''
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , spat on .
`` I would say it 's a weekly occurence .
`` It 's not all about drugs and alcohol , I think a lot of it is people are genuinely more angry these days .
`` If they do not get what they want , they feel they have the right to say and do what they want ... respect is just a thing of the past . ''
'You put on a uniform and you put on a persona' Ian was one of sixteen NWAS staff who joined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - but he and Andrew are the only two left .
`` Most people do not like the aggression , they do not like the violence , they do n't like dealing with constant drugs and alcohol , and the other thing , sadly for Manchester , is the rain , '' he said .
`` However , the Pennines you ca n't change ! ''
It is a depressing indictment of the public .
Although Ian stresses it is a minority who feel entitled to be physically or verbally abusive , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the fourteen years he 's been doing the job .
`` If you were to see me outside of work , most people would say that I am not confident , '' said Ian .
`` I think it 's one of these clichés , you put on a uniform and you put on a persona , when you wear your uniform you step into your role as a paramedic and you know this is what you 've got to do .
`` I like [ the responsibility ] because you have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` You 're not just relying on sending a patient to hospital and a doctor saying 'yeh you can go home ' .
`` I do like that because it shows you know your job .
If you 're unsure , refer them on to A & E .
`` It sounds horrible to come from a paramedic , but we ca n't be emotional .
`` If we become emotional we do n't do the job correctly .
`` I think this is where members of the public mistake professionalism for not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has to go to hospital , they 're dying ' .
`` And we think 'they 're not dying , but they 're poorly ' , and we 'll say 'yes you can wait 20 minutes for an ambulance ' .
`` That family might want it immediately .
`` I think you have to have the confidence to know you 're doing the right thing . ''
`` So that if a family complains , you can give the correct answers , you hope you can educate people into understanding .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because we 're bored , because we 're finished , because we do n't want to be late .
`` We genuinely lead a patient away from A & E because we do n't believe they need it .
`` No paramedic wants to go out there and harm anyone . ''
' I do n't have a degree , some people doubted I was clever enough' Despite the sadly all-too-frequent abuse , Ian still loves his job and will not let the attack he suffered change that .
`` I genuinely love @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` The last time I was off sick was 15 years ago ! ''
A Salford boy , Ian 's first obsession was cars and he trained to be a mechanic .
He was working as a production technician at Colgate-Palmolive in Trafford Park when he first encountered what was then the Greater Manchester Ambulance Service who used to train first aiders at the plant .
`` It was the trainers who invited me to join , '' said Ian .
`` At the time the biggest consideration was money because it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I started it was £6,000 starting pay !
`` Then you progressed from there .
The more knowledge and qualifications the more pay you got . ''
`` My friends and family thought I was a bit mad , absolutely !
`` One , because of the financial implications and two , I think , some people doubted I was clever enough .
`` I did n't have a degree , I 'd never gone to university or anything like that .
`` I 'd literally always wanted to be a mechanic from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think people doubted I had the skills .
`` But ironically , the best bit about it was , the mechanical side helped - because every system in the body , I related to a car system .
`` So your circulatory system became your cooling system , your nervous system became the wiring .
`` When you saw my dormitory at our training school at Bolton - my walls were all related to cars and how I could interact with them because that was what I knew ! ''
'One of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' ' During fourteen years of cycling around Manchester city centre , Ian has seen a dramatic transformation .
`` The biggest change I think has been the homeless population , '' he said .
`` When we started you probably had half a dozen hardcore homeless for various reasons .
`` And now you only have to walk around any city , not just Manchester , and the homeless population has increased massively .
`` It is difficult , we get a lot of calls passed to us by police , members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for people to be moved on from doorways and the police will deem it a medical emergency , so we get sent to them .
`` One of the nicknames we 've been given in the city is 'the Spice Alarm Clock ' because we just go round waking everyone up !
`` Most of these people are friendly with us , they 've got used to it , we 're not there to cause them any problems , we 're just there to check they 're alive and well .
`` Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually thank you for caring . ''
`` People are in that predicament for lots of different reasons , it 's not just drugs and alcohol , some are unemployed and what 's the saying ?
'you 're only ever one pay cheque away from ending up on the street ' .
`` They talk to us , they 'll tell us more than they 'll tell the police '' They know if I 'm cycling around and they shout out 'excuse me Ian ' , they know me , and I 'll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want .
`` And some just want their wounds dressing , others , especially last year when we had the cold snap , will want to go to hospital to warm up .
`` Everyone deserves to be treated with respect . ''
At the other end of the spectrum , the rapid increase in the city centre population has seen the number of jobs Ian gets called to go up by 30 per cent in recent years .
`` When I started we had one tower with residents and it was Arndale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Ian .
`` Now we have thousands of apartments , so my job will change again .
`` We go to everything , chest pains , heart attacks , social problems because people ca n't look after themselves , colds , slips , falls , alcohol , everything that is normally related with residential living .
`` It 's interesting , a lot of these places are not social housing , they 're high value properties in prime locations , and we get to go and view these places .
`` You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'wow , what a view ' and you understand why people want to live in the city . ''
'There 's nothing special about me , I 'm just the paramedic in the city' It 's clear that the ordeal Ian has been through , and the risks he continues to face out on his bike , has not sapped his enthusiasm for the job .
`` It is phenomenal , you do things that change people 's lives , '' he said .
`` And I do n't mean CPR , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Having a conversation , pointing people in the right direction , that can change people 's lives . ''
When the M.E.N first reported on Ian 's attack , we received an avalanche of responses expressing outrage and best wishes for a well-known and highly-regarded figure in the city centre .
Although he does n't do social media , he has been shown the comments and it meant a lot to him .
`` The support has been genuinely humbling , '' he siad .
`` When I saw the comments [ on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tear rolling down my cheek .
`` I genuinely hope that would be the same for all emergency services , even if it had been someone else , the fire service , a nurse , they are all crucial , there 's nothing special about me , I 'm just the paramedic in the city . ''

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the day's biggest stories sent direct to your inbox
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the day's biggest stories sent direct to your inbox
Manchester should be very grateful to have Ian Shortman.
Come rain or shine, 24 hours a day, he is one of only two cyclist response paramedics for the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) based in the city centre.
Standing 6ft 6in tall, and usually clad in a bright yellow uniform, he is hard to miss.
Unlike a traditional ambulance, the bikes won't get held up by traffic or narrow streets and so if there's an emergency, they will be there in a matter of seconds.
They can get to places even motorbike ambulances can't, such as railway stations.
Consequently, Ian and his colleague Andrew are often the first member of the emergency services at an incident.
Their ability to respond so quickly can be the difference between life and death.
It also saves NWAS a huge amount of time and money as Ian and Andrew can immediately assess whether an incident requires further resource or not.
It is believed the two cyclist paramedics save around 800 ambulances being sent to Manchester city centre every year.
In that context, the idea that anyone would want to attack Ian or Andrew seems inconceivable.
And yet, tragically, that is exactly what happened.
On the weekend before Christmas, Ian was treating a patient near Manchester Central when he was the victim of a vicious assault.
He was knelt down on the pavement, when an attacker kicked him in the head with such force he was thrown into the road.
A man was detained at the scene by members of the public and nearby security staff and arrested.
It is understood the Crown Prosecution Service is currently deciding whether to bring charges.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News a month later, Ian has fortunately made a full recovery.
He told us how, though violent abuse has become a regular problem, it won't keep him from a job he's loved for more than 14 years.
'Unfortunately it's part of life now, it's so so sad'
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
On the night of the attack, Ian was rushed to hospital where doctors carried out a CT scan fearing a possible bleed on the brain.
Thankfully, no permanent damage was discovered, although he suffered dizziness and headaches for several weeks.
But it has been a harrowing experience for Ian and his loved ones regardless.
His partner Vivienne Bowden happens to be an NWAS dispatcher, and in fact had sent Ian to the scene where he was attacked.
"She heard it all [on the radio]," said Ian, 53.
"She was obviously upset.
"They took her out of the room [in the dispatch centre] so she could concentrate on what was important to her and not make a mistake.
"She's happy that I'm not letting it effect me.
"But she does know that we are extremely vulnerable, we can't hide in a car or an ambulance, we don't wear stab vests, we've no protection, we have nothing... because we shouldn't have to!
"Twenty years ago I would have never dreamt of [getting attacked].
"Unfortunately it's part of life now, it's so so sad."
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
"We're always being kicked, punched, spat on.
"I would say it's a weekly occurence.
"It's not all about drugs and alcohol, I think a lot of it is people are genuinely more angry these days.
"If they do not get what they want, they feel they have the right to say and do what they want... respect is just a thing of the past."
'You put on a uniform and you put on a persona'
Ian was one of sixteen NWAS staff who joined as trainee cyclist response paramedics in 2006 - but he and Andrew are the only two left.
"Most people do not like the aggression, they do not like the violence, they don't like dealing with constant drugs and alcohol, and the other thing, sadly for Manchester, is the rain," he said.
"However, the Pennines you can't change!"
It is a depressing indictment of the public.
Although Ian stresses it is a minority who feel entitled to be physically or verbally abusive, he has had to grow a thick skin over the fourteen years he's been doing the job.
"If you were to see me outside of work, most people would say that I am not confident," said Ian.
"I think it's one of these clichés, you put on a uniform and you put on a persona, when you wear your uniform you step into your role as a paramedic and you know this is what you've got to do.
"I like [the responsibility] because you have to know what your protocols are. "
(Image: Mark Waugh Manchester Press Photography Ltd)
"You're not just relying on sending a patient to hospital and a doctor saying 'yeh you can go home'.
"I do like that because it shows you know your job. If you're unsure, refer them on to A&E.
"It sounds horrible to come from a paramedic, but we can't be emotional.
"If we become emotional we don't do the job correctly.
"I think this is where members of the public mistake professionalism for not caring.
"They think 'this patient has to go to hospital, they're dying'.
"And we think 'they're not dying, but they're poorly', and we'll say 'yes you can wait 20 minutes for an ambulance'.
"That family might want it immediately.
"I think you have to have the confidence to know you're doing the right thing."
(Image: MEN MEDIA)
"So that if a family complains, you can give the correct answers, you hope you can educate people into understanding.
"We don't leave people at home because we're bored, because we're finished, because we don't want to be late.
"We genuinely lead a patient away from A&E because we don't believe they need it.
"No paramedic wants to go out there and harm anyone."
'I don't have a degree, some people doubted I was clever enough'
Despite the sadly all-too-frequent abuse, Ian still loves his job and will not let the attack he suffered change that.
"I genuinely love the job," he said.
"The last time I was off sick was 15 years ago!"
A Salford boy, Ian's first obsession was cars and he trained to be a mechanic.
He was working as a production technician at Colgate-Palmolive in Trafford Park when he first encountered what was then the Greater Manchester Ambulance Service who used to train first aiders at the plant.
"It was the trainers who invited me to join," said Ian.
"At the time the biggest consideration was money because it was a massive pay cut.
"When I started it was £6,000 starting pay!
"Then you progressed from there. The more knowledge and qualifications the more pay you got."
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
"My friends and family thought I was a bit mad, absolutely!
"One, because of the financial implications and two, I think , some people doubted I was clever enough.
"I didn't have a degree, I'd never gone to university or anything like that.
"I'd literally always wanted to be a mechanic from the age of 12.
"I think people doubted I had the skills.
"But ironically, the best bit about it was, the mechanical side helped - because every system in the body, I related to a car system.
"So your circulatory system became your cooling system, your nervous system became the wiring.
"When you saw my dormitory at our training school at Bolton - my walls were all related to cars and how I could interact with them because that was what I knew!"
'One of our nicknames is "the Spice Alarm Clock"'
During fourteen years of cycling around Manchester city centre, Ian has seen a dramatic transformation.
"The biggest change I think has been the homeless population," he said.
"When we started you probably had half a dozen hardcore homeless for various reasons.
"And now you only have to walk around any city, not just Manchester, and the homeless population has increased massively.
"It is difficult, we get a lot of calls passed to us by police, members of the public will ring up asking for people to be moved on from doorways and the police will deem it a medical emergency, so we get sent to them.
"One of the nicknames we've been given in the city is 'the Spice Alarm Clock' because we just go round waking everyone up!
"Most of these people are friendly with us, they've got used to it, we're not there to cause them any problems, we're just there to check they're alive and well .
"Most people are pleasant, are polite and actually thank you for caring."
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
"People are in that predicament for lots of different reasons, it's not just drugs and alcohol, some are unemployed and what's the saying? 'you're only ever one pay cheque away from ending up on the street'.
"They talk to us, they'll tell us more than they'll tell the police
"They know if I'm cycling around and they shout out 'excuse me Ian', they know me, and I'll come up and ask them what they want.
"And some just want their wounds dressing, others, especially last year when we had the cold snap, will want to go to hospital to warm up.
"Everyone deserves to be treated with respect."
At the other end of the spectrum, the rapid increase in the city centre population has seen the number of jobs Ian gets called to go up by 30 per cent in recent years.
"When I started we had one tower with residents and it was Arndale House, nothing else really," said Ian.
"Now we have thousands of apartments, so my job will change again.
"We go to everything, chest pains, heart attacks, social problems because people can't look after themselves, colds, slips, falls, alcohol, everything that is normally related with residential living.
"It's interesting, a lot of these places are not social housing, they're high value properties in prime locations, and we get to go and view these places.
"You go up to some and you say 'wow, what a view' and you understand why people want to live in the city."
'There's nothing special about me, I'm just the paramedic in the city'
It's clear that the ordeal Ian has been through, and the risks he continues to face out on his bike, has not sapped his enthusiasm for the job.
"It is phenomenal, you do things that change people's lives," he said.
"And I don't mean CPR, I don't mean shocking someone.
"Having a conversation, pointing people in the right direction, that can change people's lives."
When the M.E.N first reported on Ian's attack, we received an avalanche of responses expressing outrage and best wishes for a well-known and highly-regarded figure in the city centre.
Although he doesn't do social media, he has been shown the comments and it meant a lot to him.
"The support has been genuinely humbling," he siad.
"When I saw the comments [on the M.E.N story], there was a tear rolling down my cheek.
"I genuinely hope that would be the same for all emergency services, even if it had been someone else, the fire service, a nurse, they are all crucial, there's nothing special about me, I'm just the paramedic in the city."


themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-26--Tranmere Rovers vs Manchester United LIVE early team news plus goal and score updates

Manchester United will attempt to return to winning ways against Tranmere Rovers in the FA Cup today after successive losses @ @ @ @ @ United lost 2-0 to both Liverpool and Burnley but a trip to League One opposition @ @ @ @ @ opportunity to halt their losing streak .
Speaking during his press conference on Friday , @ @ @ @ @ Lindelof could return after missing the midweek defeat by Burnley due to illness .
Eric @ @ @ @ @ long-awaited comeback having not featured since damaging knee ligaments during a pre-season match .
`` @ @ @ @ @ 's well again , '' Solskjaer said .
`` So let 's see how well @ @ @ @ @ .
And apart from that no one has got any knocks that 's anything to @ @ @ @ @ has had a couple of behind-closed-doors games here .
The pitch is not great but @ @ @ @ @ both of us and the players just have to be focused , ready , there @ @ @ @ @

Manchester United returned to winning ways against Tranmere Rovers in the FA Cup today in style after successive losses in the Premier League.
United lost 2-0 to both Liverpool and Burnley but a trip to League One opposition presents them with a good opportunity to halt their losing streak.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer welcomed back Victor Lindelof after illness as Sergio Romero got the nod in goal while a number of regulars are rested. Aaron Wan-Bissaka dropped out for Diogo Dalot, while Luke Shaw started ahead of Brandon Williams. Mason Greenwood and Anthony Martial led the attack with Tahith Chong coming off the bench.
Harry Maguire opened the scoring, with Diogo Dalot and Jesse Lingard making it three after just 15 minutes. Anthony Martial and Phil Jones made it five before the break, and a Mason Greenwood penalty completed the scoring in a quieter second half.
Follow live reaction from Tranmere below.


themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-26--Police launch murder investigation as footballer Jordan Sinnott, 25, dies after being assaulted just

Police launch murder investigation as footballer Jordan Sinnott, 25, dies after being assaulted just hours before match

Police have launched a murder investigation into the death of footballer Jordan Sinnott after he was assaulted just hours before a match .
Sinnott , 25 , who had spells at Altrincham FC and Huddersfield Town , was on loan at Matlock Town from Alfreton Town .
He is believed to have suffered a fractured skull after the incident on Friday night .
The footballer had been found unconscious at around 2am after `` two large-scale disturbances '' in the town - firstly a reported eight person fight in a Wetherspoon pub car park , the Dominie Cross , late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Market Place .
The footballer was taken to hospital in Sheffield for treatment .
But he died in hospital before 6pm on Saturday , January 25 , surrounded by his family .
Police arrested and questioned a 27-year-old shortly after the incident on suspicion of grievous bodily harm , before detectives launched a murder investigation after Mr Sinnott 's death , Nottinghamshire Live reports .
Matlock and Alfreton postponed their football matches on Saturday afternoon due to `` tragic and unforeseen circumstances . ''
Matlock Town wrote in a statement on their website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with him at his bedside and we send our sincere condolences to them all at this very sad time . ''
Alfreton paid tribute in their statement : `` Jordan was a model footballer and an exceptional talent during his time at the Impact Arena and had a close affinity with both the manager , assistant and the players he took the field with .
`` Rest easy Sinbad , we will never forget you . ''
Manchester United captain and England defender Harry Maguire also tweeted his condolences : `` Such sad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family and friends . ''
The midfielder , from Bradford , is the son of football manager and former player Lee Sinnott .
Two other men were also injured during the incidents , with a 27-year old man sustaining a suspected broken nose and a 44-year old man receiving a suspected broken jaw .
Detective Inspector Justine Wilson from Nottinghamshire Police said : “ Mr Sinnott ’ s death is a sad and significant development in this investigation .
`` Our thoughts remain with Mr Sinnott ’ s friends and family , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at this incredibly difficult time .
“ Our investigative team ’ s focus will remain on identifying those responsible and bringing them to justice and , while we have made one arrest at an early stage of our enquiries , we are appealing to anyone who was in Retford town centre late last night and in the early hours of this morning to come forward .
Read more of today 's stories here “ This incident happened at a very busy time and we believe there are still a number of witnesses who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may hold vital information about how a young man came to lose his life so tragically .
“ I would like to appeal directly to anyone who witnessed either incident to contact Nottinghamshire Police or call Crimestoppers anonymously with any information they may have.
” Anyone who witnessed either incident or believes they may have captured them on dashcam or mobile phone footage is asked to call Nottinghamshire Police on 101 , quoting incident number 78 of 25 January 2020 .
Get breaking news first on the free Manchester Evening News app - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Android device .
You can also get a round-up of the biggest stories sent directly to your inbox every day with the MEN email newsletter - subscribe here .
And you can follow us on Facebook here

newsdesk@men-news.co.uk (Ben Reid, Helen Johnson)

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the day's biggest stories sent direct to your inbox
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the day's biggest stories sent direct to your inbox
Police have launched a murder investigation into the death of footballer Jordan Sinnott after he was assaulted just hours before a match.
Sinnott, 25, who had spells at Altrincham FC and Huddersfield Town, was on loan at Matlock Town from Alfreton Town.
He is believed to have suffered a fractured skull after the incident on Friday night.
The footballer had been found unconscious at around 2am after "two large-scale disturbances" in the town - firstly a reported eight person fight in a Wetherspoon pub car park, the Dominie Cross, late on Friday night and another incident in Market Place.
The footballer was taken to hospital in Sheffield for treatment.
But he died in hospital before 6pm on Saturday, January 25, surrounded by his family.
Police arrested and questioned a 27-year-old shortly after the incident on suspicion of grievous bodily harm, before detectives launched a murder investigation after Mr Sinnott's death, Nottinghamshire Live reports.
The 27-year-old remains in police custody.
(Image: Huddersfield Examiner)
Matlock and Alfreton postponed their football matches on Saturday afternoon due to "tragic and unforeseen circumstances."
Matlock Town wrote in a statement on their website: "His family and friends were with him at his bedside and we send our sincere condolences to them all at this very sad time."
Alfreton paid tribute in their statement: "Jordan was a model footballer and an exceptional talent during his time at the Impact Arena and had a close affinity with both the manager, assistant and the players he took the field with.
"Rest easy Sinbad, we will never forget you."
Manchester United captain and England defender Harry Maguire also tweeted his condolences: "Such sad news. My thoughts are with his family and friends."
The midfielder, from Bradford, is the son of football manager and former player Lee Sinnott.
(Image: Getty Images)
Two other men were also injured during the incidents, with a 27-year old man sustaining a suspected broken nose and a 44-year old man receiving a suspected broken jaw.
Detective Inspector Justine Wilson from Nottinghamshire Police said: “Mr Sinnott’s death is a sad and significant development in this investigation.
"Our thoughts remain with Mr Sinnott’s friends and family, who our specialist officers are continuing to support at this incredibly difficult time.
“Our investigative team’s focus will remain on identifying those responsible and bringing them to justice and, while we have made one arrest at an early stage of our enquiries, we are appealing to anyone who was in Retford town centre late last night and in the early hours of this morning to come forward.
“This incident happened at a very busy time and we believe there are still a number of witnesses who have still not yet come forward who may hold vital information about how a young man came to lose his life so tragically.
“I would like to appeal directly to anyone who witnessed either incident to contact Nottinghamshire Police or call Crimestoppers anonymously with any information they may have.”
Anyone who witnessed either incident or believes they may have captured them on dashcam or mobile phone footage is asked to call Nottinghamshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 78 of 25 January 2020.
Get breaking news first on the free Manchester Evening News app - download it here for your Apple or Android device. You can also get a round-up of the biggest stories sent directly to your inbox every day with the MEN email newsletter - subscribe here. And you can follow us on Facebook here


themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-26--Man City vs Fulham LIVE score and goal updates plus team news as Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez start

Manchester City are back in FA Cup action today as they take on Championship side Fulham at the Etihad .
@ @ @ @ @ into the tie after beating Fulham three times last season .
They have not lost @ @ @ @ @ .
Pep Guardiola has a near fully fit squad to choose from , as he @ @ @ @ @ Leroy Sane , who is closing in on a first-team return after several months out @ @ @ @ @ , remains unavailable .
City youngster Phil Foden starts in midfield while David Silva captains @ @ @ @ @ also gets a run out while Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne are on the @ @ @ @ @ Bravo gets the nod ahead of Ederson in net .
Aymeric Laporte is not in @ @ @ @ @ successful comeback from a long-term injury .
Follow below for live updates from the Etihad @

newsdesk@men-news.co.uk (Stuart Brennan, Simon Bajkowski, Daniel Murphy)

Manchester City have advanced to the fifth round of the FA Cup at an absolute canter after beating a hapless Fulham 4-0 at the Etihad.
They were helped massively by Tim Ream who gave away a penalty in the seventh minute after dragging down Gabriel Jesus, and was sent off in the process, which Ilkay Gundogan duly converted.
From that point forth it was a training exercise for City with Bernardo Silva doubling the lead ten minutes later after he was given ample time to turn on the edge of the box and fire into the bottom corner.
The Blues were made to wait for more goals after missing several chances but Jesus managed to get two in two minutes after heading in Joao Cancelo's cross and following in a Phil Foden shot.
A walk in the park for the Blues.
Follow below for live updates from the Etihad.


themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-26--Romantic Manchester restaurants that are perfect for Valentine's Day 2020

Valentine 's Day is just around the corner and Manchester offers up plenty of unconventional ways to celebrate .
Axe-throwing ?
A trip to a baseball batting cage ?
Crazy golf ?
We 've got plenty of alternative ideas for you here .
But a meal for two will still be many people 's first port of call when it comes to deciding how to spend February 14 .
Whether you 're looking for somewhere fancy to impress someone special , or somewhere more low-key and laid back , we 've rounded up some of the most romantic restaurants in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon get snapped up - and be aware that some restaurants may have set Valentine 's Day menus that differ from their usual offering , so make sure you check when you book .
Table for two , please .
With its famous cherry tree in permanent , soft pink bloom in the main dining room , Tattu makes a picture-perfect backdrop for a romantic meal for two .
Its menu is also perfect for sharing , with a selection of dim sum and small plates including waygu dumplings with kimchi and spring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chilli and sesame roasted scallops .
Its cocktails are spectacular too - try the Samurai 's Garden , a smoking carafe of gin , rose and tonic for two to share ( £40 ) .
You forgot to book somewhere , did n't you ?
Never fear : Dishoom is here to salvage your date .
The Irani-Indian restaurant does n't take reservations ( at least not for less than six people in the evenings ) so you can just rock up like you planned it ( be prepared for a bit of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the old Freemason 's Hall on Bridge Street , the building 's grade II listed grandeur makes an impressive setting .
Ask to sit in the back room , if you can , where original features including a domed ceiling and stained glass windows are shown off to spectacular effect .
Add to that a menu of grazing plates designed for sharing , an accomplished cocktail list and the scent of incense wafting through the air , and the scene is set for romance .
King Street tapas bar El Gato Negro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , offering a different experience on every level .
For a more casual date , park yourselves at the downstairs charcuterie bar to nibble on Iberico ham , cured meats and cheeses with a glass of wine .
Upstairs there 's more of a sense of occasion , with an open kitchen , intimate booths and views out over King Street , while the top floor offers another level of dining underneath a retractable roof - not that that 'll be getting much action in February .
They pay a lot of attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ G & Ts and cocktails focusing on Spanish spirits and ingredients .
Hidden away in the basement beneath the Corn Exchange , the original mozzarella bar and restaurant has a cosy charm and a menu of Neapolitan-style pizza and pasta dishes , alongside antipasti boards perfect for sharing .
There 's also a deli upstairs where you can pick up a gift , if you have n't already - it 's a one-stop Valentine 's shop .
The family behind it also have a new restaurant in the Northern Quarter as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Quite possibly Manchester 's most magnificent dining room , Grand Pacific is based in the historic , grade II* listed Reform Club at the top of King Street .
Once you make your way up the oak staircase , you 'll find an Asian-influenced menu of seafood , salads and steaks and a signature cocktail served inside a golden pineapple .
For those celebrating during daylight hours , there 's a range of high teas to choose from , with the option to upgrade them to include champagne , sparkling wine , Chandon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Want to treat your date to a tasting menu , but do n't have a couple of hundred quid to spare ?
Six By Nico serves a remarkably good value six-course menu that costs just £29 - and if you fancy splashing out , you can add a wine flight for an extra £26 each .
The menu changes every six weeks , with past themes including a fine dining twist on a fish and chip supper and a Mad Hatter 's Tea Party .
The current menu , which runs up until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 ' with a selection of diners ' favourite dishes served last year at Six By Nico 's Manchester , Glasgow , Edinburgh and Belfast restaurants .
The eclectic offering includes chef Nico Simeone 's spin on Catalan bombas , Thai butternut spring rolls and Penang chicken , and the great British chippy 's steak pie and deep-fried Mars bar .
This cosy , continental-style Belgian bar offers flights of beer and fondue pots to share , making it perfect for a laid-back date .
For Valentine 's Day , its popular roast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , from February 11 to 16 .
Priced at £25 per person , it includes a platter of roast chicken , beef brisket , Yorkshire pudding waffles , roast potatoes , vegetables and turkeyballen , and a big , bubbling pot of gravy to dunk everything in - plus a triple chocolate fondue for afters .
If champagne and oysters are your idea of wining and dining , swish seafood restaurant Randall & Aubin is the place for you this Valentine 's Day .
The Anglo/French brasserie on Bridge Street takes both very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , order the plats de fruits de mer , a selection of top-quality seafood .
You can even add on some lobster if you 're feeling particularly flash .
The setting is pretty chic too , with a handsome brass and mahogany bar , glazed tiling , antique chandeliers , marble-top tables and leather booths .
An intimate bar , a handsome dining room , impeccable service and knockout steaks and seafood - Hawksmoor offers a consistently excellent dining experience , so it 's a failsafe for Valentine 's Day .
Based inside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurant is an impressive but understated setting for a date with its tiled walls , parquet floors and comfy leather chairs .
The larger cuts of steak like chateaubriand , porterhouse , T-bone or bone-in prime rib are made for sharing with your Valentine .
Romance need n't mean roses and candlelight - good food , good wine and good company are the only ingredients you need , and you 'll find all of that at Erst .
The stark but stylish space is warmed by the open-fire cooking behind the open kitchen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think salt cod with clementine , bergamot , turnip and chilli ; venison carpaccio with salted ricotta and capers ; and grilled flatbread with gremolata .
The wine list here is one of the best you 'll find in the city , with a focus on natural and low-intervention bottles .
We have a dedicated Facebook page for all the latest on where to drink , eat , shop , go out and events across Greater Manchester .
From the best food and drink deals to exclusive looks at new restaurants and bars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we 've got you covered .
You can follow the page here for all the latest news .
We also have Facebook groups specialising in eating out around Manchester and going out .
You can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram , or sign up to our newsletter bringing you all the latest what 's on news and reviews directly to your inbox .
To subscribe , simply enter your email address in the box beneath the main image on any what 's on story .

newsdesk@men-news.co.uk (Emily Heward, Daisy Jackson)

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Subscribe to our daily What's On newsletter to keep up with what's happening around Greater Manchester
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Subscribe to our daily What's On newsletter to keep up with what's happening around Greater Manchester
Valentine's Day is just around the corner and Manchester offers plenty of romantic locations to spend the special day. A meal for two will be many people's first port of call when it comes to deciding how to spend February 14 (or on the weekends either side of it this year).
Whether you're looking for somewhere fancy to impress someone special, or somewhere more low-key and laid back, we've rounded up some of the most romantic restaurants in Manchester.
Get booking now as reservations soon get snapped up. Also be aware that some restaurants may have set Valentine's Day menus that differ from their usual offering, so make sure you check when you book.
Read next: The 50 best restaurants in Manchester right now
Table for two, please.
Tattu
(Image: manchester evening news)
With its famous cherry tree in permanent, soft pink bloom in the main dining room, Tattu makes a picture-perfect backdrop for a romantic meal for two.
Its menu is also perfect for sharing, with a selection of dim sum and small plates including waygu dumplings with kimchi and spring onion, chicken truffle shumai, and chilli and sesame roasted scallops.
Its cocktails are spectacular too - try the Samurai's Garden, a smoking carafe of gin, rose and tonic for two to share.
3 Hardman Square, Gartside Street, M3 3EB / 0161 819 2060 / tattu.co.uk
L'Antica Pizzeria Da Michele
Giving Tattu a run for its money in the cherry blossom stakes comes L'Antica - Manchester's newest pizza restaurant arrival but one with the oldest heritage. For the venue is the first Manchester outpost of the legendary Naples pizza restaurant where the "world's greatest pizza" is said to have been served since way back in 1870.
The restaurant is based inside the truly stunning former bank building on King Street, with a huge white blossom tree among the key features, and plush pink leather seating with dazzling chandeliers.
Naturally, pizza is the star here, and they are massive enough to share. There's also an extensive menu of pasta dishes and steaks.
Also look out for the flashing neon signs with the slogan: "I want someone to look at me the way I look at pizza" - a Valentine's message for us all, I'm sure you'll agree.
L'Antica Pizzeria Da Michele, 53 King Street, Manchester, M2 4LQ | Anticapizzeriadamichele.co.uk
Rosso
(Image: Rosso Restaurant)
The Italian celebrity haunt has become known for its wow Christmas decorations, and has now turned its attention to Valentine's Day decor too. And as you can see, there's been no expense spared here.
You'll find a giant geometric heart to pose up with, thousands upon thousands of red roses adorning the pillars, the tables, oh and the entrance as well. On Valentine's night itself there's a set menu only at £80, but for the rest of the dates in February you can go along and eat off the traditional menu known for its pizza, pasta and carne dishes, and be wowed by that decor.
Rosso, 43 Spring Gardens, Manchester M2 2BG / rossorestaurants.com
Dishoom
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
You forgot to book somewhere, didn't you?
Never fear: Dishoom is here to salvage your date. The Irani-Indian restaurant doesn't take reservations (at least not for less than six people in the evenings) so you can just rock up like you planned it (be prepared for a bit of a wait, though).
Based in the old Freemason's Hall on Bridge Street, the building's grade II listed grandeur makes an impressive setting. Ask to sit in the back room, if you can, where original features including a domed ceiling and stained glass windows are shown off to spectacular effect.
Add to that a menu of grazing plates designed for sharing, an accomplished cocktail list and the scent of incense wafting through the air, and the scene is set for romance.
32 Bridge Street, Manchester, M3 3BT | 0161 537 3737 | dishoom.com/manchester
El Gato Negro
(Image: Joby Catto)
King Street tapas bar El Gato Negro is an award-winning all-rounder of a restaurant, offering a different experience on every level. For a more casual date, park yourselves at the downstairs charcuterie bar to nibble on Iberico ham, cured meats and cheeses with a glass of wine.
Upstairs there's more of a sense of occasion, with an open kitchen, intimate booths and views out over King Street, while the top floor offers another level of dining underneath a retractable roof - not that that'll be getting much action in February. They pay a lot of attention to drinks too, including perfect serve G&Ts and cocktails focusing on Spanish spirits and ingredients.
52 King Street, M2 4LY / 0161 694 8585 / elgatonegrotapas.com
Salvi's
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
Intimate, Italian, independent - Salvi's ticks all our date night boxes. Hidden away in the basement beneath the Corn Exchange, the original mozzarella bar and restaurant has a cosy charm and a menu of Neapolitan-style pizza and pasta dishes, alongside antipasti boards perfect for sharing.
There's also a deli upstairs where you can pick up a gift, if you haven't already - it's a one-stop Valentine's shop.
The family behind it also have a new restaurant in the Northern Quarter as well as a pizzeria on John Dalton Street and a rather glitzier new sister venue over at the new Deansgate Square development.
1 The Corn Exchange, Corporation Street, M4 3TR / 0161 222 8021 / salvismanchester.co.uk
20 Stories
(Image: 20 Stories)
Manchester's loftiest restaurant offers simply stunning views across Greater Manchester and beyond 19 floors up. Which makes it a hot spot for romantic proposals at this time of year.
The restaurant is known for its fine dining cuisine, so you're looking at the pricier end of the restaurant scale. The kitchen is presided over by the Michelin-trained Daniel Scott.
It also boasts the spectacular outdoor terrace, that is currently the winter garden with covered areas until things warm up a tad.
20 Stories, NO. 1, 1 Hardman Square, Manchester M3 3EB / 20stories.co.uk
Grand Pacific
(Image: James Brown)
Quite possibly Manchester's most magnificent dining room, Grand Pacific is based in the historic, grade II* listed Reform Club at the top of King Street. Once you make your way up the oak staircase, you'll find an Asian-influenced menu of seafood, salads and steaks and a signature cocktail served inside a golden pineapple.
For those celebrating during daylight hours, there's a range of high teas to choose from, with the option to upgrade them to include champagne, sparkling wine, Chandon rosé or prosecco infused with tea.
50 Spring Gardens, M2 1EN / 0161 839 9365 / grandpacific.uk.com
Six by Nico
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
Want to treat your date to a tasting menu, but don't have a couple of hundred quid to spare? Six By Nico serves a remarkably good value six-course menu that costs £37 - and if you fancy splashing out, you can add a wine flight for an extra £30 each.
The menu changes every six weeks conjured up from the imagination of chef patron Nico Simeone, with February's theme a romantic escape to Neverland. Previous themes have included a Mad Hatter's Tea Party and a gourmet take on chippy tea.
60 Spring Gardens, Manchester, M2 2BQ | sixbynico.co.uk/Manchester | 0161 832 1815
Hawksmoor
An intimate bar, a handsome dining room, impeccable service and knockout steaks and seafood - Hawksmoor offers a consistently excellent dining experience, so it's a failsafe for Valentine's Day.
Based inside an old Victorian courthouse, the Deansgate restaurant is an impressive but understated setting for a date with its tiled walls, parquet floors and comfy leather chairs.
The larger cuts of steak like chateaubriand, porterhouse, T-bone or bone-in prime rib are made for sharing with your Valentine.
184-186 Deansgate, M3 3WB | 0161 836 6980 | thehawksmoor.com
10 Tib Lane
(Image: Supplied)
Hidden along the narrow alley that is Tib Lane, it's a wonderful hideaway at this Parisian-style restaurant. Whether it's classic cocktails, natural wine that doesn't scare you off or seasonal food created with the best produce going, 10 Tib Lane ticks every box.
With its distressed walls, blush pink banquettes and tiled nooks, it's already a date night favourite. The menu is a range of intriguing small plates - think steak tartare or charred hispi cabbage or a larger plate of duck breast.
10 Tib Lane, Manchester, M2 4JB / 10tiblane.co.uk
Erst
(Image: Publicity Picture)
Romance needn't mean roses and candlelight - good food, good wine and good company are the only ingredients you need, and you'll find all of that at Erst.
The stark but stylish space is warmed by the open-fire cooking behind the open kitchen, producing dishes designed for sharing: think salt cod with clementine, bergamot, turnip and chilli; venison carpaccio with salted ricotta and capers; and grilled flatbread with gremolata.
The wine list here is one of the best you'll find in the city, with a focus on natural and low-intervention bottles.
9 Murray Street, Ancoats, M4 6HS | 0161 826 3008 | erst-mcr.co.uk
Follow CityLife
We have a dedicated Facebook page for all the latest on where to drink, eat, shop, go out and events across Greater Manchester.
From the best food and drink deals to exclusive looks at new restaurants and bars, gig reviews and weekend plans - we've got you covered.
You can follow the page here for all the latest news.
We also have Facebook groups specialising in eating out around Manchester and going out.
You can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram, or sign up to our newsletter bringing you all the latest what's on news and reviews directly to your inbox.
To subscribe, simply enter your email address in the box beneath the main image on any what's on story.
Read next:-


themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-26--The epic beer garden can't save a mediocre meal - Worsley Old Hall reviewed

Worsley Old Hall is surely one of the most impressive pub buildings anywhere in the UK .
Its distinctive 17th century black and white facade sits on the edge of Salford , near the Bridgewater canal , and within its own park .
The beer garden comes complete with topiary - topiary !
- and a water fountain .
The grand country house describes its own menu as 'eclectic ' , which is what I 'm here to assess .
Arriving at 4pm , on a Thursday , in mid-January , the bar is packed out .
`` It must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think , before clocking that all the men are wearing black ties and the conversation is muted .
Oh , heck .
Elsewhere in the pub , there 's a blonde labrador punctuating human conversation with his woofing , a family of three with an iPad blasting tinny toddler tunes and a large group clearly enjoying a long , long lunch .
The vibe is old-fashioned , and a little dated - all wood panelling , boring pictures , leather chairs edged with rivets and pink carnations on the table .
Right then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I choose a tomato hummus with vegetable crudites ( £2.95 ) to start , which arrives so quickly that it must have been flung together with indecent haste by the chef from Sesame Street .
The plate it arrives on is lovely , all blue and white floral patterns , but the actual stuff on the plate is grim-looking .
The hummus looks an awful lot like something my cat would ... produce ... and it 's shrouded by a single , limp lettuce leaf .
The accompanying handful of carrot and celery @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not a lot you can do to plain carrot and celery sticks .
The hummus has a decent texture to it , but it 's as bland as Phillip Schofield .
While I 'm waiting for my main , I get to eavesdropping on the big long-lunch group .
They 're talking about Mrs Merton .
`` She 's dead you know , '' one of them notes .
Then they all nod .
Anyway - mains are quite meaty , and I go for cumberland sausage , with mashed potato and buttered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
I did n't fancy the honey roasted ham ( served cold ) with egg and chips for £11.95 or a 7oz fillet steak with portobello mushrooms , peppercorn sauce , tomato and chips for £26.95 .
Again , the plate of food arrives quite quickly , but it looks even worse than the starter .
Presentation 's not everything , but it also tastes rank - which is , obviously , a problem .
I 'm transported back to school dinners , to groaning plates of unappetising food which is all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cooked , but tepid and pallid , and despite a flood of onion gravy there 's no steam coming from the plate .
The mashed potato tastes weirdly like lamb , but like lamb that 's quite far past its best .
I would n't have been able to eat it even if I 'd been ravenously hungry - I try two further mouthfuls and give up , putting my knife and fork down , folding my arms , trying and failing not to look too grumpy .
The lovely waiter appears to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I declare the main disgusting and send it back .
Take two , I opt for two starters - safer - as it 's almost impossible to screw up a mixed salad ( £3.95 ) and butternut squash risotto ( £6.25 ) , right ?
What relief , these two plates look great - shards of toasted nuts and oil edging the risotto and the salad topped with shaved parmesan and soaked in balsamic vinegar .
The risotto has a blast of autumnal butternut flavour and the toasted nuts and assorted seeds make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than your standard risotto .
As for the rocket salad - the leaves are fresh and suitably peppery without making your toes curl up with their strength .
There 's just enough parmesan to balance it , and a few slices of tomato beneath it .
I have no problem wolfing both plates .
If I could 've got away with licking the plate clean , I would have .
On the dot of 5pm , one of the waiters returns to light candles and ask if I 've got room for dessert @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the starter then had two starters instead of a main , I do .
`` Guess what I 'm going for as a dessert ? ''
I ask the by now rather startled-looking waiter .
`` No !
Try again . ''
A pause .
He looks terrified at this point .
Among the other choices on offer were roasted pineapple with spiced oat granola and coconut ice cream ( £6.95 ) or a hot waffle with caramelised banana , butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream ( £6.75 ) .
The chocolate torte @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tinned-tasting ) cherries in a rubbish watery cherry sauce and with one miserly scoop of cherry sorbet .
In itself it 's fine - rich , dark and as chocolatey as you 'd expect .
It 's served in a relatively thin rectangular slab , but a little goes a long way .
Beer-wise , there 's M/64 New England IPA , Camden Hells lager and Beaver Town Neck Oil session IPA among the taps at the bar .
I choose a Whitley Neill rhubarb and ginger gin from the extensive gin range @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Are you being served ?
Service is pretty good overall .
My waiter is friendly and has a decent sense of humour , despite me scaring him with the dessert debacle .
The staff are very accommodating , letting me move to a big round table near a window when the toddler iPad plays Let It Go one too many times .
They 're also observant - they were quick to suss out that I did n't like my main and did n't make me feel bad about not liking it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay £8.95 for a fish finger sandwich on white bread with tartare sauce ?
A meal for one ( bear in mind it was a couple of starters , a side salad , dessert and one drink ) racks up to £26.10 .
Not cheap by any means , and also not reflective of the mediocre standard of food .
I end up with a decent meal after a bit of trial-and-error , but I 'm left feeling vaguely disappointed at the same time .
The waiting staff are lovely , but I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return to Worsley Old Hall .
We have a dedicated Facebook page for all the latest on where to drink , eat , shop , go out and events across Greater Manchester .
From the best food and drink deals to exclusive looks at new restaurants and bars , gig reviews and weekend plans - we 've got you covered .
You can follow the page here for all the latest news .
We also have Facebook groups specialising in eating out around Manchester and going out .
You can also follow us @ @ @ @ @

We have more newsletters
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Sign up to the MySalford newsletter to keep up with what's happening in and around the city
We have more newsletters
Thank you for subscribing!
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Sign up to the MySalford newsletter to keep up with what's happening in and around the city
Worsley Old Hall is surely one of the most impressive pub buildings anywhere in the UK.
Its distinctive 17th century black and white facade sits on the edge of Salford, near the Bridgewater canal, and within its own park.
The beer garden comes complete with topiary - topiary! - and a water fountain.
The grand country house describes its own menu as 'eclectic', which is what I'm here to assess.
Arriving at 4pm, on a Thursday, in mid-January, the bar is packed out.
"It must be a works do," I think, before clocking that all the men are wearing black ties and the conversation is muted. Oh, heck.
Elsewhere in the pub, there's a blonde labrador punctuating human conversation with his woofing, a family of three with an iPad blasting tinny toddler tunes and a large group clearly enjoying a long, long lunch.
The vibe is old-fashioned, and a little dated - all wood panelling, boring pictures, leather chairs edged with rivets and pink carnations on the table.
What's cooking?
Right then, onto that 'eclectic' menu.
I choose a tomato hummus with vegetable crudites (£2.95) to start, which arrives so quickly that it must have been flung together with indecent haste by the chef from Sesame Street.
The plate it arrives on is lovely, all blue and white floral patterns, but the actual stuff on the plate is grim-looking.
The hummus looks an awful lot like something my cat would... produce... and it's shrouded by a single, limp lettuce leaf.
The accompanying handful of carrot and celery sticks taste alright, but there's not a lot you can do to plain carrot and celery sticks.
The hummus has a decent texture to it, but it's as bland as Phillip Schofield.
While I'm waiting for my main, I get to eavesdropping on the big long-lunch group.
They're talking about Mrs Merton. "She's dead you know," one of them notes. Then they all nod.
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
Anyway - mains are quite meaty, and I go for cumberland sausage, with mashed potato and buttered greens (£9.95 for a small plate).
I didn't fancy the honey roasted ham (served cold) with egg and chips for £11.95 or a 7oz fillet steak with portobello mushrooms, peppercorn sauce, tomato and chips for £26.95.
Again, the plate of food arrives quite quickly, but it looks even worse than the starter.
Presentation's not everything, but it also tastes rank - which is, obviously, a problem.
I'm transported back to school dinners, to groaning plates of unappetising food which is all the wrong temperature.
The sausages are cooked, but tepid and pallid, and despite a flood of onion gravy there's no steam coming from the plate.
The mashed potato tastes weirdly like lamb, but like lamb that's quite far past its best.
I wouldn't have been able to eat it even if I'd been ravenously hungry - I try two further mouthfuls and give up, putting my knife and fork down, folding my arms, trying and failing not to look too grumpy.
The lovely waiter appears to check on me, and apologising profusely I declare the main disgusting and send it back.
Take two, I opt for two starters - safer - as it's almost impossible to screw up a mixed salad (£3.95) and butternut squash risotto (£6.25), right?
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
What relief, these two plates look great - shards of toasted nuts and oil edging the risotto and the salad topped with shaved parmesan and soaked in balsamic vinegar.
The risotto has a blast of autumnal butternut flavour and the toasted nuts and assorted seeds make it a lot more interesting and appetising than your standard risotto.
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
As for the rocket salad - the leaves are fresh and suitably peppery without making your toes curl up with their strength. There's just enough parmesan to balance it, and a few slices of tomato beneath it.
I have no problem wolfing both plates. If I could've got away with licking the plate clean, I would have.
Should I save room for pudding?
On the dot of 5pm, one of the waiters returns to light candles and ask if I've got room for dessert.
As I've only eaten half the starter then had two starters instead of a main, I do.
"Guess what I'm going for as a dessert?" I ask the by now rather startled-looking waiter.
"Er, creme brulee?"
"No! Try again."
A pause. He looks terrified at this point.
"Chocolate torte?"
"Yay!"
(Image: Helen Carter)
How CityLife reviews restaurants The CityLife team pride ourselves on honest, impartial reviews - we want you to know where your money is worth spending. We don't accept invitations or freebies in exchange for reviews. We pay the bill ourselves and we don't let the restaurants know we're coming, to make sure we get the same treatment as any other customer. Reviews assess the food, service, surroundings and value - taking into account the style of establishment.
Among the other choices on offer were roasted pineapple with spiced oat granola and coconut ice cream (£6.95) or a hot waffle with caramelised banana, butterscotch sauce and vanilla ice cream (£6.75).
The chocolate torte (£6.95) comes with four (tinned-tasting) cherries in a rubbish watery cherry sauce and with one miserly scoop of cherry sorbet.
In itself it's fine - rich, dark and as chocolatey as you'd expect.
It's served in a relatively thin rectangular slab, but a little goes a long way.
Can I get a decent pint?
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
Beer-wise, there's M/64 New England IPA, Camden Hells lager and Beaver Town Neck Oil session IPA among the taps at the bar.
I choose a Whitley Neill rhubarb and ginger gin from the extensive gin range, with slimline tonic, for £6.60.
Are you being served?
Service is pretty good overall. My waiter is friendly and has a decent sense of humour, despite me scaring him with the dessert debacle.
The staff are very accommodating, letting me move to a big round table near a window when the toddler iPad plays Let It Go one too many times.
They're also observant - they were quick to suss out that I didn't like my main and didn't make me feel bad about not liking it.
What's the damage:
(Image: Manchester Evening News)
The prices seem excessive - who would pay £8.95 for a fish finger sandwich on white bread with tartare sauce?
A meal for one (bear in mind it was a couple of starters, a side salad, dessert and one drink) racks up to £26.10.
Not cheap by any means, and also not reflective of the mediocre standard of food.
The verdict:
I end up with a decent meal after a bit of trial-and-error, but I'm left feeling vaguely disappointed at the same time.
The waiting staff are lovely, but I won't be in a hurry to return to Worsley Old Hall.
Follow CityLife
We have a dedicated Facebook page for all the latest on where to drink, eat, shop, go out and events across Greater Manchester.
From the best food and drink deals to exclusive looks at new restaurants and bars, gig reviews and weekend plans - we've got you covered.
You can follow the page here for all the latest news.
We also have Facebook groups specialising in eating out around Manchester and going out .
You can also follow us on Twitter and Instagram .


themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-26--What TV channel is Man City vs Fulham in the FA Cup on? Kick-off time, team news, predictions

Manchester City host Fulham on Sunday afternoon , in the fourth round of the FA Cup .
City go into the game in high spirits after beating Sheffield United 1-0 , after a hard-fought battle at Bramall Lane , in the Premier League on Tuesday .
Championship outfit Fulham have won their last three matches including an FA Cup third round victory over Premier League side Aston Villa and will be hoping to cause further upsets when they travel to the Etihad Stadium at the weekend .
What TV channel is Man City vs Fulham on ?
Manchester City vs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 12:45pm .
Highlights of the game will also be available on BBC One later on in the day at 10:30pm .
What time does Man City vs Fulham kick-off ?
Kick-off is at 13:00 on Sunday 26 th January .
The match kicks off at 1pm to allow for BT Sport to show Tranmere vs Manchester United at 3pm , followed by Shrewsbury Town vs Liverpool on BBC One at 17:00 .
You will be able to follow all the action on right here on our live blog .
City are massively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who seamlessly bedded back into the heart of defence against Sheffield United to record a rare clean sheet of late for the Blues .
Benjamin Mendy and John Stones both missed the match after picking up knocks and Guardiola offered no update on their fitness ahead of Sunday 's match .
It 's expected that Stones will be available whereas the game might come too soon for Mendy .
Unfortunately , long-term absentee Leroy Sane is unlikely to make his return to the fold until next month .

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get the latest City team news, transfer stories, match updates and analysis delivered straight to your inbox - FREE
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Get the latest City team news, transfer stories, match updates and analysis delivered straight to your inbox - FREE
Manchester City host Fulham on Sunday afternoon, in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
City go into the game in high spirits after beating Sheffield United 1-0, after a hard-fought battle at Bramall Lane, in the Premier League on Tuesday.
Championship outfit Fulham have won their last three matches including an FA Cup third round victory over Premier League side Aston Villa and will be hoping to cause further upsets when they travel to the Etihad Stadium at the weekend.
What TV channel is Man City vs Fulham on?
Manchester City vs Fulham is live on BBC One, from 12:45pm.
Highlights of the game will also be available on BBC One later on in the day at 10:30pm.
What time does Man City vs Fulham kick-off?
Kick-off is at 13:00 on Sunday 26th January. The match kicks off at 1pm to allow for BT Sport to show Tranmere vs Manchester United at 3pm, followed by Shrewsbury Town vs Liverpool on BBC One at 17:00.
You will be able to follow all the action on right here on our live blog.
Team news for Man City vs Fulham
City youngster Phil Foden starts in midfield while David Silva captains the side. Eric Garcia also gets a run out while Sergio Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne are on the bench.
Reserve goalkeeper Claudio Bravo gets the nod ahead of Ederson in net. Aymeric Laporte is not in the squad after making a successful comeback from a long-term injury.
Predictions for Man City vs Fulham


themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-26--You can get back at your ex this Valentine's Day by naming a cockroach after them

A zoo has come up with the perfect way of getting back at your ex this Valentine 's Day- by naming a cockroach after them .
Broken-hearted singletons are being given the chance to take some sweet revenge by forever linking one creature that makes their skin crawl to another , the Mirror reports .
Hemsley Conservation Centre will name one of its creepy critters after your ex-partner for the small fee of just £1.50 .
Participants will be given a certificate immortalising them in their true form as well as a quiz to find out just how similar your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You can also get your cockroach 's name up on the roach board at the Kent-based centre for all to see .
The zoo decided to bring their cockroach naming revenge game back for 2020 after its success last year .
`` There ’ s another way to make you feel better about getting back at your ex on Valentine ’ s Day , '' the website reads .
`` The HCC is offering the chance to name a cockroach in honor of your friend 's worthless ex-'someone ' on this special holiday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The money raised by the 'Name a Cockroach ' programme will go towards funding projects at the zoo .
To name your own cockroach , visit the website here .
Get breaking news first on the free Manchester Evening News app - download it here for your Apple or Android device .
You can also get a round-up of the biggest stories sent direct to your inbox every day with the MEN email newsletter - subscribe here .
And you can follow us on Facebook here

newsdesk@men-news.co.uk (Luke Matthews, Fionnula Hainey)

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the day's biggest stories sent direct to your inbox
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the day's biggest stories sent direct to your inbox
A zoo has come up with the perfect way of getting back at your ex this Valentine's Day- by naming a cockroach after them.
Broken-hearted singletons are being given the chance to take some sweet revenge by forever linking one creature that makes their skin crawl to another, the Mirror reports.
Hemsley Conservation Centre will name one of its creepy critters after your ex-partner for the small fee of just £1.50.
Participants will be given a certificate immortalising them in their true form as well as a quiz to find out just how similar your ex and their new namesake are.
You can also get your cockroach's name up on the roach board at the Kent-based centre for all to see.
The zoo decided to bring their cockroach naming revenge game back for 2020 after its success last year.
"There’s another way to make you feel better about getting back at your ex on Valentine’s Day," the website reads.
"The HCC is offering the chance to name a cockroach in honor of your friend's worthless ex-'someone' on this special holiday of love for just £1.50."
The money raised by the 'Name a Cockroach' programme will go towards funding projects at the zoo.
To name your own cockroach, visit the website here.
Get breaking news first on the free Manchester Evening News app - download it here for your Apple or Android device. You can also get a round-up of the biggest stories sent direct to your inbox every day with the MEN email newsletter - subscribe here. And you can follow us on Facebook here


themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-26--'I was using my instincts and adrenaline to survive': The student who battered Britain's worst rapis

'I was using my instincts and adrenaline to survive': The student who battered Britain's worst rapist 'like a cage fighter' - and thought he'd killed him

A man has revealed how he battered serial rapist Reynhard Sinaga ... and even feared he had killed him .
The drugged teen , a rugby player student , told how he woke from a stupor to find the monster on top of him .
Just 18 at the time , he had been plied with a date rape drug and was half naked , The Mirror reports .
Instinct kicked in and the man , who we are calling Peter to protect his identity , laid into Sinaga – pummelling him “ like a cage fighter ” .
Peter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such a beating that he feared he was dead .
He said : “ I thought I might have killed him , I didn ’ t really know what I was doing , I was using my instincts and adrenaline to survive.
” The pair traded blows in two brutal exchanges before Peter escaped .
Peter , supported by his mother , told the Sunday Mirror how : • He was initially arrested on suspicion of GBH against Sinaga .
• Police did not treat him as a rape victim to begin with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on him for 52 hours .
• He feels like an “ accidental hero ” after ending Sinaga ’ s reign of depravity .
• Sinaga ’ s crimes may not have been detected had he not accidentally left his mobile in Peter ’ s pocket .
The rapist had spiked Peter ’ s drinks with GHB before abusing him in the Manchester flat where scores of other men had already fallen victim .
Sinaga , 36 , videoed the assault .
Police found hundreds of similar clips on his phone and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against 48 men aged 17 to 36 .
Reliving his ordeal , Peter said : “ I woke up disorientated , face down on a pillow , there was a quilt on the floor .
“ My pants and jeans were down to the top of my knees , he was on top of me with his pants down to his ankles .
“ As I turned my head he jumped up and ran out of the bedroom .
I pulled my pants up , did my belt up , I was still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was .
“ A couple of minutes afterwards , he came back in fully dressed .
“ I said , ‘ Mate , what ’ s happened ?
’ He started shouting , ‘ Intruder !
Intruder !
’ I said , ‘ Mate , calm down ’ , then he headbutts me on my nose and starts biting me .
“ I was so confused .
We were grappling .
He pulled me over on to the bed and bit my shoulder .
`` He was a scrawny little guy .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ stronger , I hit him a few times and he dropped to the floor .
“ I had his white phone in my pocket .
I ’ ve no idea how it got there .
My phone , driving licence and wallet were in the bathroom .
I picked them up , still disorientated .
“ I was feeling scared , I knew I was in Manchester but that was about it.
” Peter said that as he tried to leave Sinaga jumped on his back .
He went on : “ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I started hitting him .
I was over him like you see in UFC .
It was like a big blur .
`` When I stopped there was a lot of blood on him and me .
He was on the floor not moving .
I ’ d had scuffles playing rugby , but nothing like that.
” Once free , Peter called his mum to pick him up .
Then a neighbour of Sinaga gave him shelter .
Peter said : “ I called 999 and said , ‘ I think I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I thought he could be dead because of the amount of force I used.
” Police told Peter ’ s mum to take him to Longsight station .
En route , Peter told her : “ Mum , I think I ’ ve killed him.
” By the time they reached the station police were at Sinaga ’ s flat .
A second nightmare was about to unfold – as Peter was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm .
Peter , who had been out celebrating his A-level results that night , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard them say they ’ d found him , then they said , ‘ He ’ s not looking good ’ .
“ I didn ’ t feel worried because I ’ d done nothing wrong .
They took my clothes and bagged them .
They took pictures of the bite marks on my belly and back and my nose and knuckles .
“ They took my fingerprints and DNA .
They questioned me like an offender , not a victim .
He was in hospital and they told me they would question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I repeatedly said , ‘ I think he ’ s tried to rape me ’ but they didn ’ t do any tests .
That ’ s the one thing I thought wasn ’ t right at the time .
Read more of today 's stories here “ They asked if I was straight or gay , I said I was straight .
They asked had I used Grindr ?
Was it a date ?
“ Had something gone wrong ?
I felt like they didn ’ t act on my complaint straight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before being released on bail .
He added : “ I thought they should have checked both sides .
It was more like they were prosecuting me.
” Peter told police he feared he had been raped at 5.30am on June 2 , 2017 .
Swabs were taken at 10am on June 4 .
Peter ’ s ordeal had begun after he became separated from friends on a trip to Factory nightclub , Manchester .
Sinaga spotted him and saw his chance .
Peter said : “ He offered for me to come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I am happy to chat to anyone .
I said yes and I remember walking to his apartment .
`` There was a kitchen area , but he took me into the bedroom and said he ’ d get me a few drinks .
`` There were five or six bottles of spirits on a table .
He poured a clear drink , I thought it was vodka or sambuca .
“ I felt comfortable , I thought he was around my age .
He never once said he was gay.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ two drinks .
He said : “ After the second I was dizzy , all over the place .
“ Last thing I remember was feeling sick and him saying , ‘ You ’ re not in a good state to go outside ’ .
`` I felt like I was really , really drunk , paralytic .
I was seeing four or five of everything .
“ I didn ’ t want to pass out in this guy ’ s house , I wanted to call my friends or my mum to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for my phone , but he was saying , ‘ No , you need to sit down ’ .
`` He was calm and caring , like someone looking after a drunk friend .
`` I blamed myself for mixing beer , spirits and shots .
After that I have no memory until 5am , around four hours.
” That was when Peter woke – and all hell broke loose .
Bloodied Sinaga was treated in hospital for a suspected brain bleed .
Police later discovered the rape footage on his phone – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police tracing more victims .
Sinaga kept victims ’ phones , business cards and passports as souvenirs .
Forty-eight men gave evidence in four trials at Manchester Crown Court and he was sentenced to 30 years .
Get breaking news first on the free Manchester Evening News app - download it here for your Apple or Android device .
You can also get a round-up of the biggest stories sent directly to your inbox every day with the MEN email newsletter - subscribe here .
And you can follow us on Facebook here @

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the day's biggest stories sent direct to your inbox
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the day's biggest stories sent direct to your inbox
A man has revealed how he battered serial rapist Reynhard Sinaga... and even feared he had killed him.
The drugged teen, a rugby player student, told how he woke from a stupor to find the monster on top of him.
Just 18 at the time, he had been plied with a date rape drug and was half naked, The Mirror reports.
Instinct kicked in and the man, who we are calling Peter to protect his identity, laid into Sinaga – pummelling him “like a cage fighter”.
Peter, a strapping 6ft, gave Sinaga such a beating that he feared he was dead.
He said: “I thought I might have killed him, I didn’t really know what I was doing, I was using my instincts and adrenaline to survive.”
The pair traded blows in two brutal exchanges before Peter escaped.
Peter, supported by his mother, told the Sunday Mirror how:
He was initially arrested on suspicion of GBH against Sinaga.
Police did not treat him as a rape victim to begin with and didn’t carry out tests on him for 52 hours.
He feels like an “accidental hero” after ending Sinaga’s reign of depravity.
Sinaga’s crimes may not have been detected had he not accidentally left his mobile in Peter’s pocket.
The rapist had spiked Peter’s drinks with GHB before abusing him in the Manchester flat where scores of other men had already fallen victim.
Sinaga, 36, videoed the assault. Police found hundreds of similar clips on his phone and he was this month convicted of 136 rapes against 48 men aged 17 to 36.
Reliving his ordeal, Peter said: “I woke up disorientated, face down on a pillow, there was a quilt on the floor.
“My pants and jeans were down to the top of my knees, he was on top of me with his pants down to his ankles.
(Image: MEN Media)
“As I turned my head he jumped up and ran out of the bedroom. I pulled my pants up, did my belt up, I was still confused. I had no clue where I was.
“A couple of minutes afterwards, he came back in fully dressed.
“I said, ‘Mate, what’s happened?’ He started shouting, ‘Intruder! Intruder!’ I said, ‘Mate, calm down’, then he headbutts me on my nose and starts biting me.
“I was so confused. We were grappling. He pulled me over on to the bed and bit my shoulder.
"He was a scrawny little guy. I was defending myself. I was stronger, I hit him a few times and he dropped to the floor.
“I had his white phone in my pocket. I’ve no idea how it got there. My phone, driving licence and wallet were in the bathroom. I picked them up, still disorientated.
“I was feeling scared, I knew I was in Manchester but that was about it.”
Peter said that as he tried to leave Sinaga jumped on his back.
(Image: MEN Media)
He went on: “I managed to get him off me, I started hitting him. I was over him like you see in UFC. It was like a big blur.
"When I stopped there was a lot of blood on him and me. He was on the floor not moving. I’d had scuffles playing rugby, but nothing like that.”
Once free, Peter called his mum to pick him up. Then a neighbour of Sinaga gave him shelter.
Peter said: “I called 999 and said, ‘I think I’ve been raped’. Then I thought he could be dead because of the amount of force I used.”
Police told Peter’s mum to take him to Longsight station. En route, Peter told her: “Mum, I think I’ve killed him.”
By the time they reached the station police were at Sinaga’s flat.
A second nightmare was about to unfold – as Peter was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm.
Peter, who had been out celebrating his A-level results that night, explained: “Over the radio I heard them say they’d found him, then they said, ‘He’s not looking good’.
“I didn’t feel worried because I’d done nothing wrong. They took my clothes and bagged them. They took pictures of the bite marks on my belly and back and my nose and knuckles.
“They took my fingerprints and DNA. They questioned me like an offender, not a victim. He was in hospital and they told me they would question him when he was released.
“I repeatedly said, ‘I think he’s tried to rape me’ but they didn’t do any tests. That’s the one thing I thought wasn’t right at the time.
(Image: PA)
“They asked if I was straight or gay, I said I was straight. They asked had I used Grindr? Was it a date?
“Had something gone wrong? I felt like they didn’t act on my complaint straight away.”
Peter was held until 6pm before being released on bail.
He added: “I thought they should have checked both sides. It was more like they were prosecuting me.”
Peter told police he feared he had been raped at 5.30am on June 2, 2017. Swabs were taken at 10am on June 4.
Peter’s ordeal had begun after he became separated from friends on a trip to Factory nightclub, Manchester.
Sinaga spotted him and saw his chance. Peter said: “He offered for me to come to his flat because it was cold.
“I am happy to chat to anyone. I said yes and I remember walking to his apartment.
"There was a kitchen area, but he took me into the bedroom and said he’d get me a few drinks.
"There were five or six bottles of spirits on a table. He poured a clear drink, I thought it was vodka or sambuca.
“I felt comfortable, I thought he was around my age. He never once said he was gay.”
Peter told how Sinaga gave him two drinks. He said: “After the second I was dizzy, all over the place.
“Last thing I remember was feeling sick and him saying, ‘You’re not in a good state to go outside’.
"I felt like I was really, really drunk, paralytic. I was seeing four or five of everything.
“I didn’t want to pass out in this guy’s house, I wanted to call my friends or my mum to pick me up. I asked him for my phone, but he was saying, ‘No, you need to sit down’.
"He was calm and caring, like someone looking after a drunk friend.
"I blamed myself for mixing beer, spirits and shots. After that I have no memory until 5am, around four hours.”
That was when Peter woke – and all hell broke loose.
Bloodied Sinaga was treated in hospital for a suspected brain bleed.
Police later discovered the rape footage on his phone – and hundreds of other videos led to police tracing more victims.
Sinaga kept victims’ phones, business cards and passports as souvenirs.
Forty-eight men gave evidence in four trials at Manchester Crown Court and he was sentenced to 30 years.
Get breaking news first on the free Manchester Evening News app - download it here for your Apple or Android device. You can also get a round-up of the biggest stories sent directly to your inbox every day with the MEN email newsletter - subscribe here. And you can follow us on Facebook here.


themanchestereveningnews--2020-01-26--Manchester United might already have lost faith in their transfer strategy

`` I would suggest four or five transfer windows to get things absolutely right . ''
Those were the words of Gary Neville following Manchester United 's defeat by Crystal Palace in August - the first of eight losses across 24 Premier League games this season .
United had just emerged from a transfer window in which they had recruited Harry Maguire , Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James but lost six senior squad members .
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer clearly pinpointed United 's defence as the area of the team that required the most improvement .
Wan-Bissaka and Maguire have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an eye to the future and has outperformed expectations in his debut season , despite his recent drop-off .
United have n't signed anybody else under Solskjaer and , in around a week 's time , he will have been at the club for the entirety of three full transfer windows .
Of course , two of those windows have been winter windows , and the difficulties that come with acquiring top targets in January must be factored in when analysing United 's average of acquiring one player per transfer window under Solskjaer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago is relevant because it has become a recurring theme for United 's disappointing results to be followed by ex-players and , commonly , former teammates of Solskjaer to plead for patience on behalf of the Norwegian , with the justification that he needs to be given the opportunity to build his own squad .
`` They have to give him the time , three or four transfer windows I think they need , '' Paul Scholes said just last month .
What good are transfer windows if United are n't using them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Perhaps the board have lost faith in their own flawed transfer strategy .
Wednesday night 's horrible 2-0 defeat by Burnley was a reminder of just how dire the situation at the club has become - and it is clear who the fans hold accountable .
Renditions of 'You are my Solskjaer ' were belted out by many of the United fans inside Old Trafford .
The official attendance , 73,198 , was announced to groans of derision ; the actual attendance appeared much lower .
Solskjaer is spared the vitriol Louis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ status as a player and the fact that fans are wise enough to recognise he is a symptom of United 's problems , not the cause - just as David Moyes , Van Gaal and Jose Mourinho were before him .
But he has presided over a dreadful season and can not be exempt entirely from blame .
The bigger problem , though , is far deeper rooted than Solskjaer ; United 's structure as a football club has become not fit for purpose .
Club sources said they intended on installing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's interim appointment in 2018 but that position remains unfilled .
The recruitment since Sir Alex Ferguson 's retirement has been dreadful .
United have the highest wage bill in the Premier League and one of the most expensively assembled squads in Europe but are on course to finish the season with 54 points .
In David Moyes ' doomed season in charge , they amassed 64 .
During last summer 's window , United operated with a one-at-a-time policy , whereby the club would not start negotiations with a new transfer target @ @ @ @ @ @ @ door .
Wan-Bissaka followed James and Maguire followed Wan-Bissaka .
The protracted nature of United 's negotiations with Leicester over Maguire 's transfer meant his move was finalised three days before the August 8 deadline , leaving the club with no time to strengthen in midfield , despite having lost Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini earlier in the year .
Had Scott McTominay and Fred not improved markedly this season , United 's plight would be even worse .
United 's desperation this time around has led to them exploring a deal for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did n't want last summer and a player who , despite his impressive statistics for Sporting Lisbon in the Primeira Liga , is not attracting the attention of any other big club .
Jude Bellingham , the 16-year-old Birmingham prospect , has also worked his way onto United 's radar and a £30million fee has been mooted .
Liverpool signed Sadio Mane for £34million three-and-a-half years ago .
United appear as directionless with their transfer strategy as they are on the pitch and the discontent among supporters will grow if the downward spiral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs a restructure from top to bottom .
Only then will sustained improvement be possible .

Something went wrong, please try again later.
Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later.
Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the day's biggest stories sent direct to your inbox
Something went wrong, please try again later.
Sign up for our daily newsletter to get the day's biggest stories sent direct to your inbox
"I would suggest four or five transfer windows to get things absolutely right."
Those were the words of Gary Neville following Manchester United's defeat by Crystal Palace in August - the first of eight losses across 24 Premier League games this season.
United had just emerged from a transfer window in which they had recruited Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James but lost six senior squad members.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer clearly pinpointed United's defence as the area of the team that required the most improvement. Wan-Bissaka and Maguire have been welcome additions. James was signed with an eye to the future and has outperformed expectations in his debut season, despite his recent drop-off.
United haven't signed anybody else under Solskjaer and, in around a week's time, he will have been at the club for the entirety of three full transfer windows.
Of course, two of those windows have been winter windows, and the difficulties that come with acquiring top targets in January must be factored in when analysing United's average of acquiring one player per transfer window under Solskjaer.
Neville's comment from five months ago is relevant because it has become a recurring theme for United's disappointing results to be followed by ex-players and, commonly, former teammates of Solskjaer to plead for patience on behalf of the Norwegian, with the justification that he needs to be given the opportunity to build his own squad.
"They have to give him the time, three or four transfer windows I think they need," Paul Scholes said just last month.
What good are transfer windows if United aren't using them to strengthen this wafer-thin, injury-hit squad? Perhaps the board have lost faith in their own flawed transfer strategy.
Wednesday night's horrible 2-0 defeat by Burnley was a reminder of just how dire the situation at the club has become - and it is clear who the fans hold accountable.
Renditions of 'You are my Solskjaer' were belted out by many of the United fans inside Old Trafford. The official attendance, 73,198, was announced to groans of derision; the actual attendance appeared much lower.
Solskjaer is spared the vitriol Louis van Gaal experienced due to his legendary status as a player and the fact that fans are wise enough to recognise he is a symptom of United's problems, not the cause - just as David Moyes, Van Gaal and Jose Mourinho were before him. But he has presided over a dreadful season and cannot be exempt entirely from blame.
The bigger problem, though, is far deeper rooted than Solskjaer; United's structure as a football club has become not fit for purpose.
Club sources said they intended on installing a technical director as far back as Solskjaer's interim appointment in 2018 but that position remains unfilled.
The recruitment since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement has been dreadful. United have the highest wage bill in the Premier League and one of the most expensively assembled squads in Europe but are on course to finish the season with 54 points. In David Moyes' doomed season in charge, they amassed 64.
During last summer's window, United operated with a one-at-a-time policy, whereby the club would not start negotiations with a new transfer target until the previous one was through the door. Wan-Bissaka followed James and Maguire followed Wan-Bissaka.
The protracted nature of United's negotiations with Leicester over Maguire's transfer meant his move was finalised three days before the August 8 deadline, leaving the club with no time to strengthen in midfield, despite having lost Ander Herrera and Marouane Fellaini earlier in the year.
Had Scott McTominay and Fred not improved markedly this season, United's plight would be even worse.
United's desperation this time around has led to them exploring a deal for Bruno Fernandes, the Portugal international they didn't want last summer and a player who, despite his impressive statistics for Sporting Lisbon in the Primeira Liga, is not attracting the attention of any other big club.
Alarm bells should be ringing.
Jude Bellingham, the 16-year-old Birmingham prospect, has also worked his way onto United's radar and a £30million fee has been mooted. Liverpool signed Sadio Mane for £34million three-and-a-half years ago.
United appear as directionless with their transfer strategy as they are on the pitch and the discontent among supporters will grow if the downward spiral continues.
The club's football operation needs a restructure from top to bottom. Only then will sustained improvement be possible.