While the likes of Brazilian legend Pele and English World Cup winning hero Sir Geoff Hurst have walked through the doors of Manchester United’s Old Trafford museum, it was one unsuspecting lucky fan who became the five millionth visitor.
Huddersfield’s Darren Haigh, 39, who has supported the club for 30 years, won the invaluable prize of a visit to the Aon Training Complex to watch the first team train, VIP match experience in a hospitality suite with prime game tickets and hotel accommodation the night before.
Accompanying Darren will be his wife Lindsay and two-year-old son Sam and the Huddersfield fan couldn’t contain his excitement – especially having taken advantage of the museum’s free entry throughout July and August.
“I cannot thank them enough for this prize for me and my family. I’m completely overwhelmed,” said Darren.
HAPPY FAMILY: Darren with his wife Lindsay and two-year-old son Sam.
“I thought I’d take advantage of the museum being free to come and visit. It was a brilliant surprise to be crowned the five millionth visitor and win a prize.”
The Manchester United Museum and Tour Centre – named Best Large Visitor Attraction 2013 at the Manchester Tourism Awards – has a staggering 182 trophies on display with 28,000 items of memorabilia on show and plenty of quirky and interesting facts about United, including the cost of building Old Trafford in 1910… £40,000.
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Originally up and running in 1986 then with the new museum opened by Pele in 1998, it has played a key role in telling the story of one of the world’s most famous clubs to its 659 million supporters across the globe.
For more information or to pre book paid stadium tours visit www.manutd.com/freemuseum or call 0161 868 8000. The museum is open 9.30am-7.30pm throughout July and August, with the last stadium tours leaving at 7pm.
