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Month: September 2016

Review: Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Written by Alasdair Bayman on . Posted in Film.

New Zealand’s relationship with the natural world is well known around the world. Whether it is the luscious snow glazed tops, or breath-taking lakes of beauty, the iconography of the two islands is embedded into culture. Yet, something not necessarily associated towards the country is the genre comedy. Director, Taika Waititi, in recent years, has brought to the forefront of independent cinema a rise of indigenous Kiwi comedic talent- particularly orchestrated masterfully in horror mockumentary, What We Do in The Shadows. However, his latest film, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, draws towards a sentimental narrative, with comedy spread on top to pay homage to the works of fellow film-makers such as Shane Blacks’ buddy films.

Ricky (Julian Dennison) is your typical rebellious youth. Dressed like a kaleidoscopic gangster, he styles himself on rappers . Yet, behind the colourful aesthetic, Ricky is an orphan. Transported out to the New Zealand bush to live with his caring aunt (Rima Te Wiata) and her reclusive husband Hec (Sam Neil), Ricky finds a new home. Delivered by the highly macho social worker Paula (Rachel House), Ricky quickly realizes that his ‘gangster’ lifestyle will swiftly come to an end. As time passes, the boy becomes attached to his aunt and his new way of life. In this intimate relationship, Waititi’s script flourishes with graceful moments of comedy. Whether that be the overtly grotesque killing of a boar or his aunt’s electro birthday song for Ricky, the hilarity of these scenes add depth to all characters, especially our protagonist. After an unexpected tragedy that threatens to destroy Ricky’s new idyllic life, he runs away and attempts to fake his suicide in hilarious fashion, only to come across his Uncle in the wild bush. What ensues is a nationwide manhunt for the two after the law declares that Ricky must be returned to his orphanage.

With only the wild to live off, the two bond over time with paternal sentimentality at its core- of which becomes the foundations of the film. Instead of resorting to simple comedy through the dialogue of the film, Waititi additionally uses the editing of Tom Eagles, Yana Gorskava, Luke Haigh to benefit certain amusing storytelling. With self-references to Lord of the Rings and Terminator, the Kiwi director is not afraid to blend intertextuality into his world. With this comes the formerly discussed iconography of landscapes, as so associated with Middle-Earth. Nonetheless, cinematographer Lachlan Milne does not shy away from numerous drone shots of the magnificent landscape. The inclusion of these shots adds awe and gravitas to Ricky and Nec’s journey escaping the law.

Similar comparisons will be drawn towards classic buddy movies as Thelma and Louise due to their shared rebellious nature. Even so, the film thankfully avoids the seriousness of The Revenant’s brutal approach towards nature and survival. With his next two projects involving both Marvel and Pixar, Waititi’s rise will surely continue and Hunt for the Wilderpeople demonstrates a maturity in his film-making approach.

4/5

University of Manchester launch new Finance facilities

Written by Elise Gallagher on . Posted in News.

The University of Manchester has launched a free new service on the My Finances tab of MyManchester.

Also accessible through Student Support and the Advice website, the main sections of the service are based from a survey of 60 students, conducted by Student Support, which asked what students most needed help with during their university experience.

As well as this, Manchester’s Student Support team won the finance in order to gain access to award-winning financial specialists Blackbullion’s online platform. The online platform, which will be available to all University of Manchester students, aims to improve students financial literacy through a series of short interactive sessions.

Blackbullion’s website states, “[A] lack of financial education can have a crippling effect on students’ well-being. Through empowering students to take control of their financial future we can positively impact on the student experience as well as retention, attainment and employability.”

According to an NUS article and research conducted by Blackbullion, 77 per cent of graduates were worried or very worried about their financial debt, but once using Blackbullion Online 89 per cent felt more comfortable about their financial future.

Katie Urnevitch, the university’s Student Money Adviser said: “Our partnership with Blackbullion came about as a result of our desire to empower our students to become financially-savvy and help to prevent money worries before they begin. The product is perfect for fitting around studies and a busy lifestyle in general as the interactive sessions are only 3 – 5 minutes long and can even be completed on a mobile.

“The resource has the added benefit of being attractive to employers as the sessions incorporate development of core skills (i.e. critical thinking, adaptability, future readiness and more) and upon completion, you can upload a certificate to LinkedIn as evidence.”

The new and improved My Finances tab covers everything ranging from budgeting, bills, food, travel, rent, risks, and deals. There you can also find a list of local places to eat with deals and discounts on offer, all based around Fallowfield and Oxford Road near university.

3rd year Law student Anna Grant created the money management section of the service as part of her Summer internship with Student Support. When asked about the new features she said, “the idea behind Blackbullion is fantastic. Considering four in five of us wanted financial education at school, the company are really filling the gap in the market to help students where we need it most. The main idea is to help students proactively save wherever they can.”

Recent research by financial advisory website Save The Student (STS) has shown that while the average maintenance loan sits at just £540 a month, students’ average monthly spend has reached £790. STS’s survey of 2,217 students in May and June of this year found 70 per cent of them don’t think the maintenance loan is enough to live off highlighting that there is a large demand for facilities such as Blackbullion and money management which aim to help and guide students through their finances.

 

The Manchester Vegan Beer Fest

Written by Felix Sanders on . Posted in Food & Drink, Uncategorised.

A more ignorant version of myself would never have gone to this. It is not that I am anti-vegan, it’s just that I didn’t feel like I identified with, nor enjoyed, vegan culture. The brewers and the people that I had the exceedingly good fortune to meet and drink with last Sunday will have forever changed my vegan outlook.

The festival was a two-day affair in the incredible Islington Mill in Salford. A quintessential Mancunian location, an otherwise unwanted red-brick space that some people have turned into a hub for all manners of expression. I hear it’s a pretty a good venue as well.
Split over two floors and a sun drenched courtyard, the festival played host to the Pitfield Brewery, V Revolution and Mother May I. Pitfield had come all the way from Essex, V Revolution had made the long haul from their town restaurant and Mother May I is a food truck that has a residency at Islington Mill. I thought the name itself was a brilliant touch. A childhood throwback to wanting something that tasted so so good you couldn’t help but implore to it’s creator, ‘Mother may I have some more?’ Living out successful Oliver Twist fantasies.
I went with a good friend, Will, who has recently become a vegetarian. I don’t know why, something has happened to him over the summer, he won’t tell me. Entry was £7.00 on the door, after paying we made a pretty swift b-line for the nearest bar, beginning with a pint of Paradise Pale Ale, from a keg, which gave a little more fizz.

At that first bar we met Kevin ‘Spud’ Mutimer, a bearded Pitfield Brewer. He began to talk to us about the history and processes of the company. My favourite thing he told me was the origin of the name. Pitfield is a place in East London,  the brewery’s original location before Essex. He told me that when he was there they felt like black sheep. No one, not the council not the locals, wanted a brewery in their part of town. It wasn’t a place of that kind of industry. Today you can’t swing a cat without hitting some moustache twiddlers micro brewery.
We ate from Mother May I, the lure of the name proved too much. I had tofu with a spicy, smoked paprika sauce of onions and tomatoes, Will had a pastry with sausage substitute filling. Both nice, great value. I wasn’t blown away by the tofu, but the sauce was good. After wandering around a bit, looking a V Revolution’s clientèle feasting on nachos and hotdogs, as is the style of their vegan diner restaurant, we went back to the bar and were introduced to an Andy Skene. Andy is Spud’s partner and true wizard. I’ve met bakers before who can tell you all about the science and magic of yeast and fermentation but this was the first time I’ve met a really dedicated and qualified brewer. Especially one who was so willing to tell us about what he did.
He started home brews at 16 in Canada, where he grew up. He gets to England in the 80s’ and is blown away by our beer culture, the range of drink, the bitters, the inimitable British pub feel. He eventually found himself asking the question, “can I become a professional brewer?” He wound up on a brewing course at Harriet Watt in Edinburgh and the rest is beautiful history.
All of the beer I drank with him tasted no different to any good craft, small batch beers I’ve drunk before. And it was all a million miles from any large scale commercial beer you can buy. The heinekenisation of the beer trade is  something that he’s worried about, chemically controlled brews messing with people’s perception of what beer really is.
My main question, other than trying to figure out his life story, was what made his beer vegan. He didn’t really go in for semantics, the beer to him was more organic, or natural, than anything. The process in which they produce coincidentally made it vegan. The current climate of demand for high quality vegan products is what pushes that label of ‘vegan beer.’ Their logo doesn’t actually say vegan, but ‘artisan organic beer.’
So the process. Normally beer is filtered with something called isinglass, made from the swim bladders and other parts of mainly tropical fish. It has the opposite poll to a yeast cell and acts as an effective filter which can speed up the brewing process. What Pitfield do, along with the help new types of yeast, allow for no isinglass. Through a process of chilling and proper preparation they are able to filter the yeast naturally. The result is the same it just takes twice as long. Patience, a quality that large scale brewers lack.
The best thing I drank that day was Wild Goose, crazy sour, a light amber colour and good kick. The type of beer that people need to hear about. And that was one of the last things I spoke to Andy about. Wine has a rich heritage of magazines, reviews and awards. It is regarded as high culture. Where are the beer reviews in newspapers? Why is it subjected to this working man’s drink status that isn’t comparable to wine. Why is the controlled rotting, the alchemy that is brewing any less of a craft than wine? It is people like Spud and Andy that are here to shift the culture.

Top 5: Post-Freshers Comedown

Written by Rebekah Shaw on . Posted in Music.

With the end of Freshers Week approaching and those hungover Sundays sinking in, here are some tunes to get you through the drunken fog.

1. Peace – ‘Float Forever’
True to its title this track floats along on a tide of echoing melodic guitar, musingly chilled, best enjoyed whilst relaxing in a beanbag chair of course.

2. The Antlers – ‘Crest’
Silberman’s dreamy vocals dragged through reverb paired with plenty of muted brass on this track feels silky and suave.

3. Warpaint – ‘Feeling Alright’
Perfectly encompassing a determination to survive anything life throws at you, this moody track has the kind of wistful grit needed to insist that you are “careless, not hopeless”.

4. The Beatles – ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy)’
Almost 8 minutes of intense Beatles bluesy rock with enough warp to make your head spin, a sultry Sunday afternoon hangover must.

5. Weezer – ‘Island In The Sun’
Cling onto the last remnants of summer with this sunny track: ‘Island in the Sun’ can stave off those post-freshers blues. Even the most novice guitarist can look at the chords for this song and feel great about themselves.

Universities attempting to ensure student safety

Written by Niamh Cashell on . Posted in News.

This week at Cardiff University volunteers have been walking students home after nights out in order to ensure student safety.

The Student Safety Walk Scheme sees volunteers based around the Students’ Union provide security to potentially vulnerable students walking home at night.

The scheme is newly developed after a number of reported sex attacks in Cardiff during September last year. There were reports of taxi drivers turning down short fares back to student residential areas, forcing students to walk home alone.

It is part of a wider project involving both Cardiff University and local police forces in protecting students, with further bus and taxi schemes providing support in escorting students home.

It has been well documented that students coming home in Fallowfield in particular have been victim to sex attacks and muggings. In November last year students from the University of Manchester launched a petition calling for a greater police presence in Fallowfield for student protection.

The University of Manchester Students’ Union launched a Student Shuttle Bus in response to the petition. This service leaves from outside the Alan Gilbert Learning Commons and will drop students right to their front door for a fare of £2-4, which can be paid the next day if you leave your student card with the driver. For more advice on how to stay safe during a night out in Manchester please see our website.

It’s called street art for a reason

Written by Laura Joyce on . Posted in Arts.

Uproar on the streets of Liverpool as yet another Banksy original has been removed from the city’s streets

Banksy’s Love Plane had become something of a masterpiece in Liverpool’s Rumford Place. That is, until it was cut out from its original site and replaced with a plaque re-directing disappointed admirers to a website explaining the mysterious disappearance.

The webpage reads: “The BANKSY LOVE PLANE artwork has been removed. With this building due to be refurbished, the piece has been salvaged and is now being restored under the management of The Sincura Group.”

The artwork will be returned to Liverpool looking better than ever to hang alongside other Banksy pieces at the Gallery at Berry House Baltic Triangle, due to launch in Liverpool shortly.

Courtesy of North Point Global Group, this will be the first ever street art museum anywhere in the world and will showcase to the public an extensive collection of original Banksy artworks painted as part of Liverpool’s Biennial art programme. With so many Banksy artworks disappearing from public view this will ensure your city preserves its street art heritage and showcases future talent.

“Liverpool, we thank you for your support and we are excited to be breaking new ground with you. We look forward to returning your piece to your wonderful city.”

The chairman of North Point Global Group, Peter McInnes claims to be moving various graffiti artwork “somewhere they can be enjoyed by the people of the city”. Because clearly art can only be truly appreciated inside a purpose built gallery, defeating the objective of street art.

And what’s even worse is: they didn’t even take the heart trail! They cut out the plane, and left half of the artwork. It is almost like cutting up Van Gogh’s famous Sunflowers painting, and leaving behind the vase.

This is not the first Banksy to be removed from the streets of Liverpool. A giant rat on the side of the historic White Horse pub on Berry Street was removed during the building’s renovation in 2014. The building is now a restaurant.

The building became grade II listed in 2004, shortly before the rat’s appearance in the same year. The painting was therefore not included in the listing.

The rat is believed to have been Banksy’s largest mural to date at 30ft high, covering two stories.

During its “successful” removal the artwork was separated into 30 pieces. It was later damaged in transit to London.

Liverpool is by no means the only city to have its street art stripped of its place. All over England there have been auctions following the removal of some of the artist’s most iconic works.

Street art is impulsive, spontaneous and unexpected. We should stumble upon works like the Love Plane and admire it where it lies. Streets are the world’s natural museums; holding traces of those who have passed through.

It should not be interfered with. If the weather fades it, it will become a part of history. But we are being forced to say goodbye to amazing murals. They should be protected.

That said, not everyone feels the same way. Street art has always had a certain stigma attached to it, with some people believing artists like Banksy to be vandals participating in anti-social behaviour which defaces our streets.

Legally, it is characterised as a problem to be dealt with through criminal law. Although, now that some artists’ works are being considered valuable, this could be set to change.

But how can we truly say that graffiti defaces our surroundings? Walking through Manchester’s Northern Quarter, is it fair to say that a huge part of the area’s appeal and charm is shaped by the street art surrounding you? Of course it is.

Which do you think is more offensive to see? A small graffiti fox, brightening up a disused building, or a great chunk cut out of the wall where it used to be?

Graffiti artists deserve to have their work lie where they left it; as they intended it.

Get Involved: University of Manchester Gaelic Athletic Club

Written by Niamh Maguire on . Posted in Sport.

Gaelic football is at the core of Irish sport and culture. University of Manchester Gaelic Athletic Club aims to promote and develop the sport, reaching out to Irish students, students of Irish descent, and those who just want to try their hand at this fantastic sport!

Gaelic football is not like any team sport you have watched before; it is intense, fast-paced and exciting at every minute. The game is played on a rectangular grass pitch between two rugby-style posts with a round ball. There are two types of scores; a point is achieved by kicking or hand passing the ball over the crossbar; and a goal (three points) is scored by getting the ball into the net. The ball can be carried up the field, with an action being used every four steps—either bouncing, kicking, hand-passing, or soloing (dropping the ball and then toe-kicking the ball upward into the hands). Teams are 15-a-side and are usually made up of a goalkeeper, six defenders, six attackers and two midfielders. The game is governed by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA), set up in Ireland in 1884. More locally, our team takes part in competitions run by the British Universities GAA.

Last year saw the formation of the first ever University of Manchester Gaelic Football teams. With a bit of help from the MMU team and St Lawrence’s (a local team), we got training sessions going in Platt Fields, with a good number of attendees every week. The season kicked off in October with a 7-a-side tournament, where our new men’s and lady’s teams got their first chance to announce their arrival, playing against other local teams from the North-West.

While our men’s team have had to wait a little longer to play in the county league, our ladies team had a full calendar, with matches taking place on weekends throughout October and November. Our ladies even made it to the British Universities Championships, which were hosted in Manchester, and included some fantastic teams from across the country. While we didn’t win any trophies, we picked up lots of tips and strengthened ourselves as a team. Led this year by lady’s captain Roisin McCusker, and men’s captain Mark Boyle, we are ready to return to the 2016/17 season as a force to be reckoned with.

We are associated with current county champions, St Lawrence’s GAA team, based in Stretford, who have provided much support in lending us kit and equipment. They also provide extra training sessions for any of our members to attend, and a chance to play in both local and national leagues against clubs from across the country. This association means that we have a strong connection with the rest of the Manchester Irish community, and allows our players to socialise and train with some of the best and most experienced players around.

As you would expect from any Irish sports team, we have a great social side too. Starting last year with a couple of Welcome Week events to introduce those new to Manchester to the best Irish bars in town, we continued to meet up regularly for GAA, soccer and rugby matches. A very nerve wrecking Sunday was spent watching the All Ireland men’s final last weekend with a last-minute draw between Mayo and Dublin meaning a replay (and another pub trip) is on the cards in the coming weeks.  We saw 2015 out with the massively successful Christmas reindeer pub crawl, where our team of reindeers were challenged to a three-legged race around Didsbury, with lots of challenges along the way.

Of course, this was all build up to St Patrick’s night. We celebrated the biggest night of the Irish calendar in 256 Fallowfield with our hugely popular sell out Irish night, opening the doors to everyone to see how Paddy’s night is meant to be celebrated. This year will be no different, with our new social secretary Mary Deery planning a huge year of events in collaboration with the Irish Society. The year ended with our AGM where we announced the new committee, with Sinéad Pearce to take over as chair, and Lauren Magee as secretary. A highlight of the year had to be our nomination for Best New Society at the Students’ Union award night. We narrowly missed out on the title, but a great night-out was had, and we plan to return for glory this year.

Training sessions typically take place in Platt Fields on a Wednesday afternoon; Ladies training is 5-6, and Men’s training is 6-7. Sessions involve drills designed to improve fitness, ball skills and scoring, alongside match scenarios to prepare for competitions. We cater for all abilities from all backgrounds, welcoming players completely new to the sport, as well as those who grew up with GAA. Both of our teams are friendly and welcoming, and offer a great chance to learn new skills, develop existing ones, and of course, have the craic!

For information on training sessions and social events, please follow the University of Manchester Gaelic Athletics Club Facebook page. You can message any of the admins of this page (Sinéad Pearce, Lauren Magee, Niamh Maguire) with any questions

All of our social events will also appear on the University of Manchester Irish Society 16/17 Facebook page.

Alternatively, email us at [email protected]

Manchester Abú!

Standing up for safe-standing

Written by James Haughton on . Posted in Sport.

When Watford played West Ham at the Olympic Stadium, now known as the London Stadium, the headlines did not solely focus on away side coming back from 2-0 down to win 4-2, but also on the trouble that brewed between West Ham supporters. The move to the London Stadium has frustrated fans, ranging from the usual problems associated a running track—a lack of atmosphere, restricted viewpoints—to some not-so-usual problems—fans having to sit on concrete because seating had not yet been installed. Combined with the Hammers’ poor start to the season, and the mood around London club is not great at the moment.

However another cause of the crowd disturbances was a problem that has been prevalent in English football for the last 25 years: fans standing in an all-seater stadium. Moving into the new ground has currently increased West Ham’s capacity by around 15,000. To fill the new stadium, therefore, the Hammers have had to attract a new set of season-ticket holders, in addition to their existing match-day fans. Furthermore sections of fans who all agreed to stand at Upton Park have currently been separated from one another and placed alongside these new ticket holders. This separation of standing fans may have occurred because if the club are to be given clearance to further increase the capacity, to 66,000—the unavailable seats are currently covered up—the club needs to pass certain safety regulations, but that policy may have backfired in light of the coverage given to the events of the Watford game.

The desire to stand does not just occur at West Ham, however; sections of fans at Old Trafford or Selhurst Park, say, will stand, especially for big games, even though grounds in the top two tiers of English football have been all-seater since the Taylor report was released in the wake of the Hillsborough disaster. Additionally, all around the ground, fans of these clubs will stand up for their team’s corners or shots on goal. Furthermore fans of rugby union, rugby league and horse racing can stand up while watching an event, and so can fans of non-league football teams. But, in addition to fan support, there are many other arguments for the re-introduction of standing to all British football grounds.

Firstly the standing sections now proposed by campaigners would be far removed from the dilapidated and dangerous terraces of yesteryear. Take rail seating, used in German football grounds and the type of standing that safe-standing advocates are primarily calling for the introduction of. Every row of the stand is separated by barriers, eliminating the possibility of potentially life-threatening crushes and surges happening, and, just like with seating, every fan is assigned a particular position, enabling police and security officials to still be able to easily identify troublemakers. In rail seating, chairs are tucked away safely behind standing fans, and club officials can easily lower or stow the chairs using a key, meaning that for European games, where UEFA mandates that stadiums should be all-seater, clubs can make the required changes to rail-seating segments with the minimum of fuss.

The atmosphere at Premier League grounds now is a constant annoyance of some fans, stadia getting quieter and more sterile in their eyes. Safe-standing would help in improving the noise at grounds; any fans who do try to sing and start chants, and those who join in, will stand. British fans cast envious eyes towards the atmosphere regularly generated at German grounds, which is helped by safe-standing, as well as cheaper ticket prices, for example. Giving fans a choice to stand would also improve the match-going experience for those who want to sit. They would be able to watch the game unhindered, rather than having to constantly reposition themselves or ask someone to sit down.

This year has already seen a significant development in the campaign for safe-standing, as Celtic opened a rail-seating section, the first in the UK, that can hold up to 2,900 people, after Glasgow City Council gave them permission to build it in June 2015. Fittingly Celtic played a German side, Wolfsburg, in the first British football match to use rail seating.

Conversely Tracey Crouch, the current Sports Minister, has been more reticent to endorse an amendment to the current legislation on all-seater stadia. In a speech to the House of Commons in January 2016, she said: “The government is not at present persuaded by the case put forward to re-introduce standing accommodation in grounds covered by the all-seater requirement.” But Crouch went on to say: “We will, however, monitor its introduction in Scotland closely and reassess this position once evidence from the Scottish experience is available.”

It will not just be the Sports Minister who will be looking keenly to see the results of Celtic’s trial, but many a Premier League club, not least West Ham, and football fan too.

Uninsured students left vulnerable

Written by Alexandra Bickell on . Posted in News.

Almost 50 per cent of students do not have any home contents insurance, according to Back Me Up, even though student households are nearly twice as likely as regular homes to be burgled. 2.2 per cent of all students have reported being victims of personal theft, well over the national average for adults of 0.9 per cent.

In Manchester specifically, over 1,000 student homes were burgled last year; the average thief steals £2,300 worth of property from one household in only 8-12 minutes. That means that burglars are likely to have stolen over £2 million worth of possessions just from students in Manchester alone in the last year.

The majority of students cite expense as the reason for not taking out insurance, yet the cost of replacing stolen property is often far greater than taking out an insurance policy. In fact, even a single item can often outweigh a year’s worth of insurance premiums. For example, 74 per cent of students do not have their mobile phones insured, yet the average replacement cost for a smartphone is a huge £379. Even just a wallet, which 94 per cent of students do not insure, costs around £230 to replace.

Photo: Flickr @Neokrisys

The Managing Director of Back Me Up, Paul Lynes, commented on the issue, stating: “student households are a magnet for thieves as they harbour, for example, smart phones, laptops, tablets and bikes, often in large quantities due to shared living. Combine that with the number of valuables that get lost, cracked, water damaged and so on, and it’s easy to see why it’s so important that students think about protecting their stuff.”

Popular student insurance companies include Back Me Up, Endsleigh, Cover4Insurance and E & L; be sure to compare quotes from more than one company to get the best deal!

Who are FC United of Manchester and Salford City?

Written by Magnus Henderson on . Posted in Sport.

A question which is probably not asked enough. Manchester has been hailed as the Capital City of football in recent weeks because of the influx of world class players, coaches and huge amounts of money to the global brands that are Manchester United and Manchester City. It is so easy to be caught up in the hysteria and drama surrounding these clubs; the Manchester Derby was all over the back pages, not just in England but worldwide, for two whole weeks. While these two super powers battle it out for what looks like world domination, a much more intricate and delicate (but no less passionate) rivalry is brewing in the sixth tier of English football. FC United vs Salford City.

These two clubs are systemically and ideologically different in so many ways but have one key connection: both clubs are estranged children of Manchester United.

FC United of Manchester

·         Founded: 2005

·         Ground: Broadhurst Park (4,400 capacity)

·         Owners: fan-owned

FC United are a unique club. Amid the globalisation of football in the last few decades, some people out there just love the purity of the common man’s sport. When Malcolm Glazer and his family bought Manchester United, a selection of Old Trafford regulars realised that the game which they had followed and loved for so many years was becoming stale through extortion for financial gain.

This became the last straw for a group of football loyalist who decided, in spite of the multimillionaire owners, that they wanted their football club back. The ‘Red Rebels’, who were made up of normal working class families and had no financial or legal means to fight the Glazer takeover, decided to found their own fan-owner football club, FC United of Manchester.

Discussions in curry houses, pubs and the Manchester’s Apollo Theatre led to the formation of FC United. While they have designed the club out of protest to Manchester United, the Red Rebels did not forget their origins. The fan-funded £6.3 million new stadium, Broadhurst Park, have their main stand’s layout in reference to Old Trafford’s old paddocks. The wooden design on the outside of the stadium alludes to United’s Newton Heath train company origins. The ideology of FC United resembles a stand against the modern exploitation of fans, with a ‘pay what you can’ policy for season tickets. There is also an anti-commercialism theme: “Pies not Prawns”, was a popular banner in the first few years. FC United are stubborn, but their gutsy attitude is commendable.

Photo: Wikimedia Common

In their first competitive season, FC United entered the North West Counties Football League (the tenth division in English football) and made Bury’s Gigg Lane their home ground and broke attendance records which still stand today. The club went on the gain three promotions in three years, to the Norther Premiere League Premiere Division. FC United spent six seasons battling to get promotion to the National League North, which they finally achieved in the 2014-15 season when they finished champions after three failed play-off attempts in prior years. They finished 13th out of 22 teams in their debut season in the sixth division and currently sit 18th. With promotion to the Conference North came the reward of Broadhurst Park, a true home for the wandering football lovers

The ideology of the club is so deep-rooted that, because of their meteoric rise to the semi-professional leagues, fractures have started to develop in the belief of how FC United should be run. In the 2015-16 season, board members faced legal action for alleged defamation, protests became commonplace and resignations saw the club disillusioned with its own identity. The financial temptations of TV deals and sponsorship is against the philosophy of the club, however, some board members feel it is necessary for progression up the Football League ladder. A club founded and lauded for its democracy was becoming increasingly marred by its lack of transparency. It is sad to see such an incredible success story tainted, but FC United still face serious internal problems which are detrimental to the existence of the club.

 

Salford City Football Club

·         Founded: 1940

·         Ground: Moor Lane (2,000 capacity)

·         Owners: Peter Lim (50%), Gary Neville (10%), Phil Neville (10%), Nicky Butt (10%), Paul Scholes (10%) and Ryan Giggs (10%)

A much more traditional club history than that of FC United’s. From humble origins, the club started as an amateur team winning county cups until they joined the non-league pyramid in 1982. Salford languished around the 9th and 8th divisions until the Manchester United connection occurred. Towards the end of the 2013-14 campaign, news broke that the legendary group of former United players, “The Class of 92” (minus David Beckham), were planning to buy Salford City football club.

The Neville brothers, Butt, Scholsey and Giggs. It was the stuff of dreams for many United fans and attention quickly turned to the non-league side and how they would operate under such legendary ownership. The reaction from the long-serving supporters was not completely positive, especially when the former United men sold 50 per cent of their shares to the Singapore-based billionaire and owner of Valencia C.F., Peter Lim. However, fans have warmed to the Class of 92 with their philosophy of trying to keep everyone happy while improving facilities and the performances on the pitch. It’s early days, but the signs of progress are clearly there.

Salford, with new investment, started the 2014-15 seasons impressively but results started to tail off towards the new year. The Class of 92 made their first seismic decision as club owners and opted to sack Phil Power as manager and instil joint-managers Johnson and Morley, known for their no-nonsense and hard-nosed approach to non-league managing. The duo guided Salford City to promotion that season to the Northern Premier League Premier Division.

Photo: @Wikimedia Commons

Salford City’s stock rose with their success story which the BBC spread in their documentary ‘Class of 92: Out of Their League’. In the following season, Salford again won promotion, this time through the play-offs, to the National League North where they are currently situated. The ties with Manchester United were made clearer when Salford hosted United’s reserves to play a pre-season friendly, which the visitors won 5-1. Salford currently sit 7th in the National League North, three points of the leaders AFC Fylde, with the hopes of chasing promotion to the National League, the 5th tier of the English league system.

 

Contrasting Pasts and Contrasting Futures

While FC United of Manchester and Salford City differ so radically in ideology, both clubs have strong ties to current United fans: Admiration towards FC United in standing up for what they staunchly believe in, and romanticism for what could be if the Class of 92 succeeded at running a football club. Simon Wadsworth, a Manchester United author, spoke at the Manchester Football Writing Festival and teased the idea that the Class of 92 were merely experimenting running a football club with the aspirations of owning a much bigger and more familiar club. Simon pointed out that the group already own Hotel Football, located on the doorstep of Old Trafford, and have Nicky Butt running the youth academies. With Giggs waiting in the wings for the United’s managerial job, there is a reasonably logical train of thought that the ex-United professionals could one day be co-owners of Manchester United. Strong romanticism indeed, no matter how deluded it may sound.

While Salford push for promotion with their long-term plan of playing in the Championship within 15 years, FC United need to figure out what kind of club they want to be; a fan-owned, non-league club meandering through the semi-professional leagues, or a more economically viable entity which can push up the professional league ladder. There are strong feelings on both sides of the argument, one can only hope that the club does not tear itself apart in the process of making a decision.

Can language eliminate discrimination?

Written by Eva Huber on . Posted in Opinion.

In a multicultural, urban place like Manchester, people of different ethnicities, religions, and cultures come into close contact on a daily basis. Whether it is on neutral, friendly or slightly sceptical terms, different people interact with each other. Urban spaces, therefore, welcome the inherent need for humans to identify and characterise themselves, belonging to either one of these groups. People have always had an urge to fit in a certain group. And this sense of belonging is partly achieved by assigning a certain label to the group you belong to. In other words, an in-group feeling is reinforced and consolidated with a label. People from Manchester, for instance, call themselves “Mancunians” to distinguish themselves from people from a wider Northern identity.

Furthermore, the need to categorise people who do not belong to your group has always been present. It is a way to make sense of people who are different from you. But at the same time, it is a means to strengthen in-group bonds. Assigning labels and categorising people helps to better grasp certain character traits and actions of people different from you. This does not only happen only a religious or ethnical level. Labels are used to characterise individual character traits with regards to sexual orientation and gender identity.

When you look at different areas of Manchester, you discover The Curry Mile–which stands for a street where a particular high amount of curries is served. But one also comes across Gay Village–an area where you’re likely to find places and people open towards gay people. A visitor coming to Manchester might be startled by the fact that an area of the city is commonly called the Gay Village. This might not be conceivable in their home country. For them, it might indicate that Manchester, generally, is very open-minded towards gay people—which is true to an extent.

Nevertheless, the very manifestation of the Gay Pride event, an event that is held annually to celebrate LGBT+ rights, indicates that a need to project a voice for public representation still exists. Pride is not merely a celebration but, in fact, an important means for LGBT+ people to gain attention, which non-LGBT+ do not need to because they have already got it; non-LGBT+ people know about their rights, and they do not need to stand up for them.

The same phenomenon is evident in language use. LGBT+ people are always referred to being gay, lesbian, bi, or transgender. With heterosexual people, however, in common interactions between two people who have just met, a certain tacit understanding of the other person being sexually interested in the opposite sex exists. Similarly, people who identify with the sex to which they were biologically assigned at birth are never acknowledged for that fact because it is still widely assumed as ‘normal’.

To counteract the latter, the term ‘cisgender’ has been coined. ‘Cisgender’ is an adjective that describes someone who identifies with the biological sex to which they were assigned by birth. It was adopted to the Oxford English Dictionary in June 2015. Concerns have been raised that this coinage does not obliterate any problems of discrimination towards transgender people. Rather, more emphasis is put on the distinction between purportedly “normal”, cisgender people and the less privileged, transgender people. It further invigorates a dichotomy that scholars have tried to refuse in the past. Cisgender and transgender are designed as antonyms, and therefore mutually exclusive; one is either this or that. Binary is therefore unavoidable when using these terms.

However, the coinage of cisgender is, nonetheless, regarded as highly beneficial. Firstly, the tendency to only name what is different is defeated by using cisgender. No matter what your gender identity is, one is obliged to name it. And this is further entrenched a ‘cisgender’ spreads in usage beyond academic writing.

Supporters of ‘cisgender’ also claim that, in gender discussions, the use of both cis- and transgender draws attention to a privilege that cisgender people might have in society. So again, the need to manifest a certain phenomenon, in this case the privilege of cisgender people, is helped by language.

Studies have shown that the use of generalising terms or slurs around people of a young age can entrench biases towards a certain group. This shows that language certainly plays a role in one’s conception of another group. In a similar way, the use of both cisgender and transgender could help to embed an understanding of other people’s gender identity in peoples’ minds. One would not be cisgender by default, one would have to claim to be it. It would not be socially presumed that one is cisgender when not claiming otherwise because naming one’s gender identity would come naturally to people. And most importantly, transgender people would not be regarded as being divergent, different, or inferior.

 

18-year-old woman raped close to Piccadilly Gardens

Written by Alexandra Bickell on . Posted in News.

A woman was raped in the early hours of Wednesday 21st September, on a walkway by Major Street car park. The car park is close to Canal Street and Piccadilly Gardens, both usually busy at the time of the attack.

The Manchester Evening News reported that around 2:50am a security guard working a night shift in a building opposite the car park heard screaming and came running out. He found the 18-year-old victim and brought her into the building reception in order to help her. It is thought that the rapist had already fled by the time she was discovered.

The car park is currently being guarded and forensic searches are taking place; officers are also in the process of conducting door-to-door enquiries. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has stated that the young woman is being supported by specially trained officers and that it “is committed to tackling rape and sexual assault by supporting victims and bringing offenders to justice.”

There has not been any suggestion that the victim was a student thus far—in fact, police patrols are usually stepped up in Manchester over September to cope with the influx of students new to the area.

Workers on a construction site close by have said that they believe the attacker dragged the girl into nearby bushes before assaulting her, although this has not yet been confirmed. Staff at the car park were unaware of the attack until they came into work and expressed their shock when told about it.

Between 1st January and 31st December 2015, there were a staggering 1860 rapes and attempted rapes recorded by the GMP. According to Rape Crisis, around 85% of rapes go unreported in the UK, meaning that there are likely to be thousands more victims than the official statistics indicate in Greater Manchester alone.

Anyone with information about this violent crime is being asked to contact GMP by calling 101 and quoting 21/09/16 or by anonymously calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

People who have been affected by sexual violence at any time can call St Mary’s Centre on 0161 276 6515 for expert help and advice.

The New Age of Fashion? Designers unveil seasonless fashion collections

Written by Talia Lee-Skudder on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty, Uncategorised.

With social media now an ever present force in the fashion industry, from a host of supermodels snapchatting their back stage antics, to the fashion houses uploading their trends fresh off the runway straight onto their instagram pages, it is the dawn of a new season-less fashion era.

In a society where we can see something online, order it and have it delivered to our doorstep the next day, by an often too familiar deliveryman. This kind of see-now-buy-now attitude has been absent in fashion week; with shoppers having to wait months to snap up the looks they admired on the runway. Instead of lusting over the clothes and eagerly anticipating their release, fashion lovers are able to buy replicas of the trends at a fraction of the cost before the actual clothes are even available to buy.

With social media pages at our fingertips producing a constant stream of images of clothes from the runway, by the time we can even think (or dream) about getting our hands on them, they don’t seem quite so swoon-worthy as they first did. We’ve seen countless copies of the pieces and probably already have them hanging in our wardrobes.

So with the way in which we have access to fashion changing, some designers have recognized there is a niche for an alternative way of releasing their clothing. While some designers trialled this idea last season, SS17 has seen big names follow suit and continue this revolutionary way of shopping. Names include Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors and Tommy Hilfiger, who has just collaborated with supermodel Gigi Hadid on his latest collection. This will sure enough result in a whole new band of younger fans fighting to snap up his latest pieces.

So what are the positives of these new innovative and seasonless collections? Now, whilst still basking in the hype surrounding the show, shoppers can have immediate access to their favourite looks and purchase them instantly from their iPhones. These forward-thinking designers are adapting to our fast paced way of life and maximising their selling potential by allowing all the shopaholics out there to buy recklessly on impulse. With LFW drawing to a close, it will be interesting to see which other designers will jump onto this trend next season. For now, it seems this could be the future of runway fashion in the age of social media.

The “Real” Model

Written by Sophie Soar on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

The term “real” model started bouncing around casting rooms some time ago. It’s an odd notion and a sure way to make my blood boil. What is it that makes one model any more “real” than the current notion of men, but specifically women, in the modelling world? Their physique (of course!). It is the celebration of great beauty in women but with the addition of curves.

It’s pretty ironic, almost laughable, if it weren’t also quite sad. For centuries, society celebrated the luxurious curves of a woman’s body, seen to suggest wealth, health and sensuality. And there are still many cultures today of the same opinion! But in the Western World, this notion has been lost. The current look of today calls for alien-like and wafer thin creatures, as popularised by Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell in the nineties grunge heyday. The worst kept secret within the fashion industry is the pressures placed on all models, whether young and aspiring or clutching onto their career. For decades now, the modelling industry has dictated that this is the definition of beauty.

Now, we are celebrating the women who represent the “real” (aka who we should see as slightly above average) members of society. We’re being fed the image of a new woman you can clearly picture lounging around with a beer or demolishing a pepperoni pizza in less than 10 minutes. After all, the lives of Sara Sampaio or Karlie Kloss do appear more fiction than fact through their social media.

So a few members of the fashion industry are trying to put an end to this farce and instead have us believe we are being presented with models much more like us. But what is like us? There are seven billion people in the world: who is the most “real”? This category of “real” model therefore incorporates every size it would seem. For example Daisy Lowe, who has for years now been labelled as a “curvy” model, apparently stretches standard rules as a size 10 with a large bust.

More recently however the plus size modelling industry has taken off, with its front runner Ashley Graham starring half naked in Joe Jonas’s music video and launching a lingerie line with Addition Elle. Her aim is to make women feel good about their body, no matter what size they might be, and inspire confidence in their sexuality with her hashtag (#beautybeyondsize) that spread across the globe. Whilst she has been criticised for putting a pretty face on obesity as opposed to promoting healthy eating, it is a prime example that weight doesn’t reflect health as the realities of anorexia, bulimia and body dysmorphia suggest.

Whilst Daisy Lowe and Ashley Graham may be slightly larger than the model physique we’re accustomed too, these women are still undeniably stunning, thus straining the term “real” model to suggest the category still requires immense beauty. However not all believe “real” models should ooze an untouchable beauty and Ashley Williams’ shows are perhaps the closest to an acceptable compromise. This is not to suggest her models weren’t attractive but rather that they didn’t fall into a clichéd beauty to make up for their slightly larger size. Williams’ Spring/Summer 2017 runway was filled with women casted through Instagram. Again, social media is far from what one would call a representation of “real” life, but the women are undoubtedly a refreshing change from those we usually see; they are a juxtaposition to the modelling world’s physical demands by defying the measuring tape.

The modelling world is not a healthy one but the redefinition of models as “real” is equally inappropriate. As models’ weights have dropped drastically over the last few decades, it is a regulation that will be hard to reverse. But even still, whilst there is a need to change the demands on models today, it should not be done through re-establishing the term “real” as it only further alienates those without model looks. It would appear there is still no solution to model standards as of yet but whilst this terminology might not work, it may still be a step in the right direction.

Fashion Week Model Profile: Bella Hadid

Written by Talia Lee-Skudder on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Kicking off in New York before crossing over to London, fashion week for Spring/Summer 2017 returned, bringing with it the hottest new trends, a bevy of sensational models and a side of controversy. From Victoria Beckham’s much criticised choice of super slim models to Marc Jacob’s show facing a social media backlash. This season’s hottest fashion event was not without drama. Aside from the clothes and controversy, there is one stand out model in particular who has taken fashion week by storm on both sides of the Atlantic. Bella Hadid, part of the new legion of social media supermodels, has walked for the biggest designers this season from Versace to DKNY as well as the now infamous Marc Jacobs show. Despite only entering into the modeling industry two years ago, Bella has become a bona fide and much coveted top model, even securing GQ’s title of ‘Model of the Year’ for 2016.

Despite being one of the biggest models of the moment, Hadid did suffer a slip up. Walking in towering platform heels for Michael Kors, Bella took a stumble on the catwalk. Ever the professional; she remained smiling and quickly got to her feet. For us mere mortals and fashion enthusiasts, we can be thankful that our accidents in ridiculously high heels are not documented for the world to see.

Hadid’s career is going from strength to strength, not only has she been a permanent fixture at this season’s NYFW and LFW but has also landed some major campaigns, from Calvin Klein to becoming the face of Brit brands J.W Anderson AW16 campaign. As well, of course, as being a member of Olivier Rousteing’s enviable Balmain Army alongside her sister Gigi. A further testament to Hadid’s success in the fashion industry was unveiled at this year’s London fashion week, when Henry Holland unveiled his new line of fashion groupie slogan t-shirts. Originally releasing these t-shirts ten years ago, Holland has revamped them with tongue-in-cheek slogans featuring the fashion industry’s biggest names. And who better to include than the model of the moment, Bella Hadid? Hadid’s slogan reads ‘Let’s breed Bella Hadid’ and was a feature of Holland’s finale. Just another credential to add to her already impressive CV.

Despite a stumble, forgettable when compared to her recent successes, Bella Hadid is a firm member of the new age of the supermodel. Hadid and her fellow instagram models are bringing personality back to fashion like the supermodels of the 1990s before her. With a host of campaigns under her belt, a regular feature on the runways and 6.4 million instagram followers, Bella Hadid is a force to be reckoned with.

 

 

 

Research shows 10 per cent increase in student rent on last year

Written by Elizabeth Rushton on . Posted in News.

New statistics show that student rents have risen by as much as 10 per cent in some areas, as the controversy surrounding student accommodation continues.

The research from SpareRoom reveals an upward trend in the average monthly rent paid by students studying in thirty locations across the country, including Manchester and other Russell Group universities including UCL and Durham.

The average cost of renting a room in a Manchester student house has risen by 7 per cent over the past year; this increase is one of the highest recorded across all of the cities included in the research. This year’s Manchester students can therefore expect to pay a monthly average of £414, in comparison with £385 in the year 2015-16, resulting in a potential additional cost of almost £350 per year.

The statistics identify the issue of supply and demand as a key cause of increasing rent. Rental costs fell by 1 per cent in Durham, where the percentage of rooms available to students is one of the highest, at 92 per cent, whilst the ratio of house-hunting students to rooms available is among the lowest, at 0.91. By contrast, in Oxford, which has seen the highest increase on last year with a mean rise in rents of 10 per cent, only 64 per cent of rooms are available to students, of whom there are 3.2 for every available room.

Matt Hutchinson, director of SpareRoom, commented on the geographical divide reflected in the research, and the impact this could have on the many decisions students face regarding their education. “The difference between rents for students at Imperial College in London, compared to those studying at St. Andrew’s in Scotland, is a massive £792 a month. Over a three-year course the difference is eye watering.”

He went on to add that “even choosing Durham over Oxford could save you more than £7,000 in rent over three years”.

This research adds fuel to the fire of the growing issue of sky-high student rents. UCL’s Cut The Rent campaign, which has 1,000 activists to its name and is backed by the NUS, claimed victory in July when the university agreed to introduce new bursaries. UCL also agreed to the freezing and reduction of some rents, at a total cost of £1 million, following 5 months of rental strikes which saw the activists withholding payments.

Shelley Asquith, deputy president of the NUS, has called for “an end to the exploitative profits from university accommodation. We fully support the actions of rent strikers, and urge universities to urgently engage in negotiations to ensure future rates are set at a level which students can afford to pay”.

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell’s disrespect for the student body

Written by Jacob Nicholas on . Posted in Opinion.

Last week, The Mancunion intended to publish an interview with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell. As has been covered this week, this article was pulled less than 45 minutes before the paper went to print, leaving the Features section of the paper with just two pages of adverts. We didn’t even get to print an explanation of the situation.

The Students’ Union was threatened with a lawsuit. That this was thought to be acceptable is insane. If the university had actually sued, the fallout—for the University’s reputation in particular—would have been catastrophic. It appears that the root of the situation was that Professor Rothwell was not happy with her own words in our interview, and felt it could be retrospectively changed to suit her own ends. If she did not want an honest interview, she should not have agreed to one.

But then, this sort of behavior is now commonplace. For example, the other day my friend gave me a beer. I drank it, only to be told that actually he wanted it after all, and if I could excrete it out into the nearest cup pronto that would be great. And, come to think of it, if I didn’t do it right now, he would accuse me of theft and call the police.

Indeed, last semester I got assigned an essay on Chinese politics, emailed the question and a deadline, and told to get on with it. I finished it and submitted it with plenty of time, only to get an e-mail saying I’d answered the wrong question, and that the actual one was on Russia. If I didn’t send a quality essay in the next hour I’d fail the module. When I complained, I was told that the lecturer had deleted their copy of the original email, and so there was clearly no proof that the question I’d answered was the right one.

Except neither of those things actually happened—they would have been silly occurrences.

And yet Professor Rothwell and her staff feel that it is acceptable to send such transparent nonsense to any student publication that has the misfortune of interviewing her. It is pure arrogance, and shows contempt not just for student media, but also of the entire student body of the University of Manchester.

In the interview the Vice-Chancellor said, “freedom of speech is one of our core values.” And yet, when Professor Rothwell forgets to mention the sponsor for the business school, and can’t remember how many of her own staff she’s got rid of over the last few years, this freedom of speech flies out of the window to be replaced with what appears to be attempts at turning the interview into a PR stunt. The Vice-Chancellor has made herself look like she doesn’t have the slightest interest in the truth, instead looking to tend carefully to her image as presented to the student body and third party investors.

What was the worst part of this whole ridiculous exercise? The interview was, frankly, not incredibly exciting. There are certainly some interesting responses (the giving away of university land to private companies, in particular). I went into the interview not wanting to ask too many tricky questions—hoping to maintain a healthy relationship with the University.

Instead, it seems as though the Vice-Chancellor got her script wrong. Now, any chance of us getting along has been thrown out the window, run over by three Magic Buses, and eaten by a dog, who will later dump its remains in a ditch somewhere in Platt Fields.

The university has backed itself into a corner and made an absolute fool of itself in an attempt to change an interview that would have offended very few people in any case. Certainly, some of Professor Rothwell’s statements were concerning—such as the aforementioned private land grab—but the majority of the changes simply made her come across worse: More cynical, and concerned with reputation over people.

This mess has made Rothwell look utterly self-serving, manipulative, and exploitative. Bigger media outlets such as the BBC and the Manchester Evening News do not have to send interview copies to her beforehand, let alone even consider changing quotes retrospectively, because she knows they would complain and cause public outcry. It seems as if we are treated differently because the Vice-Chancellor feels she can bully us into spouting her desired party line.

We have no reason to do that. The student body is owed the truth from the person whose (almost £300,000) salary we pay. The Mancunion is not a PR company for the University. We are part of the student body. To treat us with contempt, to go back on her own belief in free speech, to try to and distort the truth (despite us having proof to the contrary) shows her to be a hypocrite, with little respect for the student body. For £9,000 a year, we deserve an awful lot better.

Top 5: book recommendations from your university peers

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Books.

Reading isn’t just for English students or for cramming for that essay you need to write—reading is for everybody, no matter your own story. There’s something for everyone, so a collection of students from all over the university have suggested some books to get you started. Whether you’re looking to impress, make your coursework easier, or just some fun reading, there should be something here for you.

Mark Forsyth: The Elements of Eloquence

Looking to impress your peers and your lecturers with written technique that just won’t quit? Enjoying reading about in-depth grammar that is also a hilarious and culturally relevant? Look no further, this book will figuratively blow your mind and leave you with an enthusiasm for grammar and syntax that frankly confuses your parents. Number one book to trick people into believing you’re the smartest kid on the block.

Chosen by Roma Havers: Books Editor

David Mitchell: Slade House

A detective thriller with a fantasy twist; this short novel is good to read in between heavy university reading. Written by the same author who wrote Cloud Atlas, I found it to be a fantastic assault on the senses that explores our susceptibility to our own desires. I couldn’t put it down!

Chosen by Pip Franks: English and Drama student

Richard Coward: Short Stories in French: New Penguin Parallel Text

Short stories make it easier to do extra study, as they’re much less daunting than an epic novel! The parallel translation meant that I didn’t get confused about the plot, but I could still see the original French text. Penguin also has versions of this book in German, Spanish, Italian, Chinese and Japanese.

Chosen by Hope Abbott: Languages student

Khaled Hosseini: The Kite Runner

The Kite Runner is one of my favourite books of all time! It’s a story that explores guilt and redemption beautifully and shows the true extent of father-son love; all against a backdrop of an international political crisis. It’s amazingly written, with a story paralleled with real experiences in Afghanistan and it’s more important than ever in highlighting the complexities of the world and the movement of people.

Chosen by Muneera Lula: BME History and Politics student

Madeline Miller: Song of Achilles

How many books can you honestly say you’ve read in a day? It’s such a refreshing and lyrical read that I can’t help but feel a burst of pride in being queer whenever I read it. The voice of the narrator is so goofy and human in the looming, god-filled world that he inhabits that I can’t help but recommend it. Turning flaky half-interest in The Iliad into a new horizon of historical fiction reading was a big deal, especially because I’d define the main characters’ relationship as queer.

Chosen by Mitch Mainstone: LGBT English Literature student

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This series will be continuing each week with a new recommendation in every issue, if you’d like to contribute then please contact us via the Facebook page: ‘Mancunion Books contributors 16/17’

New EFL Trophy hit by #BTeamBoycott

Written by Alex Whitcomb on . Posted in Sport.

In 2015, the Football League announced that they would be changing their name—for the first time in their history—to the English Football league, to be commonly abbreviated to “EFL”. Designed to improve the League’s image abroad, hopes were high among administrators that this would lead to new positive publicity for the divisions.

However, while the rebrand itself has been only been met with ambivalence at worst, the accompanying changes to what used to be the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy—the cup competition for Leagues One and Two—have been received with significant animosity.

Fans’ reactions to the addition of Premier league and Championship under-23 sides has drawn substantial amounts of embarrassing coverage. With only 392 fans at Fleetwood’s first round EFL Trophy tie against Blackburn, hopes are not high for the second round of games taking place next week.

The introduction of Premier League B teams or academies to the Football League has been on the cards for some time now. In 2014, a Football Association commission proposed that Premier League teams would be able to have second teams competing in the Football League. Common in Spanish and German divisions, the idea is to give home-grown young players experience in senior leagues and potentially prepare them for the playing in the national side. Spain and Germany having won the last two world cups does lend this argument some extra weight.

However, any plans allowing B teams to play in the Football League have been vehemently opposed, with it being already blocked indefinitely by the league’s clubs. Many EFL teams see it as a power grab by the Premier League, rather than an earnest attempt to improve the chances of young players developing in the English system. Foreign youngsters being allowed for the under-23 sides in the EFL trophy further detracts from the argument that it is for developing the national team.

Also, the fact that the League One and Two clubs must themselves field full strength teams has incensed many, with fines of £5,000 per match being handed out to clubs who deliberately rest too many of their first team players. This prompted Portsmouth—whose fans are leading many of the protests against the competition—to say that they are prepared to pay the fines in order to rest the team for more important games.

The changes were voted through partly due to the Football League Trophy being largely seen as an irrelevance to the sides who played in it. Dwindling attendances and the competition being seen as largely a distraction from the task of being promoted, meant that there was much need for an overhaul. Some clubs were excited for the prospect of playing top premier league clubs, even if they were only to be their Under-23 teams.

Disappointingly for all of those clubs, the invitations were largely snubbed by the top sides. Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City were among clubs to turn down the prospect of playing in the EFL Trophy, and only 10 Premier League teams are playing in the tournament. The invitations had to be extended to Championship clubs in order to make up the numbers, which further added to the negative reception to the changes from the smaller clubs.

This is not to say that it has not been a total failure. Everton’s development squad manager David Unsworth—whose club did take up the invitation to compete—praised the opportunity for his players. He told BBC Sport that “it was really important that we entered this competition, come to places like this [The Macron Stadium] and experience a different kind of football.”

The main problem is that fixing the England team in the long-term is too big an issue to deal with in one action. Former Executive Director of the Football Association David Davies, told BBC Radio 4’s ‘The Reunion’ in April of this year that the problem is that there is too much of a “dysfunctional relationship” between the major football organisations in England. He added that “nobody can tell you what are the agreed priorities of English football”.

What this means is that any small actions to improve the England team, such as the EFL Trophy changes, have the potential to be met with ridicule. Anything short of a wholesale change to the structure or scheduling of English football can be easily dismissed as sweeping difficult decisions or potential conflict under the carpet.

The EFL are planning on expanding from three 24-team divisions to four 20-team divisions in three years’ time—in order to ease fixture congestion, and to improve the England team—and this has already been managed better than the Trophy was this year. On Thursday the EFL announced that they had totally rejected adding B teams to the expanded leagues, the speed and clarity of the decision will be well received around the EFL grounds. The prospect of adding Old Firm clubs was also rejected, again a good move from the league, as not only would this have opened new conflicts with the Scottish Professional Football League, and the Football Association, it would have made further mockery of the “English Football league” rebrand. Shutting these debates down early on—the League’s chiefs will surely hope—will cut down on speculation over the league’s future and any further prospect for protest.

The EFL Trophy is only going into its second round of matches this year, and already has made a lot of unfortunate headlines. The EFL chiefs will be hoping that this will die down as the tournament goes on, and that the rebrand will draw in enough positive interest from foreign media for it to eventually be deemed a success.

Attendances rising above club record lows will be a promising start.

Pornographic material blocked in halls

Written by Jennifer Sterne on . Posted in News.

Starting this academic year a block has been placed on access to all pornographic material through the university internet.

Many students however have told The Mancunion that they have found the blocks to extend beyond pornographic material to any material deemed adult.

When a student is blocked the message to students reads that “access to this web page is restricted by the University’s acceptable usage policy”.

A University spokesman stated: “Over the summer a block to pornographic material was introduced on hard-wired PCs and the wireless network in line with the University’s acceptable use policy and to prevent the spread of malware.

They added that they were “aware that a small number of non-pornographic sites are currently blocked by our new system.  When access to a site is blocked, contact details for the IT Support Centre are provided and legitimate sites can be unblocked on request”.

Joanna Melville, University of Manchester Sex Week Coordinator for 2016, told The Mancunion that: “Students living in halls are over 18, and well within their rights to access legal material depicting sexual acts. This block feels like a moralistic judgement, not only against sexually explicit material but sex work industries.”

She added: “Whilst some may believe it to be in order to tackle ‘lad’ culture, this instead needs to be achieved by creating a non-tolerance environment for sexual assault and harassment, and by providing comprehensive consent education, rather than by banning legal material to those of age to view it”.