30/04/2012 North West Tonight

Good evening. Here are the headlines: All eyes on Manchester

as the city plays host to the biggest game in Premier League

history. A global television audience of 650

million people is expected to watch this match, among them some of the

people in this pub. I am at their Etihad Stadium for

what has become the the most expensive game for fans in football

history. Some are being asked to pay �2,300 per ticket.

Also tonight, eight shootings in nine days. Police blame a drugs war

for a spate of attacks in Liverpool. At last from the past - revisiting

the first major festival in this It has been billed as the biggest

game in Premier League history. Tonight hundreds of millions of

people from around the world will stop what they're doing to watch

the Manchester derby. After again with apps and downs the

title could be decided tonight as City and United meet in the biggest

game for regeneration. In a minute we will speak to our

reporter in that pub. First, we have a reporter at their

Etihad Stadium. It is feeling tense already.

It is the tenses ever. You said at the start of the programme it is

possibly the biggest in Premier League history. Officially it is.

The PA announcer has just shouted that in my ear. It is officially

the biggest game in Premier League history. They have named it D-Day,

showdown, based off. -- base of.

We will now go to our reporter who is in one of the City's pubs.

The atmosphere is hotting up here. Manchester is on the world stage

tonight. As well as public as a line up to watch the game, the same

is happening in Africa, Asia, a Australia.

For this city what is a long- standing local rivalry is now

global. From Moss Side to Melbourne,

Salford to Sierra Leone. The eyes of the football world affect on

Manchester. All 47,000 seats are supposed to be

sold but are still tickets on sale for fructify �1,000 per pair. If

you cannot stretch to that you'll be one of the 650 million people

watching on television around the world. 27 international channels

are reporting live from the Etihad Stadium.

In South America it is 3pm, but that is not important. The people

want to see the match. This man has travelled from Sierra Leone to be

in the crowds to ride. In one of the world's poorest countries this

clash has captured this imagination. 2 million people in my country will

be watching this clash. Every poor you go people go to the local pub.

Tickets have been already sold out for this derby at the local pub.

What is this global spotlight worth up to Manchester businesses? It

will bring tens of millions of pounds in to the local economy.

People have stayed for the weekend. People stay overnight. It will

attract a massive audience to television. People will travel for

miles to come and see this. Whatever happens between the two

team's the whole city will be the big winner.

Being in the global spotlight means it is vital for Manchester that

this event runs smoothly. The police are not taking any chances.

600 officers will be around the ground and around the city centre,

but unlike their FA Cup clash in January, they will not be wearing

full riot gear. The police are confident they have everything

under control because they have been working closely with the fans.

We have been engage with fans prior to the fixture. -- engaged with. We

will support people coming to the fixture and make sure they do so

safely. We have a whole host of tactical options it required.

us hope that the event as pass of peacefully and all the headlines

will be about Manchester on the field of play.

I thought the police officers are on neutral!

Elsewhere, tributes are being paid to an aid worker originally from

Manchester who has been found murdered in Pakistan. Khalil Dale

was killed four months after being kidnapped there. His body was found

on a road. Police say the Pakistan Taliban left a note there are

saying they were responsible. are deeply shocked and outraged. It

is appalling. He was a trusted and experienced staff member. He was

committed to the work of the Red Cross.

The impact of dangerous dogs has been under discussion in Liverpool.

Local people were given the chance to question MPs and the RSPCA at a

special parliamentary event in the city. Parents of John Paul Massey,

who was mauled to death by a family pet, have been campaigning for

tougher laws on dangerous dogs. A Madam Deputy Speaker issue has

been jailed in death that they were trying to groom young boys on the

internet. Simon Crisp pleaded guilty to charges of making images

of child sex abuse. He will serve at least five years.

Police in Merseyside say are rising shootings this month as part they

because they have been so successful at cracking down on drug

dealers. Detectives say when they take criminals of the street,

others fight for control. There have been eight shootings in

nine days on Merseyside. In one incident a teenage boy was shot in

the leg. Police say they are determined to be do stop to it.

On Friday night a 15-year-old was shot in the leg in Liverpool's

Chinatown. He was not seriously hurt. 24 hours later a 21-year-old

man was shot in the arm at Stockbridge Village. Two of eight

shootings in Merseyside in just over one week. Police say it is not

because their crime strategy is failing, it is because it is

working. There have been tensions and tit-for-tat shootings. You're

have been victims of your own success? In a way we are, but in

the right direction. Police say that in the past four weeks they

have raided 130 cannabis farms, seizing more than 5,000 plants with

a street value of nearly �3 million. Turf wars are increasingly fought

over who controls street level cannabis sales.

The age of the victim in the Chinatown shooting shows how young

some of the people are involved in all this. Police say all the

criminals act as a bit masters, persuading youngsters to carry and

even use guns. The shootings have happened across

Merseyside. In an area once played by gangs, incidents have dropped

dramatically. Staff at Croxteth Sports Centre say young people are

realising where gangs can lead. They can see the devastation

created. For a certain age who we cannot do much, but for the younger

ones we can. It is our future and their future. Police acting for the

public's help to catch the gunman. -- gunmen.

On Thursday boaters in Salford will decide who they want to be their

new city mayor. Today we have the final two

candidates. The government has accepted that their policies are

part damaging pensioners. On the well-being side we fight against

vandalism, anti-social behaviour, and crime. There are a lot of

issues around Salford youth. The need jobs. That is why I am here. I

can create them. The is a full list of all 10 candidates who are

standing for mayor of Salford on a Web site.

In the last few minutes Merseyside police have confirmed that they

have arrested the British National Party's candidate in Liverpool. He

has been arrested on suspicion of making false statements or taking

signatures on a nomination paper. Elsewhere almost 3,000 people have

signed a petition against plans to build anew by a mass power station

in battle. The a concern about the

environmental impact of the plant. Centrica, the company behind the

plan, says it will be a boost to the economy and create hundreds of

jobs. Still to come - the day the Kinks

and the Grateful Dead came to town. We look back, 40 years to when

Becker shot doubled its population. There will be plenty of this in the

next few minutes. Chewing the fat over that big-match.

Verdi is to experience. He is learning of the master. -- off the

master. There will be a lot of people who will be relieved when we

get to 8pm. It is big news. It is set to attract a massive TV

audience. One in 10 of the world's population might be watching.

Incredible. It will give the city's huge global exposure. What about

those who were here heading to the stadium?

I have never sat on a building like this.

-- I have never seen a build up like this.

I hope all the 650 nilly people watch Late Kick Off tonight.

This is the biggest game in Premier League history. De the atmosphere

is pensive. -- that atmosphere is pensive.

I was speaking to a taxi driver. He said every cab driver in Manchester

has been working the day shift. You will not get anywhere tonight

because they all want to be off to watch the big game.

We heard about the police operation. Roberto Mancini said it is a day

for football not war. He hopes supporters of all clubs can look

back that. Carlos Tevez says he wants to stay

at the club. He says he wants to stay with the club and work hard

for. He is expected to play tonight. We

are not sure about Balotelli yet. We're not sure what to expect at

all. United are three points clear. If they win or draw they have a

virtually got the title. The City when it is up for grabs. It is so

difficult to predict what is going to happen. There have been so many

twists and turns at the top of the Premier League.

Manchester United have put eight Manchester United have put eight

past Arsenal. Early on it looks like United's season. That is a

supreme goal. They will win the Premier League. Move on a couple of

months and City win an incredible derby 6-1 at Old Trafford. Going

into work the next day was not pleasant. But we have given it to

them over the years. The Christmas tree went up in her house. It was

wonderful. With City flying and United 3-0 down at Chelsea, they

showed the spirit of champions to salvage a draw. A huge

encouragement for the team, the fans, everybody. United turned the

screw. They went eight points clear. Every team will go through a patch

in every season where they are not at the best. With the title in

sight fair these men it stumbled against Wigan and at Everton --

Manchester United stumbled. Other than the first time we won it, this

will be the biggest win ever. the best. We will win it. This is

Thanks to United fans Margaret and Ben and City fans Tony and Brian.

What do the experts think? I feel confident that City will win. They

have really been on form. When City have played, our centre-backs have

nullified the other teams. Even if they don't win the game, it is

still the M1 for Manchester United. The worst result they will get is a

draw. -- it is still game on. is fall match commentary on the

radio tonight. And you can see highlights of the game tonight on a

special Match Of The Day at 10:35pm. Well, while the battle at the top

could take another dramatic twist tonight, the struggle to avoid

relegation has become equally exciting. Wigan look like they

could escape after an incredible four Neil -- four-nil win over

Newcastle. Wigan and now three points clear of the relegation zone.

Manager Roberto Mancini says the team is growing in confidence.

played really well. When you play well, you need to take chances.

Today, we had a little bit of confidence. Outstanding. But there

is more pressure on the Steve King after a Blackburn lost two-nil.

Bolton Wanderers fought hard to escape -- scrape a draw. Captain

Kevin Davies coming to the rescue scoring both goals against

Sunderland. Goal of the weekend definitely came from Liverpool's

Luis Suarez who scored a hard trick against Norwich City, his third

goal flying in from 50 yards. Everton scored four goals against

Fulham, keeping them just above Liverpool in seventh place.

Graham Alexander has been describing the fairy-tale end to

his remarkable career. He scored in the last seconds for Preston on

Saturday after a career spanning well over 1,000 professional

matches. Alexander's goal made it two-all against the League One

champions Charlton. Manager Graham Westley described it as a special

moment. 1023 matches. Macclesfield Town are planning for life outside

the Football League after they were relegated to The Blue Square

Conference at the weekend. Brian Horton has left as manager after

the team failed to pull off an unlikely escape. Sale Sharks' new

star is going to be meeting up with his team mates sooner than we

expected. Danny Cipriani was due to leave the Australian side Melbourne

Rebels at the end of the season. But he's being allowed to go

immediately which means the Englishman will now be able to get

a full pre-40 years ago the North- west's first major pop music

festival pushed -- pitched up in a field near Wigan. Good luck to both

sides here tonight. Manchester City have waited since 1968 to win the

title. Who knows what will happen? Nobody knows. Wait until 8pm.

it is set to be a wild night if your hairdo is but -- anything to

go by! He has got a good head of hair. Shall we have something a bit

different? Yes. The Bickershaw Festival in 1972 attracted 60,000

people and included performances from the Grateful Dead, The Kinks

and Donovan. Now footage of the event is to be made available on

DVD and to celebrate, today some of those who attended the festival

were reunited in the field where it It was when the Woodstock came to

Wigan. Music fans flocked to a field in Bickershaw. Top of the

bill were Grateful Dead. It was quite a good festival. A for many

of those living near, they were far from grateful for the invasion upon

the local community. Among others, the young Jeremy Beadle. Did you

sell any yoghurt before this? didn't. In 1972, 60,000 people

crowded into this field and it wasn't just a music event, it was

the mud fest. Today, in the same field, many of the organisers and

musicians gathered once again to launch a box-set of DVDs. It was

would stop in the mud, 40 years ago, Jeremy Beadle's mad idea. It was

the experience of a lifetime. I was only 14, but they really loved it.

It has stayed in my memory. remember climbing were all the

scaffolding when it was being built. They told us to get off! Now fans

can relive their muddy memories from the comfort of their sofas.

Crikey, he was brave! The weather is on the way soon. Back to our top

story now and in the build up to tonight's crash, there's been

terrific banter between United and City fans over who's going to win

and who's going to take the title. -- tonight's clash. The arguments

in pubs, shops and factories have been fierce. Here's what happened

when we found Manchester United legend Paddy Crerand a taxi driven

by a cabbie from the other side of the tracks. Manchester City.

you sure you want to go there today? We are going to win the

league they have tonight, it will be a great night. We're going to

tear your defence to pieces. United have got a lot of young kids

playing at the moment, but the team are on fire. Roberto Mancini has

learned off Fergie. We shall play Derby even Monday and after we

shall play Newcastle. It will be a tough game. Fergie is too

experienced for that. He is learning off the master. Weekend

get two results, it they can only get one -- we can get all stop your

manager has stated on more than one occasion... When a player falls out

at United, they sell them. What we do it is discipline them and they

want to play again for us! Bought demean? You send them on a golfing

holiday? -- what do you mean? on a hat trick! Anyway, if you need

a cab on your way home, give me a call. I've heard that somewhere

before! By the end, he was like, all... Good evening. April has

broken records for the number of days of rain we have had.

Specifically in northern England. In the year 2000, there was

slightly less. Yesterday, 25.4 mm and eight Celsius. Today, 17

Celsius and have no rain. I'm afraid the rest of the week will

not be dry. You can see this next area of rain working its way in.

This weather fund will be wavering far too close for comfort during

the day -- weather front. All of the cloud cover keeps the

temperatures up. Through the night, the temperatures are ridiculous,

between 7 and 11 Celsius along the coast. It is a story of cloud cover

and while that rain looks like a drop south, it is going to pursue

its way back in. Plenty of cloud cover, limited spells of sunshine.

Not as good as today but not as bad as yesterday, that is the crucial

thing. Temperatures down to 13 or 14 all over again. I was saying, I

wondered whether the rain over Manchester should have been half

read today to prove what is going on! Earlier, we asked visitors to a

Facebook paid where they would be watching the match tonight. Karen

says there are three men in my house and not one is interested in