How it feels to play at Old Trafford as a United fan

Professional footballers and fans alike fantasise about playing in the Theatre of Dreams. I often imagined myself what it would feel like to step onto hallowed turf. Now I no longer have to. The dream has become reality, and I can say it out loud – I played at the home of Manchester United!

As I write these words, I still struggle to believe what’s happened in recent weeks. It’s also hard to find the right way to express the emotions I’ve felt. I’ve been supporting Manchester United for almost 30 years. I’ve experienced the glory days of Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign and witnessed some great games at Old Trafford. But nothing comes close to what happened on 9 June 2025, when I set foot on that legendary turf. How did it happen?

For years, the pitch at Old Trafford was like a heavily guarded fortress. Only professionals – top players from the best leagues in the world – had access to it. A few years ago, however, United decided to open the doors to those without whom football wouldn't exist – the fans. When an email landed in my inbox in early May offering the chance to play in the Theatre of Dreams, I didn’t hesitate. I applied right away, though I wasn’t holding out much hope. After all, hundreds of thousands hold Official Membership, and nearly all of them dream of playing at Old Trafford. The announcement about “Old Trafford Pitch Day” was also posted on the club's website, so the odds were getting slimmer by the day. At the end of May, an email arrived: “Due to overwhelming interest, you were not successful in the ballot.”

And that could have been the end of the story – but a true Manchester United fan always believes until the final whistle! The club’s message included a small glimmer of hope: in the event of cancellations, other applicants would be offered a chance. My wife Nina – who’s always supported my United “madness” – was rooting for me. I often tell her: “I’ve loved Manchester United longer – but I love you more!”

THE MESSAGE I WAS WAITING FOR

Every day, I waited for a call, constantly checking my phone. Waiting, waiting, and waiting…

Then, less than a week before the event, the message came: “Mateusz, a spot has opened up. Still interested?” I confirmed straight away. I had a plan ready just in case. I’d already looked up flights from Poland to England. Everything had to be as precise as a David Beckham free-kick. The day before was my first son’s Christening. The day after – wedding anniversary. That famous fan flag – “United. Kids. Wife. In That Order” – must’ve been made under similar circumstances!

TWO POLES AT OLD TRAFFORD

My 9 June started with a 03:30 alarm to catch an early flight to Liverpool. I didn’t want to risk a later connection to Manchester – a delayed or cancelled flight could ruin everything. But everything ran like clockwork. I reached Manchester city centre around 10:00, leaving me plenty of time to wander through places I’d missed on previous matchday visits. Kick-off was set for 18:00, and we had to report to Old Trafford 45 minutes before. Naturally, I arrived much earlier. A walk around the stadium, a visit to the Megastore, coffee at Cafe Football. Time seemed to drag endlessly. But finally – it was time!

The meeting point was at entrance WX14 – the same entrance used by the United players and their opponents. One by one, the other participants arrived. The club had invited 46 fans to the afternoon session. Two would serve as managers, while the rest were split into two teams of 22. The organisers had laid out the rules in advance – a full 90-minute match, with each player assigned a position and a partner to rotate with, substituting on a rolling basis. Most were United season-ticket holders. Even though they regularly attend games, the excitement in the air was palpable – no one had ever played at the Theatre of Dreams before.

While going through final checks, I suddenly heard a familiar language: “Czesc.” It was Pawel from Lodz, who had overheard that I came from Poland. A few other fans had flown in from abroad, including lads from Ireland and Malta. “When I got the club’s email saying I’d been selected, I thought it was a scam,” Pawel laughed. We were both placed in ‘Team Robson’, with the opposing side named ‘Team Keane’.

RUNNING DOWN THE WING

United assigned our team the home dressing room – the same used by the Reds on matchdays. Our opponents had the away dressing room, slightly less spacious. In the dressing room, we met our team-mates and were introduced to the partner we’d rotate with during the match. I was paired with Charlie, a proud season-ticket holder in the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand. 

As he had to leave the event early, we agreed that he’d start the match and play the first 35 minutes, while I’d come on shortly before half-time and play the entire second half. That suited me perfectly – it meant more minutes on the Old Trafford pitch! We were assigned to the left wing. Each player had been able to indicate three preferred positions, and the club tried to match preferences where possible. I’d requested the right wing, dreaming of a Beckham-like role – but the left was good too. After all, Ryan Giggs was running down that side!

After a brief stop in the dressing room, we were taken onto the pitch for an initial look around – mostly to take it all in and snap a few souvenir photos. The smile wouldn’t leave my face. It was hard to believe where I was. Then came the warm-up, led by a club coach. “It’s one of the most important parts – don’t skip it. You don’t want to pull a hamstring five minutes in,” he said. He didn’t need to convince me – since my ACL injury, I always take warm-ups seriously. Everyone else seemed equally focused. Thankfully, the medics stayed unneeded that day.

Back in the dressing room, our coach – a British Army veteran – gave a rousing team talk. He loved every minute of it – his pep talk could’ve come straight from a pro!

POSING LIKE CRISTIANO RONALDO

United covered every detail. We walked out of the tunnel, lined up for handshakes, and took official team photos. Wes Brown, a member of Sir Alex’s title-winning sides, was there too. “Lads, on your tiptoes like Cristiano Ronaldo!” he joked, as we posed for team photo.

Then the big match began. I started on the bench as agreed, getting a chance to watch the early stages. Our team’s defence looked solid – especially thanks to Pawel, whose experience in Poland’s amateur lower leagues was evident. He even joined the attack a few times like Leny Yoro and nearly scored with a header that hit the bar. “You had me in your pocket,” one opponent told him after the final whistle.

Watching from the sidelines, I began to warm up around the 30-minute mark. The clock seemed to slow down. Then, in the 35th minute, I waved to Charlie. A quick sprint towards the Sir Alex Stand and I took my position on the left wing. Almost theatrically, the skies broke open. Classic English football weather! My first touch – a misjudged pass. Old Trafford can be intimidating! It’s hard to imagine what debutants feel when the stands are packed. I shudder to think what fans would have posted about that play on social media.

The rest of the half flew by. I settled my nerves and completed a few better passes. At the break, everyone was exhausted. We joked that we’d never complain again about players not running enough – full-size pitches don’t forgive. One sprint down the wing and I realised that corporate five-a-side is a different sport entirely.

We went into the break 2–0 up. The coach reminded us that United never lose when leading at half-time – and we couldn’t be the ones to break that tradition. Otherwise, we’d be facing the dreaded hairdryer treatment.

TOUCH, SHOT AND…

The second half was more open. As time went on, I stopped noticing the empty stands or the legendary surroundings. It’s true what players say – sometimes you really don’t hear the crowd because you’re so locked into the game. I’ll never be a pro – my career ended at junior level – but I understand that feeling now.

I played better after the interval. We were attacking to the Stretford End – the stand where United usually find goals. It didn’t matter that it was empty – the aura was there. Team Robson added five more goals. Pawel chipped in two assists; I might have earned a ‘Fantasy Premier League’ secondary assist. The star of the show was our striker from Ireland – he bagged a hat-trick and deservedly took home the Man of the Match award.

I do regret one moment in the 85th minute – a decent strike from outside the box was superbly saved by the keeper. Final score: 7–1 to us. But there were no losers that day. Everyone gave it their all – and the memories will last a lifetime.

After the final whistle, we took more photos and shared handshakes. After a quick shower, we met again in the Trafford Suite in the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand, where the club had laid on refreshments. It was a time to chat, toast the day with a pint, and have a look one more time at the legendary pitch where we had now written our own chapter.

After the celebration, we all went our separate ways. The Theatre of Dreams made dreams a reality once more, offering supporters a rare glimpse from the inside. These memories will stay with me forever. And next time I visit Old Trafford, I’ll be able to say with pride: “I played here.” I think I need to pinch myself again. Football, bloody hell!

The opinions in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Manchester United Football Club.

Mateusz is a passionate United fan and the founder/editor-in-chief of DevilPage.pl, a website covering the club for Polish supporters that has been running for more than 20 years.