Houses Tennis, Football & Cricket but it all needs a bit of a facelift to be honest!…read more It serves a purpose and can provide a nice day out watching or playing sport but it just seems that nothing has been updated or changed in the last 10 years. Local Football team Eagley FC play here and every Saturday you'll be able to see a game involving either their 1st or 2nd team. Next to that you've got the Cricket Pitch which again will have local games on each weekend during the season. The Tennis club is year round and I believe the membership is very competitive compared to other clubs around, however the courts aren't brilliant and you do pay for what you get. Nonetheless - if you're not fussy about playing on pristine courts and just want a knock its a great option! There is also a club house that is open when teams are playing. They serve your standard soft drinks and beer and also have Pasties & Hot Dogs for sale on most match days.

This facility caters for a wide variety of sports and has teams in many local leagues from tennis…read moreand rugby to quizzing. The club itself has a good selection of ales available - usually a choice of two or three relatively local breweries. The main problem is, and has always been, access. Non-members do not have the code to open the main doors, so have to rely on a member to let them in. I have waited outside for up to ten minutes before now, waiting to play a league quiz match - which can be lost through late arrival. All that being said, the service and welcome is good once you gain access and the beer is very well served. The sports facilities are excellent and many sports are covered. There is a function room available as well as the other usual facilities.

A lovely open plan green park not too far from the hustle and bustle of Rusholme and the university…read moreareas, yet nonetheless surprisingly quiet and peaceful. Birchfields Park was acquired by the City Council in 1887 for £9,930 from local landowner Sir William Anson! Isnt that interesting! Cheers manchester Citty Council. I like talking about the history of park that I review, but in this case there is literally diddlie squat to say about it. Its got a boring history. The most notable thing is a huge boulder in the middle of the park, which turns out to weight an amazing 13 tonnes! Meaningless boulder aside, the park is a great place for walks, picnics and football. Its also quite alright for children, unlike some of Manchester's more dodgy green spaces.

*ahem* And now...a haiku:…read more Birchfields Park is big The summer destination Many festivals Thank you, thank you. No need for fan mail. The park has a habit of getting swamped whenever it rains enough, but if you happen to get lucky and have a stretch of good weather, Birchfields is a good place to spend a summer-style day. Barbecues, people playing in the park, little kiddos running all over the place, this is a typical park when the sun comes out. It's fairly large as well so you're bound to find a spot to park yourself. There's often festivals or other events held here, so if you check out the local calendar you'll be able to attend some, convenient if you're living nearby.

My conscience is telling me to modify my rating of Moss Side Leisure Centre, that is probably one…read moreof the places where I spend most time in Manchester. This is due to some issues that arose over the last month. First of all, the policy about classes has changed, and now it's necessary to register at the counter before each session, whereas up to a few weeks ago it was enough to take the receipt of your booking using the screen at the entrance. This is often causing very long queues, and it's actually incredible if people manage to get to their classes on time. There is a stupid detail that made me think members of staff don't care enough about checking regularly the gym: in one of the rooms all the weights of less than 4kg mysteriously disappeared. I found it funny when my instructor said: "Well, try and do this exercise using 5kg, cause someone stole the lighter ones. If it's too hard you can reduce the number of reps." It's almost two weeks now, and they haven't yet reappeared. All in all, the place is always enjoyable; staff is very nice and the instructors are usually willing to help and give an induction even without booking an appointment.

I tried out Manchester Aquatic and the Y before deciding on this one. The deciding factors were 1)…read moremembership sale -- £95 for 6 months (the sale is now over) 2) proximity to my house and 3) machines. Facilities: steamroom, dry sauna, pool, about 3 rooms for squash etc, two adequately-sized rooms for machines, weightroom. Prices: You can get a free membership for 7 days, but you need to book the induction appointment first in order to use the machines (also free). Call a few days in advance to book the induction, which is very thorough (!) and will take 30-40 minutes. -The normal non-student membership price as of Ferbruary 2012 was £23.99 monthly without contract, or £18.99 with annual contract. There was also a 4 week pass for £25. Pros: - The machines in the front room by the entrance seem to be constructed for people who are neither massive nor tall. I'm short and skinny, so this was perfect for me. - Other than the weight room, other areas of the gym never seemed too crowded. I very rarely had to wait to use a machine in the front room. - Attentive staff in workout areas - Good mix of different ages, genders, races: mostly working class, some yuppies - Easy and free parking - Affordability Cons: - If you basically use a gym for the free weights, the most popular room seems to be that one, as it's often packed to the gills. I recommend showing up about an hour towards closing, when it seems to thin out. - During busy times, the spacing of the machines in the back room is a bit tricky; once or twice, I was concerned about accidentally hitting a guy who was using a mat which had been placed next to my machine (why the mat was there to begin with, I have no idea.) - Their pool isn't huge like at Manchester Aquatic. To use the pool, you should check the schedule beforehand, because some days and some nights are booked up for private groups. Note: Access to Chorlton Park gym is included with a Moss Side membership last I checked, and karate is held at Chorlton Park-- but, karate costs extra. At some other gyms such as the Y, you can buy a membership that includes unlimited martial arts. I don't play basketball, but in case you're looking for a gym with a court, call ahead and find out if they have one-- I didn't notice one there.

The Albert Tennis and Bowling club is tucked away on Old Lansdowne Road in West Didsbury. Not to be…read moreconfused with The Albert's down the road, this is a perfect little pub with a high ceiling, real ales and plenty of seating in its comfy space. Non-club members are welcome for drinks and to most of their special events - cinema, bingo, summer BBQ. They have tennis courts, snooker room, table tennis, and bowls for members. They also have a club room for hire!

I come to Sugden fairly often, mainly to play badminton with my friends. I must say that prices for…read morebadminton courts are very reasonable, but I don't find the service much good. Once all the fields were taken, even if we had booked one and we were there on time, yet no one was there to check that players were respecting their times. Lockers are provided to drop your stuff, but you have to pay 20p to use one. I considered signing to Sugden just after moving to Manchester because it's very close to uni. Therefore I took their gym induction to give a look at the place and at the machines. The gym is ok, not very big to tell the truth. I was actually rather disappointed with the induction itself, cause it lasted only five minutes, the instructor just hastily showed us the rooms, we didn't even have time to try any machines. Also, we were more than ten people taking the induction, and I was expecting something more serious and personalized since I was paying for it.

I'm not a student at Manchester University, but one of my best friends is and that means that I get…read moreto in to Sugden Sports Centre every week to play a bit of badminton. There are loads of sports halls and courts and stuff here, so lots of space to do whatever sport you're into - be that squash, badminton, basketball, circuit training, etc. If you're playing badminton like we do, then it costs just over a fiver to hire a court for an hour once you're a member. This isn't too expensive, especially when it's split between the two of us. The one thing that annoys me here just a tiny bit is the fact that you have to pay 20p for a locker and you don't get it back. It's quite cheeky to get you to pay for the privilege of having your stuff safe whilst you're exercising. Surely, after membership and court hire, that should just be a given.

The Brew Bar & Lounge is in the Worsley Marriott Hotel and Country Club. Just off the lobby and…read morecourtyard patio, it has a full service bar and moderate menu, with starters, burgers and sandwiches, salads, and larger entrees. Service was quick, but as the bar fills (after business hours) it can slow and we had to wave down waitstaff for the next round. I had the steak ciabatta; the bread was toasted and crisp. The steak was tender, done medium and cut on the bias into small slices, making it more manageable on a sandwich. Topped with caramelized onions, tomato, rocket (arugula) and mayo, it was a delicious choice. With a side of fries, that were crispy and golden brown. The club salad with chicken was a good size, and fresh as expected. There is limited seating at the bar (about 8 stools) but ample sofas and chairs in the lounge areas, and several four-top tables for dining. As a hotel guest, you can charge to your room, or pay by cash or card. A nice spot to unwind and have drinks and dinner, or grab a cocktail or two before dinner in the hotel's main restaurant.

Every time I go hear it's like spot the celebrity as this is a favourite haunt of visiting sports…read moreteams and artist. I love the gym and health club here and it's really up market compared to you everyday family gym. Sure memberships may be quite expensive, but if you can justify some extra pounds (money not weight) in exchange for a more pampered gym experience then head on down! The actual gym isn't huge but it's never too busy and has all the up to date equipment and machines. The best part of Worsley Park is the Spa facilities though, and they really are ahead of the game here. A large, spacious Jacuzzi and a powerful and revitalising Steam Room put it ahead of the competition in that area! Also nice to relax in the bar after with a nice coffee or beer, depending on how hard I worked out!

This club is infamous for churning out year after year some of the best rugby players ever produced…read moreby this great place of Wigan. Wigan is the homeland of Rugby league in this country if not the world. And to say St Pats is the breeding ground for the traditions of the town and rugby in general doesnt justify its importance and the depths it effects the town. Some famous players have come through its ranks and there are sure to be some more on their way as we speak as well as into the future. St Pats is the hub of the towns rugby and it does us proud year on year.

Friendly unpretentious place full of friendly unpretentious people. Cheap drinks,and a great…read moreatmosphere. Hired out for functions ,birthdays etc,and you can provide your own buffet. A special mention for the spectacular and emotive mural, depicting the late great Mike Gregory. RIP.