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      Crippling rail strikes fail to stop fans from attending first all-Manchester FA Cup final

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      FOOTIE fans were jubilant yesterday after crippling rail strikes failed to stop them attending the first all-Manchester FA Cup final.Supporters crammed into cars and piled on to coaches as trains were axed due to ­drivers walking out on the biggest day of the season.
      Manchester City supporters queued round the block to board a coach to the FA Cup finalCredit: EPA
      Manchester United fans leave Old Trafford by coach to travel to Wembley Stadium ahead of the FA Cup finalCredit: PA
      Many got up at the crack of dawn to embark on the 200-mile pilgrimage from the North West to Wembley to beat the traffic.
      The six-hour drive proved worthwhile for Man City fans who kept treble dreams alive by claiming a 2-1 victory over United in the first Manchester derby final in the competition’s 151-year history.
      The Red Devils, who secured their own ­trophy trio in 1999, were chasing their second silverware of the year.
      United fan Marty Harris, 46, woke at 4am for a £300 flight from Edinburgh to Birmingham before car-sharing to Watford and then getting the Tube to Wembley with his young son.
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      He said: “I’m here now so that’s the main thing. It’s been torture, absolute torture. I think people watching will be tired because they’ve got up so early to be here.”
      Sharon and Mark Ralph, drove for seven hours from Cheshire on Friday night to avoid the strikes — staying in a hotel for two nights before watching their beloved United yesterday.
      Sharon, 44, said: “We don’t mind the extra cost. It was definitely worth it.”
      FA Cup expert Phil Annets, who wrote in the official matchday ­programme, needed a lift back to Oxfordshire after being driven to the match by a friend.
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      The 58-year-old said: “I think it’s vindictive by the strikers to try to impact as many people as possible.”
      Hundreds of coaches and cars set off from the North West in the early hours for the usual four-hour trip down the M6 and M40 motorways towards North West London.
      But the journey took more than six hours for many who got stuck in two huge tailbacks on the M1.
      Manchester United fan Ralph Cooper, 56, said: “Even if it would have taken me two days to get there and two days to get back, it wouldn’t have made any difference. I wouldn’t have missed this.”
      Police patrolled service stations along the route despite fans being allocated separate stop-offs depending on whether their loyalties were red or sky blue.
      Both Manchester clubs provided return coaches at a subsidised price of £50 a seat to meet the exceptional demand.
      The FA also put on 120 special bus services — 60 for each club leaving from different locations — at £60 per fan.
      Extra car parking was also made available 25 minutes’ walk away from the stadium in Fryent Park.
      Event day parking at the 90,000-capacity stadium had sold out two weeks ago.
      Tom Legg, head of external operations at the FA, had said of the two-day travel carnage: “This additional strike action will severely impact fans who might have been considering travelling to London from Manchester the night before the final.”
      Fans battled for parking spaces in sleepy, suburban Stanmore in North West London — at the very northern end of the Jubilee line — after the Metropolitan line was temporarily suspended due to ­signal failure.
      Manchester City fans were fierce during their historic FA Cup Final win against bitter rivals Man UnitedCredit: Getty
      Hundreds of motorists from ­Manchester had come off the M1 to park up in Stanmore, filling up side streets normally used by ­residents and shoppers.
      Others made deals with enterprising locals to park their cars on their driveways.
      Mary, 60, travelling with godson Oliver, 21, said: “There’s no choice really.”
      James, who travelled to Bushey, Herts, on Thursday to avoid the rush, said: “I’ve got a friend from Manchester who left at half past six in the morning and five hours later he’s still stuck in traffic on the motorway.”
      Strikes coincided with other huge events like the Epsom Derby, England’s test match at Lord’s and Beyonce’s concert at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
      Usually busy railway stations across the capital have been left looking like ghost towns as around 12,000 Aslef and RMT members walked out in industrial action for the second day in a row.
      After helping to cripple around 40 per cent of train services, Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said: “We are determined to get a resolution and remain in this for the long haul.”
      The Department for Transport claimed the action had been deliberately coordinated to target major events for maximum disruption.
      A spokesman added: “Not content with impacting the hundreds of thousands of people who have looked forward to these events all year round, unions are also targeting their own members’ pockets by forcing them to miss out on pay every time they strike.
      “The Government has facilitated a fair and reasonable pay offer.
      “Now union leaders must do the right thing and put this to their members.”
      Aslef’s chaotic rail strike was designed to affect those wanting to travel to the FA Cup Final at Wembley and The Derby at Epsom this weekendCredit: Paul Marriott
      Stars are in crowd
      STARS from both sides of Manchester were spotted in the crowd at Wembley.
      Ex-Red Devils favourite David Beckham, 48, looked glum as he watched his beloved side lose with sons Brooklyn, 24, and Cruz, 18.

      Liam Gallagher celebrates Man City’s success with his boys Lennon and GeneCredit: Pixel8000
      David Beckham was also spotted in the Wembley standsCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
      But ex-Oasis singer Liam Gallagher, 50, pumped his arms in the air watching City’s win with his kids.
      Prince William, president of the FA, presented the medals and trophy after the game, tweeting: “A derby like no other today.”
      Erling Haaland of Manchester City, receives his FA Cup winners medal from Prince WilliamCredit: Getty More

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      Militant rail union bosses try to wreck FA Cup final and Derby by unleashing strike misery on sports fans

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      BITTER rail union bosses are unleashing strike misery on one of the biggest sporting days of the year.Aslef’s Mick Whelan — a self-styled pal of the workers — will try to wreck two of their favourite events.
      Rail union bosses are unleashing strike misery on footie fans heading to the FA Cup final, which Liverpool won last yearCredit: Getty
      The FA Cup final will be held at Wembley Stadium on June 3Credit: Alamy
      Racegoers and punters must make new travel plans for the Epsom Derby the same dayCredit: PA
      Disruption on June 3 will hit fans going to the FA Cup Final and racegoers heading to Epsom for The Derby.
      The walkout, one of three by Aslef, will inflict transport hell on 80,000 Manchester City and Manchester United followers.
      Aslef members will also strike on May 12 and May 31.
      In another major blow, rail workers with the RMT union will strike on May 13 — the day of the Eurovision final in Liverpool.
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      Aslef general secretary Mick ­Whelan, who enjoys a £151,371-a- year package, has a desk full of Chelsea memorabilia.
      His side were thrashed 4-0 by City in the Cup’s third round.
      Aslef president David Calfe is an Arsenal fan, whose team lost 4-1 to City in Wednesday’s title clash.
      Tory MP Brendan Clarke-Smith said: “This looks like nothing more than sour grapes on the part of the union after their teams have lost.
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      “The actions of Aslef will ruin the plans for football fans, families and those wanting to experience Eurovision. I’m giving them nul points.”
      Kevin Parker, of the Manchester City Official Supporters Club, said: “This is the last thing we need.”
      The Manchester United Supporters Trust added: “We need all modes of transport available to cope with the level of demand and the railways are a key part of that.
      “We call on the Government and union to find a way to avert this.”
      The May 12 eve-of-Eurovision action will hit 3,000 Ukrainians invited to the song contest which their war-torn nation cannot host.
      In another major blow, rail workers with the RMT union will strike on May 13, the day of the Eurovision final in Liverpool
      Aslef members will also strike on May 12 and May 31Credit: LNP
      Footie fans will be travelling to six Premier League fixtures on May 13.
      Families planning half-term trips later in May, and cricket fans heading to the England vs Ireland Test match at Lord’s also face chaos.
      Downing Street called the walkouts “incredibly disappointing”.
      A No10 spokesman said: “We believe the offer that’s on the table is fair and reasonable.”
      Tory MP Greg Smith, who sits on the Transport Select Committee, said: “Unbelievable that Aslef want to inflict more misery on the great British public at such an important time in the sporting calendar.
      “They need to understand the damage they are doing and reflect on the high salaries they enjoy.”
      Tory MP Caroline Dinenage said of the song contest final: “This is Ukraine’s Eurovision and British people have put their heart and soul into doing it justice for them.
      “It feels heartless to deprive Ukrainian people the rare opportunity for escapism after everything they have endured.”
      The strikes will heap further pain on pubs and restaurants trying to recover from the pandemic. The sector has lost more than £3billion in sales as a result of the strikes and the high-demand summer ­period will now be impacted.
      Kate Nicholls, of UK Hospitality, said: “It’s incredibly frustrating that almost a year on from the start of this dispute, there appears to be no resolution in sight.”
      Aslef announced its strikes after a meeting of the executive. Mr Whelan described the new pay offer of eight per cent over two years as “risible”.
      He said: “The proposal was clearly not designed to be accepted as inflation is still running north of ten per cent and our members at these companies have not had an increase for four years.”
      The union said all non-contractual overtime from May 15 for six days and also on ­Saturday 13 and Thursday June 1 will be withdrawn, which will likely affect services.
      The RMT turned down an offer which included a first-year payment of five per cent but only if no ­further walkouts would take place
      Aslef general secretary Mick ­Whelan, who enjoys a £151,371-a- year package, has a desk full of Chelsea memorabiliaCredit: Getty
      Aslef president David Calfe is an Arsenal fan, whose team lost 4-1 to City in Wednesday’s title clash
      Boss Mick Lynch said: “We have no alternative but to press ahead with more strike action.”
      Transport Secretary Mark Harper called on Aslef to let its members vote on the deal put forward by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG).
      He said: “It is deeply disappointing that Aslef has decided to call strikes and ban overtime, targeting thousands of people attending the UK’s first Eurovision event in 25 years, including Ukrainians displaced by Putin’s war, and the first all-Manchester FA Cup final.
      “The offer from the RDG included urgent reform to ensure our railways are financially sustainable for the benefit of passengers, workers and the taxpayer as well as delivering a pay rise for members whose salary already averages £60,000.
      “Aslef need to call off strikes and give their members a say on this.”
      Aslef said it had met employers eight times over a year to find a resolution. They claimed they had to hold eight strike days before the Government would even negotiate.
      A union source added: “The teams Mick and Dave support have no bearing on the days action will be taken.”
      They added they have to give 14 days notice to call strikes to try to ensure rosters are filled.
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      The Rail Delivery Group said: “Senselessly targeting Eurovision and the FA Cup final is disappointing for all those planning to attend.
      “We urge Aslef leadership to rejoin us at the negotiating table.” More