Welcome to Manchester 2007 – my blog dedicated to bringing you the latest Manchester news.

Why Manchester 2007? Well, I live in Manchester and 2007 was the year I retired. Yes, that’s right, I’m officially a pensioner but don’t let that fool you into thinking I’m out of touch with what’s happening in my home city. I love Manchester more than anyone. In fact, I like nothing more than eating in local restaurants with my darling wife, drinking in local pubs and researching the latest local news for Manchester 2007.

Lest we forget, Manchester has an incredible history. If music’s your thing, this is the city of Madchester, the Hacienda, the Stone Roses, the Happy Mondays and all the rest of it. Going back a bit further, it was also pivotal in the rise of punk – the Sex Pistols’ gig at the Free Trade Hall in 1976 proved an inspiration to bands like The Fall, The Buzzcocks and many others.

We’ve also got a proud sporting tradition. The 2002 Commonwealth Games undoubtedly helped put Manchester on the map, but I’ll be there aren’t many people in the world who haven’t heard of Manchester United or Manchester City. This city has also produced some outstanding athletes, including the likes of cricketer Freddy Flintoff, runner Paula Radcliffe and boxer Ricky Hatton.

I don’t want to dwell too much on the past though. Manchester is going places. Over the coming weeks, months and years, Manchester 2007 will be covering the latest news about the best city in Britain. I hope you find it interesting.