Amidst all the doom and gloom I thought there was one particular highlight - one of the bars (Wide to West?) had four real ales on hand pump (Saints Gold, Unicorn, Dizzy Blonde and Elbow's Build A Rocket Boys). It's a bonus to find one decent beer at a rugby ground so last night was comparatively like a beer festival!

Unfortunately I was driving so just had the one pint of Dizzy Blonde but my son took full advantage. I wonder if this was just an experiment or will be a regular feature? I may have to look at getting the train if it's going to be there every game.

Is it not now time the bars took card payments? Even if they just allow touch payments from cards and phones. It's the future and pretty soon everyone will pay for stuff with their card like this or their phone.

Cheers Saddo - one post and you've turned my positive note into a negative one

I was spitting feathers at the Etihad because I gave all my cash to a ticket tout outside the stadium, and none of the bars would take my cards! They must have lost a fortune turning people away from the bars that day, it was bloody roasting.

Can you get to that bar from the KC entrance? I know last time I was round that way from the South Stand you could only get so far because of the dreaded barriers.

If you mean the Keiron statue entrance then, yes. Our season tickets are for West Terrace so we come in that entrance. Last night they had signs up directing you to the 'Real Ale Bar'. I imagined they meant Saints Gold so it was a pleasant surprise to find four cask ales on.

So thats where it was I did see the signs but only on way out. Isn't that the bar that only usually sells bottles? I noticed the Karalius bar was open on the way out which I've never seen before. Probably pulled too many pints at half time. Not sure whether they were selling them off cheap.

What they should do is make the season ticket swipe card into one with a top up facility, buy 4 pints on the card and get another pint free.

When I have been in the South stand at Warrington (...I know!) they have real ale on in the new corner that they have built and it's great.

Wish I had seen the signs to this bar now!

Good knowledge Mick.

Would be good to have beer festivals on non-match days. The concourse is big enough to hold quite a crowd wandering round trying the different tipple.