3rd is not a good position to finish - will be playing Leigh, Salford, Catalans or Saints - any of them in decent form and we’re in trouble.

Can’t see us winning ALL of our games. Leigh away will be very tough. If we do win them all we’ll finish second, lose to Leigh and it’s the dreaded 3rd.

Leigh(Away) will be a very tough game, but that is the type of game we need to win, to lift the trophy at Old Trafford.

Exactly if we can't win games like that we are not going to win a GF.

I am very nervous though as don't think I can bare to watch us lose a 5th GF in person.

Been to the 4 losses and I would be devastated if I was not there to see us win one. Hate Old Trafford with a passion it’s a complete dump, much easier to watch at home but not the same if we won it.

I too think Old Trafford was crap with cramped seating until I went to our Magic Game, at Elland Road on Saturday which was far worse.

Absolutely NO leg room, and I had to sit side on, using two seats, otherwise I would have needed to watch the game standing.

That’s the problem with old stadiums, yeh I get the nostalgia thing I would still go to Wilderspool rather than the HJ but these big events need modern stadiums, I really hope they build a new stadium at Old Trafford

I’m not concerned about hubcap. Just top 2 for final.

Top 2 will be very difficult without Dufty. He is central to our attack.

This sums up how I feel about it, really. I can't stand Old Trafford, and I don't enjoy the vibe of the Grand Final as an occasion, but on the flip side, I would hate to not be there if and when we eventually win one.

Old Trafford is a complete dump, I find the GF atmosphere intimidating and uncomfortable and (in my experience) it seems to be full of smack heads, drunks and people who cannot control their aggression.

A guaranteed 80-0 win against Stains could not get me to go back there....TV for me.

Yes the motivation is FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). The whole GF experience for a tee total middle aged man is grim. But if we are there, I will be too (god willing).

It's true it does have the air of menace about it. I think it's a combination of a bum hole area of Manchester, dark nights, the organised crime parking firms, and the "fans" who have been on the ale all day acting like heros. Then you get the horrendous claustrophobia in the stadium which even the owners are considering demolishing. Then in our case the last 2 times watching us not being able to score for an hour as our hopes are smashed again.

Thinking of taking my 13 year old to OT should we get there, but I agree about the idiots making it a slightly tense atmosphere compared to Wembley. However, I think the atmosphere of a night game is also more electric.

I'm so used to losing at OT, that one more loss would be a mere flesh wound rather than a stab to the heart. And we have to win there at some point. Lots more to do though, before we can start worrying about final appearances.

Exactly this. Like a moth to a flame IF we get there I'd be compelled to go, just imagine attending all those losses and missing out....

I get all the misgivings about the place and the atmosphere and not that you should have to but as a 'veteran' there are ways of minimizing the fuss.

Yeah my tactic last time was in and out on the motorbike - stealth mission. Entered stadium 10 mins before and was out on the final whistle. One advantage of losing is that you can be away sharpish.

Can`t get away quickly, if Wigan are the opposition team.

Why not a 3pm kick off which should limit the number of pishheads entering the stadium.
Maybe after the match any trouble from drink or drugs could be sorted out in the streets & pubs of Manchistaw by GMPs finest. All right minded fans could then leave safely.

All very Tom Cruise (or George Formby?) ha ha

I've always found heading back to MCR a bit more intimidating (the walk not the Town Centre), than strolling across to Salford Quays for a consolation beer or two then in my case a tram home

More George Formby for sure.

Agree with those who've said it's a horrible atmosphere. Every time we've got there, we've had other fans being aggressive on the way back to our car, through no fault of our own, often with kids in our tow, none of us match day drinkers. I think giving the idiots a full Saturday of drinking doesn't help, but the whole experience has never been pleasant, even when taking the losses out of the equation.

Rugby union play their GF at 3pm on a sat…no reason why we shouldn’t. It’s always been a horrible occasion in a terrible setting.

Never been a fan of the Gf at Old Trafford, nothing to do with the defeats I’ve seen involving Wire. The stadium is tight, overcrowded with its compacted concourse.Been to Gfs when Wigan have played recently due to having a Warriors supporting girlfriend, and my opinion is still the same. It’s a dump of a ground which brings out the worst in people, after they’ve spent the day drinking and sniffing Charlie..

Move it to 3pm kick off at the Ethiad Stadium and make it a more family affair just like how the magic weekend used to be

I’ve even found the atmosphere in the trams intimidating

Not to mention the diddy and dangerous pitch with 3m in goals and a cliff edge behind the dead ball lines, which makes the rugby played completely different to what the teams have played to get there.

I don't think that it's a particularly small pitch, it's the dangerous in goal drop off that is dangerous and as you state influences the way that teams play. BTW I've seen one or two footballers crashing into the advertising hoardings

Perhaps the powers that be at OT need to be persuaded to move the try line inboard off the football goal line OR put some temporary infill behind the sticks if they don't want line confusion in the penalty area