Say the words 'World Cup' to me, and you'll prompt visions of hazy summer days, sat outside a local boozer with a pint in hand, taking in the dulcet tones of England fans screeching Sweet Caroline. But not this time around.
The tournament is so synonymous with summer to me - even a rainy English summer - that making my way to Mayfield Depot's dedicated fan zone on a grey November morning felt more than a little odd. With England's first game falling on a Monday at 1pm, against the backdrop of human rights controversies in Qatar, I realised everything I knew about a World Cup atmosphere might be different this time - not least because of the FA's last minute decision to ask captains not to wear the One Love armbands that were supposed to be our small show of solidarity with LGBTQ+ communities.
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It's safe to say that despite my love of the beautiful game, I was feeling a little flat about the tournament - and it was a sentiment echoed by many fans I spoke to.
"It has impacted my excitement for it, all the press around it," one fan, Amanda, told the Manchester Evening News . "I'm still here, I've still shown up. But it has affected me."
Amanda and her friends have shown up together to Europe's biggest fan zone at Mayfield Depot, called Road to Victory. It's an impressive space - anyone who has ever been to Warehouse Project knows the scale of the old train station, which has been repurposed as an entertainment venue. Around 6,000 fans are expected to flock here for the most popular games, for a fully immersive experience that makes you forget all about the cold and grey outside. It might be a winter World Cup, but that wasn't stopping England fans today.
Turns out that the amazing World Cup atmosphere isn't seasonal - it was here too. As the game kicked off, fans chanted and cheered much as they do in beer gardens at warmer tournaments. It may have been 1pm on a Monday, but England fans showed up en masse - what else would you expect from a football-loving nation?
Their enthusiasm was contagious, and they were soon rewarded, as England scored three times in the first half. Each time, the roar of the crowd in Qatar was drowned out by shouts of joy from ecstatic England fans throughout the huge venue. With screens all around and multiple rooms, it was impossible not to get a good view of England's victory.
Speaking to fans at half-time, their delight was evident. "It has been so good so far!" Lizzie, who was out with friends Tilly and Sarah, told the M.E.N. But she, too, said she was 'annoyed' by the FA's decision not to let Harry Kane wear the One Love armband.
"I love football," she said. "I'm here because I want to watch football, that's what I enjoy. But it annoys me that Qatar are acting in this way. If it was our women's team playing over there, a lot of them are gay, you know it wouldn't go ahead in this way.
"I think it's unacceptable in this day and age."
Fans were realistic about England's chances - Amanda and her frends Lynne, Barbara, and Donna, said they thought England would do well but perhaps not make it all the way.
"We think Argentina will win," she said. "We've got a bit of an affinity for them - because of Sergio Aguero."
And as the game drew to a close, the energy fans had brought the whole way through remained. It isn't every day you celebrate six goals, after all. This is shaping up to be a very different World Cup - but if you want to enjoy a great game of football with a special atmosphere, Mayfield Depot is worth your time.
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