What with England stumbling Bambi-like through to the World Cup quarter final, you’d have thought a football-mad city like Manchester would be keener than ever to embrace the beautiful game.

But, following trouble at the opening Paraguay game, it seems screenings in this city are becoming as well travelled as the team in Germany.

About the Battle of Exchange Square, Manchester Confidential’s Mark Garner said “a handful of fans were arrested for causing trouble”. Despite over 10,000 people attending that day, police confirmed just five arrests.

It was certainly no Stuttgart then, was it?

Nevertheless, witness the total lack of atmosphere at the hastily arranged replacement venue, Castlefield Arena, where the Sweden game was screened. As Councillor Pat Karney put it:

“There were no arrests, no accidents and no alcohol.”

And no fun, he probably should have added.

Now, says the MEN, this nomadic roadshow may be heading for the City of Manchester stadium if England make it to the semi-finals (and that’s a huge if):

“Manchester City’s 48,000-capacity stadium is seen as the only site large enough and easy to police for the screening.”

Third time lucky perhaps?