Football: United, City pledge £1m to Manchester attack fund

[MANCHESTER] Manchester United and Manchester City on Thursday pledged £1 million (S$1.801 million) to an emergency fund set up after the terror attack in the city that left 22 people dead.

The "We Love Manchester Emergency Fund", backed by Manchester's Lord Mayor and set up in partnership with the British Red Cross, was established after Monday's suicide bombing at the end of an Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena.

Another 64 people were injured, many of them critically.

"The Red and Blue halves of Manchester have combined to support the city they have each called home for more than a 120 years and which has been profoundly affected by the tragic events witnessed on Monday," United and City said in a rare joint statement.

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon al Mubarak said: "We have all been humbled by the strength and solidarity shown by the people of Manchester in the days since the attack.

"The hope of both our clubs is that our donation will go some small way to alleviate the daunting challenges faced by those directly affected and that our acting together will serve as a symbol to the world of the unbreakable strength of the spirit of Manchester."

United held a minute's silence and wore black armbands during Wednesday's Europa League final, going on beat Ajax 2-0, and executive chairman Ed Woodward said of the Manchester rivals: "Our clubs are right at the heart of our local communities in Manchester and it is right that we present a unified response to this tragedy".

"The money will help, of course, but the work of the two clubs and their respective foundation and community scheme can build on the fantastic spirit that Mancunians have shown in the immediate aftermath."

AFP