A 25-man Manchester United under-15 side arrives in Nairobi at 8.30 am today for a seven day tour. The tour party, consisting of 18 players, four coaches and three officials is led by Paul McGuinness, the Manchester United Academy assistant manager.

The team will visit various parts of the country and play three matches in Mombasa, Nakuru and Nairobi including one against Mathare Youth under-15 on February 21 at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. 

The public will get a chance to catch a glimpse of the future Manchester, and indeed, England stars this afternoon when they make an appearance at Kibera, Nairobi for a play ground hand-over ceremony presided by Minister of Roads, Public Works and Housing, Raila Odinga.

The ceremony will see a play ground developed at New Direction Academy, under the Safaricom community help projected, handed over to the local residents. The academy is situated next to Kibera African Inland Church, Nairobi. 

Former Manchester and member of the England 1966 World Cup winning team Bobby Charlton will link up with the visitors during the last two days of the tour.

The visit has been arranged by the British High Commission under the UKenya programme and is designed to highlight the diversity and dynamism of British/Kenyan relations. Sponsorship has come from various local companies.

Manchester under-15 play their first match against Mombasa Youth on Saturday at 10 am. The tourists' second encounter is against Nakuru Youth Team on February 18 at 3.30 pm and the final match against a Mathare United youth team.

Soccer fan James Mutonyi, member of a Manchester United supporters' club in Kisumu said they would have liked to see Kisumu included. "There are many Man U fans in Kisumu," he said.

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