Northern Premier League side FC United of Manchester will play fellow fan-owned club Benfica at their new stadium to celebrate their 10th birthday. FC United have shared grounds with various clubs since their inception, but will move in to their new stadium Broadhurst Park in May this year. In what will be a one of the first games at the new venue, the club will play a friendly against the B team of Portuguese giants and two-time European Cup winners Benfica.
Andy Walsh, general manager at the club said: 'FC United of Manchester is delighted to be playing Benfica as one of the first games in our new ground at Broadhurst Park in Moston, north Manchester. 'We have had good relations with Benfica since hosting their U19s when they played Manchester City in the UEFA Youth League last season. We are proud to be playing one of the largest fan-owned clubs in the world and are looking forward to welcoming Benfica's representatives to Manchester.' Armando Jorge Carneiro, who runs the academy at Benfica, said: 'Lisbon and Manchester are cities with fans who love football and their idols. While FC United are still a young club in the history of this sport in England, it's nevertheless a great honour for SL Benfica to be present with their B team at United's stadium, Broadhurst Park. 'We hope that FC United can find, over the next years, just like Benfica almost 111 years ago, a path of victories that can launch them from being a big city club to a leading club in the world.' FC United had planned to play AFC Wimbledon around the same time but that has now been pushed back until the 2015-16 pre-season.