Buxton is less than 30 miles from Manchester and yet, for our High Peak supporters’ club, the matchday commute to Old Trafford sometimes feels as treacherous as a ramble in the Himalayas.
Fittingly, when we call branch secretary Keith Udale at his home in Glossop, on a cold day in early February, the first thing he mentions is snow. “The garage roof is getting white,” he grimaces.
Living in the Peak District means weather conditions directly impact daily life in a more profound way than they do in, say, Manchester city centre. And when the white stuff moves in, M16 can feel a long, long way away from home.