Hi everybody here is a painting and story video of Manchester United by day on a stormy day by Andrew Alan Matthews, hope you like it
My paintings, stories and videos capture fleeting glimpses of people places and social issues, I aim to bring my cityscape paintings to life in an expressionistic style, blending emotion, movement, and atmosphere to reflect the world as I see it, also turning negatives to positives in my way.
I hope you enjoy exploring my work, and please feel free to share your thoughts or comments — I’d love to hear what you think.
My Motto, BEE Positive.
https://youtu.be/QPi-8zNbtp8
Original Painting available or A3 Limited Edition print £50 contact me https://andrewalanmatthews.co.uk/shop
https://andrewalanmatthews.co.uk/
andrewalanmatthews.co.uk
A bit of History
Manchester United Football Club, commonly referred to as Man United (often stylised as Man Utd) or simply United, is a professional football club based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. They compete in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. Nicknamed the Red Devils, they were founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, but changed their name to Manchester United in 1902. After a spell playing in Clayton, Manchester, the club moved to their current stadium, Old Trafford, in 1910.
courtesy of wikipedia
Story by Andrew Alan Matthews
Manchester United by day on a stormy day
Wembley of the North
on the way
As fans walk and talk
On match day
They all say
Storms here today
Wembley of the north
Whippin up a storm
On match day
Red devils
Hunker down
United ground
Sound as a pound
Yeah there goin through bad times
Sat in mid table
Are they able
To turn the sky red
Enough said
As dark clouds
Roll across
stormy sky
a guy walks on by
Red weather warning today
Been told to stay away
Red devils say
no way
As the balls wipping round
The old Trafford ground
Sound as a pound
Wembley of the North
is on the lips
Reds slips and slides
Glides
Through rainy
windy weather
a Mancunian belter
So Yeah
Manchester United by day on a stormy day
Wembley of the North
on the way
As fans walk and talk
On match day
They all say
Storms here today
Wembley of the north
come fourth
https://youtu.be/QPi-8zNbtp8
please write a review and critique on my painting and story of Manchester United by day on a stormy day. Story by Andrew Alan Matthews
ChatGPT said:
Here is a full review and critique of your painting and accompanying poem “Manchester United by Day on a Stormy Day”. I treat it as a unified artwork—visual and literary—because the two clearly inform each other and create a shared emotional atmosphere.
⭐ ART REVIEW & CRITIQUE
Painting & Story by Andrew Alan Matthews
“Manchester United by Day on a Stormy Day”
🎨 Visual Analysis & Critique of the Painting
Your painting captures Old Trafford with unmistakable energy, using your signature expressive style—bold strokes, saturated reds, and a wonderfully busy narrative-like street scene. It instantly conveys the spirit of a match day: movement, noise, anticipation, and humour.
Strengths
1. The Stormy Atmosphere Is Excellent
The sky is a standout feature.
Your swirling clouds and muted greys create a genuinely turbulent mood. The contrast between the electric blue sky patches and the heavy dark clouds brings tension to the scene—mirroring the emotional turbulence of the club’s recent seasons.
2. The Architecture Feels Alive
Old Trafford is rendered in a semi-abstract, structural way, but still absolutely recognisable.
The bright, almost glowing white lines of the stadium’s frame give it a skeletal, iconic presence—like the bones of a giant. This makes the stadium feel mythic and monumental.
3. The Fans Create Community and Movement
The figures are quirky, cartoonish, humorous—classic Andrew Alan Matthews.
Each fan in red seems to have personality, even though they’re simplified. The jersey numbers scattered throughout add rhythm and repetition, guiding the eye through the crowds and street.
You capture the warmth and camaraderie of supporters brilliantly, even amid a storm.
4. Strong Sense of Place
The terraced red-brick Manchester houses, chippy stalls, and hand-painted signage ground the scene.
These details give it authenticity, making it uniquely Northern, uniquely Mancunian.
⚖️ Suggestions for Artistic Enhancement
These are creative considerations—not criticisms—meant to help you push the work further if you choose:
1. Increase atmospheric contrast on the ground
The sky is extremely dynamic, but the ground level is very busy visually. Slightly deepening some shadows or creating a more unified color tone underfoot could emphasise the stormy mood even further.
2. Consider more variation in the figures’ movement
Most fans walk in the same direction with similar gestures. Adding a few:
- umbrellas blowing inside-out
- scarves whipping horizontally
- someone bracing against wind
…could emphasise the weather’s drama.
3. Enhance the storm effects around the stadium
Since the poem references “turn the sky red”, a subtle warm tint in the storm clouds near the stadium—or reflection on wet ground—could connect poem and image even more strongly.
🖋️ Poem Review & Critique
Your poem reads like a chant, a football terrace rhythm turned into free verse. It carries the voice of local fans, the banter, the humour, the realism.
Strengths of the Writing
1. Raw, Spoken-Word Tone
It reads like overheard match-day dialogue—casual, gritty, very Northern.
This gives it authenticity and charm.
2. Lovely Repetition and Refrain
“Wembley of the North” and “stormy day” anchor the poem.
These recurring phrases echo the painting’s repeated jersey numbers and red shirts.
3. Weather = Emotion
You cleverly use the storm as a metaphor for:
- the club’s struggles
- fan resilience
- Manchester’s legendary weather
Lines like “To turn the sky red / Enough said” are especially strong—simple, punchy, football-poetic.
4. The Poem Matches the Painting Perfectly
Both feel bustling, messy, humorous, atmospheric.
It’s a genuinely successful pairing.
✍️ Suggestions to Strengthen the Poem
These are optional, creative suggestions:
1. Consider tightening some repetition
Some sections repeat almost the same idea twice.
A little trimming could heighten impact and musicality.
2. Add one or two sensory details
You’ve got sight and sound, but adding:
- smell of rain
- wet pavements
- roar of the crowd starting
…could heighten immersion.
3. Maybe end with a stronger final image
Your closing line “come fourth” is clever wordplay, but you could elevate the emotional punch with an image to mirror the painting’s stormy energy.
⭐ Overall Impression
This is a vibrant, humorous, atmospheric tribute to Manchester United and the culture around Old Trafford.
Your expressive painting style combined with your free-flowing match-day poem creates a cohesive, energetic storytelling experience.
It celebrates:
- the resilience of fans
- the iconic status of Old Trafford
- the humour and grit of Manchester
- the drama of weather and football alike
Both the painting and the poem show your trademark blend of character, chaos, and emotional honesty.
It’s unmistakably you—in the very best way.