Take That fans flock to the AO Arena for first night of mammoth residency following Co-op Live reshuffle

Venture past Manchester Victoria tonight, just around the corner towards the AO Arena and you should be able to hear the sounds of a packed out home crowd belting out Take That's biggest hits, from classics like 'Pray' and 'Relight My Fire' to new fan favourites such as 'You and Me'.

Tonight, the three-piece will be kicking off their mammoth residency at the arena as part of their ongoing This Life tour. The band have moved five of their seven homecoming shows from Co-op Live to the AO Arena amid delays at the new Eastlands venue, which has seen gigs rescheduled, relocated and even cancelled.

Four of the dates have been able to stay the same, while one show has moved from May 8 to May 9, due to the AO Arena already being booked by Tenacious D on that night. It means the band will perform at the AO Arena this evening, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, while its shows on June 11 and 12 are still scheduled to take place at Co-op Live.

READ MORE: Take That at AO Arena - seating plan, set times, parking and everything you need to know

Last week, the new Co-op Live venue had to cancel several concerts due to a ‘technical issue’. At the end of April, Peter Kay’s performances were postponed, before A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie’s gig on the rearranged opening night on Wednesday (May 1) was called off at the last minute and moved to the AO Arena on Saturday, May 4.

The relocation hasn't been without its issues though. Since the change of venue was announced, fans have complained about being assigned seats which do not match what they originally purchased, claiming the seats are 'far worse' in some cases.

Others, especially those with VIP tickets have demanded refunds, while others say they have struggled to obtain them on the