The secret underground world of Pokémon in Manchester

Just a few steps away from Stevenson Square in the Northern Quarter stands the home of Pokémon League players in Manchester. Stepping into Fanboy Three on Hilton Street, you’ll hear the enthusiastic players before you see them.

That’s because they are in the deceptively large basement of the game store where they share a space with budding Warhammer players in what is called an “organised play space.”

Fanboy Three has been in the city for almost two decades now. Opened in 2004, they were one of the first dedicated play stores in the city inspired by the US model where fans of all things nerdy can come to buy, debate, compete or simply connect.

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“We were the first dedicated, organised play store. Somewhere you could go in, play games, buy games, hangout with other people who could play games,” explains the owner David Salisbury, 57.

“That’s like the whole point. Imagine going into a bar and instead of serving beer and spirits, we serve card boosters, and miniatures and role playing games.”

Every Monday, the basement of Fanboy Three transforms into the arena for what is called a ‘Pokémonday Pokémon League.’ Here, fans of the insanely popular Japanese animated series gather to play the famous Pokémon TCG.

Pokémon TCG, or Pokémon trading card game as many will know it, is the game where two players who have amassed a deck of 60 Pokémon characters battle.

An accessible way for people to get into Pokémon, the players can be of any age, from any background and differing skill level.

“Pokémon is really wholesome, Nintendo really hit it out the park.” David told the MEN about it’s appeal. "You are assembling your little team- of cute