Football fans react to huge Jack Grealish mural on the side of a chip shop by Manchester City

A mural of Jack Grealish has appeared on the side of a fish and chip shop in Manchester.

The artwork shows the Manchester City and England midfielder tucking into some fish and chips with fellow City stars Ederson and Esme Morgan. The chippy is located on the side of the Maine Road Chippy, as is part of the club’s new ad campaign for their 2023/24 Puma home kit.

As part of kit release, City and Puma commissioned a temporary mural that was painted on the wall of the takeaway across the road from the Etihad and features Ederson, Esme Morgan and former Aston Villa skipper Grealish eating fish and chips.

Danny, a City fan from south Manchester, came up with the concept after he was approached with the idea of using street art to promote the new jersey. “When I saw the angle of the photo showing the chip shop and the side of the stadium, I couldn’t stop staring at the stadium and I quickly drew a sketch onto a white board and showed how they could interact with each other,” he explained.

“I wanted to get the chippie element in there. They didn’t want a standard kit launch and we tried to do something funny, a little outside the box. I like that thought of finding Easter eggs rather than the standard graffiti. It’s that little bit extra.”

After Danny commissioned the artwork, it was over to Mary Axon-Smith, a freelance digital illustrator who turned the concept into reality. Mary sketched the image which is now emblazoned on the side of the chip shop, and Puma’s street artists painted the mural last week.

What are fans saying about the mural?

Some footie fans on Twitter claimed Grealish hasn’t been at the club long enough to warrant a mural - although he has now won two Premier League titles with the Manchester club.

One person wrote: “How has Grealish got a mural he’s been there ONE season.” Another wrote: “Jesus Christ there’s a Jack Grealish mural in north Manchester. Truly the end of times.” One Twitter user said: “Cost millions more than any other street art, when all that was needed was a wall?”

As there was a cordon photographed in front of the mural in one of the pictures, one Twitter user, joked: “I’d be careful walking past that wall. One slight breeze and that Grealish mural will crumble to the ground. They’ve already got the pavement cordons on standby.” Grealish himself is a big fan of the mural. He posted ‘love this’ on his Instagram story in response to the artwork.