The ornate surroundings of Ulster Hall saw a comeback last Sunday for the most successful Premier League footballer of all time - at the age of 50, a man who made his Manchester United debut in the old first division in 1991.
Ryan Giggs made his first public appearance since July, when he was acquitted of charges that he assaulted his ex-girlfriend and her sister. The charges were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service after a retrial date was set.
Last year he cried at Manchester Crown Court as he told of his night in jail after being arrested. During the four-week trial in 2022, an intensely private man had his life put in order with WhatsApp messages and emails read out in court.
The questioning at the famous Belfast venue where Led Zeppelin first played Stairway To Heaven had a very different tone to Giggs' interrogation in court. The crowd, mostly United fans, hung on every word as Giggs sat in an armchair discussing his career with radio DJ and musician Johnny Hero.
For two hours on stage, the trial was not on the agenda, but Giggs discussed:
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How in the 1990s a man named Bobby Charlton took part in training the evening before the European Games
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How managing Manchester United was the greatest feeling
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Working at Salford is his immediate focus
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Sir Alex Ferguson's infamous hairdryer treatment
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How highly does he rate Kieran McKenna and Michael Carrick as managers
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The current United team and his view of Alejandro Garnacho
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Honda Prelude by David Beckham
Giggs, softly spoken, is good at this. There was not a spare seat in the crowd and he told them the stories they wanted. Some were already known, but told through Giggs' eyes. Others completely new. When asked about Sir Bobby Charlton, the story came from the United legend taking part in training when the club returned to Europe in the 1990s.
Charlton was with the team and shot at Peter Schmeichel, while training with the likes of Paul Ince and Steve Bruce.
The story continues
"He trained at European competitions. He was brilliant and had a dip in his shoulder. He shot from 30 yards. He must have been in his mid-fifties, Giggs said.
There were stories about Ferguson, Roy Keane, David Beckham, The Treble and more. Giggs, like the fans, is frustrated with recruitment in the post-Fergie era. He hopes Aston Villa can challenge Liverpool or Manchester City this season. When it comes to the game itself, there are the fine details that only someone with his wealth of experience would know.
The risks a winger has to take. Why Lee Dixon was the best full-back he played against (it was because he was a master at judging the distances between himself and his opponent). Why Peter Schmeichel was so important. And the professionalism Wales needed during the dark years.
This insight was for about a thousand people, rather than a squad of Premier League footballers. At 50, you could argue that Giggs could be approaching his prime as a manager, but there were no immediate signs of a return to the dugout. An Evening With Ryan Giggs has three more dates planned: in Chester next month, Radlett in March and a summer show booked for Northampton. He also plays a lot of Padel, the new racket sports phenomenon.
The theater circuit is where Giggs is currently. Others on the Superstar Speakers roster - Alan Shearer, Des Walker, Norman Whiteside and Bryan Robson - retired long before Giggs hung up his boots in 2014. Kevin Keegan was one of the managers who did the show.
It was a kind of limbo for Giggs around the trial. He has won the most Premier League titles but is not in the league's official Hall of Fame. He coached Wales to Euro 2020, but it was Rob Page who took them during the tournament as the matter was still ongoing.
Judging from his answers at Ulster Hall, Giggs may not return to management anytime soon. One spectator asked if he would manage Salford City, the club he co-owns? "No. No, we just got a new manager," he said. What does the future hold? "I don't know. At the moment I'm enjoying being more involved with Salford City. I have enjoyed seeing the increase over the last ten years. "I've been a little more involved in the last six months and to be honest, I'm enjoying it," he said.
The crowd shouted the names of people for him to comment on. "Kieran McKenna...." one shouted. Giggs was complimentary of the up-and-coming manager who has cut his teeth in United's academy. Michael Carrick? "I knew he had that temperament. Knows football, loves the game," said Giggs.
But it wasn't that long ago that people were talking about Giggs as the young coach to watch. He describes his four games as caretaker in David Moyes' season at United as one of the best feelings he has had in football.
"That's actually when I realized I wanted to be a manager," he says. "It was actually after a defeat. We were beaten by Sunderland and after that game I knew I had to drop teammates and I still played. After that, I had no problem changing teams and dropping players, and at that point I knew I had that decision-making power."
DJ Hero, a United fan, asked the questions and as an event it delivered. There were stories of dressing room pranks, fights on the training pitch and Beckham not wanting his Honda Prelude interior to get muddy. "Guys, guys, you're going to sand the leather," Giggs says in a Cockney accent. "...the only impression I will make."
A staggering amount of money was also spent on the auction during the break, with the highest bid item being a signed Bryan Robson shirt that fetched £1,500. A Wayne Rooney shirt also went for four figures.
And of course, Giggs was asked about the state of affairs at United, hopes for change following Sir Jim Ratcliffe's investment and how much he loves Alejandro Garnacho.
"Like everyone else, it's frustrating and it's been that way for six or seven years," he said. "Nobody knows the answer and you have to start over. It starts from the top. We're just so inconsistent and you never know what you're going to get.
"That's the most important thing we need to change. The culture of the club. To bring in players who want to play for United and will do everything they can to win a game for United. That is something for the medium term, we have to bring in those players."
He likes Garnacho for his perseverance. He gets tackled nine times, but on the tenth time he can produce magic. 'He takes you out of your chair. He gives you ten times more than the other guy who cost so much more money. We've had terrible recruitment for years," Giggs said.
It wouldn't be complete without stories about Ferguson, who famously caught Giggs at Lee Sharpe's new home as they got ready for a night out, causing the biggest blowout of Giggs' career. "Sharpey was learning to play drums at the time and the kit had caught the gaffer's attention. 'And what the hell are they!'"
The crowd loved it and by 11pm the evening was over. The first in Giggs' new matches this year. The comeback is in full swing.
