Expect Macs at dawn as The Creative Cup 2011 (sponsored by Melbourne Server Hosting) - the 5-a-side football tournament for Manchester’s creative industry - returns for its second show down.

Kicking off on Sunday 29 May, at the all-weather Powerleague pitch in central Manchester, 32 teams of the North West’s finest will battle it out to lift the coveted Creative Cup and knock 2010’s champions, GYRO HSR off the top spot. 

(The Drum intends to get further than last year's impressive yet limited Second Round knockout.) Last year thirty-one digital and creative agencies from around Manchester got together on a sunny Sunday afternoon for a kick-about, resulting in £1900 raised for Marie Curie Cancer Care. This year the Creative Cup 2011, sponsored by Melbourne Server Hosting, has chosen to support St Ann’s Hospice and hopes to score £3000 for the charity. Teams already signed up for the event are Melbourne (the sponsors), as well as Orchard, Magnetic North, Add People, Great Friday’s, Bliss, TBWA and KMP.  Ian James Cox , organiser and design freelancer commented: “We've been itching to do it all over again and as the Creative League takes a short break we can start planning the charity tournament. We'll be doing a match-day programme this year so be prepared to send your team pictures in for the team profiles! “For one day only creative’s can substitute all things HTML, design or digital, lace up their boots and be prepared to go head to head on the astro turf. It’s all in aid of another great charity, St Ann’s Hospice, so get involved!  
“Forget the Premiership and Champions League, if you’re part of Manchester’s creative scene this is the only tournament you need take note of. I can’t wait to see who takes home the silverware this year. There’s no doubt that the enormous level of competitiveness between agencies will only reach new heights.”  You can keep up to date with the latest news by following #creativecup on Twitter.  For further information or to enter your creative team please visit www.creative-cup.com 

(The Manchester Creative Cup is not  to be confused with The Drum's long-running Creative Cup in Scotland, however, as both events continue to succeed, perhaps there should be a Scotland v England play off for the winners... Watch this space. ed)