So what's the masterplan, lads?

CRYPTIC 27.08.24 MESSAGE IN VIDEO SPARKS FRENZY OVER OASIS REUNION

- DAMON WILKINSON

AFTER 15 years of insults and animosity, a 10-second black-and-white video clip was all it took. 27.08.24. 8am, it read.

That's when we'll find out if the Gallagher brothers have finally buried the hatchet and reformed Oasis. If the rumours are true the band that launched a million swaggers will play a series of massive shows next summer at Wembley, Murrayfield and Heaton Park.

But what will the comeback mean for Manchester? The city is often accused of trading on past glories when it comes to culture.

From the 'This is Manchester, we do things differently here' posters to the Factory Records/Hacienda nostalgia industry, Manchester has never been coy about exploiting its musical heritage Roses.

But then Noel and Liam were never shy about their influences. And in making a comeback they're following a path already trodden by their great heroes The Stone Like Oasis, rumours of a Roses reunion swirled around for years, despite being constantly denied by the band.

John Squire, who Liam teamed up with last year for a self-titled collaborative album and tour, even went as far as to daub the words 'I have no desire whatsoever to desecrate the grave of seminal Manchester pop group the Stone Roses' across one of his artworks.

But despite that, in 2011 the Roses did reform and the following summer embarked on a world tour that included three rapturously received home-coming shows in Heaton Park.

Less triumphantly, the Roses reunion also spawned an indifferent new album.

And after five years the band broke up for a second time, with Squire and frontman Brown seemingly unable to patch up the differences that led to the split in the first place.