Moved from the UK 5 years ago and had my first trip back recently. Holy moly is MAN T3 the worst airport I've ever flown from.

UK security is still stuck in 2005 and people seem to require on average about 3 bins slowing things down. 15 minute wait if you had anything that needed secondary. And that secondary line was so full on all lanes that it actually blocked progress of the bins. Sec staff monitoring the X-rays just hands on head chilling while it's all gridlocked.

For the gate, seems like the boarding area was in some sort of old walkway. More cramped than even LCY at its peak.