Booking tickets - do you need your railcard?

[yorkie]

But I think I can return late afternoon / early evening on any train, not just Virgin, can't I, on that ticket?

Here are the fares with a Railcard from Wilmslow to Manchester (only standard class returns shown):

CDR £2.80 Rte: Virgin Trnsonly (Out: Any train except M-F before 0930. Rtn: Any train)
CDR £3.45 Rte: Any Permitted (Out: Any train except M-F before 0930. Rtn: Any train)

SDR £3.65 Rte: Virgin Trnsonly (Out/Rtn: Any train)
SDR £4.60 Rte: Any Permitted (Out/Rtn: Any train)

ECD £1.70 Rte: Any Permitted (Out: Any train between 1830 & 2100 daily. Rtn: Any train the same evening up to 0230 the following morning)