Supporters’ group says the club are making decisions against the interests of loyal fans and undermining the very principles they claim to value
Manchester United have come under fire from their own supporters after announcing sweeping changes to matchday ticket pricing, with the Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) branding the increases “a fresh kick in the teeth” for fans.
Under the new system, United have introduced a four-tier categorisation for Premier League fixtures at Old Trafford. Matches against traditional rivals – including Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle and Tottenham – have been placed in Category A, with ticket prices ranging from £59 to a staggering £97.
United have struggled with finances in the past year after spending a fortune on players that have failed to meet expectations. But the biggest hit was the 15th-place finish in the league and failure to qualify for European football. The club are hoping to stabilise the situation through an increase in ticket pricing. INEOS chairman and club minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe made it clear earlier in the year that the increase was unavoidable.
But fans’ groups have been left fuming by the actual announcements.
“After how last season went, we might have hoped the club would reconsider their plans,” MUST said in a strongly worded statement. “This really is a fresh kick in the teeth for Manchester United fans.”
The group slammed the club’s failure to consult fan representatives during the decision-making process, saying it undermines the very principles of supporter involvement United claim to value.
“When the club said they were introducing this new model for members’ tickets, we urged them to keep the majority of matches at current levels and only apply the highest price category for a small number of the biggest games, and reduced prices for lower-demand games,” read the statement.
“Once again, they have failed to consult any of the fans representative bodies on the details of the decision, and once again they’re making choices against the interests of fans and, we believe, the club as a whole.
“The club’s stated commitment to fan representation is fine in principle, but once again is not being delivered in practice.”
