Supporters Face Season Ticket Restrictions
Manchester United supporters’ groups have expressed significant concerns following the club’s decision to suspend season tickets for some fans. This action is part of an effort to address the illegal reselling of seats, but it has led to accusations from fan organisations that loyal supporters are being “treated as suspects.”
The club contacted fans who had accessed accounts linked to the club using six or more devices or had forwarded tickets multiple times. This activity, in the club’s view, suggested the potential for buying seats for resale. Under club rules, members are only permitted to forward tickets to other members or sell them back to Manchester United directly.
Those whose accounts were flagged received emails requesting explanations for the multiple account accesses, identification of the various devices used, and photo identification to verify their validity. The email from Manchester United indicated that a detailed review of activity across ticketing and digital platforms had identified sustained activity that might suggest a breach of the club’s ticketing terms and conditions.
This process resulted in the suspension of fan accounts and the freezing of season tickets. Fans were given a three-day window to appeal these decisions, a timeframe that supporter groups highlight as significantly shorter than the usual 14 days stated in Manchester United’s terms and conditions.
Fan Reaction and Club Stance
The club’s actions have prompted a strong reaction from supporters. One long-standing season ticket holder, who has held a ticket for over 35 years, described feeling “angry” about the situation, stating that the club “just want us gone.” This individual’s father has been a season ticket holder since 1974, illustrating the generational loyalty affected by these measures.
Supporter groups, including the official Fans’ Forum, Manchester United Supporters Trust (Must), The 1958, and five other organisations, issued a joint statement. They affirmed that professional touting and automated purchasing have no place at Manchester United and warrant robust action. However, they stressed that such action must be fair, proportionate, and transparent.
The groups argued that long-standing supporters, who have followed the club for decades and across multiple generations, should not feel like suspects without clear evidence, due process, or a meaningful opportunity to respond to allegations. They characterised the current approach as creating a perception among supporters of “ban first and ask questions later.”
The Fans’ Forum has called for the club to pause further suspensions and halt any cancellation of season tickets to allow for meaningful discussions. The supporter groups have publicly backed this call.
Manchester United’s position is that no formal bans or sanctions have been applied. The club has indicated that any season tickets that have been revoked will be reissued before the team’s first home game of the season, which is scheduled against Ipswich Town on 30 August.
The club believes that some accounts are being used for illegal resale and that the normal 14-day appeal period would be exploited to sell on possessed tickets. Therefore, restrictions have been applied to accounts, and a three-day appeal window is offered once a verdict is reached.
Reasons provided by fans for using multiple devices include managing access for groups of friends or assisting elderly family members who may find technology challenging. Despite the club’s assertion that no bans have been issued, many fans whose accounts have been flagged have been asked to submit evidence to defend themselves, facing a nervous wait for the outcome from an appeals panel before the Premier League season begins on 22 August.
The club conducted a similar crackdown on touting last season, resulting in the cancellation of 22,000 tickets for the first five home games. This figure is regarded by the club as “the tip of the iceberg,” with an estimated 10-15% of season tickets believed to be controlled by touts.
Despite the club’s statement regarding no formal bans, the process has left some fans feeling that there is a lack of empathy. One supporter noted that his season ticket money had already been taken, and expressed a sentiment that the club appears to prioritise customers over loyal fans.
A new wave of emails threatening season ticket revocations was sent out, further intensifying the situation. One fan, who claims to have attended every home and away game for 22 years and over 75 European away matches, posted on social media about receiving the email, stating his long-standing support was now “over” due to helping his mother forward a ticket.
The Manchester United Supporters’ Trust and United Fans’ Forum are actively working through official channels with the club to assist affected supporters. The club has acknowledged that “some innocent supporters may have been affected” and apologised for the inconvenience, while still describing the operation as “successful.”
Appeals are being reviewed by an appeals panel, with the club unable to confirm a specific date for outcomes but assuring that decisions will be made before the new season commences.
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Source: theguardian.com
Daniel Fairbrother is the Senior Football Correspondent at Latest News UK, covering the Premier League, the EFL and the England national side with over a decade of reporting experience. He spent eight years on the football desk of a Yorkshire daily before moving into national coverage. He holds a degree in Sports Journalism from the University of Sunderland and completed an NCTJ diploma. Based in Leeds, he watches non-league football and runs a five-a-side league. “The best football stories are won in the week, not on the whistle.”