Manchester United

Is Manchester United right to force fans to pay for all Cup games? Or should supporters be free to renew season tickets for league games only?

jean jellicoe
this rant that only fans from outside the area come to o.t. is getting rather tiresome, even if 20,000 travel and nothing like that figure do, it still leaves 50,000 locals, but of course morons wouldn't understand that.

andrew mcminn
i live around the corner from old trafford so i go to every home game(my local team),but you should have a choice if you would like to go to every game.what really disgruntled me was when we played coventry city the other week in the league cup my seat was given to coventry fans so i had to aply for a ticket for this game,what sort of automatic ticket scheme is that where i do not qualify for a ticket when its supposed to be automatic.so i went to the stadium to buy 2 tickets and they wanted to charge me 50 pound each!!!!!!!!!!,that is 17 pound more expensive than my league match prices.i ended buying a ticket in the pub for a tenner.

rick
I think people should eat more carrots. then they might be able to see the truth. carrots good. man utd bad!!!!

Eric Harrison
I was unable to go to the Coventry game, and United hadnt sold all their tickets so would not refund me £100 I had paid for 3 tickets. I think that is disgraceful. It was akin to stealing from me.

Mark
I too am so disgruntled by the whole affair. I've renewed again this year but have decided its my last. Sad Sad times when the average man is priced out of football.

mark
get money men out of the game and give it back to the fans

c barm
i think its a great idea.ill be able to go to all the games now for hundreds of pounds.i love lining ronaldos pockets hes great.we should pay more

Len Norwich
I have been a reds fan my whole life. I can afford the cup games but I am not doing it. It is being held to ransom.Do we get a refund when United play badly? Look at last week beaten by Coventry great game that was! Since the take over I have lost haert the game is now run by accountants. The next bad patch United have there will be a glut of tickets. Ultimately as seen with many other sports the media and business men will ruin the game. It is coming and the poor fans are the ones to suffer.

David Feeley
I have been following United since 1967 I chucked in my season ticket at the end of 97/98 season I was fed up with the excuses from Chubby with what con stitutes a regular away supporter, I decided that I would apply for the games I wished to see by booking through my branch its the best decision Ive ever made paying only for games I wish to see as there is no point being loyal anymore as United do not recognise loyalty as displayed earlier. Now they bring in this crazy cup scheme purely to make more money for the Glaziers I personally know of three long term season ticket holders who have not renewed this season and have stopped watching the Reds altogether my advice is for many more Reds to do similar the club may even get the picture. I agree 100% with James Brown's comments

Adam Lowery
Just been on the website to see that general sale tickets for the Champions League group game against Roma sitting in the Gods is £50?!! You're having a giraffe! Then there's the booking fee on top no doubt.

Karl Walsh
Last night, I was on the phone for 35 mins to a manager from the ticket office customer service at Man U. To cut a long story short, I have not had the money in my account to pay for 2 cup tickets that they have tried to take the money for without pre-warning me. The outcome of the call was that there is nothing I can do and I will get my season ticket revoked if I do not go and by a Roma ticket. I said to the manager " do you think I am going to go through the season waiting for this to happen again, as I will never have any spare funds in my account." She could not answer like she could not answer any of my questions. The truth of the matter is they are not bothered whether a long standing fan and season ticket holder can afford to be in the scheme or not. I am sure this will affect the team somewhere down the line as they will only have fairweather fans who will drop them when the going gets tough. I cannot decide what to do as I would of liked to eventually pass my ticket to my son, but would not like him to have the stress of dealing with an impersonal corperation that does not give a flying leap about the fans and only the revenue generated. If all fans demonstrated by stopping the games they would have to take note. The problem is that this has been accepted by some and welcomed by other and has been in place in other clubs for some time.

sakariya
if he is a muan u fan treat him with respect he has the decensie to buy a ticket so should haf the respect as the fan#

david key
i think the fans should pay for the games they just want to watch if they want cup games they pay extra

CHRIS MOORE
i have been a season ticket holder for thee years now and i have opted for the cup tickets in each of these seasons! however to be forced into this commitment is wrong!!! i cant see why the paying public have to shell out even more money if they dont want to go to all the games!!!

Neil elwood
Totally wrong.Why do we put up with this very poor treatment?They should be ashamed of themselves.

John Jelicoe
the club is most definetly out of order. it should be a choice not a compulsion

Jon
I would've gladly paid £700 for Season Ticket this year...I kept my money in my pocket due to the immoral ACS. Disgruntled. I have continued to be a member but what good is that? The last three ballets I entered for tickets I got 'diddly squat'.

AUDREY KERROD
I too gave up my season ticket this year as I did not wish to commit to every cup game. It's scandalous the way fans have been treated. Unfortunately at United they know somebody else will take your place so they don't care if you don't renew. Cup ticket purchases should be voluntary.

Dave Jackson
They only care about money, they could not give a stuff about the fans anymore, sad times.

emma
sounds to me as if the owner is taking more money off those who can ill afford it to pay off the glazer debt that has been accrued through their other not so profitable investments

BRIAN HUGHES ( MANCHESTER)
Man Utd are a law of there own. They took out the back rows in the east stand so that the proper fans will not bother the fans in the boxes. Who was drinking and sometimes giving rude signs.

Sean Keddy
No, it is just another example of United using us as cash cows. Cup tickets should be voluntary,it is the latest attempt by the Glazers of increasing revenues through hitting the fans in the pocket.

paul morris
i am also a season ticket holder and feel very upset by the decision. i work shifts and have a young family, it is not just the issue of money it is also the issue of logistically not physically been able to be at all games. i feel the club has displayed that they see us as just football fans and not customers. roy keanes statement regarding prawn sandwiche brigade is obviously the way the club sees its future. surely the club with the fan base it has realise that more often than not the ground would be full without having to bully the loyal fans/customers who love the club......... this is a sad time for football that the club seem intent on upsetting so many true red devils........

Wilf Breen
Whilst I've been a die-hard red since 1948, I am also a paying customer and entitled not to be shafted in this way.I hope the Court case finds against United.What will be next ? Probably what the Glazers have done at Tampa,viz an arrangement fee simply to renew season tickets...no way,sir.We love UNITED,we do...may be we are fools in love

Billy B.
It's no good moaning about what the Glazers are doing. Action was required 2 seasons ago but the "wait and see" brigade waited - and saw. And they're still waiting and seeing. And as for the other brigade - "The fight from within" - Ha! Don't make me laugh, they're still queueing up for the overpriced pies and weak lager. Shame on the lot of you! Many good Reds sacrificed their season tickets for their principles and you lot trampled all over them. The league win last season has given the Glazers more protection than GMP ever did. A couple of lawsuits aren't going to change their minds- but good luck with them.

Alan Pedder
Other reasons to not renew my season tickets are. The toilets are now smoking lounges and the stewards do nothing; the knee room available between seats must be the shortest in the league, the plasma tv's are placed directly opposite the toilet entrance so you have push your way through, there I feel better now letting you know there are some numbskulls in charge of that place now and the ground is filling up with non Manc trophy hunters. I bemoan the passing of those great days I spent on the Stretford end. Oh! and the pies cost a small fortune.

Brendan Smith
Typical Man united money grab. They don't care about people, the sport, the ethics of anything - just the bottom dollar.

Neil
I'm a follower of both Man Utd and FCUMI agree with a couple of comments; re boycotting when the glazers came in, but people didnt and now we're paying the price!!Its going to be interesting with regards to the court case:- if Utd win, watch other clubs to follow- if Utd lose, where do the fans that refused to join the ACS stand? Any ideas?

Anthony N
As a City supporter I sympathise with all United supporters. We will be next. But is it even legal? I await the court casewith interest. How can you be expected to have such an openended contract with no prior knowlwdge of dates and time.

E.N.HarrisonI
I think it's an illegal condition of sale.

vance
football club united of manchester.. its only 7 pound.. not bad for some good football

Daryl
Most of them don´t care anyway. they dont even know where Manchester is !

sue taylor
That United have the orda"city" to believe they will be in cup games anyway.One day, your crown will topple.Until then. lay off the fans. They are your bread and butter, and are not stupid.

sue taylor
You should pay for only what you want.The customer should always come first.This is an outrage.But this is "United".They think they are above you.I guess they have to pay for all their foreign, overpaid players somehow.We (they) have lost sight of the whole meaning of the game.

Adrian Lucas
As usual - United only give THEIR side of the story. e.g ' Unwanted tickets can be sold on to other fans' This will only happen if the game is a sell out ( United don't want to be stuck with tickets nobody wants, even though the expect Season Ticket hlders to take tickets they don't want!) and even if the Club took the ticket back, the fan would not get back what United charged them for it. And anybody who buys this re-cycled ticket will pay way over the face value for it. United don't mention that, do they ? And what happened to this massive waiting list for tickets ? Season Tickets are on open sale, as are tickets for the first League game of the season. I wonder why ?

Julie Shorney
I agree with some of the other comments. I walked when Glazer arrived inspite of being a life long supporter. I couldn't understand why more didn't. It was obvious what would happen if we didn't make a stand at the time.Glazer thought we'd roll over and most did. A mass boycott at the time and we could be looking at a very different picture now.One where genuine supporters can't be ignored.It's very sad but predictable.

Alan Pedder
Dear Becki Scott, note that where Man U go Liverpool follow. Don't count your chickens just yet. Football may be a boom now but there will be a bust aspect eventually

Stacey United Fan
I'm a lifelong United fan and this is ludicrous. It's diabolical that the fans, who have made this club and essentially pay for its running, are now deemed so insignificant. How disgusting.

Oli
Typical of the Glazer regime. Get them out. If they had not made the squad 12 men smaller last season we would have been even MORE successful. Credit to the manager and players for their achievements, but the owners continue to damage our support and price people out.

city fan
Outrageous. Further proof if any were needed that the fans are right at the bottom of the priority list in modern football. Greedy clubs and players have ruined the whole game.

Paul Hayhurst
As a season tidket holder who walked away when the Glazers came in - I have no sympathy. The fans were warned what would happen and had they all stood together in the first season and boycotted it would have forced the Glazers out. Most fans didnt and now they are getting exactly what they were warned about. If you arent prepared to fight for your rights then you dont deserve them!

Keith Thompson
You should take a 15 min drive up the M61 to the Reebok. My season ticket is reduced in price, I have guaranteed first access to discounted cup tickets and even have buses from all over the area laid on to take us to the ground for £1.50

Sam
Its totally ridiculous what man utd have done, they have shown no loyalty what so ever and thats why thousands have decided enough is enough!!!!

G.A. MAN UNITED FAN
There are to many ticket touts outside the ground on match days, in the past i have had season tickets and a phone call for any ticket at a inflated price. There are to many people with big money buying up these season ticket from owner and seling the on to the genuine fans that can not get a ticket legally.My days were BEST, LAW, and CHARLTON when they played football for what it was a sport not a money making racket that it is now

grannygrump
money is god now the fans do not count at all. good luck with the court case but i am sure united will defend its money grabbing stance vigorously.

ben roberts
NO. i love mufc but the money men now run the club .the income from fans is now so small a % that thay count for nothing to the money men.shame on you.

colin upton
more greed on uniteds part.they are cashing in on fan loyalty.i wont be blackmailed bring back leauge match ticket books iapplaud david rattee. as a shift worker at a cereal factory in stretford i cant have time off to attend every game so it would be a waste of money on my part

Becki Scott
Typical United - grabbing the money and not caring who the tickets go to - it encourages STH to sell unwanted cup tickets on the black market. David Rattee is welcome to come join the 12 year wait for a Liverpool season ticket if he wants, as our Cup scheme is not compulsory!

Alan Pedder
I have been going since I was 13 years old, I am now 59. Having divested me of my shareholding against my will they have now thrown my loyalty through thick and thin in my face. I did not renew my two season tickets this year due to price hikes and sharp practice of insisting of me issuing a blank cheque

tom. murphy
what a rip off for the fan's of man. u. i wouldnt sign a blank check for anyone if all the fan's refused i bet they would change there minds fast i used to be a real fan of man. u. but i cant say that any more i dont like what they have become just another mony grabing gready con men .

Gavin
Ridiculous!Simply ridiculous!Loyal fans and all United see at the moment is £ signs!I cant believe it we al knew it would happen with the Glaziers but not this bad.I can't believe this it is such a shambles!!

Carole Skellorn
In the past lots of season ticket holders did buy all the cup games, when we were more or less guaranteed to get a cup final ticket. But this is not the case now, not only do you have to buy the cup tickets but also apply for all the away games to qualify for a cup final ticket. Many fans last season were disappointed not to get a cup final ticket and vowed that this year we wouldn't buy all the cup tickets, but this choice has been taken away from us. I can't see many fans being able to afford to go to Old Trafford in the future. They say that unwanted tickets can be sold through the club but that's only after United have sold all their tickets. In Carling Cup games it's rarely a sell out. I'm angry and I don't know one fan who agrees with this.

J M Devine
I know 3 people who have not renewed their season tickets for this reason only ie. that they are unwilling or unable to enter into open ended commitments. It is not as if United are unable to sell cup tickets. So what is the problem?