Manchester United supporter groups have called on the club to end the suspension of season tickets in an attempt to crack down on touts that have caught many long-standing match-going fans in the chaos.
United began an operation to clamp down on touting last week, but it has led to some genuine supporters being threatened with bans, with emails being sent that have left them fearing bans and their season tickets withdrawn.
The email asked fans to confirm every device they regularly use to access their account. While some supporters have had restrictions lifted, others have been told they will have to go through an appeals process and some fear their bans will remain in place, despite the feeling they have done nothing wrong.
Unprecedented unity among fan groups
The issue has brought together fan groups, and the statement released on Tuesday night came from the Manchester United Supporters' Trust (MUST), The Red Army, Manchester United Youth Supporters Club, The 1958, all fans' forum representatives, more than 100 official supporters' clubs and fanzines Red News and United We Stand.
The statement said: "Many attempts have been made in recent years to bring together influential supporter groups that can prioritise the often underrepresented voice of Manchester United’s match-going supporters. The recent actions of Manchester United have finally achieved what those efforts could not: a unanimous, historic and unprecedented unification of MUST, TRA, MUYSC, The 1958, all Fans’ Forum representatives, more than 100 Official Supporters’ Clubs, Red News and United We Stand."
"Earlier today, a message was sent to Manchester United emphasising full support for the Fans’ Forum’s recent letter relating to the premature suspension of Season Ticket Holders without required evidence."
Demands and response
In the statement, the groups reiterated demands made by the Fans' Forum: immediately halt the ongoing suspension process; immediately retract all unproven suspensions; confirm the current number of season tickets; explain its apparent policy of reducing the number of season tickets; and confirm that all reclaimed season tickets are reissued as season tickets to supporters on the season ticket waiting list.
The statement added: "Once an official written response has been received from Manchester United, it will be shared in the interests of transparency and fairness. The potential consequences of the Club’s response will also be shared as soon as they have been confirmed."
The issue has gathered momentum on social media among supporter groups across the Premier League. One fan posted on X: "I've had the dreaded email from United. 22 years, home and away, every game. Upwards of 75 European aways, and now it's over. Finished. And for what? Helping my mum forward a ticket."
Club's position
United have said that emails have only been sent to fans who have six or more accounts linked and that, despite the fears, no sanctions have been handed out yet. They also confirmed every case would be looked at by a human, rather than being decided by AI, and said that if any season tickets were revoked, they would be sold as season tickets, rather than on a game-by-game basis, which some supporters feared was the plan.
