Manchester United and Liverpool fans to join forces to protest rising ticket prices

Manchester United and Liverpool supporters will join forces at Anfield next month in protest at rising ticket prices.

Fans from both clubs are planning demonstrations at their Premier League meeting on January 5 in the latest show of solidarity with the Football Supporters’ Association’s (FSA) #StopExploitingLoyalty campaign.

Supporters from United and Everton and from Liverpool and Manchester City came together at their games against each other this month to protest.

Now representatives from the Liverpool supporters’ group Spirit of Shankly (SOS) and their United counterparts FC58 have held talks with a view to staging similar protests at Anfield when the two most successful clubs in English football history next play each other.

It is expected that fans from the two groups will protest before kick-off and unfurl a “Stop Exploiting Loyalty” banner where the home and away sections meet inside Anfield. Other arrangements are set to be finalised over the next fortnight.

“As fierce as the rivalry is, United and Liverpool fans coming together sends a very powerful message,” Steve Crompton of FC58 said. “It’s a worrying time for traditional fans. The atmosphere is disappearing because ordinary match-going fans are dropping by the wayside because of rising tickets prices and the exploitation of loyalty.

“It’s akin to being in an abusive relationship – there is only so much you can take before you walk away. Sadly that is happening far too much now.”

Gareth Roberts of SOS echoed those sentiments. “I’ve grown up in an area where Manchester United was this team that you hate,” he said. “The rivalry is deep-seated but this transcends all that. There is a common cause here and a lot that unites us, one being the social and economic challenges in both cities.

“Where Anfield is, where Old Trafford is – and where Goodison Park and the Etihad Stadium are – these are all areas that have big challenges. Fans that are within the postcode of the club should be able to go and watch their club and more and more we’re getting to a place where that’s not the case for a lot of people.”

United fans have been left seething about the recent introduction, without any prior consultation, of a flat-rate £66 ticket for adults, seniors and kids’ members for remaining matches this season.

New co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has also alarmed supporters with remarks in an interview with the United We Stand fanzine in which he appeared to signal the likelihood of ticket price increases by saying supporters should not be paying less than Fulham fans do for tickets.

Representatives from FC58 attended a meeting with United chief operating officer Collette Roche in October that was set up by the club’s chief executive Omar Berrada and have been angered by subsequent developments.

“Everything that was said there about match-going fans being the club’s lifeblood and wanting to be more transparent was the club paying lip service to us,” Crompton said. “Actions speak louder than words and what has happened since has shown they have not listened to a word we have said, raising prices without consultation.

“Communication-wise, it’s probably worse now than before. At least the Glazers never lied to us because they never spoke to us. It feels like the new guys are lying to us to appease us then doing what they want anyway.”

‘People who have gone for years have reached a tipping point’

Roberts added: “The stuff in that interview from Ratcliffe is wild. What’s he talking about comparing Manchester to Fulham. He grew up in Failsworth, didn’t he? He should know the difference.”

Members of FC58 also met with counterparts from City’s 1894 fans group to quietly protest and exchange ideas before last Sunday’s Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium. Crompton said there was growing understanding among fans of the need to come together as one.

“United are talking about a new 100,000-seater stadium,” he said. “Are you telling me there’s not enough room for your corporate hospitality supporter and your ordinary fan?”

Roberts believes more and more ordinary fans are being alienated by rising ticket prices. “We believe there is no need for ordinary ticket prices to go up,” he said. “You could almost ring-fence general admission and concessions and the club could compete on everything else and everything would be fine. But every year they go up you get another drop off of fans who can’t go and it’s incredibly sad.

“When I’ve been speaking to the 1958 group, the City lads, Everton supporters, everyone knows people who have gone for years and their dads went and grandads went and they’ve reached a tipping point where they can’t go anymore or they can’t afford to take their children who don’t get to experience the way we have.

“That’s a great shame and you’re losing something from stadiums.”

Roberts cited Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at home to Fulham on Saturday, when Arne Slot’s side twice came from behind after being reduced to 10 men in the 17th minute following Andy Robertson’s red card, as evidence of how atmospheres are changing.

“I found it mad standing on the Kop and looking at the corporate seats in the Anfield Road [end] and in the 47th minute when Liverpool got their first equaliser loads of people hadn’t even come back to their seats,” he said.