11/04/2012
MEDIA RELEASE: Manchester United supporters challenge Joel Glazer to cut United ticket prices
Manchester United ticket prices for next season are expected to be announced
soon. The Manchester United Supporters' Trust (MUST) is challenging Joel Glazer
to slash United's ticket prices after seeing huge rises in the early years
following their takeover meanwhile revenue has rocketed and yet net transfer
spending is lower than major Premier League rivals and even some
mid-table Championship teams including Hull, Blackpool and Burnley.
A spokesperson for MUST said:
"The Glazers have been responsible for more than £500 million pounds
flowing out of Manchester United in fees, charges and other payments relating to
their hostile takeover of our club. Meanwhile the club has actually spent less
in net transfer fees than not only our main rivals in Europe and the Premier
League (City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs) but also had a lower net spend since
2006 than Villa, Sunderland and Stoke.
It's worse than that though - as reported in the Guardian in January this
year - in the last three years United's net transfer spend has incredibly been
less than Hull City, Blackpool and Burnley. The evidence from the independently
produced league table of net transfer spending can't be obscured and this will
shock many United fans.
Only the incredible efforts of Sir Alex Ferguson have allowed us to
remain competitive in the Premier League - at times it feels like he is dragging
the team towards a 20th League title by sheer willpower alone. However even Sir
Alex's magical touch couldn't bridge that gap in Europe.
But despite Sir Alex's incredible feats it comes as a huge slap in the
face for fans that in spite of the immense revenues flowing into the club there
have been huge ticket price hikes for loyal fans since the Glazers' 2005
takeover.
Given this lack of squad investment while huge revenues are coming in and
the Glazers have been constantly dipping into the clubs bank account, it is long
overdue that the loyal supporters received a cut in their ticket prices. So
today we are throwing down a challenge to Joel Glazer to cut United fans Season
Ticket prices next season."
NOTES FOR EDITORS:
As confirmed by figures taken from independent site
transferleague.co.uk http://bit.ly/HrSrqc
Manchester United's net spend since 2006 is less than not only City, Chelsea,
Liverpool and Spurs but unbelievably also Villa, Sunderland and Stoke! This for
a club which continually boasts about record turnover while extracting huge
quantities of cash to cover the Glazers debt interest and bond purchases.
Furthermore as the Guardian reported in Jan 2012 http://bit.ly/HrS9Qi "the Glazers are
siphoning money in such staggering quantities that, in the past three years,
United's net spend is lower than that of Hull City, Blackpool and
Burnley!"
David Conn reported http://bit.ly/ztm4mz
in February 2012 that "the Glazer family have been responsible for £500m
going out of United."
#########
ENDS