I Intend To Escape ......................And Come Back : Glazer Bowls His Bouncer

May 20, 2007

Glazer Bowls His Bouncer

Any Manchester United fans who had any doubts about the Glazer family had those doubts extinguished this week.

Whilst the team was preparing for the Cup Final, many fans were chewing over the club's season ticket renewal letters. I have had a seat in North Stand Upper since it opened - Glazer now wants £722 for it - £38 per league match. Season tickets always offered the right to a guaranteed ticket for each home match, something fans always took up for big FA Cup or European clashes, and sometimes took up for the more minor Cup games.

Now Glazer is making it compulsory for fans to purchase tickets for all cup ties, via a credit card scheme. If United have 10 home cup ties next season - as is quite likely - that is a cost of another £380. Not surprisingly many fans are either looking to move to cheaper parts of the ground, to share tickets with friends, or simply giving up all together.

Giving up is hard thing to do - I have been going to United since my 8th birthday, and even since I have lived in London have never kicked the habit. Even taking FC United into account, United fans are more likely to change their wives or their religion than they are there football club. In a way that is what gives Glazer his hold over fans - we don't walk away, when we know in our heads we should. Instead we stay, but with a sullen resentment that occasionally boils over into old fashioned class war - witness the reception the Glazer family got recently when they were spotted by fans at Milan airport after United's Champions League defeat.

There is more of that to come. Journalists who expect United supporters to simply shut up and accept the Glazers - such as News of the World lard arse Martin Samuel, are ignoring the feelings of the fans. Just like the Glazer family themselves.

May 20, 2007 | Permalink