Away Fans in Home End Cannot Be Stopped - Man Utd
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Loading... - Aarni Couri
- 24 Jan 2025
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Manchester United has acknowledged the ongoing challenge of preventing away fans from obtaining tickets in areas designated for home supporters at Old Trafford. This admission follows a recent Europa League match against Rangers, where over 3,500 Rangers fans were officially in the away section, but television footage revealed that many more were celebrating in the home areas after an 88th-minute equalizer, despite the match ending in a 2-1 loss for Rangers.
In response to the situation, Manchester United stated that they implemented a number of "strict" measures to prevent away fans from securing tickets in the home end. The club emphasized that tickets were allocated only to supporters registered on their official database. However, they conceded that due to the "unauthorised touting of tickets," it is impossible to completely eliminate the risk of away fans infiltrating home sections.
To address the issue, Manchester United has announced a full investigation into how tickets for home areas ended up in the hands of Rangers fans. The club has committed to imposing the "strongest possible sanctions" against any registered ticket holders found to be in violation of regulations.
Following the match, Greater Manchester Police reported making 39 arrests throughout the night, with 26 of those arrests occurring due to disorder in the city center. This incident is not the first time Manchester United has faced criticism regarding ticketing and crowd control. In 2023, the club issued an apology after more than 2,000 Galatasaray fans were allowed access to the home section during a Champions League match at Old Trafford. As a result of that incident, Galatasaray was fined £44,420 for the behavior of their supporters.
The issue of away fans accessing home sections at Old Trafford remains a significant concern for Manchester United. As the club investigates the recent incident and seeks to implement stricter controls, the challenge of unauthorized ticket sales and crowd management continues to pose risks for maintaining a secure and enjoyable environment for home supporters. The club's commitment to addressing these issues will be closely monitored by fans and authorities alike.
