Posted on 10th March 2015
Newcastle United fans, led by their supporters’ trust, have launched a bid to buy part of the north east club.
Newcastle United fans “appalled” at £52 tickets
This is a story from the FSF archive – the FSF and SD merged to become the FSA in 2019.
Newcastle United travel to Anfield on Monday 13th April for a game which will cost travelling fans £52 plus travel costs. Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF) affiliates Newcastle United Supporters Trust (NUST) and Spirit of Shankly (SoS) have both hit out at the cost and timing of the game. They have the full support of the FSF.
Michael Martin, board member, NUST:
“NUST is appalled to discover that ticket prices for United fans travelling to Anfield for the forthcoming fixture are a staggering £52 per head. At a time when Premier League football is awash with riches from TV, the most dedicated followers of the game continue to have their eyes pulled out by the nation’s clubs charging extortionate prices which will slowly and steadily erode the culture of away day travel vital to the atmosphere that TV buys so much into.
“£52 for a game on a Monday evening, live on TV, this pricing is almost designed to deter supporters from the North East travelling to a fixture which has proved one of the most iconic on the football calendar.
“How this fixture has not been subject to a reciprocal price deal by the two clubs only they can explain. NUST believes the £52 ticket price at Anfield is wholly unjustifiable at a time of cutting austerity as well as being grossly unfair as tickets with equal and often better views for home fans in Anfield are significantly cheaper.
“We call upon Liverpool Football Club and Newcastle United Football Club to agree a reciprocal deal of no more than £20 for visiting fans to Anfield and St James’ Park and allow some of the wealth flooding through the game to be felt by the supporters who are its lifeblood.
“Further, we call upon an incoming government to intervene in football to ensure a fair price setting regime for tickets for the Premier League. We condemn these ticket prices.”
Jay McKenna, chairperson, SoS:
“SoS have consistently made clear that prices at Anfield and at grounds across the country need to be reduced. Prices at many grounds are too expensive but charging in excess of £50 for a match ticket just shows the need for more to be done to make football more affordable.
“More money than ever before is in football now and soon it will get even richer from the new TV deal. Supporters in the North East, like those in the North West, are not any richer due to austerity and low wages. The newly found wealth should be shared to reduce ticket prices. We’ve called on clubs, including our own to do this, and in the meantime would urge them to enter into reciprocal arrangements so that both sets of supporters pay less.
“That supporters are expected to travel the width of the country, on a Monday night, at great expense and time, including time off from work, just shows the disregard for ‘customers’, let alone loyal supporters.”
Malcolm Clarke, chair of the FSF:
“This is a double whammy for travelling fans of Newcastle United – not only have Sky moved the game to a Monday night, they’re now also expected to pay an outrageous £52.
“It shows a total disregard for the trials and tribulations of the away fan. Without them, football is so much less of a spectacle, yet TV and clubs treat them with contempt time and again.
“Newcastle United have been one of leading clubs in terms of implementing Twenty’s Plenty for Away Ticket deals and we’d encourage Liverpool to speak to them about this.
“Credit to both Newcastle United Supporters Trust and Spirit of Shankly for showing unity on this issue too. Liverpool fans know better than most just how expensive away games can be, ‘thanks’ to many clubs’ Category A pricing policies.
“Premier League clubs have more than enough money to drop prices and share money with the grassroots and on Thursday 26th March we’ll be lobbying Premier League shareholders to do just that in central London. We hope you can join us on this protest.”
The FSF will lead a demonstration of fans at the next meeting of the Premier League’s shareholders held in central London on Thursday 26th March (time TBC). This is a vital protest for fans from ALL leagues – we want to see you there regardless of the club you support. Join our protest – find out more here.
Furious at ticket prices that your support has had to pay? Then do what NUST and SoS have done – set up a joint statement and contact the FSF.
