Do you feel sorry for the genuine fans,

[davieG]

Manchester United supporters are facing the likelihood of a huge increase in ticket prices under new owner Malcolm Glazer.

According to The Times, Glazer is planning to raise the price of Old Trafford tickets by 54 percent within the next five years.

The newspaper made the claims after suggesting it viewed 'previously unseen documents' on Glazer's five-year vision for The Red Devils.

The report also suggests that UEFA Champions League ticket prices will increase by 25 percent from next year

Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson will also be limited to a player spending budget of £25 million per season - excluding receipts from player sales - while an added £25 million will also be available to spend over the five-year period.

Glazer's reported five-year plan includes the new owner's desire to increase the club's revenues by 52 percent from £161.5 million this year to £245.6 million by 2010.

Under the plan, the improved turnover would be funded by a 61 percent increase in matchday sales, a 13 percent rise in media sales and a 76 percent increase in sales of merchandise and other commercial activities.

Glazer's plan also suggests that United players would be expected to appear in a yearly showcase match in the owner's hometown of Tampa, Florida.

The report is sure to further disillusion United supporters, with some fans seemingly ready to follow through with their boycott of the Premiership giants following Glazer's takeover last month.

[Frenzied]

As much as I'd like to see Manure fail, this isn't they way it should be done. This is not only bad for them but for football in general. It's possible that this could mark the start of an American type system, which will mean commercial success is the be all and end all - clubs could up sticks MK Dons style just to improve their profitability. In other words true fans would become extinct as we're further and further marginalised.

Hopefully Shareholders United's plans to oust Glazer will work. Oh and where has he got that extra 200 million? I suspect his good friend Rupert Murdoch has something to do with it. Maybe more money to the top fives clubs and the rest of us can rot.

[Guest]

Yes, I do feel sorry for the genuine supporters, but I can't help thinking if this was City, noone would even notice or care.

[Katy]

Apparently Glazer is running the club from the states and conducting board meetings etc via videophone because he is concerned by the amount of abuse hes going to get from the fans. I think this is the beginning of the end for football as we know it, its already changed beyound recognition in the last 10-15 years. Give football back to the fans!

[Frenzied]

I think we as football fans need to support the efforts made by Shareholders United to get Glazer out of our game, in a similar way to the solidarity shown for Wrexham. We need to try and wrestle the people's game back from the corporate leeches. Maybe as an act of unity we should also boycott Manure's sponsors?

[Louise]

Got to love how the executive boxes will stay the same price though....

Man U enjoyed the profits they made on the stock exchange, now its come back to bite them its no-ones fault but their own. You can feel sorry for the fans but lets face it they wouldn't feel sorry for us if we were in the same position (er...never going to happen), just look at the responce we got from most fans of other clubs when we were in admin.

[Louise]

And just to add, from a selfish point of view I'm glad that no mention has been made yet of splitting TV rights etc.

[Nationwider]

The best thing that could happen for genuine ManYoo fans/the anti-US brigade is for the club to have a terrible season next year and possibly the year after. If they lose Nike and the Champions League £Â£Ã‚£s, Glazer will cut "his" loses and walk away. The plc should then go into administration under crippling debts and eventually be liquidated.

Fan-shareholders can then start a new ltd company - in the way that the board at Leicester have done (sort of, but you get the drift). 10 years down the line and ManYoo's massive fan base will ensure the dosh is rolling in and they'll probably win the Prem for the next 20 years after that.

Better the devil you know, than the devil you don't.

[john_lcfc]

man united could set their prices at what ever price they like really and they would sell out every game,,, not fair on the true suporter but football is business these days <_<

[Phil]

Manchester United supporters are facing the likelihood of a huge increase in ticket prices under new owner Malcolm Glazer.

According to The Times, Glazer is planning to raise the price of Old Trafford tickets by 54 percent within the next five years.

121608[/snapback]

as if travelling from Cornwall every week wasn't pricey enough. As much as I dislike manure you cant help but feel sorry for the Guenuine fans. even if the fans did boycott there would be fans to take their places in the stands. Waiting lists for Season tickets at Old Trafford are huge.

[Hullfox]

The thing that people have overlooked here is that this story was run in The Times and The Sun.

Now call me cynical if you want to but the owner of these two publications is one Mr Rupert Murdoch whose own attempts to buy the club were thwarted.

Now, I don't believe it for one minute (for Mr M's Solicitors) but apparently some people have alleged that he is stirring it up a bit.

[Simon]

I have no sympathy for Man United or their fans not so ever.

I've always hated the idea of Football Clubs being floated on the stock exchange (look what happened to us!). If you live by the sword you die by the sword. If you want the benefits of having shareholders and being floated on the stock market then you have to accept the risks as well, and that means someone buying shares in the company and ultimately taking it over.

The problem is the fans seem to want all the benefits and none of the risks. Well TOUGH LUCK.