MANCHESTER UNITED have responded to a fan backlash after halving pensioner discounts for next season.
The Red Devils announced their season ticket prices for 2025/26 last week and confirmed that discounts for OAPs would be reduced.
GettyManchester United have issued a statement on recent season ticket changes[/caption]
RexFans have hit back after the OAP season ticket discount was slashed[/caption]
United increased season tickets by five per cent but have frozen Under-16 prices.
The club offered pensioners a 50 per cent discount last year.
But that will reduce to 25 per cent next season, a move branded a “total disgrace” by United’s 1958 fan group.
United claim the 50 per cent discount was “not justifiable” due to the growing number of season ticket holders within the OAP category, which now features fans over the age of 66.
A representative for the club told The Manchester Evening News: “With a growing proportion of our season ticket-holder base within the senior category, it was not equitable, justifiable or sustainable to preserve a 50 per cent discount.
“Our focus has been on ensuring affordability for the next generation of fans through our price freeze on U16 season tickets, while taking a fair approach with other concessions.”
United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has recently defended his sweeping cuts at the club.
Hundreds of staff have been made redundant at Old Trafford over the past few months.
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While Ratcliffe claims the club would have “run out of money by Christmas” this year without his investment.
The statement continued: “Our 25 per cent senior discount is broadly consistent with most other Premier League clubs, and unlike some, we do not limit the number of concessions or areas of the ground where they are available.
“While we understand and regret the disappointment for those seniors currently receiving the higher discount, we believe this change is the best way to preserve concessionary prices for all senior fans.
“We did consider phasing in the change, but felt that, having given existing recipients an additional two seasons at the 50 per cent level, and with growing numbers of fans receiving the 25 per cent discount, it was no longer sustainable nor fair to continue with a two-tier system for the same age group.
“The changes to senior concessions were part of a package of measures designed to be fair and balanced for all fans when viewed in their totality, while contributing to the club’s need for increased revenues.
“Had we kept the 50 per cent discount or phased in the reduction, it would have meant higher price increases for other groups to make up the lost revenues.”
Man Utd ratings vs Leicester
MANCHESTER UNITED leapfrogged Tottenham into 13th in the Premier League by beating Leicester.
Rasmus Hojlund was left to run in behind and shoot low into the bottom corner from an angle to open the scoring on 28 minutes.
The Danish striker had not found the net since December 12 – a run of 21 matches.
Alejandro Garnacho saw a goal chalked off for offside but there was no taking his snap-shot finish off him on 67 minutes.
And skipper Bruno Fernandes rounded off the comfortable 3-0 win in style in the closing stages.
The 1958 group staged a 15,000-strong demonstration against United’s owners before a recent home clash with Arsenal.
And the group believes more price rises are on the way after Ratcliffe promised a new 100,000-seater, £2bn stadium earlier this month.
In a statement, they wrote: “This also paves the way for there never being any new season tickets issued now.
“It is also a stay of execution to put them up to whatever they want to if we ever move to a new stadium.
“These are all stealth increases to change the optics of the 5 per cent increase across all season ticket holders. Again, penny-wise and pound foolish.”
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