Sunderland Away League Match Talk & Coverage

[Red News]

FSF on Sunderland's decision to reduce United's ticket allocation for the final game

http://www.fsf.org.uk/news/Man-Utd-t...r-all-fans.php


Manchester United fans will receive only 1,700 tickets for their team’s visit to Sunderland’s Stadium of Light on the last day of the season. Under Premier League rules 3,000 tickets could have been made available for travelling fans but that number has been slashed because of "persistent standing". This is the wrong decision for all fans, not just supporters of the Red Devils. Next time, it could be you…


The news that Manchester United’s ticket allocation has been cut for the trip to the Stadium of Light on the last day of the season (Sunday 13th May) will be a blow to many of the club’s away fans – but not a shock. It’s the third successive year that United have been given a reduced allocation at Sunderland and last season 12 Premier League clubs also cut United’s tickets.


But let’s be clear - this isn’t just a problem at Sunderland or for United’s away support - this is an issue that should matter to fans of all sides. Certain councils and clubs across the UK are reducing away ticket allocations year-after-year because of persistent standing. The very fact they have to do this every season shows the policy is failing. It does not discourage supporters from standing, punishes fans indiscriminately, and creates other problems which are entirely avoidable.


The Daily Telegraph reports that it’s not just fans who are concerned on this occasion quoting “senior figures” at Old Trafford as being “disappointed” with Sunderland’s decision. Speaking to the paper Mark Longden, spokesperson for the Independent Manchester United Supporters’ Association (IMUSA) and FSF National Council member, said: “This really is a nonsense decision that will lead to United fans buying tickets in the home sections, which many would argue is a greater safety issue. If there is a chance of United winning the league at Sunderland, then thousands will travel without tickets.”


Reds Away editor Dale Haslam has been very active in his opposition to ticket cuts. In 2012 alone his blog has covered ticketing issues at Liverpool, Spurs, Manchester City, Wigan, and Sunderland. Yesterday he made the cross-country trek to the North East to speak to Sunderland City Council’s Regulatory Committee on behalf of Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST). He had hoped they might overturn the Council’s decision.


“Sunderland AFC do a risk assessment which the Building Control Department rubber stamps - the Regulatory Committee either accepts or rejects this,” says Haslam. “Yesterday they accepted it so only 1,700 tickets will go to United fans. While we respect the aim of referring the decision, most of the committee members don’t go to games and they know little about fan culture.


“At the meeting, there was no reference to it being the last match of the season and a potential title decider and that, the fewer away-end tickets United get, the more United fans will be in the home end, even though we put this across - in a respectful way - in writing before the meeting.


“I’m extremely concerned about what will happen. We won the title at Wigan in May 2008 and thousands of United fans ended up in the home end. About 1,000 managed to get tickets and another 4,000 were drinking in pubs in the surrounding area and tried to get into the ground to see the presentation. Now I’m not saying that would happen again as there won’t be as many there but it has to be a worry how home fans will react.”


While the FSF does not condone standing in seated areas we are realists. It is happening whether the authorities like it or not and we believe there are far better ways of managing the situation than reducing allocations which results in away fans going in to the home end. Clubs might claim that they will only sell to home fans with a purchase history, or the right post code, but the reality is that some travelling fans will find ways around this.


Many of the problems with fans standing in seated areas – such as supporters standing in access aisles or blocking the view of those who wish to sit – can be tackled if fans are properly consulted. An example of this came in January before United travelled to Anfield for the FA Cup 4th Round. The FSF, IMUSA, MUST, and Liverpool’s Spirit of Shankly (SoS) met with the police, Football Association, and both clubs before the fixture. As a result fans’ groups were able to share important information with their members.


Of course there is another blindingly obvious solution to the problem of fans standing in all-seater stadiums – provide supporters with safe standing areas. Surveys regularly show that between eight and nine out of every 10 fans would like the choice to sit or stand. Fans who prefer to stand would then be able to do so in custom built, properly managed areas, and those who prefer to sit wouldn’t have to worry about someone standing in front of them and blocking their view.


But football at the top-level still ignores these voices and this is where we end up.

[E.S.]

[10] Martin O'Neill fancies playing a further part in the title race

speaking after drawing against the Bitters


“If you’re asking me if the title race is over I’d say far from it,”


“I think there will be a few twists and turns and, for what it’s worth, we’ve still got United last game of the season at our place.


“It could be a massive game.”

[Red News]

Allocation for United fans at Sunderland could be increased

from PA


Manchester United's ticket allocation for their final Barclays Premier League game at Sunderland could be increased.


United were upset three weeks ago to learn they had only been given 1,700 tickets for the fixture, on which the title could rest, on the advice of the Safety Advisory Group.


Under Premier League rules, United are entitled to 3,000 tickets but that number has been cut in recent seasons due to persistent standing at the Stadium of Light by the clubs' supporters and other issues, such as blocking gangways.


United did make their fears known and were invited to a meeting to discuss the matter with Sunderland counterparts but did not turn up, hence their allocation being reduced once more.


However, Press Association Sport understands there has been further dialogue on the matter and while a final decision has not been reached it could be that United may be given additional seats for the game on May 13.

[E.S.]

[10] Sunderland fanzine talks about caps on United's away fans at Sunderland - he thinks the allocation is wrong

You can now order the Red News' mag as a pdf subscription to read at home and when you are out and about using your iphone, itouch, smartphone or ipad. (full details here -http://www.rednews.co.uk/forum/showt...pad-or-itouch)

Subscribe for just £15 for ten issues - http://www.rednews.co.uk/subscription.php


from the Shields Gazette

A CAP on the number of fans Manchester United can bring to the Stadium of Light has been labelled bad for football.

When the Black Cats face the Red Devils for the last game of the season on May 13 – which could still decide the destination of the Premier League title – the number of away fans allowed to attend will be just 2,282.

Martyn McFadden, editor of SAFC fanzine A Love Supreme, has criticised the decision, which was taken because of safety concerns over fans who stand.

He said it was not a good thing for football, and he fears it could open up the possibility of the away fans buying tickets for seats among home supporters.

He said: “I think it’s a bit of a shame that the decision has been made, because they do have a really good away following.

“People are meant to sit, but often they will stand at away games and it definitely happens all over the country.

“I think it’s not a good thing for football in general, and it could cause trouble if the Man United fans buy tickets in the Sunderland end.”

At previous matches Manchester United supporters have repeatedly stood up during the game, which has resulted in a cap being placed on how many can go to the Stadium of Light.

A report into the matter said that standing is recognised as a major safety concern because of the risk of injury from falls, surging and crushing.

Ken Scott, chairman of the Stadium of Light Safety Advisory Group, said: “Last season, the visiting Manchester United allocation was reduced, as fans on previous visits continued to stand in seated areas.

“As behaviour at that fixture did not improve, it was agreed that for the match on May 13 the figure will be held at that reduced level but with additional resource dedicated solely to address the issue of standing in seated areas.

“Manchester United has agreed to address the issue of its away fans standing at the Stadium of Light.

“It will put in place stricter controls over the sale of its allocation of tickets.

“It has also agreed to provide additional resources for the stewarding of the match to supplement those already at the disposal of Sunderland AFC.

“Sunderland AFC continues to work with Northumbria Police and members of the safety advisory group, to see that all visiting fans observe regulations at the Stadium of Light.”

[Red News]

You can vote for Red News as best website/fanzine or any of our writers in the FSF Awards 2012 - thanks to any who do


details of how to vote at http://www.fsf.org.uk/news/The-FSF-W...wards-2012.php


cheers

[Red News]

Alex Ferguson - we have two tough games and more on whatever happens, we won't win it on goal difference

“I don’t think we have easy games. If you go to Sunderland on the last game of the season, with the support they have and the manager they have got, you don’t expect an easy game. Say they win 3-0 on Sunday, the goal difference would be 11 and they still have QPR at home. That would be impossible. I don’t think the goal difference applies.”

[E.S.]

[5] Carrick on focus, particularly with a tough final game

"We've got to go there [to the Stadium of Light] and win. It's still a tough game and it's not a given to go to Sunderland and win. We have to stay focused on that and hope QPR do what they've got to do and help us out.

[E.S.]

[4] Carrick on looking forward with hope, and not looking back in anger

"It's the natural thing to look back at certain things during the season and the 'what ifs' in the last three weeks but we've got to focus on our game. We're still in it, have still got a fighting chance. Until that's over, we'll keep fighting and keep believing. All our focus and energy is going into the last game."

[E.S.]

[50] Ashley is young and hopeful

Alex Ferguson on Red News' 25th anniversary in 2012 "What an achievement"
Henry Winter in Daily Telegraph. June 2009. "Red News is (an) influential fanzine". February 2010. "Red News is a... strong voice"
Guardian. March 2010. "Strong voiced".
David McDonnell from the Mirror on RN183, Sept 2011: "Superb…Buy it."

Subscribe to Red News today - discover why others think we are great! -http://www.rednews.co.uk/subscription.php


“We thought Newcastle might have got a draw or result but it wasn’t to be and we just had to concentrate on ourselves. We always knew we had to win this game and score goals,”

“We’ve just got to concentrate all this week, prepare well for the game as we always do, go and win. Let’s just hope and see what happens in [Man City’s] game [against QPR].

“[QPR] need a point to stay up, it’s going to be vitally important they prepare in the best way they can, and obviously with Mark Hughes returning to one of his old clubS they’re going to want to go there and do well, hopefully for us they’ll do that and we’ll get three points at Sunderland.”

[Red News]

Patrice Evra says United are not dead, no empire is ending and he hopes for a miracle on Sunday

“I know that if we don’t win the league, a lot of people will say this is the end of the empire and ask how we will survive. It’s never easy to find a solution immediately, but it’s not over yet. We’re not dead. It hurts me a lot to think we were eight points clear and allowed City to get back in the title race, but we can’t hide from that. I still believe we can win this title, but in order to maintain that hope we have to give ourselves the chance to believe. I’ve seen a lot of things in football, so why not another surprise?”