Andy Palmer’s family have had their Old Trafford season tickets since the 1960s.
His late grandfather sat in the South Stand. His late father did too. Now Andy does — but not after this season.
The Irishman’s father passed away two years ago. Andy has his seat number tattooed on his arm. The pair sat there for so long, mostly together, watching their beloved Manchester United.
Memories made that will last, but now Andy, who travels over from Ireland for home games, won’t be sitting in S124 any longer.
The club have decided to move more than 500 season ticket holders in the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand to other parts of the stadium as they are installing additional hospitality seats because of the high value of the area. Certain seats in the area also need to be changed because of updated UEFA guidelines regarding dugouts, with the club likely to return to European competition next season.
Yet it is hard to take for supporters, some of whom The Athletic has spoken to since the news. “It is the one thing that I did with my dad,” said Andy. “I have his seat number tattooed on my arm. It’s just kind of gone now. It’s just crazy.”
Andy’s grandfather first got the season tickets when he lived in England. He had some work done on his house and thanked the people involved by giving them some wine and chocolate. In return, they gave him Old Trafford season tickets. Now Andy is being moved to the opposite side of the ground to sit in the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand.
“It goes back almost 64 years; both of them have passed away now, my dad passed away two years ago, getting the name changed wasn’t easy, we had to send a death certificate, which is crazy in itself as well,” he said. “I’m pretty devastated about moving. I’ve been going since I was four years old with my dad, and now I’m being shipped off to the other side of the stadium.”
Andy had to be talked into renewing after being informed he would be moved. “My mother and the missus both had to calm me down, and they were like, ‘We have to renew them, we have to renew them’,” he said. “I was against it at the start. It’s the right decision because, ultimately, you love the club and you want to go every week, and good times will be back. But the way the club is run at the minute, it is a kick in the teeth being moved.
Fans were offered the chance to move seats (Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
“It’s funny they’re clamping down on touts, but I guarantee you next season, those tickets will have made more money in the first two or three games than what I would have paid for this season.”
Fans being moved were first informed by an email from the club, explaining how supporter services would call them to discuss the move. They could choose new seats online, depending on availability, or discuss it on the call.
The club is aware that the decision to move fans would be unpopular, but insist supporter services have tried to limit the issues by moving supporters to other lower-tier areas of the stadium, ensuring those who book in groups are kept together and trying to contain the inconvenience. The majority of season ticket holders affected have now been relocated.
Every supporter affected has been offered relocation, no season tickets have been withdrawn by the club, and they believe adding hospitality in certain areas helps reduce the need to further increase prices overall to supporters.
They are trying to maximise revenue from the stadium, which they will insist is to help with ensuring the team is competitive while staying within financial rules, driving revenues and improvements to facilities at Old Trafford.
Graham Wilde had a season ticket in S127 from 2016 but was moved in 2018 because of European requirements, and he ended up in S125. He will return to S127 with this move. He believes it is all about making more money from tourists who are attracted to the club.
“I’ve already seen what it’s like in North America,” said Graham. “And if you’ve got people willing to spend that amount of money on an experience that wouldn’t float a season ticket holder’s boat in any way, where does this end? Where’s the point where they can stop selling this Disney-fied dream?
“If they could guarantee a thousand Martians spending £500 a game at a game, there’d be a spaceship pad built around Old Trafford to let them come in.
“It’s about money and nothing else. What does that bring, apart from revenue? I get the fight to be successful, you need revenue. But how about clearing the debt that’s been serviced every year?
“Fans are being made to pay for incompetence.”
For one supporter in particular, it has worked out well for him. Bertie Gibbon does not believe it is right supporters are being moved, but it has given him the chance to obtain a cheaper ticket and sit close to his father. Although fans like Andy found it difficult to find a pair of seats in the lower tier, Bertie, who has had a season ticket for five years, was happy with the process.
“I’ve got an amazing seat, sixth row,” he said. “I got to know a lot of people around there and, yeah, it became part of the experience. I didn’t like the instability of it, I already had some sort of had some trepidation about being relocated.
“I got incredibly lucky — after a bit of back and forth, Jackie at supporter services asked me where I wanted to sit, and tried to accommodate me in the South Stand.
“I’d asked about being moved into the Stretford End. She told me there was no availability there. But I’d emailed the club the minute that I’d got the notification and basically told them where my old man, my dad, and our mutual best friend sit.
“I’ve managed to move from being on my own in the South Stand to being sat with the two people that I go to the matches with, who sit elsewhere in the ground — or I’m nearby them at least. My seat’s cheaper. I was probably one of the very few fortunate people in this situation.
“This is the only way it could have worked out better for me, it is a miracle. I understand the club’s got to try and increase the ticket revenue, especially in a season where we’re playing fewer games than ever. I can see why they’re trying to do it.
“I don’t agree with it. The stories last season about ex-players being moved after 30 years in a certain seat, it’s pretty sickening. I’m quite happy with how it’s worked out for me but I’ve got incredibly lucky and most people’s experience isn’t going to be the same.”
This is all happening along with the announcement that season ticket prices are rising by five per cent.
Season ticket prices have also gone up (Michael Regan/Getty Images)
“We have a clear objective to return Manchester United to the top of domestic and European football,” the club said when announcing the price increase. “We want to keep investing in the team and improving our facilities so fans get the best possible experience. We also need to make sure the club stays financially sustainable, taking into account inflation and rising costs.”
It is not the first time fans in the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand have been moved — it also occurred last season. One supporter, who spoke to The Athletic under the condition of anonymity as they did not want to be named, is one of those moved twice.
They point out how moving fans who have sat together for sometimes decades is breaking up friendships, bonds and support, which goes beyond watching a football match.
“The young lady that sits next to me, she’s about 32, and she’s been coming for a good 10 years. She’s grown up, had one kid who’s six and brings him to the match, and I get him Easter eggs and stuff like that,” said the anonymous supporter.
“I know it’s not the most critical thing in the world, but it is those types of things that make more of a personal experience.
“When we were told to relocate, we tried to get to sit near each other, because I used to sit with her dad as well, but we didn’t have a chance.
“All of that’s gone now.”