'The club is dying' - Manchester United protest group make unusual request before Arsenal game - Iqraa news

-Credit:Alex Livesey/Getty Images.

-Credit:Alex Livesey/Getty Images.

Manchester United supporter group The 1958 have urged fans to wear black to symbolise how the club is "slowly dying" during a protest before facing Arsenal in the Premier League.

United supporter group The 1958 have organised several protests against the Glazers in the last few years, and arranged a protest against the increase of ticket prices to £66 in December.

That was in response to a mid-season decision from United to raise matchday ticket prices to £66 per game in the Premier League, which meant no concessions for children or pensioners.

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A fresh protest will now take place and fans will voice their anger on Sunday afternoon before facing Arsenal. The 1958 protest group have said they are "up in arms about ticket prices" and a lack of transparent communications.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe's popularity has plummeted due to the ticket debacle and he was confronted in January by fans, who told him he was "taking the p***" and was "worse than the Glazers".

United's financial results have made for grim reading and The 1958 have asked supporters to wear black this weekend as they protest to symbolise that the club is "slowly dying".

A spokesperson from The 1958 said: "The club is slowly dying before our eyes, on and off the pitch, and blame lies squarely at the current ownership model.

"In many ways, this is the biggest crisis United has faced since the Munich air disaster which inspires our name. The club is facing financial armageddon. Debt is the road to ruin. Sir Matt Busby would be turning in his grave at the current plight of one of the world’s greatest football institutions which is being brought to its knees and in many ways becoming a laughing stock.

"The club is going backwards and it's likely to get even worse. We urge fans to rise up, unite and join us at 3pm on Sunday as we march to the ground and protest against the despised Glazers and the club's deliberate assault on fan culture.

"We have been working hard across both club and non-club boundaries for the betterment of fans, our club and football for some time. Today we announced protest details which will not just be limited to action at the ground. This is more than just a club to us. We more than just a number on a seat."

The total debt at United stands at £731m plus over £300m in transfer fees owed and the club's broadcast revenue has been slashed due to failing to qualify for the Champions League.

United have axed jobs and raised ticket prices in an attempt to increase revenue. Speaking in an interview with the United We Stand magazine in December, Ratcliffe said that "it doesn't make sense" for a United ticket to cost less than a ticket to watch London club Fulham.

Ratcliffe's comment didn't go down well with supporters and FC58, the fan representation division of The 1958 protest group, conducted a survey to gauge opinion on ticket prices.

The survey was answered by almost 25,000 people and 92 per cent of fans said they were unhappy with current ticket prices.

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