FC United to refund fans FA Cup ticket price increase amid anger over decision to move kick-off time
The Red Rebels have been given 'no option' but to increase prices and rearrange the kick-off time
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FC United of Manchester have announced that they will refund supporters after being forced to increase their ticket prices for their upcoming FA Cup First Round Proper tie against Chesterfield.
Under the rules of the world’s oldest football competition, the minimum adult ticket price for a First Round match must be £10.
The National League North club, based in Moston and formed in opposition to the Glazer family’s 2005 takeover of Manchester United, usually charges adults £9 for match day admittance.
After being forced to raise its prices for the Chesterfield tie, the club announced that they will issue a £1 voucher to all adult ticket holders that can then be spent on food, drink and merchandise at the ground.
The Red Rebels have also extended this offer to away supporters and insisted that the gesture will not affect the division of gate receipts with Chesterfield.
FC United also revealed, in a statement on the club’s website, that they attempted to block the BT Sport's plans to rearrange the tie.
The broadcaster has selected the encounter with Chesterfield to be televised on Monday 9 November with a kick-off time of 7.45pm.
The club, which is strongly opposed to moving kick-off times from traditional slots, refused to agree with the move on the grounds that it would be inconvenient for supporters and detrimental to match day atmosphere.
However, the Football Association has insisted that the tie be played at the re-arranged time, as per rule 2 and 8.13 in the FA Cup’s competition rules. As a result, FC United have no option but to stage the tie at boradcaster's preferred time.
“We are deeply disappointed by the FA’s stance and have made them aware of this,” the club said in a statement on their official website.
“FC United has a proud history of campaigning for change on issues affecting the game and its supporters.
“The history of that protest has always been about respect for the integrity of the game and not disrupting the match or players. In that spirit, on this issue we believe that we need to make a stand,” they added.
FC United's considerations
The time of kick off proposed.
The travelling times involved for the fans (FC fans for away matches, opposition fans for home matches).
The impact of a no decision on the other club.
The benefits to our club to be derived from this exposure.
The impact of any additional money in helping the club achieve its aims.
The club follow several guiding principles when making decisions on rearranging kick-off times, including whether the travelling away support will be significantly inconvenienced by the move.
“If games have to be moved then members expressed a clear preference, with Friday evenings, then Sundays being the favoured days with other days receiving very little support,” the club statement read.
“Out of all the options, Mondays are potentially the most punitive for supporters. Monday is a working day as is the following day and Monday night football is a TV invention.
In the previous round, FC United rejected the BBC’s request to rearrange the kick-off time of their 3-1 victory over Sporting Khalsa for the broadcaster’s new interactive match day experience.
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