Tottenham fans stage protest over ticket price increases ahead of Man Utd match

Hundreds of Tottenham supporters staged a protest ahead of the club’s home match against Manchester United over the decision to increase matchday ticket prices for this season. It was first revealed in July that Spurs planned to raise the price of matchday tickets for the 2023-24 campaign, a decision heavily criticised by Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust. THST unveiled plans on August 1 to demonstrate against the increase ahead of Manchester United’s visit and a large group of fans gathered outside the stadium at 3.45pm with banners held up urging the club to reverse its decision. Spurs announced in April that season-ticket prices would be frozen for the second year in a row, but THST confirmed in July that the club planned to raise matchday ticket prices. It was also revealed there would now be six Category A fixtures, the most expensive ticket, with Newcastle bumped up from Category B. A Tottenham spokesperson told the PA news agency at the time: ‘We are fully aware of the current rising cost of living – and as such are one of only three Premier League clubs to freeze Season Ticket prices for the coming season. ‘Our match ticket prices are comparable to other London clubs, with a wide range of price points available for fans to choose from.’ After THST described the club’s decision to increase matchday tickets as ‘excessive’, earlier this month the Supporters’ Trust produced a ‘Call to Action’ plan alongside a number of key facts around the price rise. The highest matchday ticket is now £103 and THST state the club’s decision to increase prices ‘will generate approximately £2.5million’, which they allege contributes to only 0.6 of the club’s total income. Upon revealing plans to hold a peaceful protest, THST urged the club to reverse its decision, guarantee there would be no price increase for next season and for a full commitment to consult the Supporters’ Trust and the Fan Advisory Board on a ‘fair and sustainable’ ticking strategy. ‘I hope the club listen and do retract the matchday ticket price increase,’ THST chair Martin Buhagiar told PA earlier in August. ‘ People can’t afford their mortgage, can’t afford their shopping, can’t afford their utility bills, so now is not the time to price loyal fans out of football. ‘My concern is the stadium will always sell out because of day-trippers or people on holiday coming to games, but fundamentally you will end up with a passionless stadium if you price out the passionate fans.’ After plenty of promotion on social media alongside the hashtags #StopExploitingLoyalty and #StopTicketPriceRises during recent weeks, a large number of fans turned up for Saturday’s demonstration. Around 300 supporters stood on the High Road outside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and held up banners with one reading: ‘Greed is a choice. No to ticket price hike’ and another stating: ‘Stop Exploiting Fans.’ While some of the chanting briefly turned to calling for chairman Daniel Levy to leave Spurs, the majority of the singing was repeatedly calling for the club to reverse its decision before supporters moved on after half an hour.