Manchester City fans are fuming after missing out on the last 2,300 FA Cup final tickets - which were given to opponents Stoke instead.
And supporters have accused the Football Association of fouling up over their allocation for next Saturday's Wembley showpiece.
Both clubs were originally handed just over 25,000 tickets for the final, City's first for 30 years.
But now Stoke will have more than 2,000 extra seats to sell to their fans due to the way in which the FA redistributes so-called 'neutral' places.
That is despite the fact that the Staffordshire club have only 21,000 season-ticket holders, compared to City's 36,000.
And Stoke officials have claimed that they got the extra tickets after successfully lobbying the FA.
City sold out the last of their cup final allocation on Wednesday morning and there are fears that Blues fans desperate to be at Wembley will now try to buy tickets on the black market, and could end up in the Stoke section of the ground.
Kevin Parker, general secretary of the City Supporters Club, is critical of the FA.
He said: "My gut reaction is that the FA don¹t seem to have planned this particularly well.
"I know there will be thousands of City fans who will be aggrieved that they haven' been given an extra allocation and Stoke have - especially as City's average attendance is higher, and we have more season-ticket holders.
"I don't begrudge Stoke fans their extra tickets for the final, but it's galling that the same opportunity hasn't been given to City's supporters.
"It means now that the search for FA Cup final tickets goes on for City's fans. I'm sure they will do their best to get tickets at face value, but that looks very unlikely now."
Stoke chief executive Tony Scholes hailed the FA's decision to release the extra tickets.
"We stated our case to the FA for more tickets when we received the initial allocation, so we are delighted that this has been successful in securing the additional number of tickets now," Scholes said.
"It was a concern to us that so many who had been among the 34,000 at Wembley for the semi-final [against Bolton] would be unable to get a ticket for the big day, especially as it is the first time the club has reached the final in its 148-year history."
An FA spokesman told the M.E.N. that the reallocated tickets were originally designated for their 'Football Family', which includes non-league clubs and grass-roots football organisations.
He added that those tickets were originally spilt 50-50, with anyone applying told to state whether they would be supporting City or Stoke.
"Both clubs were originally given 25,000 tickets each, with the rest going to the Football Family," the spokesman said.
"At the FA Cup final, there is no neutral section as such, so applicants were given the choice of being in the Stoke end or the Manchester City end.
"The Manchester City allocation of Football Family tickets sold out, but 2,300 tickets for the Stoke section were returned. Those tickets have now been passed on to Stoke but it doesn't mean there will be more Stoke fans in the ground than Manchester City fans."
Parker, though, has argued that the FA's allocation system could be a recipe for trouble.
He said: "The problem is that you could have Stoke and City fans mixed together on the day.
"I'm certainly not saying that either set of supporters would be looking for trouble, but in a hotbed like that, there is a potential for it."
What do you think? Have your say.
FA Cup fury: Manchester City fans fume as Stoke handed over 2000 extra final tickets
May 06, 2011
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Usual barmpot FA organisation. They are unbelievable. We all know you get less tickets for the final but this defies rational analysis.
Bernstein has probably done that to prove we're not in kahootz
Aren't the FA great at organising things. Stoke average gate around 26,000 and Citys around 45,000, so let's give Stoke more tickets and make the City fans buy them on the black market at an inflated cost which will line the ticket touts pockets.
P**s up and brewery come to mind on this one.
this is typical - why are city SO unpopular !! we really are the lepers of english football .....
fa cock up kings strike again!!!!!!!
What's the problem?
2,000 people didn't want, or couldn't get rid of, tickets in the stoke half so they have been given to the club - fair play to them. Unfortunately the demand in the City side means people are making a killing - A friend of mine bought three today in the "FA family section for 400 notes each!!
Whinge..whinge..whinge..
yeah ! so lets park all the coaches together on the car park like in the semi ....no trouble there then. ycmiu
One despairs of the FA their motto surely must be "THERE MUST BE A WAY TO F**K THIS UP SO LETS FIND IT AND USE IT". SURELY THE SIMPLE AND FAIREST WAY WOULD BE HMMMMMMM LETS SEE 2,500 SPARE TICKETS I know how about 1,250 to each club, simple quick easy & FAIR and everyones happy. Or am I just a simple lowlife that knows nothing ????????????.
Most of the tickets are grabbed by F.A. gangster who sell them on at a huge profit. That is what the F.A. is all about, innit?
The FA cocking things up - AGAIN ?!!
Shock-horror !
The whole allocation of tickets for the Final has always been ridiculous. A fairer way surely would be to distribute the tickets on season ticket allocation to both teams and then the remainder to the Football Family. Or, should not the stadium have been built with a much larger capacity.
whats worse city missing out on extra tickets or the toads selling htere tickets for £500 on spurious websites
Well doesn't that just about sum up the FA . Just missed out by 100 points of getting my ticket through the club and was gutted, now the FA have to rub my nose well and truly in it.
Sounds about right to me...Stoke are a real club with real fans. Not a smoke and mirrors club with part time supporters. All the best Stoke..the whole of Manchester is behind you. L.U.H.C...................................................
The FA probably looked at all the empty seats in the cup games at home for city.city might have more season ticket holders but where were they for these games?sat at home in there armchairs.
why would anyone be surprised, or consider it newsworthy, that the 'old farts in blazers' have mucked it up again ?
This is Incompetence by the FA. I suggest Manchester City complain and demand that all tickets are cancelled and money returned to purchasers and the match is rescheduled and that City are offered more tickets. Failing that I hope both sets of fans share the same sections and If there is trouble the FA carry the can.
Whoever is responsible at the FA should be named and dismissed Immediately.
I am not aggrieved, I am absolutely livid that there can be so much Incompetence within the FA and who the hell is the FA spokesman give us a name and not be such a coward I cannot tolerate faceless spokesman hiding behind a mask?
this is a disgrace
not like the FA to make a hash out of something is it ??
Whats worse is that ticket allocation SHOULDNT BE SPLIT 50-50 let alone more given to Stoke.
A fair districution given all circumstances would mean City get a greater allocation because of their bigger fan base and season ticket sales.
Now some die hard city fans won't get in whilst some stoke fans crawling out of the woodwork after 20 years will end up going........
Unfortunatly this sort of thing has gone on for years. until the bafoons at FA sort it out that a major Final is not for all and sundry it should be for the genuine fans who go week in week out. I've got friends in Cambridge touting tickets around who have been offered them by people who don't want to go. This should be done on an average gate so 16k go to the cooperate (not my idea but no choice) and this final should be 35K to City 25k to Stoke and 14K to the FA but who am I.
Come on City
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Blabbermouth Eccles
Please enlighten the City Forum, Whinge, Whinge, Whinge and this editorial is on the News site for whatever reason.
Man U fans being ripped off and held to ransom again! Dreary Me!
The FA have always maintained that the two clubs in a final, will get the same amount of tickets...... irrespective of who they are or how many supporters they have!
This is a travesty, however you want to look at it.
Loads of spare tickets around London for FA Cup Final due to lack of interest !...