Sutcliffe, a United fan, hit the headlines last month, and irked Sir Alex Ferguson when he condemned the cost of admission to Old Trafford and claimed many lifelong fans were being priced out.
Ferguson responded by telling Sutcliffe to go and watch FC United, the Unibond League outfit set up by disgruntled Reds fans in protest both at Malcolm Glazer's controversial takeover and increasing prices.
It was also pointed out to Sutcliffe by the United boss that London duo Chelsea and Arsenal are among the clubs who charge substantially more than his own.
However, the Manchester United Supporters Trust the group formerly known as Shareholders United, have sent an open letter, pleading with Sutcliffe to intervene.
"We believe the time has come for the Government to intervene over ticket prices," said MUST chief executive Duncan Drasdo.
"Club owners have been given ample time to put their own house in order and bring prices under control and yet price increases have actually accelerated to unprecedented levels.
"This has created hardship for many long-term supporters (as well as potential new fans) who have given loyalty to their club for so many years only to be rewarded with an ultimatum to pay up or be replaced by someone else who can.
"We understand that the Government sees intervention as the last resort but we believe that the case for such intervention is now overwhelming."
What do you think? Have your say.
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This is the same group who thought they could take the club over I wish they would omit ManUtd from their complaints list when a lot of other clubs have dearer tickets, I have supported the club over 50 years, through thick and thin, still do and am still a season ticket holder.
They only use ManUtd's name because of the media coverage they get.
A HAPPY fan.
The simple truth is that our debts are so massive we have to charge high prices to service them.
If we wish to continue to watch such exciting football and keep investing in big names like Carrick,Tevez, Hargreaves etc.we have no alternative than to pay the premium.
Where I think we are being set up is in having to buy tickets for other competitions other than the premier league.
Yes the big London clubs may charge more but they receive bigger wages down there.
I have more than a bit of sympathy on the prices issue.
In order to compete tho UNITED have to charge the going rate for a top club.
Difficult;perhaps they should put a freeze on admission charges for a couple of years.It would then probably have an impact in Britains performance in the champions league.
Market forces (prawn sandwiches)usually prevail.
Ted the Red, haven't you got work to do for Mr Glazer or is he still asking you to write propoganda on the forums?
As for the real "I'm alright Jack's", I hope you are always able to look after yourselves and never need any help from anyone else. There's a lot of longstanding Reds out there who can't afford to go to OT anymore out there and all you can say is "Tough, I'm alright Jack".
I can understand the frustration that comes from higher ticket prices. Live and breathe red, but the tickets get so dear that wallet also bleeds red.
Having said that, being overseas, i wish i was in a position to buy those pricey tickets to attend every match !
It's just the way that market economics work: scarce goods go to those who pay more. So whilst i do sympathize, i'm envious of those who can go each match.
Maybe i can petition for discounts on my airfare to Manchester?
what i dont quite understand is why its so cheap to get in at big clubs in europe who are are clearly paying the same wages for top players as in england
I'm a blue, but can I say, well done. Good to see fans taking action, I whole heartedly agree. Fortunately we've not had the enforced paying for cup matches scenario, but I fear it's probably inevitable in the current financial climate. Good luck lads and lasses!
The price of tickets may well be comparable to those of Chelsea and Arsenal, but for most of us, we don't have the luxury of earning the same salaries and therefore 'our' tickets are in effect higher.
The sooner the gimps realise that United are not just a 'brand', but a football club for the hard working people of the Manchester area, the better.
I dont doubt for one minute we have one of the greatest squads ever assembled in my time of following United (nearly 40 years!!) but I do resent having to contribute towards the ridiculously obscene amounts these players are paid.
I for one will not stomach another hefty rise in my season ticket next year and will do so by shifting 'my loyalty' to, as Fergie would say, 'The other lot'.
Season ticket holder - K Stand - follower of FC United - Member of MUST
It is a futile act, sadly. The money in football is a disgusting disgrace, not a phrase I use lightly. Players earning £100,000 A WEEK playing football is mind boggling. I don't know where it will all end, but mark my words, end it will, and in tears. The average man will eventually be priced out of going to games altogether. When this happens, regardless of how much money sponsers and TV compnies invest, the game will be as good as dead. Not everyone is a sad as me, sitting on my 10 years old computer, eagerly devouring any scrap of information I can get about United. The people in my village think me quite mad. (At least I don't share my dinner with my goat like Dipurk next door does. Now he IS barmy)
Another example of rip-off Britain.
Why does it only cost an average of £20 to watch Barcelona at Camp Nou? They have some of the best players in the world and don't even have a paying shirt sponsor. Answer. They don't have £800m of debt to pay off. The Glazers have a lot to answer for.
Good luck you reds with your campaign.
Fergie's remarks to you are indicative of the man.An arrogant bully.I don't care how succesful a manager he is or that he has been knighted he is a bully and a control freak.
Hence his fall out with certain players who stand up to him.And now his couldn't care less attitude to yourselves.
How soon he has forgotten his working class Glasgow roots and the struggle most normal people have to survive and pay for life's treats.Shame on the man!
Ticket prices dont effect the people at MUST, as non of them go to the games anymore.
stop your crying come to canada and go watch the toronto maple leafs . oh yes bring your bank manager . what you pay their is what we pay in parking.
i really don't understand what these protesters really want.
List of most expensive premier league tickets.
1 Arsenal £94
2 Tottenham Hotspur £71
3 Chelsea £65
4 West Ham United £61
5 Newcastle United £60
6 Sunderland £55
7 Fulham £50
8 Birmingham City £48
9 Derby County £44
9= Manchester United £44
11 Portsmouth £41
11=R eading £41
13 Middlesbrough £40
14 Bolton Wanderers £39
15 Liverpool £36
16 Aston Villa £35
16= Blackburn Rovers £35
18 Everton £34
18= Manchester City £34
20 Wigan Athletic £25
So , in summary, it costs more to watch the relegation dogfight at Sunderland, Derby County, Birmingham and Fulham than it does to watch the League Champions ( who are pretty much the entire Premier league team of the year 06/07 ). It costs 25% more to watch £5M Sunderland ace Kenwyn Jones that to watch £30M Wayne Rooney.
Its a joke, isnt it. Premier league tickets are not cheap, granted, but relative to the entertainment on hand Manchester United's are. I know there are loads of people who think its their fundamental human right to watch ManUtd because there fathers did and their father's fathers did too...... I see the sentimentalism, but the world does not run on sentiment. The success of Manchester United depends almost entirely on having sound business principles. We'll all say having fans counts, but look at Leeds, a fanbase as passionate as ManUtd's, probably even more so, but once you fail to run the finances, that's it, fans can't do a thing to save the club. Some people say tickets down south are twice the cost coz of higher wages there... get real, average wages are not twice the amount in the South as in the North. And look at tyneside ticket prices.
I'm tired of people who can't stop whining simply because their doomsday prophecies about the Glazer era turned out to be wrong. if tickets are too expensive, don't buy them, and someone else will.
How much are the prawn butties now?
I have to agree with Ted. We all wish the "FC bridgade" would just go away. The only reason the FC types keep their club going is that they keep putting their name out there pretending to be real United supporters. The outfit running FC is a joke and I do not understand why the MEN continues to give them free propaganda every week. This lot is more pessimistic than any city fans ever were. Borderline nut jobs.
to my old man, no I don't work for Glazer but have followed ManUtd since they played at Maine Road when we had no ground. I am from North Manchester and served over 10 years in the army. I certainly don't think I'm all right jack as I am a pensioner but I did object to the silly group who tried to take the club over with about 1/6d and caused a lot of bad publicity for the club. I didn't support the takeover but I have worked in sales for many years and know that anything can be bought even Liverpool but you don't hear their fans moaning they just support their club and team as we should. If you remember the ground after it was bombed and we had to play at City well look around it now it must be one of the best grounds in the world. I probably can afford to watch my team as I prefer to do that and not smoke or drink, Yes City played good football in the days of Bell, Lee and Summerbee so when the pendelum swings it may happen again, keep up the good work lads and I hope we win the prem again!!!
If it is ture that fergie has said that any disgruntled fans should go and watch FC Utd, well i'm afraid that to me sums up utd .I seem to remember fergie being against the take over now his new master's say jump and fergie say's how high.Yes i'm a city fan but i cann't believe the way you reds are treated by your club, for a manager to say go and surpport another club is bizzarre but still you turn up week in to be treated like this !!!would you still turn up if utd weren't winning and would utd still treat you like this if you weren't winning?. look's to me that utd have you by the short and curles!!
Happy manc (margate). If we ever stop winning, we'll let you know how the Glazers treat us. Is Margate just between Gorton and Clayton perchance? Surely a Bitter can't actually live OUTSIDE "Manchestor Sorted Our Kid".
Ted the Red
I've been going just as long as you, but I think the prices are over the top with the compulsory cup scheme. And if you really are a pensioner you will know that your season ticket is HALF PRICE. Don't kid a kidder!
Khaled manhood i'm an exiled manc but you miss my point if you do not agreed with your club or manager as far as they are concern you should just go away is this the way any club should treat its fans? It seems to me that the ture utd fans are so use to being taked for granted because if you stop going the swamp will be filled with glory hunters, oh yeh it all ready is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
city fan here, and this guy is spot on !!! fergie's comments are outrageous and that is no way a manager should treat his fans !!! it's time all football clubs united together in one campaign to sort out this disgraceful position us fans are put in.
''RESPECT THE FAN''
CTID
joey - do us a list of cheapest tickets as well will you please? I really dont care if a cockeny can afford the prices at arsenal and chelsea. their houses and ber cost more too, thats why employers down there offer a london weighting. And their wages dont need to be double those of United's fanbase for those teams to be able to sell out, they just need to have enough on that sort of money to accomplish that. Base facts are united is now 50% dearer to watch than 3 years ago, for nobody's benefit but the Glazers. The plc spent 50m in 2001 on players, without a mega new tv deal, or higher prices, or more seats, or a bigger shirt deal. So where do you think all that extra money is going?
Comments on this article are interesting so I thought I would add a few of my own which I am sure will also be controversial.
If you want want to bring prices down just dont go. Not a few of you but masses.
Players do earn too much.In fact many earn more in a week than the supporters earn in 12 months.
The players are no better to-day than the players of years ago who were glad of 20 pounds per week for first team appearances. The football is no better than it was but the acting and shirt pulling has improved beyond recognition. One last comment about United and that is Mat Busby was their Greatest Manager and a Gentleman to all players and fans alike.
Having said all of the above I know there is not one fan who will stop going as a protest as he will be afraid somebody will take his seat.
fc united is not a bad idea iam sick of being abused by mufc these days Its about making money now and sod the fans and fergies comment is not needed He does not have to worry about the rising cost to mr average supporter it would do no harm for united to win nothing for a few years and when the support drops off and the stadium is not full then and only then will the atitude of the money men change its sad to say this but the game i have loved for so many years is being taken away from me
one love forever
ged stretford manchester