Manchester City fans are becoming increasingly frustrated by the ongoing ticketing situation at the Etihad Stadium.
A large number of supporters remained in the stadium’s concourses for the first nine minutes of their game against Leicester City on 2 April to protest against the club’s new partnership with third-party ticket resale platform Viagogo.
It is the ninth company the Premier League champions have a resale agreement with.
The protest comes after seven Man City fan groups sent a joint letter to the club in February complaining about ticket price rises and the prospect of local supporters being frozen out.
The letter, which was sent to chairman Khaldoon al-Mubarak, pointed out the club have made a profit every year since 2014-15, barring the Covid-affected season.
Former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson exclusively told Football Insider there will be an internal task force at the Etihad working on how to resolve the ticketing situation.
Borson previously told Football Insider Man City want to double their ticket prices over the coming years as they look to increase their matchday revenue.
Pep Guardiola’s side currently sit sixth in the Premier League table after 31 matches.
Man City end infiltrated after ticket price controversy
Borson revealed neutrals and fans of other teams have been infiltrating the home end at the Etihad recently.
He told Football Insider: “The club know the issue, so I don’t think fan displeasure is anything that’s not known to the club, or the strength of feeling.
“It’s been brewing for a while, and they have teams of people who are responsible for liaison on these issues now, so it’s not about knowledge.
“They have obviously got an issue generally. They have got season ticket numbers where they’re restraining the number of new tickets.
“They have got a new stand that’s being built and they’re getting increasing amounts of infiltration of home supporters by either neutrals or active fans of other teams, and that’s causing issues with fights and just general irritation to fans who sit in those parts of the stadium.
“But all of this is known, it’s not coming to their attention for the first time because of this protest the other night.
“I would imagine that there is an internal task force that’s looking at how they can resolve these issues because the last thing they want to do right now is have these sorts of ongoing battles with the fans.”
| Position | Team | Played | Points | GD |
| 1 | Liverpool | 31 | 73 | +42 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 31 | 62 | +30 |
| 3 | Nottingham Forest | 31 | 57 | +14 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 31 | 53 | +17 |
| 5 | Newcastle United | 30 | 53 | +13 |
| 6 | Man City | 31 | 52 | +17 |
| 7 | Aston Villa | 31 | 51 | 0 |
Man City could agree £50m Hugo Larsson deal
Football Insider revealed on 6 April Man City could agree a £50million deal for Hugo Larsson as they look to add to their midfield options.
However, Eintracht Frankfurt have no need to sell the Sweden international afte receiving a £59million fee for Omar Marmoush from Guardiola’s side in January.
The 20-year-old has registered six goals and one assist in 39 appearances for the Bundesliga side this season.
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The post Stefan Borson: Man City appoint internal task force after fan protest appeared first on Football Insider.
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