The firm has previously told Reds Away it is a licensed tour operator and gets its tickets through legal means.
Reds Away does not dispute that, but Wigan and United both deny selling tickets to them.
Wigan said they don’t sell away-end tickets to third parties and United said they are the only club who sell away-end tickets when United are the visiting club.
Bot one of them must be wrong – and no matter what the case, there are concerns.
- If the firm has cancelled its package because United’s allocation has fallen by 500, we have to ask how is it getting tickets meant for United season ticket holders and executive members?
It is against Premier League rules for any third party to sell away-end tickets and, earlier this year, another firm removed away-end tickets for Liverpool v United after Reds Away complained to the Football Association.
- If – as Celtic Horizon’s statement suggests – it has cancelled its package because Wigan are giving it fewer tickets, this prompts a much bigger concern.
When Reds Away first learned that the firm was selling tickets in the away end, our concern was that, if there was an incident which lead safety authorities to reduce the away-end allocation at a future game, how could the authorities be certain that those responsible were not Celtic Horizons’ customers as opposed to United season ticket holders or executive members who had got their tickets through United?
As the firm admits, the away allocation has been cut because “incidents” occurred at last season’s match.
And though it insists that none of its customers were involved, how can they prove it?
So we may be in a situation whereby the actions of the customers of a third party have lead to United fans getting a reduced allocation.
We expressed this fear in February 2011 and it fell on deaf ears.
We have asked Wigan Council and Greater Manchester Police why United’s allocation was cut and have so far not received a reply.
We have also asked Wigan Athletic’s press office, but don’t expect to get a reply as, the last time Reds Away asked about it, the press manager asked us not to contact him again. Quite professional, I’m sure you will agree.
In the mean time, Reds Away believes the only way away-end safety issues can be addressed and United’s allocations can be protected is if those who buy tickets on the open market are not seated in the away end or next to the away end where there is no segregation.
This may also put an end to Seatwave selling tickets for the away match at Fulham at £20 above face value under the pretense that the seats are sold out.
MUST and IMUSA support this position and we would like to hear your views.
[...] Reds Away comment – concerns over ticket reduction Wigan reduce reds’ allocation [...]
Will be interesting to see what allocation Mufc officially announce, as will any of these tickets be part of Exec packages and will any part of the North stand(away end) be closed.
Re Execs, you would wonder how Wigan convince them to spend vast amounts as Execs are pretty much sure to be successful in the ballot for this type of fixture aren’t they?
Exactly what incidents occurred at last seasons game? I was there and cannot remember there being any problems!?
westbrom are geting 4600 for wigan. they have sold all them and are going to ask wigan for another 600 tix which would be the full stand. be intresting to see if wigan give them the extra tix.
Wigan sell their own Exec packages direct to united fans. These fans then sit in the United away section and use the lounge under the stand. This happens every season. What you may find, is that they want to sell another 500 seats this season.
If this is against Premier League rules is their no one they can be reported too?
Andy, don’t think they are breaking a rule, their not selling to a 3rd party (A company), think they’d need to be fans on mufc database. Anyway the FA will know full well about the Celtic Horizons and seatwave situations and they’ve choose to not act or can’t act, vitty did great highlighting and acting on the fact liverpool (cup) were selling away end via 3rd party. FA likely take a harder stance on that due to Rivalry. Tufty are you saying that Exec packages aren’t just sold to Execs. As can’t see no great incentive for execs to purchase from Wigan, when there’ll get in Ballot. Defo be under 4,000 balloted.
Andy, why is it against PL rules? They are giving us way over the 10% required either way. Is it unfair, as other teams get more, but that’s all based on goodwill from Wigan not rules.
It would be a lot easier if they allocated Wigan the away end and give us the rest of the stadium, has the stadium been full since we opened it for them?
Can some one explain these executive ticket deals? Checked Wigan’s website and nothing in there.
The exec package at Wigan is like any other meal/program/ticket etc package, usually about £120 and you can opt to sit in the North stand or in the Main stand, regardless of whether you’re neutral, home or away supporter.
Paul: That made me laugh. Spot on. They only took 186 to Norwich this weekend mind so they might still struggle to fill it!
allocation announced as 3441. like robson7 above mentioned that WBA got 4600. what is the breakdown of the missing 1200
I have email Stuart Hayton at wigan asking why our allocation has been reduced. His reply was its the same as last season?? s.hayton@wiganathletic.com
I’m not sure Wigan should be the target or our anger, how many clubs give us 50 percent more than they have to? Of course I’d like to see us be the 5k we used to and that other clubs get, but I’d be polite and respectful towards them as it could be a lot worse. I also remember how good they were letting thousands of ticketless reds in all over the stadium at full time to see us lift the trophy the other year, they didn’t need to do that.
Oli, you always make valid points and take a common sense approach to situations but WBA having 1200 extra tickets than us beggars belief in my opinion and im sure many others agree. Its the same with quite a few other teams too eg. Liverpool, Everton, Chelsea and so on! We are the target of these ridiculous allocation cuts at Wigan/Bolton when other teams get away scot free from this.
Danny, I agree with you. I am not contradicting that in any way.
But the fact remains that there is no rule that Wigan have to go all away teams the same number of seats. They only have to give us 2500 and do you want to piss them off and incentivise them just giving us that? How many other clubs give us more than the rules say they have to – is basically Bburn, Wigan and Fulham. Surely they are the top 3 clubs for us in that respect.
Manchester United gave Bilbao an extra allocation of seats when they realised they wouldn’t sell them to our fans. Does that mean every other club who wants more from us (Liverpool, City etc) should be making a fuss that we only give them the 3k we have to?
The fact is Wigan can flog more seats when United are in town so have less incentive to sell to their own fans, just as United found with Bilbao. How can we prioritise being angry about that above all the clubs who cut our allocations, compared to this club giving us loads more than they have to.