United in ticket row

MANCHESTER UNITED fans plan to protest against ticket prices tomorrow after being charged £ 71 to attend their Europa League match at FC Midtjylland.

Supporters are angry at the premium price for what they view as a second- rate European competition.

Banners have been made by some of the 800 United fans heading for the 11,800- capacity MCH Arena and one says ‘ Welcome to Scamdinavia’.

Southampton fans were charged just £ 22 when they

played at the home of the Danish champions in the Europa League play- off round in August and that has added to United fans’ sense of injustice.

“It is extortionate,” said Andy Mitten, editor of fanzine United We Stand.

“The combined cost of all three tickets for our Champions League away games was only £ 75. Do they think United fans are three times wealthier than Southampton fans? Midtjylland are ripping fans off – their own and the 800 travelling fans.”

United complained to UEFA but there was no reduction for Louis van Gaal’s side.

Direct fl ights from Manchester to Billund, the nearest airport, are about £ 321 return and fans will have to pay up to £ 100 to get to the ground in Herning, where hotels are charging up to £ 320 for a room. So a two- night trip to Denmark could cost well over £ 1,000.

“Many fans go to great extremes to work out the cheapest ways to organise trips and to get clobbered like this on ticket prices is a real slap in the face,” said Duncan Drasdo, CEO of the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust.

“I feel UEFA – and similarly the FA and Premier League – should protect away fans by requiring away fans are charged no more than home fans in equivalent seating.

“And they should also outlaw ‘ away categorisation’, so away fans of all clubs should be charged the same lowest price in the same competition in the same season.”

FC Midtjylland failed to respond to requests for a comment last night.