Fans the losers in Carabao Cup semi-final ticket deal

NEW Year’s Eve, at the end of a momentous decade, is the perfect time for City to reflect on how far they have come – and how far they want to go.

But the Blues have already made one tactical blunder before we even move into 2020, by agreeing to a Carabao Cup semi-final ticket carve-up with United.

The two clubs, apparently, got their heads together and decided to keep tickets for away supporters to the same level as Premier League games – around 3,000 for both legs.

Some United fans in recent years would probably expect no different arguing the club have become complacent in thinking the world’s best-supported club will never run out of fans.

But City have always prided themselves on being different to their cross-town neighbours.

City have always seen it differently. They have been a tight-knit club, despite their relatively large support base, for many, many years, usually sensitive to the whims and wishes of fans who stood by them in dark times.

The decision not to take the 10 per cent of tickets which League Cup rules allow, which is intended to cut security risks and save a little on policing, was a poor one.

It means that they can sell more tickets to home fans, who are the club’s bread and butter, rather than accommodate another 2,500 United fans, with all the organisational hassle that comes with that.

But if any decision was designed to anger the very core of that support, those fans who should be cherished and protected, it is this one.

It means that roughly the same supporters who get tickets for away league games will be heading to Old Trafford next week for the first leg of the semi-final.

And that means the 4,600 who could have got tickets for that game will have to watch it on the box.

City have got so much right in the 11 years since the takeover, turning into a global phenomenon but retaining their sense of Mancunian identity.

They need to ensure they do not start spoiling it now.