Manchester United is contending with disapproval after requesting that a group of their season ticket holders change their seating arrangements.
According to the Mail, the club has informed numerous veteran ticket holders in the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand that they will need to relocate to make room for academy players next season. The rationale given is that a lateral perspective is deemed “most beneficial for their growth and future performance.”
Despite an explanatory letter from United’s chief operating officer, Collette Roche, detailing the rationale for the reseating, the decision has sparked discontent among some affected fans.
As per the publication, Roche says: “Another issue we faced is the location of seats allocated to our academy and women’s team players. We believe, especially for our younger players, that having a side view of the action is optimal to their development and future performance, and being located close to the suite they access is also important.
“It is also important these tickets are seated together with adequate supervision given the increasing profile of many of our younger and women’s team players.”
However, the response has triggered a bemused response from SouthStandUtd, a group set up by those being asked to be moved from the club’s oldest stand.
A spokesperson said: “The reasoning is beyond parody – how did (City boss) Pep (Guardiola) miss that?’ They also joked that the reasoning would leave new arrival – INEOS sporting director Sir Dave Brailsford – ‘scratching his head in bemusement’. Brailsford is famous for his marginal gains theory which brought success to British Cycling and Team Sky.
“The logic, seemingly lifted from the marginal gains playbook, suggests watching the game from a particular angle could be the secret ingredient Manchester United has been missing all these years.
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“Forget about meticulous training regimes, the tactical nous of of the coaching staff or even the state-of-the-art facilities at Carrington, The real key to unlocking player potential, according to United’s top brass, lies in ensuring they have an unobstructed view of Bruno Fernandes’ corner kicks and Marcus Rashford’s free runs.”
The group is planning a protest “that aims to showcase just how out of touch the decision-makers at Old Trafford appear to be with the essence of football fandom”.
The spokesperson added: “The move has drawn ridicule far and wide, with many fans left wondering whether the club’s next announcement will involve strategic seat assignments based on the aerodynamics of cheering or the optimal decibel levels for motivating a counter-attack. In their quest for innovation, Manchester United seems to have scored an own goal, alienating the very supporters who create the electric atmosphere that makes Old Trafford daunting for visiting teams.”