Fulham Supporters’ Trust issue statement expressing concern at ticket pricing for Manchester United fixture

Fulham Supporters’ Trust have expressed their fears that some of the club’s fans are being priced out of attending matches at Craven Cottage.

The Whites are charging between £160 and £150 for an adult to sit in the Riverside Stand for the visit of Manchester United on November 4 – with junior tickets either £80 or £70.

The cheapest adult tickets in the Hammersmith and Johnny Haynes Stand are £67 and £83 – the most expensive coming in at £77 and £106 respectively in those areas.
FST say they are “extremely disappointed” with the prices for the United match.

“The prices for the Riverside Stand are the highest we have ever seen for individual matchday sales and are likely to be financially out of reach for many of those who hold Club membership.

“Adult prices around the rest of the ground have increased approximately 18 per cent since last year, which is similar to the increase in season ticket prices for this season.

“We continue to have concerns that Club members, including concessions, are being priced out of attending games.

“There seems to be a marked increase in matchday ticket prices across London clubs in particular and we will continue to monitor how Fulham compare against our peers. Matchday ticket pricing will be an agenda item for our October meeting with the club.

“We are also aware that the Manchester United fixture is notorious for non-Fulham supporting fans finding their way in to home supporter areas.

“We hope the club, in increasing prices as they are, will be making every effort to ensure that this does not happen and that any non-Fulham supporting fans subsequently identified in home areas are removed and prevented from buying tickets in the future. This would ensure that, in paying higher prices, Fulham fans at least enjoy a good matchday experience.”

The Riverside Stand is still not fully open with work starting in the summer of 2019 with a target to be completed in 2021.

Fulham provided an update on the development in August, claiming that key factors in the delay included “addressing difficult site conditions”.

Buckingham Group Contracting, who had been chosen to do the rebuild, filed for administration in the summer.

“Additional seating in the new stand will be available, subject to licensing, from the commencement of the 2024-25 season,” said Fulham in their August statement.

“Further details on the opening of the entire riverside walkway, hotel, health club and rooftop pool are not available at this stage.”

Pakistani-American billionaire Shahid Khan bought Fulham off Mohamed Al-Fayed in July 2013.

Khan’s son Tony was appointed vice-chairman and director of football operations in February 2017 – combining those roles with being the CEO, president, co-owner and founder of All Elite Wrestling.

Khan senior has reportedly spent more than half a billion pounds on Fulham – converting £151million of debt into shares after the club made a £94m loss after relegation in the 2020-21 Premier League season, which was played behind closed doors due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

PICTURE: KEITH GILLARD