Some Man United fans sharing use of season tickets
One in eight Manchester United fans are planning on sharing the use and cost of their season ticket this season, according to new research.
Some 12% of United fans are preparing to share their season tickets with other supporters, according to Virgin Money's Football Fans' Index. By contrast only 2% of fans of newly-promoted Blackpool are expecting to do so.
Earlier this month, United revealed that they fell 2,200 short of their target of 54,000 season ticket sales.
The survey showed 9% of Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool supporters were also sharing their season ticket.
Grant Bather, spokesman for Virgin Money, said: "Clubs may have frozen season ticket prices but some fans are starting to question whether they can afford to support their team week in, week out.
"The discontent amongst Manchester United fans has been well documented over the past few seasons and it's no surprise to see a significant number of fans electing to share the cost of their season tickets with fellow fans in protest."
Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Football Supporters' Federation, added: "We get more and more reports of supporters sharing season tickets. The main reason is cost. Far too many fans simply can't afford the burden of paying for a ticket on their own these days."
Shared season ticket table (club, minimum season ticket price, max. season ticket price, % of fans sharing season ticket)
Man Utd £513 £931 12%
Arsenal £893 £1,370 9%
Liverpool £732 £785 9%
Tottenham £650 £1,175 9%
Blackburn £209 £369 8%
Newcastle £365 £658 8%
Wolves £522 £630 8%
Aston Villa £350 £550 6%
Sunderland £380 £495 6%
West Ham £600 £830 6%
Birmingham £396 £638 5%
Chelsea £695 £1,210 5%
Man City £420 £515 5%
Stoke City £449 £609 5%
West Brom £399 £499 5%
Wigan £250 £295 5%
Bolton £339 £475 4%
Fulham £369 £899 4%
Everton £528 £631 3%
Blackpool £382 £440 2%
