Pranav Nair
Manchester United to come down heavily on fans involved in poor behaviour at Old Trafford
According to The Daily Mail, Manchester United will crack the whip on those fans who indulge in creating nuisance when they return to Old Trafford on Tuesday.
10,000 Red Devils fans will be in attendance when United take on Fulham in their last home game of the season. This is the first time that spectators will be present at Old Trafford since the Manchester Derby in March 2020.
This return of fans comes in the midst of large scale uprisings against the Glazers’ ownership of the club. Supporters gathered in large numbers ahead of our game against Liverpool, with the original fixture on May 2nd having to be postponed.
United are in no mood to see a repeat of that night and hope fans will take cognizance of their actions. Those found guilty of anti-social behaviour or vandalism, including setting off flares inside the ground will not only face stadium bans but also criminal prosecution.
Chief operating Collette Roche admitted that the fans who will be in attendance against Fulham will find the Theatre of Dreams a different arena than the one they remember.
Covid-19 protocols will be followed with fans asked to assemble accordingly in designated areas. Despite the protests, we must not take the ensuing pandemic for granted.
“This is all designed to keep people as safe as possible and set us in good stead for welcoming larger crowds back next season and we are confident fans will understand the need for these procedures as a result.”
Proactive or vindictive?
He also went on to add that any ‘reckless’ behaviour would be swiftly dealt with. Whether this is in the service of the fans or just a measure to silence dissenters is debatable.
“We remind everyone that inconsiderate, reckless or anti-social behaviour by anyone visiting Old Trafford will not be tolerated.”
United had earlier banned two news organizations from covering the game after they followed supporters onto the Old Trafford turf on 2 May. It has since been revoked.
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While we agree that safety is of paramount importance, the club will do well to not use it as an excuse to target those who speak up.
