Manchester United is to replace the executive seating area in the Stretford End with general admission season tickets next season.
For decades, the Stretford End has been the matchday home of some of Manchester United’s most passionate supporters, and now, following what has been called a “constructive consultation” with the club’s Fans’ Advisory Board, it has been agreed that all the seating in the stand will be returned to general admission for the start of the 2024/25 season.
The club says this decision is in support of “successful ongoing efforts” to enhance the Old Trafford atmosphere.
This decision adds to a series of fan-centric steps that have already been taken by The Reds, including the installation of rail seating, and the creation of a dedicated atmosphere section in the Stretford End.
A part of Old Trafford since the stadium’s opening in 1910, the Stretford End is named after the area of Trafford that the stand backs on to, and for decades, it was a standing terrace before being redeveloped into all-seating in the early 1990s.
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The International Suite was opened with a small section of executive seating in the first tier, and a second tier was added in 2000.
But from next season, all executive seating is to be removed.
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“Fans and fan groups have long campaigned for us to remove the executive seats from the heart of the Stretford End and to make them standard tickets and therefore more accessible to all fans,” explained Rick McGagh – Head of Fan Engagement at Manchester United.
“We have listened and agree that as many fans as possible should have the chance to be a Stretford Ender, so we have worked with our Fans’ Advisory Board in recent months to make this happen and we are all looking forward to an even louder Stretford End from August 2024.”
Manchester United to replace executive seats with general admission in Stretford End next season / Credit: Vince Connaire (via Flickr)
Collette Roche – Chief Operating Officer at Manchester United – added: “Structural work will take place over the coming year to return the Stretford End to general admission seating and create a new concourse.
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“During this period, we will be consulting fans to understand how best to repurpose the space currently used by the International Suite, as we very much value our executive club members who currently sit in the Stretford End and recognise the impact this change will have.
“The club is committed to working with those affected to find alternative seating where necessary ahead of the 24/25 season”
Manchester United has also revealed that plans for the long-term redevelopment of Old Trafford “continue to progress”, but the club will simultaneously take steps such as this one to improve the matchday experience in the near-term.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
Sport
Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
Sport
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands
Emily Sergeant
Andy Burnham has claimed he wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on fans getting to drink alcohol in football stands.
It’s a ban that’s been in place in the top five tiers of men’s football since 1985, when fears over violence and hooliganism were at their height, but now the Prime Minister has raised the question of whether drinking in football stands – or ‘drinking in sight / view of the pitch’, as it’s known formally – is actually unjust, due to the fact that same rules don’t apply to fans of other sports.
“I don’t think it’s fair for football fans to be singled out in that way,” Andy Burnham has declared this week, grabbing headlines in the process.
He continued: “I think that legislation dates to an era where football was very different, and I do believe there is a case to remove that discrimination.
“I’m not going to back away from what’s been a long-held view of mine. I don’t see how it can be fair that some supporters of one sport can be treated differently.”
The Prime Minister’s comments have been met with mixed response.
Andy Burnham wants to scrap the ‘unfair’ ban on drinking alcohol in football stands / Credit: James Kirkup | Julia Nastogadka (via Unsplash)
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA), for example, has very much welcomed the idea, saying that it ‘totally agrees’ the legislation is ‘outdated’ and ‘deserves to be reviewed’.
Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, said in a statement: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol whilst watching an Oasis gig or rugby league.”
However, on the flip side, the UK Football Policing Unit said it would be ‘incredibly rash’ to change the rules without proper consultation.
“Other sports simply don’t see the violence and criminal behaviour from their supporters that football does, albeit a minority, with alcohol often playing a significant part in violent and disorderly behaviour,” it said in a statement on the matter.
The Prime Minister did state in his initial proposition though that ‘there are different ways it could be done’, hinting that it could be done ‘on a trial basis’ perhaps.
The English Football League (EFL) added that it would be ‘receptive to discussions around reviewing current legislation and permitting alcoholic drinks within view of the pitch’.
No formal details on a review have been confirmed as of yet, so fans are encouraged to stay tuned for updates in due course.
Emily Sergeant -
23rd January 2023 
