Manchester United reveal around 12,000 fans will miss out on Burnley game as they cut capacity
Manchester United have confirmed that around 12,000 fans are set to miss out on their upcoming game against Burnley in the Carabao Cup next week.
The club announced that West Stand tier 2 and North Stand tier 3 will be closed for the midweek match on Wednesday, 21 December, due to the ongoing ambulance strikes across the country.
United confirmed that “due to the unavailability of ambulance service personnel as a result of a day of industrial action affecting North West Ambulance Service taking place”, they were advised to close these sections of the ground by safety personnel.
It is now estimated that around 62,000 fans will be permitted to enter the stadium for the cup game – the last before Christmas — reiterating that these areas “were the only possible options for achieving the required reduction whilst meeting the robust medical plan requested by the authorities.”
As a result, thousands of fans are now due for a refund as the payments for the cup match have already been taken and Burnley supporters are also nervously awaiting news of whether or not their away allocation will be affected any further.
To make matters worse, fans must now request a refund directly if they are looking to recoup their losses and since “Full up and Cup Season Ticket Holders” are being prioritised first, it remains unclear if everyone will get their money back as planned.
Many Reds have been left understandably frustrated and concerned as to if/how this affects their eligibility for future games.
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United went on to add that “it was not possible to move the match to another date due to the unavailability of other key public services and matchday staff over the Christmas period, the conclusion of stadium works during the World Cup break, as well as the existing fixture schedule of both teams.”
While many understand the decision and the commitment to prioritising safety, those travelling and booking hotels to attend the game have been left in the lurch.
Here is just some of the various strikes taking place throughout various sectors across the UK in December and January:
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Featured Image — Manchester United/Burnley FC (via Twitter)