Bees branded Greedy

Last updated : 04 October 2005 By Bm91
Manchester United wanted to charge home fans £5 for Junior, £10-£20 for Members and £15-£25 for non members. With away adult fans being charged £27 a ticket. Alot more then £10 for Man United members. As Denis Signy said "This is Barnet's Cup final, a tie to savour and the chance to earn a few bob", Signy said. "This is a prestigious occasion for us going to Old Trafford, not a cut-price exercise".
A Manchester United statement said;
"Following our discussions with Barnet FC, we secured their agreement to a reduction on normal prices in the club's automatic Cup Ticket scheme who will receive tickets priced one third off their normal Premier League price.


"[We wanted] bigger reductions to encourage fans to come to this match. But we have to accept Barnet's right to veto reductions to maximise their revenue from this fixture."

Karl Evans,
Director of Venue (caretaker), Old Trafford "The Club was unable to secure agreement with Barnet for this discount to be extended to the rest of the match day tickets which Barnet have only agreed to cut by 15% from the normal level.

"However, Barnet have agreed to all junior tickets being reduced for the match to £8. Non Members and away fan tickets will be subject to the normal £5 non member supplement."

Director of Venue (caretacket) at Old Trafford, Karl Evans, said: "Our original plans were for bigger reductions to encourage fans to come to this match , but we have to accept Barnet FC's right to veto reductions as they want to maximise their revenue from this fixture.

"We hope the junior concessions we have secured will encourage young fans who would not normally be able to watch the team to come and experience a game at Old Trafford, especially since it is at half term."
The Bees replied with the following statement:

If Barnet FC had agreed the original Manchester United proposal for reducing prices for the third round Carling Cup tie at Old Trafford home supporters sitting in the best seats would have paid less to watch the game than Bees' fans at the away end.

"The proposal did not seem within the spirit of the rules", said Barnet chairman Tony Kleanthous.

The chairman, who agreed the final price list for the game last Friday with United's Director of Venue Karl Evans and felt "all was agreed amicably", was unaware that United were imposing a £5 non-members' supplement on away tickets towards the £27 total.

Barnet were surprised to receive Press calls following a United Press release saying that their original plans were for bigger reductions than those agreed to encourage fans to come to the match.

The club were puzzled to receive the calls after what they thought was an amicable agreement - if Mr Evans had a problem he certainly did not convey it to Tony Kleanthous and if Mancheter United subsequently had one the correct procedure would have been to consult Barnet over the wording of a Press release.

Dennis Signy, spokesman for the club, told both radio and Press callers that Barnet FC had no intention of getting involved in a tit-for-tat situation. Barnet FC were looking forward to the dream draw of a visit to Old Trafford and all at Underhill were anticipating a brilliant day out for their first-ever third round League Cup tie and, as a League 2 club with attendances between 2,000-3,000, a financial windfall.

Tickets for the United game can be brought from today. Tickets cost £27 for Adults, £8 for Under 16s and £13.50 for OAPs. Tickets can be brought from the ground and it is CASH ONLY!

Full ticket info;

From www.barnetfc.com

Ticket sales will be as follows:-

TUESDAY 4TH OCTOBER 2005
4PM - 7PM
Season Ticket Holders*

THURSDAY 6TH OCTOBER 2005
4PM - 7PM
Bees Members** and Season Ticket Holders

SUNDAY 9TH OCTOBER 2005
11AM - 1PM
Priority Voucher Holders***, Bees Members and Season Ticket Holders

SUNDAY 9TH OCTOBER 2005
1PM - 3PM
General Sale
* Please present Cup Voucher 2 from your 05-06 ticket book
** Please present Cup Voucher 2 from your 05-06 ticket book
*** Please present one voucher printed in either of the 05-06 home matchday programmes. Three vouchers are in all programmes from the Macclesfield Town game onwards and are numbered from 1 (Macclesfield Town programme) to 18 (Oxford United programme).