Up to 50,000 Manchester United fans could be locked out of Wembley for the Champions League final

 

(MEN) – More than 50,000 desperate Manchester United fans could be locked out of Wembley, supporters groups claim.

And fans who don’t get into the game face more misery because all pubs within a mile of the ground which could have screened the game will be closed as part of security measures aimed at quelling drinking.

The Reds have 55,000 season ticket holders and regularly attract crowds of more than 74,000.

Yet the club has been allocated just 25,000 tickets for Wembley, which has a capacity of 86,000.

Many more will be travelling to London in the hope of getting a ticket or just to soak up the atmosphere.

Duncan Drasdo, spokesman for the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST), said: “I would be amazed if there weren’t 50,000 going down without tickets. Most of those who are going don’t even hold out much hope of getting tickets. They just want to enjoy the atmosphere. It’s like there’s a magnet pulling you to the stadium. Unless you have organised somewhere to watch the game, it’s a recipe for misery. There will be a mad scramble for the pubs but those within a mile of the ground will be closed.”

Fans have organised venues in Manchester and London to screen the big game.

But the M.E.N. has learned tickets for the screenings were snapped up within hours of of going on sale.

A small-scale black market in tickets for the screenings has even emerged, with fans selling them between themselves usually for at or near the face value.

MUST has organised and sold out screenings today at Lancashire Cricket Club (1,000 tickets), The Palace Hotel (1,300), the Ramada Jarvis Hotel (800), both in Manchester, and at other venues.

Other screenings are being organised in an attempt to meet demand with tickets between £4 and £5.

Mr Drasdo added: “It’s mental. The demand is insatiable. Every time we put on an event, it sells out immediately. Fans are on the phone all the time. It seems like there’s just no end to the demand. You don’t watch it at home or in the local. You want to be somewhere special. You want to be with the fans for the whole experience if you aren’t in the stadium.”

The Metropolitan Police declined to comment on the figure locked out of the game but a spokesman said: “There will be an appropriate policing plan in place.”