Ineos view Man United fans as an 'irritation' amid Old Trafford protests, argues Kieran Maguire

Manchester United fans protested against the club’s ownership and the current ticket touting situation at Old Trafford.

As players walked out for the 199th Manchester derby this weekend, Manchester United fans held up a banner in the Stretford End that read: “The way you treat us is a disgrace”.

This summer, United investigated ticket ‘touting’, but many match-going fans were impacted by the outcome, with the ownership making it more and more difficult for loyal fans to follow the club.

United’s protest was well supported, including by fan groups associated with rivals Manchester City. Football finance expert Kieran Maguire is worried that an important protest is falling on deaf ears at Old Trafford.

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Kieran Maguire comments on Manchester United fan protests

Maguire has criticised United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe previously, and his comments on the ownership situation at Old Trafford are damning.

Speaking exclusively to United in Focus, Maguire said:

“There will be little thought in the boardroom to the protests by the Manchester United fans over the course of the weekend. Ineos see the fans as an irritation.

“They see fans as bed blockers who are taking up valuable inventory in the form of seats which could be sold to a more lucrative demographic of fans.

“So, as we’ve seen before under the whole tenure of the Glazer ownership of Manchester United, the protests will come and go and come and go, and the owners will continue doing whatever they think is best for themselves.

“There is no relationship between ownership and the core fanbase, and that’s unlikely to change going forwards.

“So the fans can protest all they want, it will have little impact upon sponsors.

“Manchester United have just signed some very lucrative deals. They’re far more interested in the digital footprint of the club, which has been spectacularly successful with the addition to the number of former Manchester United players hosting podcasts.

“We’ve got Gary Neville at the Overlap, they’ve just acquired Mark Goldbridge’s companies. In addition, you’ve got Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes with Paddy McGuinness. That’s proving to be successful.

“Rio’s got his own show as well, and every time they talk about Manchester United, it puts the shirt in people’s minds and therefore it’s fantastic for monetising the relationship with the commercial teams.”

Manchester United fans must continue to protest

It is important that United fans voice their opinion and do not sit idly while being mistreated by the club.

With United’s 100,000-seater stadium project stirring in the background, chiefs promised that fans would have an input into the club’s new home.

READ MORE: Kieran Maguire tips Man United to overtake Man City in £340m off-pitch battle

It is incredibly important that season ticket holders remain a core part of the fanbase and are not shoved to the side for more lucrative, premium tickets that threaten the atmosphere at the stadium.