Man United’s fan group reveals banner protest for Manchester derby

Manchester United supporters’ group have revealed how they will protest during Sunday’s Manchester derby. The Red Army said there will be no flag display ahead of the game as part of a protest which follows the club’s investigation into ticket touting. United revealed they had banned 685 season tickets following a contentious probe which had been condemned by many, with protests already planned for Sunday afternoon. The Red Army said they will make their own views known by removing their regular flag display in the Stretford End and replacing it with a single banner above the players’ tunnel. It will read: “The way you treat us is a disgrace.” In a statement, the group said: “This isn’t a ‘TRA’ message, it’s a message on behalf of every genuine fan group, match-going supporter, supporters’ club and fan representative who has either contacted us directly or been negatively impacted by the recent behaviour of the club. “It’s an honest, heartfelt cry for recognition from the maligned, vilified, and misrepresented beating heart of our football club – the generational match-going supporters. “Neither is this solely a ‘Manchester United’ problem, this is a league-wide crisis that should be addressed at every club, regardless of rivalries and history. Without drastic changes, there will be no rivalries in the future vision for football shared by the decision makers.” Michael Carrick’s reign began with a derby victory over Manchester City (Martin Rickett/PA) (PA Wire) In the statement, the Red Army called for match-going supporters to be prioritised in the club’s fan engagement process. On Thursday, United released an update on their investigation into touting, revealing that 685 accounts have been subject to a ban while 464 supporters received a reduced sanction or final warning. The club said the investigation had identified 1,617 accounts that required further review due to “unusual activity”. Of those stripped of season tickets, 113 failed to respond to requests for further information, 73 did not appeal and 499 received bans upheld by an independent appeals panel. A club statement read: “Bans were issued where there was significant misuse of the ticketing system for financial gain. “This included the operation of organised ticketing networks, which were controlling, selling and distributing tickets from hundreds of accounts.” The 1958 supporters’ group responded by calling for fans to “stand united” against the “season ticket ban fiasco” in a protest ahead of the derby, saying a “line has been crossed”. Fans have been asked to gather outside the Bishop Blaize pub near Old Trafford at 3pm.