Slip sliding away: football season-ticket holders fear falling down pecking order

It is a symbol of the connection between the fanbase and club, but there is a growing fear executives would prefer stadiums full of one-off tourists

The document known as “the oldest football season ticket in the world” promises its bearer access to every Burnley home game of the 1884-85 season. It is a ticket that predates the Football League by four years, with all the fixtures played against east Lancashire neighbours. All the same, the legend on the ticket carries a stern warning: “This card is not transferable. Any member violating this rule will be at once expelled from the club.”

For Burnley 1884 read Manchester United 2026. While the oldest remaining season ticket is safely preserved at Turf Moor, at Old Trafford 685 season tickets were voided this summer after a club investigation found evidence of their having been resold on the secondary market. United said such practices “undermine fair access to tickets for genuine supporters and have no place at Manchester United”. United fan groups again protested against the actions of the club’s ownership, claiming: “The way you treat us is a disgrace.”

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