MANCHESTER UNITED have confirmed that 685 season tickets have been revoked amid a controversial ticket touting operation.
And 464 further fans have been slapped with either a “reduced sanction” or “final warning”.
The Red Devils launched a wide-ranging investigation over the summer in a bid to crack down on “ticket touting, misuse and activity for financial gain”.
This probe led to criticism from fan groups, amid potentially innocent supporters being caught in the crossfire.
Man Utd’s latest update revealed that 1,617 accounts were identified as having “unusual activity”.
A club statement confirmed that these supporters were contacted and asked for explanations in order to have restrictions removed from their accounts.
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The Red Devils confessed that many of these cases involved fans sharing account details and passwords with others, which technically is against their rules.
In these cases, however, United opted against issuing sanctions, so long as tickets were not sold on for financial gain.
Club chiefs established a further independent appeals panel, including fans, to review decisions made by the initial investigation.
United’s statement said: “Bans were issued where there was significant misuse of the ticketing system for financial gain.
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“This included the operation of organised ticketing networks, which were controlling, selling and distributing tickets from hundreds of accounts.”
They confirmed that of the 685 accounts to be banned, 499 were suspensions upheld by the appeals board, 73 that were not appealed, and 113 that did not respond to the initial request for further information.
United issued 226 final warnings for misuse not “done for financial gain”, while 238 had initial season ticket bans reduced to a “ban on home ticket forwarding and away match applications”.
The other 468 cases were resolved with no punishments.
Each banned season ticket holder is to be refunded, with their seats offered to those at the top of the season ticket waiting list.
Man Utd’s statement claimed: “The most serious sanction (a season ticket ban) was reserved for where there was sufficient evidence of tickets being sold above face value or activity for financial gain.”
This is in contrary to the 1958 fans’ group, who in their own statement earlier this week claimed: “Manchester United supporter groups are being called upon to all stand together following reports of bans and season ticket sanctions without clear and compelling evidence always being presented.”
This fan group is organising a protest ahead of this Sunday’s Manchester derby.
Their statement added: “For generations, match-going Reds have given their time, money and loyalty to Manchester United, home and away. That loyalty deserves to be treated with respect.
“This is not about one group or one individual. It is about how Manchester United treats its match-going supporters. It may not affect you today, it may not next time but that day is coming for all of us.
“If there is clear, substantive evidence of serious wrongdoing or organised ticket touting, show it.
“No loyal supporter should be treated as guilty without being given a fair opportunity to understand and challenge the case against them.”
Fans were left enraged by a text allegedly sent to a season ticket holder ahead of Thursday night’s Champions League clash with Sabah.
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The text, which subsequently went viral, read: “You don’t have a ticket for the Sabah game on Thursday — please do not come to Old Trafford.
“Tickets are still available to purchase here. If you don’t purchase a ticket, your ST will be deactivated for a future PL game and it may impact your away eligibility.”