United could reveal ticket price hike in bid to boost revenue

MANCHESTER UNITED’S beleaguered board will take another step towards staving off the threat of a Malcolm Glazer takeover tomorrow - and upset supporters too.

Next season’s ticket prices are due be confirmed to a meeting of the fans’ forum with chief executive David Gill under pressure to raise revenue.

Aside from trying to minimise the impact of a 50% loss in half-year profits, Gill must also show shareholders, in particular Cubic Expression partners John Magnier and JP McManus, the club is being run to its maximum financial potential.

With United recording capacity 67,000 crowds for every home game this season, apart from three European ties, and the club bullish about filling the extra 7,900 seats created by the forthcoming stadium expansion, the scope for increases is obvious.

“We believe there is a good opportunity to increase the yield from the stadium while still maintaining very competitive prices,” confirmed finance director Nick Humby. “We can improve the stretch of those prices and look at various areas of the ground where we can increase prices appropriately.”

United’s plans should reinforce the board’s position against Glazer, who is adamant even greater profits can be generated by the world’s richest club.

However, they are less likely to appease key supporters’ groups, whose relations with United have fallen to an all-time low following the club’s refusal last month to investigate an extensive list of proposals which were drafted in an effort to reconfigure the stadium once expansion is complete.

Having completed due diligence a fortnight before Easter, Glazer had been expected to lodge his £800m takeover bid by now. Instead, it is not expected to arrive until the end of next week at the earliest and probably beyond that timescale.

Crucial meetings between United and Glazer’s respective bankers Cazenove and NM Rothschild have yet to take place and without getting some kind of guidance or clarification, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers owner is highly unlikely to make a formal approach to the Old Trafford board.

Meanwhile, United could sell half a dozen youngsters after announcing they are axing one of their reserve sides. The move will save the Old Trafford club an estimated £1m.

United will quit the Pontins Holiday League this summer after only one season, although their first-choice reserve outfit will continue to play in the Premiership Reserve League.

United’s director of communications Phil Townsend said: “We made it clear when we went into the Pontins League this season that it was to cope with the number of professionals we had. But we don’t anticipate the squad being as large next season.”