Liverpool see red over refusal to replace stolen Cup final tickets

LIVERPOOL chief executive Rick Parry has criticised Millennium Stadium officials over their refusal to issue duplicate FA Cup final tickets following a raid on a Royal Mail van.

The theft took place in Liverpool city centre on Friday but the missing tickets for the showpiece event against West Ham on Saturday have since been identified and cancelled.

Fans who had paid for the tickets will not get replacements and police have warned against buying from touts as anyone with a stolen ticket is liable to arrest.

Parry said: “The decision by the Millennium Stadium not to issue duplicate tickets is totally unacceptable and penalises ordinary supporters who have had the misfortune of being the innocent victims of a robbery.

“We do not understand why the Millennium Stadium have taken this decision, as duplicate tickets have been made available at every one of the six games we have played there since our first appearance in Cardiff at the 2001 League Cup final.

“It should also be pointed out every Premier League club is able to offer duplicate tickets where necessary.”

Parry and Liverpool are working with the Football Association to try to resolve the problem before the weekend.

“We are currently contacting every supporter who was sent tickets by special delivery on Friday to ascertain exactly how many tickets have been stolen,” Parry added on official website liverpoolfc.tv

“We will continue our dialogue with Football Association officials in an attempt to ensure a very important part of the football family — as many Liverpool fans as possible — have the opportunity to attend the English game’s showpiece occasion.”

The potential for all stolen tickets turning up on Saturday along with the original owners would create a major safety concern, according to Millennium Stadium chief executive Paul Sergeant.

He said: “We have every sympathy for those football fans who have had their tickets stolen and have looked at all possibilities of re-seating these people but after a meeting with our safety advisory group we are standing by our no-duplicates policy.

Chief Superintendent Bob Evans added: “We fully support the Millennium Stadium in its ‘no duplicate ticket policy’ and officers will be rigorously enforcing this on the day.”