City subsidise fans for Cup tie

Manchester City are to spend £60,000 (€88, 500) subsidising their own fans for next month’s FA Cup tie with Scunthorpe.

Blues officials failed to reach agreement with their League One counterparts over ticket prices for the January 7 third round clash at Eastlands.

The Football Association eventually set adult prices at £18 (€26.55) but City still felt this was too high given their club also have Premiership home games against Chelsea and Tottenham over the Christmas period.

So, chief executive Alistair Mackintosh has cut the cost to £15 (€22.13), with concessions pegged at £5 (€7.30), with City bearing the extra charge themselves.

“The prices we wanted were not arrived at to try and deprive Scunthorpe of revenue but set at a realistic level at what is a busy time for matches and at a time when spending on other things is traditionally high,” said Mackintosh.

“Obviously, our decision to subsidise our own fans to the level we originally requested will cost us a lot of money but we are not thinking about that.

“We just want to make sure we win the tie and reach the fourth round and to help us achieve that, we want as many of our fans in the stadium as possible.”