Sept 11 (Reuters) - Manchester United have banned 685 ticketing accounts and issued warnings or reduced sanctions to a further 464 supporters following a summer-long crackdown on ticket misuse and touting.
The Premier League club said an investigation launched in July found 1,617 accounts where unusual activity was occurring and required further review, but that season-ticket bans were handed down only in cases involving significant misuse of the ticketing system for financial gain.
Hundreds of cases were closed without punishment after supporters provided information explaining flagged activity, the club said on Friday, while others received warnings or limited restrictions on ticket forwarding and away-ticket applications.
"The club's guiding principle around ticketing is simple: to keep our fans safe and secure, to protect fair access to tickets for genuine Manchester United supporters and to tackle ticket touting, misuse and activity for financial gain," the club said in a statement.
The 1958 Manchester United fans' group is organising a protest ahead of Sunday's derby clash with Manchester City, arguing the club's handling of its ticket touting crackdown was heavy-handed.
"Manchester United are sanctioning and banning loyal, generational Reds without clear and compelling evidence," the group said in a post on X. "These owners want rid of lifelong matchgoers. Their strategy is clear to see. It’s a cull!
"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."
United maintained the operation had uncovered organised networks trading tickets across hundreds of accounts.
(Reporting by Lori EwingEditing by Toby Davis)
