Tony Riley, whose father-in-law played for Manchester United in the 1940s, is one of 1,100 fans who were forced by the club to change seats at Old Trafford. The Red Devils board’s plan is to reserve the seats, close to the bench, for “VIP” plans that will cost at least 315 pounds per person.
“We feel like it’s an injustice, not just for us, for everyone else,” says Riley, 76, speaking to the British newspaper . “I feel really sad about this. I feel hopeless.”
Riley’s family has used that seat since 1949, when Manchester United returned to play at Old Trafford after the Second World War. At the time, Laurie Cassidy, Riley’s father-in-law, was part of the team – and after laying down his boots, he would continue working at the club in other roles.
“I know that Premier League football is a business now, perhaps even more than a sport. But I am outraged by the treatment given to my father, who does not have enough money to maintain a place he has earned throughout his life supporting the club that is part of my family’s history,” says Catherine Riley, 49, daughter of Tony Riley.
The change that affects more than a thousand fans is part of the plan of Jim Ratcliffe, one of the richest men in the United Kingdom, who bought 25% of United’s shares in 2023.
