Manchester United have reportedly reinstated the season ticket of a fan with dementia after his family members made it known that the club cancelled his seat because he did not own a mobile phone.
The supporter’s family was left fuming after discovering the cancellation, with their grandfather a regular at Old Trafford for 45 years.
He had been entering the grounds using a paper ticket that could not be scanned. United stewards had not registered his QR code as a consequence and after five games without a record of his attendance, the family was informed his seat was refunded.
The story was shared on social media and went viral, garnering more than one million views.
It drew outrage from sections of the fanbase, who demanded that the club move with speed to correct the situation.
According to The Telegraph, United “scrambled” to resolve the issue in an effort to avoid further criticism and embarrassment.
They reached out to the family within an hour and reinstated the ticket. It’s understood that United have implemented “adjustments to standard entry protocols to assist him.”
According to The Telegraph, “One source with knowledge of the situation said claims shared on social media did not reflect exactly what had happened. The situation was described as “complicated”. Several emails from United went unanswered before a refund was issued.”
The man’s family insist they will take steps to determine the nature of the alternative arrangements made by United before commenting on the matter again.
This season, United introduced a significant change to their ticketing system, requiring fans to access digital tickets through the club’s official app.
Tickets are linked to the device being used, with QR codes for entry remaining hidden until three hours before kick-off.
United are back in action on Thursday when they face Rangers in the Europa League. Kick-off is at 20:00 GMT.
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Derick Kinoti
Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!
