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A Manchester United supporters' group are set to stage a protest at Old Trafford after the club confirmed that 685 season-ticket accounts have been banned following its investigation into ticket touting.
The Red Army have announced that they will not be doing a flag display ahead of the Manchester derby on Saturday in protest at the way the club has handled the crackdown.
685 season tickets banned
United launched an investigation into ticket touting after identifying 1,617 accounts which it said showed “unusual” ticketing activity.
The club subsequently banned 685 season-ticket accounts, while a further 464 supporters were either sanctioned or given a final warning.
In a statement, United said: “Bans were issued where there was significant misuse of the ticketing system for financial gain.
“This included the operation of organised ticketing networks, which were controlling, selling and distributing tickets from hundreds of accounts.”
However, the decision has caused anger among sections of the fanbase and the Red Army are planning to display a new banner in the Stretford End that reads: “The way you treat us is a disgrace.”
In a statement, they said: “This isn't a ‘TRA' message, it's a message on behalf of every genuine fan group, match-going supporter, supporters' club and fan representative who has either contacted us directly or been negatively impacted by the recent behaviour of the club.
On Sunday there will be no flag display on The Stretford End. In its place, a single banner will hang above the players’ tunnel with a clear message to the owners, directors and decision-making staff at Manchester United:
“THE WAY YOU TREAT US IS A DISGRACE”
This isn’t a ‘TRA’… pic.twitter.com/sIEfDmzzRq— TRA – The Red Army (MUFC) (@TraMufc) September 12, 2026
“It's an honest, heartfelt cry for recognition from the maligned, vilified, and misrepresented beating heart of our football club – the generational match-going supporters.
“Neither is this solely a ‘Manchester United' problem, this is a league-wide crisis that should be addressed at every club, regardless of rivalries and history. Without drastic changes, there will be no rivalries in the future vision for football shared by the decision makers.”
The Manchester United Supporters Trust has also criticised the way the club have handled the crackdown, stating: “This has been an extremely difficult period for hundreds of Manchester United supporters.
“While there is widespread support among fans for tackling genuine ticket touting, that cannot justify treating suspicious digital behaviour as proof of touting, imposing severe sanctions without sufficiently compelling evidence, or expecting supporters to defend themselves without properly disclosing the allegation, evidence and specific rules they are said to have breached.
“Considerable damage has been done to trust between the club and its supporters through this exercise.”
FGG Says: Man Utd must work with fans
Manchester United trying to clamp down on ticket touting is a good move, but they seem to have handled this situation really poorly and need to find a way to work with the fans on this issue.
Genuine supporters appear to have been affected by this and it is no surprise that fan groups are unhappy.