Jamie Carragher responds to FSG ticket price rises as Liverpool fans discuss next steps

Jamie Carragher has spoken out on Liverpool's plans to increase ticket prices at Anfield over the next three years, with the former defender sending a direct message to FSG

Jamie Carragher has urged FSG to drop plans to raise Liverpool ticket prices(Image: Getty Images)

Jamie Carragher has called on Liverpool owners FSG to drop plans to raise the club’s ticket prices.

Liverpool announced last month that ticket prices at Anfield would be raised in line with inflation over the next three years. The decision has led to considerable backlash from supporters, who have subsequently made their feelings clear at games.

Protests were held for last weekend’s clash with Fulham, with no flags adorning the Kop as usual, while the only banner on show displayed the simple message “no to ticket price increases”, and was paraded around Anfield during the game to applause from fans.

There are no signs of FSG backing down from the plans, although club legend Carragher has called for a rethink.

"My problem with it is... first of all, I think we've got great owners," Carragher told the Liverpool Echo. "No owners of any club are ever popular but they have been absolutely fantastic for us, I'd argue that with the staunchest Red who goes home and away.

“I don't understand the ticket price thing in terms of how much they are bringing in from sponsorship and the revenue from the Premier League and when you look at wage bills, Liverpool's is right up there with the best. And this idea that they need to up ticket prices to pay for these players, it's absolute nonsense.

Liverpool fans protested against the price rises during the game against Fulham(Image: Getty Images)

"The supporters are not daft, there's enough out there, the intelligent ones can put the numbers together and say well you're only going to gain an extra [small amount]. So what do you gain from it really?

"The owners might come back and say their tickets are cheaper than Arsenal or Tottenham but it's a north-south thing and that is never going to wash. Unfortunately, they live in London, they can put their prices up and you can't do it here.

"You get it back in different ways at Liverpool, because we are a bigger club than them. We get more sponsorships than them, from whoever it is.

"And when you read about the wages players get, and I am not complaining, I got great wages, footballers deserve what they get, as long as they do their business on the pitch and in the main our players do.

"But no, I just don't think you need the fight with the supporters over it. There's no gain [from it]."

Carragher’s comments come as supporters groups have called for more discussions with the club’s owners in order to find a solution. The Liverpool FC Supporters Board has revealed it sent a letter to the club’s board requesting a meeting, but has been informed that the club intends to go ahead with the price rises.

“We strongly disagree with the portrayal of our discussions and the characterisation of this as ‘some supporters’,” a post from the Supporters Board said. “We will follow up on next steps.”