Liverpool fan groups confirm protests plans vs Crystal Palace with Anfield display

Spririt of Shankly and other groups have announced an escalation of the protests that began two weeks ago against Fulham, in response to the decision to increase ticket prices over the next three years.

Liverpool fans have (Image: Getty Images)

Liverpool supporters’ groups have confirmed plans to escalate their protests against ticket price increases for Saturday’s Premier League clash against Crystal Palace.

Protests were hastily arranged before Liverpool’s last home league match against Fulham, which included the removal of flags from the Kop and a call to avoid spending money inside the ground, while a banner that read: “No to ticket price increases” was unveiled by fans.

This is in response to the club’s plans to raise ticket prices in line with inflation for three consecutive years, an unprecedented move by owners of a Premier League side. Groups such as Spirit of Shankly (SoS) have been vocal in their opposition to these plans, calling for the removal of rises.

But Saturday’s “Show FSG The Yellow Card” campaign is a further step in these protests, with around 75,000 yellow cards printed before the match and set to be distributed to fans heading into Anfield.

They will be encouraged to hold them aloft in the 13th minute of the game, to denote a potential maximum price rise of 13 percent over the next three years.

The move has been arranged by SoS, in conjunction with supporter groups, Spion Kop 1906, Kop Outs, cultuRED, the LFC Women’s Supporters Club, and multiple branches of the Official Liverpool Supporters Club.

Fans held aloft this banner ahead of the last home Premier League game at Anfield

The protests will also include street and digital advertising across Liverpool, with mobile ad vans set to be visible around the city.

There are also plans for the van to be stationed outside Liverpool’s AXA Training Centre ahead of Arne Slot’s weekly Friday press conference.

A spokesperson for the campaign said: “This is about the future of Liverpool Football Club and who gets to be part of it. Locking in three years of price rises removes accountability and sets a dangerous precedent - not just here, but across the Premier League.

“This isn’t ‘some fans’. This is hundreds of thousands of supporters making their voices heard. On Saturday, we’re asking everyone inside Anfield and beyond to show FSG the yellow card.”

At the heart of the protests is a concern for the future direction of Liverpool’s local supporter base, who feel they are being priced out of attending Premier League matches. This is a recurring theme across the Premier League.

However, Liverpool executives feel that price rises are inevitable and that tying them to inflation with a clear long-term progression makes the increases fair and clear.

As outlined in an email from CEO Billy Hogan two weeks ago, the rising cost of Anfield has been used to justify the price rises, while Liverpool’s ticket costs have remained frozen for eight of the last 10 years, making them cheaper than rival clubs across the division.