Man City ban over 250 ticket accounts after Galatasaray investigation

Manchester City have suspended 1400 accounts over ticketing this season with the Galatasaray game a bumper for bans.

Manchester City have suspended 253 accounts as part of their review into how Galatasaray supporters were able to buy tickets in the home sections for the Champions League game last month. The Turkish giants had thousands of fans in their away allocation at the Etihad, but there also looked to be significant numbers all around the stadium.

The club had taken additional steps to stop this, mindful of the scenes at Old Trafford a few years ago when there were thousands of Galatasaray supporters celebrating together in the home ends in a game with United. To buy a ticket for the City game, fans needed to have had a matchday membership since before the Champions League draw was made and also have proof of going to three previous games.

This had an impact on attendance, with the final number given as 35,029 - well down on capacity and one of the smallest crowds seen at the Etihad in recent years. The fact that this was the fifth home game in January, and that City were guaranteed to progress in the Champions League but potentially facing two more games in a play-off, were also factors.

FOLLOW OUR MAN CITY FACEBOOK PAGE! Latest news and analysis via the MEN’s Manchester City Facebook page

There were still Galatasaray supporters who managed to get into the home sections, and the club undertook an investigation after the game to find out how those away fans were able to get tickets. The findings were presented to official fan board City Matters, with 85 per cent of tickets coming from Cityzens Matchday Members, 12 per cent from season ticket members and 3 per cent from UEFA's allocation. Of these tickets, City identified and suspended 253 accounts, meaning they cannot buy tickets for home or away games.

That takes the total number of banned accounts for ticketing misuse up to 1400 for the season - nearly double the number that were suspended last year with more than three months of this campaign left.

City Matters also took the opportunity at the February meeting to back the Football Supporters’ Association position calling for a two-year price freeze on season tickets. The club froze them last year in response to protests on matchdays at the pricing, as well as the strength of opposition from City Matters to the expected rise.

As reported this week, the club are also undertaking a review of the ticket transfer changes that have frustrated supporters. It was made more difficult this season for fans to give their ticket to another season ticket holder if they cannot go, and that has led to more tickets going unused.

Ensure our latest sport headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as a Preferred Source in your Google search settings