Young Manchester United fans will be able to attend the FA Cup Final for as little as £5.
Mail Sport understands that the club will offer a £30 subsidy to Under 16s for the Manchester derby under the arch on May 25.
It means that those who snap up tickets in the cheapest bracket, at £35, will end up paying just £5 to watch Erik ten Hag’s side try to salvage something from an underwhelming season against rivals City.
At previous Wembley fixtures United have handed out freebies such as scarves and bucket hats. However, this time – wary of environmental issues – they have gone down a more direct route.
Officials considered a range of options, including pin badges, but decided to illustrate how important the club’s younger supporters are. They hope the move will assist those who already shelled out on a trip to the capital for the semi-final.
Manchester United will subsidise FA Cup final tickets by £30 to just £5 for those 16 or under
The move was decided to illustrate how important the younger supporters are to the club
The cheapest bracket of tickets for U16 supporters for the Wembley showpiece in May is £35
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Free flags are also expected to be handed out in an attempt to create a ‘wall of red’ as United face their neighbours in a 3pm kick-off.
Meanwhile, Old Trafford officials have agreed to phase in a controversial change to their ticketing policy. Bosses had come under fire for raising the number of games fans must attend before losing their season ticket from 14 to 17 (out of 19 Premier League matches).
That triggered a backlash from elements of United’s support, who claimed the rule was ‘draconian’ and an attempt to ‘cull’ season ticket holders so the club could cash in by selling the seats as part of more expensive hospitality packages.
After consultation with fans groups, it is understood that the increase will instead be introduced gradually, with the figure for the forthcoming season being raised to 15 of 19 fixtures.
Free flags are also expected to be handed out in an attempt to create a ‘wall of red’ for United
Those who cannot attend matches can sell their tickets back to the club, donate the cost to the United Foundation or pass them on to designated friends and family who are members to avoid being marked as absent.
United say they have a season ticket waiting list of 155,000 and want Old Trafford full as often as possible but add that they have listened to concerns raised by fan representatives and agreed to bring in the change gradually.
