Manchester City supporters have launched a crowdfunding campaign after car parking charges for disabled fans were enforced at the Etihad Stadium for the first time.
Blue badge holders are paying £6 a match this season to secure a spot outside the stadium, with City’s main supporter groups unifying in outraged opposition against the move.
The Premier League champions are estimated to earn £2,160 a game and state that the decision was taken due to utilising all available bays after a spike in unoccupied reserved spaces last term.
A GoFundMe page set up this week has already raised more than £1,500 ahead of City’s clash against Brentford next Saturday, with money going to reimbursing those impacted.
Manchester City supporters have launched a crowdfunding campaign after car parking charges for disabled fans were enforced at the Etihad Stadium
A GoFundMe page set up this week has already raised more than £1,500
Howard Cohen, chair of the disabled supporters’ association, said: ‘It pains us as loyal Manchester City fans to point out that our club remains unmoved and continues to penalise its own disabled supporters for their need to park cars near to the stadium.’
More than half of Premier League clubs charge disabled fans, while City insist finances raised will be reinvested into the Etihad’s facilities.
The club’s former disabled supporters’ representative, Mark Todd, claimed that ‘those responsible at City should hang their heads in shame’.
A Football Supporters Association spokesperson said: ‘Disabled match-going fans face countless barriers to enjoying the match, barriers that often go unseen. So it’s disappointing to see a club of Manchester City’s size and means introduce a charge for disabled parking.
‘Clubs should be doing all they can to make the match as accessible and inclusive as possible so we back the campaign led by supporter groups at Manchester City to reverse this charge. The money raised already is a clear statement to the club and they simply have to listen.’
