United are still the best-supported club in England by some distance but the new set of figures claim Old Trafford was not even half-full for the Capital One Cup tie against Newcastle in September. The police recorded the number of people who passed through the turnstiles at 33,409. United gave the crowd as 46,358. In the next round, against West Ham, the disparity was even bigger. The police put down the crowd as 51,724, whereas United recorded it as 71,081.
When United played Cluj in the Champions League in December, having qualified for the knockout stages, the crowd was announced as 71,521. In fact, the police say it was 46,894.
A couple of years back United bought in a rule that you had to buy cup tickets if you had a season ticket. One of the fans groups was going to take them to the OFT, but I never heard how they got on. That might explain how they are counting large numbers who never actually turned up for cup games.
I'm pretty sure we have done the same thing several times this season .
That's because we count absent season ticket holders. Wouldn't apply to cup games.
Still count comps
Few comps are issued (at Charlton) for cup games because over a certain number the home club has to pay the away club and into the pool as if they were paid tickets. Our cup crowds are pretty accurate as a result.
I agree the United discrepancy must relate to tickets "sold" as part of season tickets. There's no other obvious explanation for a 25,000 gap.
Comments
When United played Cluj in the Champions League in December, having qualified for the knockout stages, the crowd was announced as 71,521. In fact, the police say it was 46,894.
http://espnfc.com/print?id=593968&type=story
I agree the United discrepancy must relate to tickets "sold" as part of season tickets. There's no other obvious explanation for a 25,000 gap.