Football clubs slammed for taking advantage of fans after hiking season ticket prices

RICH Premier League clubs are being accused of kicking loyal ­supporters in the teeth by hiking the prices of season tickets.

Half of the 20 multi-million pound teams are charging more, despite the cost of living crisis gripping the country.

The biggest shock will be for Aston Villa fans. The cheapest adult season ticket soars £161 from £370 to £531.

The near 44% increase, the first rise since Villa were promoted from the Championship in 2019, has caused fury.

Fan Jack Mullins said: “I’m still raging.It’s a small drop in the ocean for these multi-million pound businesses but will put a huge hole in the pockets of the fans who have been loyal through years of suffering s***e football.”

Villa said: “The club is conscious of the rising cost of living and for this reason we have limited these price rises to levels which still keep us in the lower half of Premier League benchmarking.”

Arsenal charges the most and justified lifting the price of the cheapest season ticket from £891 to £927 by saying the ticket includes seven home cup games as well as all 19 home Premier League fixtures.

Next highest is Tottenham at £807 but they, alongside high-flying Liverpool and Chelsea, have frozen prices.

In contrast to Villa, West Ham are cutting cheapest season ticket prices from £320 to £299.

Jeff Smith, Shadow Sports Minister, said: “Football is nothing without fans. With rising food and energy costs and the Government making things worse with a tax rise on working people, many supporters will struggle to afford huge hikes in match prices too.”

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