Man City fan group calls on club to hold meeting on ticket issues

A vocal Manchester City fan group have asked the club to hold an emergency meeting with supporters around ongoing ticketing issues.

The club sparked unprecedented levels of anger when they announced season ticket rises for next season, with all four supporter groups uniting to ask for a freeze instead. Ticket prices have gone up at the Etihad in eight of the last ten seasons and the club cited inflation as the rationale behind the latest rise, but the fact it came amid a backdrop of record revenues and profits for the club upset many.

Members of the 1894 group unfurled a banner before City's Premier League game with Arsenal to capture the mood, saying: "Record profits but record prices: Stop exploiting fan loyalty." However, the banner was then removed by stewards and while it is understood that this was because it hadn't been passed for all necessary safety checks it left many fans feeling like their message wasn't being heard.

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The confusion around the banner being taken down has added to disquiet among supporter groups, with the club's official representatives City Matters seeking assurances on what had gone on. With the club issuing no public response to calls for season ticket freezes and the next meeting with City Matters not until the middle of next month, 1894 want the club to engage sooner with fans.

"The club have got their own fan advisory board, City Matters, and some of their members are extremely frustrated about the club treating them like a box-ticking exercise," said an 1894 spokesperson.

"We would like an emergency meeting with fans