Manchester United 'need to treat their loyal fans with more compassion' say one devastated family
News
Tony Blunn (left) with his late son Chris (right)(Image: Submitted)
The family of a Manchester United fanatic say they are 'absolutely distraught' after being forced to give up a season ticket.
Chris Blunn, from New Moston, sat in the same seat in the Stretford End at Old Trafford, next to his brother Paul, for more than 25 years.
Chris, a father-of-one, lost a long battle with cancer and died aged 40 in 2018.
His relatives kept his ticket going with his dad Tony, also a lifelong Red, accompanying Paul to matches as they grieved his loss.
At the end of last season, they were informed by United that season ticket holders now needed to provide proof of ID. The club say this is aimed at tackling ticket touting.
The family contacted the United ticket office and asked that the ticket be transferred into Tony's name, who was previously a United season ticket holder himself and is still a member.
Article continues below
Chris seat in the Stretford End, where he had a season ticket since 1990
(Image: Submitted)
However the club refused. They said they had 'made a commitment to offer any new season tickets to Official Members, who have paid a deposit and are on the season ticket waiting list.'
"Whilst we appreciate that this request is to retain the ticket within the family, requests of this nature prevent our members from ever having the opportunity to obtain a season ticket in the future" they said.
They added that the fact they had used the ticket to purchase tickets for away games and Wembley visits was a breach of their terms and conditions.
Therefore, despite numerous pleas, the club said their request had been 'reviewed at Director level and the decision remains unchanged.'
His parents now say his family have been left 'devastated', including his wife and son, who was just two years old when he passed.
Chris was a platinum season ticket holder, so the seat had a plaque with his name on. That has now been removed by the family, with the seat now set to be occupied by somebody else next season.
The sign a family put on the seat for the last home game of the season against Aston Villa
At the last home game of the season, against Aston Villa, the family stuck on their own sign which read: "This seat belonged to Chris Blunn for 30 years.
"The faceless oiks at the club decided his dad couldn't transfer his name to this seat after Chris' death. RIP Chris."
Chris mum Jane Blunn told the Manchester Evening News: "Chris was an absolutely huge United fan. Him and his brother had had the seats since 1990.
"They went home, away, Europe, all over. Tony also had one for a long time as well. When we got the e-mail about needing ID to renew, it said if you want to transfer them, to contact the club. So we weren't anticipating a problem.
"We've had loads of back and forth but they are not budging. It's devastating. Shocking. We just can't believe it. It's such a simple thing. I just can't understand why."
At the last game, lots of people who saw the sign were coming up to them, asking them what had happened and were saying how terrible it was.
Tony said: "It's a personal thing. It's not just a seat. But the club don't seem to understand that. It's really frustrating and upsetting.
"Paul has renewed his, but it was touch and go. It will be so strange seeing someone else in that seat. It could even be empty, that's the sad thing.
"Me and Paul going to the game was a way for us to remember Chris. Paul is a busy man with his own family but we got the chance to spend a couple of hours together.
"It was hard enough losing Chris, now I won't be able to spend time with my lad."
"To love the club so much and be treated like this, it really stings" Tony added. "They need to look again at this policy and they need to treat their loyal fans with more compassion."
It is not the first time the M.E.N have reported on similar cases. In May the family of Kevin Kelly revealed they had had to give up his seat in the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand, where he had sat next to his wife for almost four decades.
Kevin, from Fallowfield, died from Pancreatic cancer in September 2023 aged 74.
After contacting the club, providing Kevin's death certificate, and making several impassioned pleas, the family were told the ticket could not be transferred into the name of the family member that has been using it.
Daughter Donna said: ""The idea of a ticket passing down through the family has always been a tradition and ensures that the new generation will also pass on the same commitment, passion, and love for the club."
Jane McLaughlin lost her husband Rob following a short illness during the Covid lockdown in 2020. For more than 25 years he held a season ticket - and had earnt the place as a platinum ticket holder.
Following Rob's tragic death, Jane said she didn't initially change the season ticket into her name and continued attending matches with her son Robbie, who is also a huge United fan.
But she told the M.E.N in April that had her request to change the name on the ticket was denied despite an appeal.
Following Ms McLaughlin's case, a club source said that although the club understood Jane's perspective and regretted the disappointment felt by her, that they have to apply ticket policies 'consistently' for the 'benefit of all supporters' and hundreds of others in the same position.
Article continues below
This is also due to the thousands of fans currently on the Manchester United season ticket waiting list, the source said.