Former Man Utd player Norman Whiteside and his wife, Dee, have decided to give up their season tickets.
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Norman Whiteside
Whiteside's seat was relocated last season.(Image: @WhitesideDee)
Manchester United great Norman Whiteside has not renewed his season ticket at Old Trafford due to a number of issues including his seat being relocated, with his wife declaring "enough is enough".
Whiteside joined United as a teenager in 1978 before breaking into the first team. He scored 67 goals in 274 games in a red shirt and departed for Everton in 1989.
The decision from Whiteside and his wife, Dee, not to renew their season tickets comes a year after they were forced to relocate their seats at Old Trafford to make way for executive seating.
Writing on X, Dee Whiteside wrote: "So, I’ve waited for a while to write this. It is with unbelievable sadness, that after more than 28 years of having season tickets at Old Trafford, @NormanWhiteside and I are not renewing next year.
"Having been forcibly relocated last season, “red carded” for not attending enough games, unable to give my “paid for” seat to my children… enough is enough.
"And to cap it all, we’ve seen it all, we’ve won the lot, we’re Man United and we’re never gonna stop… except for so many seasons now, my match-going loyalty to my club has ended so sadly.
"I’ll still be at games, I’m MUFC until I die, and I’ve seen worse times than now, but I’m not sure I’ve seen players less interested in pulling on our shirt for very many years. Times must change."
Norman Whiteside holds aloft the FA Cup in 1985.
Whiteside and his wife are platinum season ticket holders, which means they have held their tickets at Old Trafford for over 25 years, but they have felt compelled to walk away from United.
In February last year, the Manchester Evening News highlighted United's decision to relocate season ticket holders in block S122 at Old Trafford, which affected the Whitesides.
A spokesperson for United said at the time: “We have the greatest respect for Norman as a legend of the club, and understand the disappointment caused to him and other season ticket-holders by seat relocations.
"There are various reasons why this happens, including, next season, the moving of matchday hospitality seats into consolidated blocks to address fan concerns about them being dispersed around the stadium.
"Other changes next season include the removal of hospitality seating from the Stretford End and installation of further rail seating in the North-West Quadrant, bringing benefits to many fans but also causing some disruption.
"No additional hospitality seats are being created at the expense of season ticket-holders — in fact hospitality seating will reduce by more than 500 next season. We are committed to working with all season ticket-holders affected by relocations, including Norman, to find them the best possible alternative seats elsewhere in the ground.”
Whiteside became the youngest player to score in both FA Cup and League Cup finals during his time in Manchester. The Northern Irishman also became the youngest to play in a World Cup, breaking Pele's record when representing his nation aged just 17 years and 40 days.
Whiteside's career ended at the age of 26 due to injury, but he is still remembered fondly by fans for his contribution and his match-winning goal against Everton in the 1985 FA Cup final.
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