Manchester United Addresses Fans’ Anger Over Winter Fixture Schedule

Manchester United officials will continue to make representations on behalf of matchgoing fans when decisions over broadcast schedules are being taken after the club were handed another late-night kick-off in London.

Tuesday saw the announcement of the TV amendments for December and January and United’s trip to Fulham on the final weekend of January will kick off at 7pm on Sunday January 26. The last direct train from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly is scheduled to leave at 9.24pm which will not allow enough time for fans to return from Craven Cottage.

That fixture is the latest to be moved to present United fans with difficult trips-something that has become a far too regular occurrence so far this year. Back towards the end of last season, between March 30 and May 6, they played Brentford away at 8pm on a Saturday, Chelsea away at 8pm on a Thursday, and Crystal Palace away at 8pm on a Bank Holiday Monday.

The Premier League says it always tries to strike a balance between the interests of broadcast rightsholders, match-going fans, and security and policing considerations. United have been advocating for its match-going fans in recent discussions.

But United figures also have to balance the sporting considerations-mentioning, for example, the Fulham fixture. That has to be a Sunday, because United have Rangers in the Europa League at Old Trafford on Thursday night.

The kick-off at 7pm gives them more recovery time than had they been in the usual Sunday slots of 2pm or 4.30pm, which is deemed beneficial from a sporting point of view.