Manchester United fans are to stage a demonstration in a bid to restore
traditional 3pm Saturday kick-offs.
They plan to let their feelings be known in front of the TV cameras - who they
blame for the scattering of kick-off times - when their team take on Fulham on
March 22, another early start.
Only 10 of United's 48 games played so far this season have kicked off at
3pm on a Saturday and everyone blames everyone else for the problem.
Fans blame over-officious policing and the Premier League, the police blame
hooliganism and the League say the club have the final say, but rarely turn
down the £597,000 TV fee.
United are believed to have had informal talks with the Independent
Manchester United Supporters Association (IMUSA) who are at the forefront
of the planned protest, which they intend to broaden to include fans of all
clubs.
Cardiff City fans will protest at Stockport's Edgeley Park ground on Saturday,
after their kick-off time was moved to 1pm at the insistence of police
concerned about the Welsh club's history of violence.
The Cardiff supporters aim to remain in their seats until 4.45, the time the
match would have finished from a 3pm start.
Said a United spokesman: "We understand the frustration at the large number
of early kick-offs, and the disruption to routine and transport problems that this
creates.
"It is a problem facing the whole of football and it is up to clubs, football
authorities, police and broadcasters to work it out.
"But we also have to recognise the positive contribution the broadcasters
make to football."
Says Mark Longden, chairman of IMUSA:
"It should be written into the TV rights contract that every club must play at
least 50 per cent of games at 3pm on a Saturday.
"That would benefit fans, and would also spread the television money around
a bit."
But a Premier League spokesman said: "The vast majority of fixtures moved
to noon kick-off times are done so on the request of the police, or as a result
of the club accepting a live televised appearance.
"The police are refusing later kick-offs which means Sky are forced into
midday starts. The message from the police is that it is the drunken
troublemakers who are to blame."
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