Manchester United create dedicated role to crack down on Old Trafford ticket touts

Manchester United have posted a vacancy for a Supporter Escalations Executive at Old Trafford, signalling a formal escalation in the club’s fight against ticket touting after banning 685 season ticket holders suspected of reselling tickets at inflated prices.

The role, advertised on United’s official website, will be responsible for independently managing a high volume of complex supporter investigations, sanctions, appeals and escalations. The successful candidate will use AI, technology and data analysis to identify patterns and emerging risks in ticket distribution, while serving as the primary point of contact for supporters navigating the process.

According to the job listing, the executive must “ensure every case is handled efficiently and consistently, upholding Club policy, values, legal obligations and fairness across the whole fanbase” and build “trust and confidence by ensuring supporters feel heard, informed and respected throughout their appeal or escalation, regardless of outcome.”

The move comes amid significant tension between the club and sections of its fanbase. A number of the 685 banned season ticket holders have protested their innocence, and the decision prompted a demonstration during last month’s Manchester derby against Manchester City.

Fan group The Red Army issued a statement on behalf of multiple supporter organisations, describing the situation as “an honest, heartfelt cry for recognition from the maligned, vilified, and misrepresented beating heart of our football club — the generational match-going supporters.”

The group also framed the issue as one extending well beyond Old Trafford. “Neither is this solely a ‘Manchester United’ problem,” the statement read. “This is a league-wide crisis that should be addressed at every club, regardless of rivalries and history. Without drastic changes, there will be no rivalries in the future vision for football shared by the decision makers.”

The creation of a dedicated investigative role suggests United are committed to a more systematic, long-term approach to touting rather than relying solely on reactive bans — though the club will need to balance enforcement with the concerns of supporters who feel the existing process has lacked transparency and fairness.