MAN UNITED CONFIDENTIAL: Stars hit by scourge of autograph hunters, scouts step up hunt for red-hot Spain striker and plans revealed for further protests against Ineos
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Manchester United are becoming increasingly frustrated with professional hawkers who are haranguing their players to the detriment of genuine fans. United have been aware of what sources tell Confidential is ‘industrial-scale autograph harvesting’ for some time, with groups waiting for players outside Old Trafford and the club’s Carrington training complex.
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They have even been turning up at Stockport station – which United often use for away games in London, like the recent Carabao Cup quarter-final against Tottenham – because they can predict roughly which train the players will be on. The hawkers arrive with armfuls of shirts or books full of numbers to be signed by the squad, which can then be printed on to replica jerseys. United are particularly concerned about the aggressive attitude towards the players and real supporters, often young fans, who are barged out of the way in the pursuit of profit.
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It means players are less likely to stop for genuine autograph hunters which can result in disappointment and ill feeling. Manchester United are frustrated with professional autograph harvesters who get in the way of genuine fans. A GoFundMe page has been set up to try and raise the £40,000 Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos have cut from the club’s sponsorship of the Association of Former Manchester United Players.
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