Manchester United have introduced a new post-match autograph area – partly due to concerns for fan safety.
The Leigh Sports Village, where they play their Women’s Super League home games, now has a dedicated section for meet-and-greets with the players after matches.
Manchester United said the move away from interacting with supporters pitchside in the stadium is partly due to concerns over fans’ safety.
The club said: “The introduction of the dedicated signing area will ensure that the women’s game remains safe, accessible and enjoyable for all fans.”
United said the new measures will also help the players with their recovery after matches, ease fan congestion pitchside and “improve traffic flow” when leaving the stadium.
Fans must now apply for tickets to see their favourite footballers on a match-by-match basis – with junior and under-16 United ticket holders invited to apply for tickets first.
Once a fan has been allocated a ticket to the meet-and-greet area, they will then go to the back of the queue for the next ballot, the club said.
This is to enable fans who have not been able to secure a spot at the most recent match to meet their favourite players at the next one.
The new meet-and-greet location was trialled at Manchester United’s match against Tottenham Hotspurs in October.
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