close
close
darbo

Why is there a protest outside Anfield before Liverpool vs Brighton

Posted on by Nargang
Why is there a protest outside Anfield before Liverpool vs Brighton

Liverpool supporters’ group Spirit of Shankly are taking part in a league-wide demonstration outside Anfield today

General view of Liverpool's stadium, Anfield.
General view of Liverpool’s stadium, Anfield.(Image: Photo by Dave Howarth – CameraSport via Getty Images)

There will be a protest outside Anfield ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Brighton & Hove Albion today in Premier League.

The demonstration was organized by supporters’ union Spirit Of Shankly as part of the Football Supporters’ Association’s Stop Exploiting Loyalty campaign, with action planned across the Premier League this weekend. SOS has joined forces with Fans Supporting Foodbanks and Dogma, a Brighton & Hove Albion fanzine.

‌

The move was sparked by 19 of 20 top-flight clubs raising ticket prices over the summer, with Liverpool announcing a 2% increase in March, prompting supporters’ group Spion Kop 1906, who are organizing flags and banners in a match day, to impose a “penny” on the Kop for Europa League quarter-finals against Atalanta.

READ MORE: Liverpool vs Brighton LIVE – confirmed line-up, Tsimikas starts, TV channel, score and streamREAD MORE: Andy Robertson’s decision comes as Liverpool make nine changes for their Premier League clash with Brighton

Liverpool’s subsequent 3-0 drubbing was an unwelcome testament to the importance of supporting supporters, given the poor atmosphere that was an understandable consequence of the protest.

‌

Rather than a blanket ban, a banner declaring the stark message “Stop Exploiting Loyalty” will join the usual Kop scenery on Saturday.

A “significant increase in costs” was given by the club as the reason for the increase, with Reds CEO Billy Hogan saying in the club’s pre-season tour from Philadelphia: “In this case, (the pros and cons of a price increase) is something we always consider.

“Two percent, people contested that. In terms of the club’s profits, people can see that everything we generate we invest back into the club.

‌

“We do not take ticket price increases lightly. But it’s something I felt was necessary. Operating costs Anfield they went up Utilities are up 100% in the last year.

“Operations and expenses have grown dramatically over the last nine years. I know people are passionate about it, so are we. We never take any decision lightly. But we thought it was justified in this case.”