London - Liverpool could suffer the embarrassment of a mass exodus on Saturday with supporters' groups calling on fans to leave their seats during the Premier League match against Sunderland at Anfield to protest a rise in ticket prices.
Two prominent groups have urged spectators to walk out in the 77th minute to express discontent at the club's decision to charge 77 pounds (R1 778) for the most expensive ticket in Anfield's redeveloped main stand next season, up from 59 pounds.
Liverpool also announced this week that some season tickets for the 2016-17 campaign would be priced at more than 1,000 pounds for the first time.
A group representing fans' interests has been in talks with the club over ticket prices for more than a year and expressed disappointment earlier this week at Liverpool's failure “to lead in a fairer approach to ticket prices”.
“LFC thinks its acceptable to make more money than ever before from supporters... Let's make sure the owners know this is unacceptable. On 77 minutes, leave your seat and walk out,” the supporters' group Spion Kop 1906 said in a statement on Twitter.
Reuters
We are fully supporting the planned protest for Saturday's game against Sunderland and will #walkOutOn77 #LFC pic.twitter.com/vQpkQj3L7t
— Anfield Europe (@AnfieldEurope) February 4, 2016
#WalkOutOn77 Enough Is Enough! pic.twitter.com/JIb8K7AOjY
— Ben (@IHMU4EVA) February 4, 2016
Tickets going up when clubs are richer than ever shows that thatcher is dead but Thatcherism lives on. FIGHT IT #walkouton77 #ScouseSpring
— phil rowan (@philrowan1) February 5, 2016