Manchester City and Greater Manchester Police receive letters from fan representatives over Etihad Stadium issues during Real Madrid clash | OneFootball

Representatives of Manchester City fan groups have sent letters out to both the football club itself and Greater Manchester Police surrounding the clash with Real Madrid.

Images and videos have surfaced across social media in the days that have followed the UEFA Champions League clash with the Spanish giants highlighting the nature of the atmosphere within the Etihad Stadium.

Pieces of footage from the game have showcased widespread half-and-half scarves, while others indicate that large portions of those in attendance spent a significant amount of time at the game filming opposition stars and cheering on Real Madrid from home sections.

The full-time whistle was also met with various portions of the home attendance staying behind to celebrate Real Madrid’s dramatic victory, while the most surprising video appears to show one person in attendance with hair clippers giving another guest a haircut mid-game.

Confirming his own submission to the club on social media, City Matters chair Alex Howell said, “After last night’s scenes in the stands versus Real Madrid, I wrote to the club today in my capacity as the Chair of City Matters, Manchester City’s official Fan Advisory Board.”

Howell’s full letter to the club reads as follows, “I don’t think it will come as any surprise that I am writing to you about the scenes at yesterday’s Real Madrid match. There were countless incidents of non-Manchester City fans sat in home areas.

“Many were ejected from their seats by stewards. Others were celebrating a Madrid victory following full time. And I can’t believe that I have say this, do I need to mention the individual who had managed to enter the stadium with hair clippers.

“There is an important caveat, I think, to note that not all non- Mancunians are non-City supporters or tourists. However, it is undeniable that there were non-City fans in attendance last night. I should not have to say it but these incidents make a mockery of both the Club and its supporters.

“I have seen one supporter describe it as feeling like “an imposter in my own stadium,” which I felt to be quite apt. It’s undoubtably a security risk too, without condoning the behaviour of anyone involved in a physical altercation.

“The anger that has emanated from last night is emblematic of wider concerns about ticketing policies, and it would be remiss of me not to mention the impact of increasing prices (both recent and historic) in that.”

The letter continued, “However, what I think is more worrying is the disdain that many supporters hold the Club in. You only have to look at a post on social media by the Club, especially from the Man City Help account, to see this.

“For what it is worth, I feel rather downhearted about having to send this. Not because I do not feel that fans’ concerns are valid – far from it – but because I have written to the Club on a number of occasions, particularly this season, about non-City fans in attendance and it appears to be in vain.

“Whilst there are incidences of good work being undertaken in this space, I have little confidence that the wider issue will be resolved and it isn’t a great reflection on fan representation. With this in mind, I would like to see know how the Club intends to resolve this problem.

“This needs a route and branch review, as it is clearly not an isolated incident (both yesterday and beyond). It also needs to be transparent and public with supporters such is the lack of confidence.

“Without being curt, I would appreciate a comprehensive response rather than hollow platitudes about how this is disappointing. We are beyond that point now and fans deserve better.”

In their own response to the release of the letter on social media, Manchester City fan collective ‘The 1894 Group’ stated, “We have written privately to GMP tonight. We have asked them to comment on the Madrid fans in home sections even though they couldn’t fill their section and do they think City’s ticket policy is putting safety & security of fans at risk.”

For now, it remains to be seen whether City will formally respond to incidents in the Etihad on Tuesday night, particularly at a time when a number of fan groups wrote to chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak questioning the club’s ticket pricing strategy ahead of the new season.