Carragher: Liverpool got it wrong on ticket prices

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher says the club have got it wrong over the ticket prices that led to a mass walkout at Anfield during the 2-2 draw with Sunderland.

Thousands left Anfield after 77 minutes on Saturday in protest at a new pricing initiative, which will see Liverpool’s most expensive home tickets come in at £77 from the start of next season.

Club bosses have defended the move by pointing out the most expensive tickets are only applied to prime seats in Anfield’s new Main Stand for certain fixtures and that a number of low-priority matches are available at just £9.

However, the protest has dominated the back pages in recent days, with club legend Carragher among those to walk out.

Carragher wrote in his Daily Mail column: “People have said to me since then ‘it’s okay for you on your big wages, that’s why the prices are so high’. I was paid well, yes, but I was there for 17 years and in comparison to some of the other players who were in that squad, it was fair.

“That’s what you want ticket prices to be, fair. I know the increase will not impact on me but I also know plenty about my city — £77 is too much to watch a game anywhere but that price is particularly over the top in Liverpool.

“Walking out, though, wasn’t a nice experience. The pictures you will have seen were visually striking – and they struck a chord with Fenway Sports Group, the club’s owners – but it wasn’t a happy atmosphere inside the stadium as fans argued with each other.

“For a short time, it took me back to 2010 when the reign of previous owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett was falling apart. That was an awful time and this situation cannot be allowed to escalate. There can be no denying, however, Liverpool have got this wrong.”

The Football Supporters’ Federation confirmed on Monday it would be discussing the possibility of further action with other supporter groups to try and reduce Premier League ticket prices.

And Carragher added: “This was a massive opportunity for Liverpool, for every club, a chance to make their fans proud and feel valued.

“Can you imagine how good the exposure for the Premier League would be if the teams came out and said every ticket at every stadium was being frozen?

“Not one of those 20 teams next season will be able to claim that they need the money. But the fans? They deserve to be looked after. They deserve to be treated fairly.”