Jimmy Wagg, Trafford Metro News, Good Friday
"When I was growing up, the love of football, and of a particular team, was passed from generation to generation. My Uncle Jimmy used to take me to the match when I was about 6 or 7. Even as an ordinary working bloke he could afford to. When I got to be old enough to go to the match by myself, I could afford to out of my 'spends'.
I'm not sure either of those premises would hold true in 2010. If that love of the game, and of going to the match, is too expensive to pass on to the next generation, who will provide the bums on seats in years to come ? Will an adult of 30 who has never been to a match before suddenly have a burning desire to spend nearly £1,000 a season to watch football in a stadium rather than a pub ? I don't think so."
The thrust of this article was on the subject of United freezing season ticket prices, but it serves as ample illustration of the reason why the pubs will be packed out this afternoon for the new experiment.
Prawn sandwich anyone ?