Manchester United are recruiting a full-time ‘supporter escalations executive’ as the club continues its controversial crackdown on ticket touting.
The new appointment will be responsible for handling a “high-volume caseload of complex investigations, sanctions, appeals and escalations”, according to the job advertisement.
The Premier League club has faced criticism from sections of its support base over the extent of the operation, which some supporters believe has been unfair. Earlier this month, United said 685 accounts had been banned, while 464 supporters had been sanctioned or warned.
United insiders say the successful candidate will deal with a broader range of supporter-related issues, rather than focusing solely on ticket touting.
However, the advert describes the position as “key to support the club’s mission to tackle ticket touting”.
The role will involve balancing “robust enforcement with empathy, transparency and consistent treatment”. The successful applicant will also be expected to use artificial intelligence to examine data and identify “patterns, trends, anomalies and opportunities for improvement”.
The recruitment comes as relations between Manchester United and significant parts of its fanbase remain strained.
The Manchester United Supporters Trust previously challenged the way the club had conducted its investigation into suspected ticket touting.
“While there is widespread support among fans for tackling genuine ticket touting,” a spokesperson said, “that cannot justify treating suspicious digital behaviour as proof of touting, imposing severe sanctions without sufficiently compelling evidence, or expecting supporters to defend themselves without properly disclosing the allegation, evidence and specific rules they are said to have breached.
“Considerable damage has been done to trust between the club and its supporters through this exercise.”
United have rejected suggestions that the crackdown is designed to make more tickets available to overseas supporters at higher prices. The club says its aim is instead to ensure more tickets go to genuine fans.
Tensions were also evident before the Manchester derby, when supporters directed their anger at co-owners the Glazer family and Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
A banner carrying the message “the way you treat us is a disgrace” was displayed above the tunnel before the match.
The Red Army supporters group also chose not to organise its customary flag display in the Stretford End for the game against City.
