After 28 years, Manchester United icon Norman Whiteside and his wife Dee are returning to Old Trafford with their season tickets.
When Whiteside made his debut in 1982 at the age of 16, he became United’s youngest player since Duncan Edwards. In his 259 appearances for the team, he scored 63 goals and helped them win three trophies, including two FA Cups.
The Northern Irishman’s career was marred by injury issues, and he departed Old Trafford for Everton in 1989. Two years later, at the age of just 26, he announced his retirement from football.
After leaving, Whiteside and his spouse remained United supporters and bought season tickets at Old Trafford in the late 1990s. They have decided not to renew their season tickets for the 2025–2026 campaign, even though they have been platinum season ticket holders at Old Trafford for more than 25 years.
A year after they were had to move their seats at Old Trafford to create room for executive seating, they have made their decision. Dee gave a heartfelt explanation of their choice on X. She wrote:
“I’ve been putting this off for a long time. I regret to inform you that @NormanWhiteside and I will not be renewing our season tickets at Old Trafford for the upcoming season after more than 28 years.
“After being forcibly moved last season and “red carded” for not going to enough games, I am unable to give my kids my “paid for” seat. Enough is enough.
“To sum it up, we’ve seen it all, we’ve triumphed, we’re Man United, and we won’t give up. Sadly, my match-going commitment to my club has come to an end after so many seasons.
“I’m MUFC until the day I die, and while I’ve witnessed worse times than this, I doubt I’ve seen players lose interest in donning our jersey for a long time. I’ll still be at games.” The times must shift.
According to ManchesterEveningNews, a club spokesperson stated at the time, following the announcement that United was relocating season ticket holders from block S122 last year, a move that affected the Whitesides: “We have the greatest respect for Norman as a legend of the club, and understand the disappointment caused to him and other season ticket-holders by seat relocations.”
“This occurs for a number of reasons, such as the relocation of matchday hospitality seats into consolidated blocks for the upcoming season in order to allay fan worries about them being scattered across the stadium.
“The removal of the hospitality sitting from the Stretford End and the addition of more rail seating in the North-West Quadrant are two further modifications for the upcoming season that will benefit many supporters but also cause some disturbance.
“Seating for hospitality will be reduced by more than 500 seats for the upcoming season; no new seats are being constructed at the cost of season ticket holders. We’re determined to work with Norman and all other season ticket holders impacted by relocations to find them the best alternate seats available elsewhere in the stadium.
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