Manchester United chief executive David Gill has defended the club’s failure to meet the target set for season ticket sales.
The Old Trafford club sold 51,800 season tickets, short of its 54,000 target, Mr Gill confirmed.
However, he insisted the number was “pretty good in the current climate” and reassured that the United was “in good financial shape”.
The shortfall in sales follows a campaign by Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) who urged fans to boycott purchasing season tickets in an attempt to persuade the Glazer family to sell the club.
Mr Gill said: “We’ve sold more season tickets than the capacity of most Premier League grounds.
“Our executive seat sales are on track as compared with last year in a different market”.
The Glazer family, who took on huge debts to buy United, sparked the protest by MUST.
The debts have now reached more than £700 million ($1.078bn) including a £500 million ($770 million) bond scheme, and £202 million ($311 million) in payment-in-kind loans.
MUST chief executive Duncan Drasdo said the shortfall was “a tipping point” in the ownership by the Glazers’.
“The failure to sell out season tickets is very significant as the Glazers depend on an excess of demand over supply to exert control over supporters” he said.
Mr Drasdo said part of the failure to sell out was due to fan’s “huge dissatisfaction” with the Glazers’ operation and the lack of investment in the squad following Ronaldo’s £80 million ($123 million) transfer to Real Madrid last summer.
