Arsenal have been hit with a hefty £500,000 fine, but don’t worry, it’s suspended, so they don’t have to pay it just yet. The Gunners got in trouble for not playing by the rules during their FA Cup match against Manchester United earlier this year. Apparently, they didn’t give United 15 percent of the tickets they were supposed to. Oops!
The game in question was a real nail-biter, with United taking the lead thanks to Bruno Fernandes in the second half, only for Gabriel Magalhaes to level the score. Things got even more intense when Diogo Dalot was sent off for United, but Arsenal still couldn’t find a way to clinch the win, losing 5-3 on penalties. And now, almost a year later, they’re facing the consequences of their ticket mishap.
According to the FA, Arsenal will only have to cough up the cash if they can’t prove they’re following the rules this season or if they mess up again when the next FA Cup kicks off. The Professional Game Board (PGB) found Arsenal guilty of breaking the FA Cup Rule 192 during their clash with United. The rule states that the away team should get up to 15 percent of the tickets, but Arsenal only gave United 8,000 out of 60,704 available seats at the Emirates. Oopsie daisy!
But wait, there’s more! Rule 191 says that away clubs can claim up to 15 percent of tickets up to £9,000, as long as they’re for a segregated area and the request is made within four days of the draw. And Rule 192 requires the home team to comply with these requests, which Arsenal clearly didn’t do. So, they’ve been handed a suspended fine and a warning to get their act together for the next season. Let’s hope they don’t drop the ball again!
As for Arsenal’s future in the FA Cup, they’ll be back in action in January for the third round ties. The team has been donning all-white kits in the competition to raise awareness about knife crime and promote their ‘No More Red’ campaign. It’s all about keeping young people safe and preventing violence, which is definitely a noble cause. So, while the fine might sting a little, at least Arsenal can focus on making a positive impact off the pitch.
