Statement from Howard Cohen, Disabled Fans’ Representative on City Matters (Fans Advisory Board) and Chair of Manchester City Disabled Supporters Association

At a full meeting of City Matters on 20th February 2025, the club agreed to hold an extraordinary meeting with all City Matters elected representatives, to discuss season ticket prices for next season and the questions of whether or not to offer any new season tickets and whether to make changes to the controversial “FlexiGold” system. Danny Wilson, the club’s Managing Director Operations, promised that a date would be set for that meeting and given to us within 7 days. Despite multiple requests since then, no date has yet been set. 

Meanwhile many other clubs have already announced their season ticket prices and some, such as West Ham and Liverpool, have acknowledged the important role that fan engagement has had in their decision-making process. We are already close to the date when City made the season ticket prices announcement, last season, too. The Football Supporters Association has also written to the Premier League calling for urgent, proper dialogue between clubs and their supporters’ representatives on season tickets.

As one of those representatives, I am extremely disappointed and frustrated that City are ignoring their own fans’ representatives, who have been elected precisely for the reason of engagement on issues, such as this. It now appears that whenever a meeting does eventually take place, the club appears to be planning a presentation of new prices and policies as a fait accompli, rather than engaging and discussing the decision-making process in the way that the concept of a Fans Advisory Board was intended to be used.

As a result of this frustration and the continued silence from the club on even setting a date to meet, I have decided to join with other representatives and refuse to attend any other full meetings of City Matters or of its sub-groups until we have been given a confirmed date for an extraordinary meeting, to discuss these issues.

To be clear, I will still continue to engage with the club and its employees and will carry out all other duties to represent the disabled fans who elected me. My role as Chair of Manchester City Disabled Supporters Association is also unaffected by this decision. The committee of MCDSA has supported me and I have also consulted with MCDSA members before making this decision, none of who disagreed with me. I thank them all for their support. 

I hope sincerely that this matter can be resolved quickly now and that we hear from the club, with a confirmed meeting date, very soon. I hope also that the club uses the meeting, when it does take place, to engage in a meaningful way with its fans’ elected representatives.