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Special guests at Prescot match

FC United is delighted to announce that there will be a host of special guests at tomorrow’s game at Gigg Lane including Andy Burnham MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and David Chaytor MP for Bury North.

Mr Burnham, MP for Leigh and the former chairman of Supporters Direct, has been an outspoken advocate of supporter owned football clubs for a number of years and has been keen to take in an FC United game for quite some time.

The lifelong Everton supporter is planning to attend tomorrow with his six-year-old son, his Labour Party colleague, Mr Chaytor, the Mayor of Bury Councillor Peter Ashworth and also Beijing Paralympic gold medallist and Bury resident Zoe Robinson.

Mr Chaytor said: "I’m delighted to be attending tomorrow’s match with Andy Burnham, who has a strong background in working with football clubs in the community and supporter’s organisations.

"FC United represent something unique in English football - a club run by the fans on a not for profit basis. I know that the club do a great deal for community groups and a lot of charity work, which is really commendable.

"However, what impresses me most is the way in which they keep their prices affordable, so that anyone who wants to go and watch can do so at little cost. This policy is especially important for young people, who are all too often priced out of going to the match."??

The event is a direct result of FC United supporters contacting their local MPs to discuss the matter of affordable football in the community with them. A group of supporters from Leigh contacted Mr Burnham and Mr Chaytor was approached by one of the club’s founder members, Gary Peace.

Gary said: "I read a piece on the official website encouraging supporters to get in touch with their local MPs to discuss the state of the modern game. I contacted David Chaytor who was interested and asked if I’d like to come and discuss it further at his ’drop-in’ session for constituents. I met with him and had a good chat about football in general.

"David was keen to attend an FC United match and Andy Burnham had already expressed a desire to meet with members of the Board. So, after working around their busy schedules, we’ve managed to get them both to come along to Saturday’s match against Prescot Cables."??



First Posted ~ 16:17 Fri 16 Jan 2009
News ID ~ 2026
Last Updated ~ 01:52 Tue 16 Feb 2021