Manchester United fans have reacted angrily after the club restricted the season-ticket accounts of "thousands" of supporters as part of a crackdown on ticket touting and breaches of its terms and conditions. Fans affected, including some who have held season tickets for decades, say they have not been told exactly what they are accused of and feel they are being asked to prove their innocence, causing significant distress and anxiety ahead of the new season.

Manchester United, which has 46,800 season-ticket holders at Old Trafford, has emailed flagged supporters saying it needs to "understand more clearly" patterns linked to their accounts, and has asked them to submit evidence in their defence. No tickets have been revoked yet, with a final decision to be made by an appeals panel before the Premier League season starts on 22 August, but the Manchester United Supporters' Trust says it has been "overwhelmed with requests for help" and warns the process risks "significant unintended consequences." United declined to comment when approached by BBC Sport.