Manchester United staff handled a confusing situation very well, says SCMP sport reporter caught up in Old Trafford fiasco
An atmosphere of confusion and disappointment reigned among soccer fans who were at the abandoned Premier League match between Manchester United and Bournemouth at Old Trafford yesterday
There was an atmosphere of confusion and disappointment among soccer fans who were at the abandoned Premier League match between Manchester United and Bournemouth at Old Trafford yesterday, but stadium staff handled a potentially tricky situation with distinction.
“It was all a bit weird more than anything,” said White. “It was concerning because of the sheer number of people that were being evacuated from the stadium, but it was more confusing than frightening.”
After initially delaying the kick-off, authorities decided the game should be abandoned before an army bomb disposal unit was called in to remove the device. The suspect package was later found to have been a fake ‘bomb’ used by a private firm as part of a training exercise conducted at the ground prior to the match.
“Outside the stadium, there were a lot of rumours with people trying to contact others to find out what was happening before fans realised the game had been abandoned.”
On Twitter, disappointed supporters complained about the abandonment. One of the most popular clubs in the world, Manchester United attract a large number of international supporters.
Sunday’s match has now been rescheduled for Tuesday night with Manchester United agreeing to compensate fans with refunds in a move that is set to cost the club close to £3 million (HK$33.4 million).