Liverpool’s American owners FSG scrap plans for Anfield ticket price hike and apologise to fans

Liverpool’s owners on Wednesday apologised and scrapped controversial plans to hike Anfield ticket prices after 10,000 fans walked out of the ground in protest at the weekend.

Principal owner John W Henry and chairman Tom Werner acted after legions of angry Reds fans stormed out of the ground in the 77th minute of Saturday’s home game against Sunderland.

The timing reflected the £77 (HK$872) being asked for the most expensive ticket at Anfield next season.

As a result of Saturday’s mutiny, the club’s owners announced a number of changes to their initial proposals in a structure which will also remain for the 2017/18 season.

Revenue generated from ticket prices will be frozen at 2015-16 levels; this means the highest match-day price for a general admission ticket will remain at £59 – the lowest will be £9 and these tickets will be offered for every match with an allocation of 10,000 across the season.

The highest season ticket price will be frozen at £869 – after fears it would break through the £1,000 barrier – and the lowest £685.

“It has been a tumultuous week,” said an open letter jointly signed by Henry and Werner.

“On behalf of everyone at Fenway Sports Group and Liverpool Football Club we would like to apologise for the distress caused by our ticket pricing plan for the 2016/17 season.