Man City are urged to reverse a decision to hike season ticket prices by 5%

Manchester City have been urged to reverse a decision to increase season ticket prices by an average of five per cent.

Three fan groups have united in telling Mail Sport that the Premier League champions ought to perform a U-turn on the pricing structure for next season after renewal emails were sent out on Wednesday.

Fans have accused City of pricing them out after continued incremental rises for the majority of the past decade – the latest coming months after City boasted record revenues of £712million.

The Treble winners argue that the increases are linked to operating costs connected to inflation and that no Premier League club has yet to announce a freeze on tickets ahead of next year.

But City Matters, the club’s fan advisory board, joined the 1984 Group and the City Fans Foodbank Support Group in asking for a rethink.

‘The rise is immensely disappointing,’ a 1984 spokesman said. ‘There is no justification for it. We’d like the club to reconsider. People want a freeze, which is achievable.

‘We’re in a situation now where they don’t need to wring every last bit out of the matchday revenue. The fans are a little bit restless. This one feels like a step too far. There is a battle for the heart and soul of the club.’

Alex Howell, the chair of City Matters, added: ‘At what point does the success on and off the pitch get passed to supporters? I echo the sentiment for the club to reverse the decision.

‘In isolation it’s not a huge rise but it’s the context of the past 10-15 years. We’re a city that does have a lot of deprivation, the cost of living (crisis). People aren’t going to be able to afford these rises year-on-year and the reality is that some are going to be priced out by the incremental rises.’

City have always prided