‘Fans not criminals’ - Newcastle United groups send message to club in latest ticketing controversy
There has been growing concerns from Newcastle United supporters regarding ticketing in recent months.
Two high-profile Newcastle United groups have lashed out at the club for enforcing ID checks at Bournemouth yesterday.
Newcastle United Supporters’ Club allege that 60 tickets were rejected at the turnstile ahead of the Premier League clash. ID checks were established as a deterrent at the start of the 2023-24 season in an attempt to make the system fairer.
However, critics argue the away-day experience has worsened, with atmospheres dwindling and diehard fans missing out. Due to demand, only season ticket holders can realistically attend away games using the loyalty point system - with members unable to buy a Premier League game since October 2021.
However, Newcastle away ends pre-takeover saw many non-season ticket holders travel the country. An increased demand resulted in the Magpies introducing ID checks, discouraging fans from travelling using another persons’ details.
As a compromise, Newcastle introduced a transfer system last year that allows fans to send away tickets legitimately twice per season. But the ID checks remain a bugbear for fans while travelling to games.
NUSC statement
NUSC - a prominent fan group founded in 2023 - have hit out after the goalless draw Bournemouth. They claim 60 tickets were turned away - urging Newcastle to stop treating supporters like “criminals”.
“Disappointed to hear of 60 ticket ID checks today and no Supporter Services representative present. Longest Premier League away trip, rail engineering works and coaches leaving through the early hours of the morning. Fans not criminals.”
Disappointed to hear of 60 ticket ID checks today and no Supporter Services representative present
— Newcastle United Supporters’ Club (@Nusc2023) September 21, 2025
Longest Premier League away trip, rail engineering works and coaches leaving through the early hours of the morning.
Fans not criminals. #NUFC pic.twitter.com/TWwGkh9uvq
Newcastle United Supporters Trust call for transparency
Likewise, Newcastle United Supporters Trust have called for clarity on ticketing. Recent weeks have seen frustrations mounting at the club’s current policy.
A convoluted change to how away tickets are bought has been slammed for its lack of transparency. Just 59 per cent of the overall allocation for Newcastle’s trip to Union Saint-Gilloise was made available to supporters.
As for home tickets, tensions flared when more than 100 season tickets were cancelled ahead of the clash with Barcelona. A private school in Dundee had advertised a holiday package for its students, with a third-party website the source of the tickets.
Newcastle were forced to release an apology for the “oversight” - insisting those seats are now available via the ballot for future games. A statement from NUST read: “We are once again calling on the club to provide full and unambiguous transparency around ticketing.
“This issue has been raised by the Newcastle United Supporters Trust (NUST) on multiple occasions, and the failure to provide clarity is contributing to growing frustration, mistrust, and division within the fanbase. The information we are requesting is straightforward, reasonable, and in the public interest. There is no credible reason why it cannot be shared. In fact, doing so would demonstrate the club’s respect for its supporters and commitment to fair process.
“For over two years, the club has maintained that this information is ‘commercially sensitive’. We strongly challenge that position. Numerous other Premier League clubs - including Liverpool FC - already publish this type of information openly, without compromising any commercial interests.”