Supporter groups of Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham "have come together to criticise the Gunners for reducing the ticket allocation for away fans for FA Cup ties at the Emirates," according to Julian Bennetts of the London EVENING STANDARD. The Arsenal Supporters’ Trust, Black Scarf Movement, Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust and Spirit of Shankly "are furious over the ticketing for Arsenal’s third-round tie with Tottenham and next week’s fifth-round match with Liverpool." Competition rules state away fans should be given 15% of the stadium, or 9,050 seats. However, Arsenal gave Spurs and Liverpool only 5,186 tickets each while fourth-round opponents Coventry were offered 8,686 (EVENING STANDARD, 2/5). In Liverpool, Neil Jones reported Liverpool "requested the full allocation, but were rejected by Arsenal following the advice of the London club's Safety Advisory Group." The Group, made up of representatives from the club, local authority, police and transport, said that the decision to reduce Liverpool's allocation "is down to fears over safety issues, chiefly supporters standing in the upper tiers of the stadium." Liverpool supporters' union Spirit of Shankly said it was “disappointed” with Arsenal's decision. A statement on the SOS website said it was “absurd” that a football club could “designate an area as being available to away supporters yet then raise fears over potential safety issues” (LIVERPOOL ECHO, 2/5).
