Manchester United legends Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt watched the Red Devils’ FA Cup third round game against Brighton with Sir Alex Ferguson after they were reportedly threatened with having their season tickets revoked.
In November, the former midfielders opened up on their struggles to get tickets for matches at Old Trafford.
The pair were part of United’s iconic Class of 92 and both enjoyed huge success for their boyhood club.
Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast two months ago, Butt and Scholes bemoaned the difficulties they face in being able to watch United these days.
‘It’s a very different football club to the club we knew,’ Scholes began. ‘I don’t know about you Nicky, you worked there quite recently, but I don’t really know anybody there.’
Butt added: ‘I don’t know anybody there.’
Scholes played 718 times for the Red Devils and won 25 trophies – including 11 Premier League titles – while Butt featured on 387 occasions and lifted 15 honours before moving to Newcastle in 2004.
Scholes then explained how he has to go to other means to get his tickets, and said he has even been forced to use a tout.
‘I have four season tickets so we use them… my son uses them every single week,’ he added.
‘You get people asking (for tickets). I’ve had a Salford lad who wants to got to the game this week – a couple of tickets.
‘So I’ve had to ring a tout? Am I allowed to say that? Honestly, I know a tout.’
Butt then detailed his own experiences and revealed he has been threatened with having his season ticket revoked despite the legendary status he holds at Old Trafford.
‘My lad has got the same thing,’ he explained. ‘If you don’t use them three times you get them taken off you.
‘I’ve had an email saying “you’re having your ticket taken off you”. So I rang them up and said can I speak to somebody about this please? And they go “who am I speaking to please?”, and I go Nicky Butt and they go, “OK, well who’s that?”‘
Scholes jumped in and joked: ‘Who’s that? Is that the one who used to play for Newcastle?’
Butt added: ‘I couldn’t really say it but I felt like saying: I played about 450 games for this club!’
Daily Mail Sport understands the club would issue legends such as Scholes and Butt tickets if approached directly.
Earlier this week, Butt appeared to suggest he does have a season ticket, saying that he would return them if Enzo Maresca takes over from Ruben Amorim.
He said: ‘If Maresca comes in – I like him as a coach, I really do – with the background, I would give my season tickets back.’
Scholes questioned the call, replying: ‘I think going to Chelsea he would last two minutes. He has done alright.’ Butt, though, would go onto explain himself.
The former midfielder said: ‘You mis-read me. I can’t sit here and go on about Man united philosophy and DNA and then go, “Well I’d love Maresca, an ex-Man City guy. Then you have Omar Berrarda and Jason Wilcox.
‘I don’t care how much success is. You’re forgetting where I’m from. Everyone is a City fan. I’m a Man United fan and I can’t accept that.’
