Cambridge United’s players have been warned that they will have to pay out of their own pockets for any shirts swapped with Premier League giants Manchester United in Friday’s FA Cup tie.
The League Two club play host to Louis van Gaal’s men at the R Costings Abbey Stadium, but their total annual wage bill of £1 million is less than striker Wayne Rooney – on over £250,000 per week – earns in a month.
As such, Cambridge can’t afford to replace shirts swapped by their players for a souvenir after the game and coach Richard Money has issued a stern warning to those who try, especially at half-time.
“We’re not wealthy enough to give any of our shirts away,” he said. “If they give their shirt away they’re going to have to replace it. Maybe the club will do it, I don’t know, but I’m not going to do it.
“It would appear that in the Premier League they give their shirt away after every game – sometimes at half-time. I don’t understand why a top class player would want another top class player’s shirt at half-time.
“If one of our players was trying to swap a shirt at half-time you could understand it, but they won’t as they wouldn’t have anything to wear in the second half.”
A new shirt would cost a Cambridge player – such as former Old Trafford winger Luke Chadwick – £39.99 at the club shop, while the club will earn around £250,000 from the game being televised.
“We were determined not to increase the ticket prices,” chief executive Jez George added. “We’ve charged £10 for a kid to watch on the terraces. You think it is quick win to make a lot of money on the night but in the longer term it does more harm than good.
“Once Man United go out of town we’re back to League Two and valuing those supporters again, so we mustn’t try to exploit the situation. We want to make sure we get the fans to come back. The game needs to be about more than what happens on the night.
“This club has lost money for the last 10 years and has survived due to the generosity of individuals,” he said.
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