United fans plan protest over kick-off times

Manchester United fans are planning a mass protest at Saturday's Old Trafford encounter with Fulham in an attempt to bring an end to their series of lunchtime kick-offs.

Of United's 22 home fixtures in the Premiership and FA Cup this season, probably only five will be played on a Saturday with a traditional 3pm kick-off. With local police refusing to sanction evening matches on a Saturday and Sky keen to televise United's weekend matches that precede midweek Champions' League games, Saturday lunchtime football has become a regular occurrence.

The Football Supporters' Federation is to lobby Parliament next Tuesday on two issues of concern, standardised kick-off times and fairer distribution of television money throughout the game. However, Mark Longden, the chairman of the Independent Manchester United Supporters' Association, says their target is the Premier League and Football Association rather than the television companies. He said he wanted to ensure that the next television deal, due soon, stipulated that at least half of every club's home games must be on a Saturday at 3pm.

"Sky look after their customers by choosing the games they do," Longden said, "so its time the football authorities started looking after their customers, who are the fans that attend matches."