West Ham vs Crystal Palace: Alan Pardew urges fans to 'leave the sofa' despite high ticket prices

Palace boss understands fans anger at ticket prices

New Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew watches on from the dug-out (Getty Images)

Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew has revealed that he sympathises with the club's supporters who say they cannot afford to attend Saturday's match at West Ham because ticket prices are too high.

Just weeks after the Premier League's television rights were sold to BT Sport and Sky Sports for a fee of £5.136bn, fans continue to protest against the price of tickets in the top flight.

Tickets in the Upton Park away end cost £44 for adults and £25 for concessions as Palace hope to ease their relegation fears with victory.

Pardew has recently written an open letter to Eagles' supporters, urging them to "leave the sofa for this one" when tickets remained unsold.

Palace fans unfurled a banner last week in protest (Getty)

He added: "I wish they were cheaper and I was asking the fans, if they can possibly afford it, to try to come along because it's a big afternoon for us.

"It's an agenda that we as a club are focusing on - that away fans should get a better rate to make it easier," he added.

"With all the finance coming into the game, it's something that has to be looked at by the Premier League and by Premier League chairmen.

"These messages start with your fans. I'm just echoing my personal opinion with what our fans want and what fans up and down the country want.

"They want to follow their team, in a place where they have a good view of the game, and at a decent price that makes it viable to be able to travel."