Carragher proud of Liverpool ticket-price U-turn

Jamie Carragher has praised Liverpool's owners for restoring pride at Anfield after backing down in their plans to increase matchday and season ticket prices.

Fans – including Carragher – staged a walkout in the 77th minute of Liverpool's 2-2 Premier League draw with Sunderland last Saturday in protest at the planned hike in prices, which would have seen the most expensive matchday ticket rise from £59 to £77.

After reviewing their plans, owners the Fenway Sports Group ditched the planned increases on Wednesday, instead freezing the prices and scrapping game categorisation.

"When I heard that Liverpool's owners had taken the decision to freeze ticket prices for the next two seasons, as well as apologising for the idea of wanting to sell seats for £77, I felt proud of my club once again," Carragher wrote in his Daily Mail column.

"The supporters started something big on Saturday when walking out of Anfield in the 77th minute and things snowballed to such an extent that Fenway Sports Group (FSG) realised they had to make urgent corrections.

"It wasn't nice to see but they were standing up for fans across the country, not just themselves. Nobody wants to see stadiums emptying on a regular basis and hopefully that prospect has now finished.

"Rarely in life do you find people who will admit they have got something wrong, so it was bold of FSG to hold their hands up and apologise.

"The open letter they issued last night was something they did get right and the decision to go for a two-year price [freeze] makes a statement.

"The easy thing would have been to leave things as they are for 12 months before nudging prices up again.

"The fact that they have not shows FSG appreciated what was at stake."