Nationwide campaign will see protests staged at Molineux against rising costs for football fans

The 'Stop Exploiting Loyalty' campaign has been launched by the FSA and will see fan groups across the Premier League stage protests at fixtures over the next two weeks.

Of the 20 top flight clubs, 19 increased ticket prices, and at Wolves more than 15,000 fans signed a petition against season ticket price hikes in the summer.

Eventually, after consultation with club chairman Jeff Shi, Wolves rowed back on price rises for under-14 tickets and agreed to freeze adult tickets next season.

Members of the Wolves 1877 Supporters' Trust are supporting the FSA's campaign and will meet Brighton supporters ahead of this weekend's game, before a staged protest at Molineux before the clash with Crystal Palace on November 2.

Trust chair Daniel Warren said: ‘’It seems that loyal supporters are being squeezed financially by the clubs in a wide ranging and targeted way; this campaign is about much more than just ticket prices, our concern grows about the erosion of the availability and price of concession tickets for young and old supporters.

"It seems that the traditional loyal supporter is the target of a coordinated campaign by club owners’."

The Trust insist that they will be calling for a total freeze of season tickets in the coming years, as they continue their campaigns against inflated prices.

Trust vice chair and FSA national council member, Ciaran Barker said: “Wolves and other Premier League clubs need to take notice of this growing campaign, at Molineux this season we have seen that supporters are ‘voting with their feet’ as every home match has gone to general ticket sale, with empty seats clearly visible across the stadium.

"It’s time football got its spending under control rather than looking at ways in which it can financially exploit the loyalty of its most committed supporters’’

The Trust have now released plans for their Molineux protest, in which they are encouraging supporters to get involved.

Their statement added: "Huge transfer fees, wages and agents’ commission are clear examples that football has a spending problem, not a revenue problem.

"Owners need to realise that they are increasingly alienating their most loyal supporters, and for a club like Wolves that has spent more time in the Championship than the Premier League over the last 30 years those supporters are the lifeblood of the club.

"Our home match versus Crystal Palace is a designated FSA campaign match on Saturday November 6, 5.30pm kick-off. The FSA #stopexploitingloyaltybanner will be on display from 4.30pm, located outside the stadium at the Sir Jack Hayward statue, adjacent to the fan zone. Supporters of both Wolves and Crystal Palace will be encouraged to show their support as they make their way into the ground.

"Also, for supporters travelling to Brighton this weekend, the FSA banner will be on display opposite The Prince Albert pub, Trafalgar Street, Brighton from 1pm. The pub allows away supporters so a good place to grab a beer and support the FSA campaign."