Sports Direct staff getting a slightly better Christmas party this year

After they tolerated a season that consisted of poor results, the feint threat of relegation and Kevin Keegan, Mike Ashley has decided to punish Newcastle fans with a ten per cent increase in season ticket prices. Considering the fact that the average season ticket rise is 10 per cent and the economy in this country is completely fudged, this news could be a rather bitter pill for Geordies to swallow:

Supporter Jim Hannah, 47, of Whitley Bay, said: “Fair enough if you want to commit to three years - last season’s price is frozen.

“But the way things are economically, who can afford that? It’s a strange time to do it after the season we had.”

Despite Mike Ashley’s cash-draining surprise, the Newcastle website claims season tickets are now sold out for next season, and just ten per cent of Magpies claimed they would be giving up their pass in a poll published on The Spoiler last week (the average for the league is around 14 per cent).

My Premier League season ticket cost £250 nine years ago, and now the average price is around £780 - that’s the kind of inflation that makes petrol prices look reasonable. So are top flight clubs abusing their fans’ loyalty with extortionate prices? Let us know with a vote and comment below.