Manchester United have moved relatives of former manager Sir Matt Busby out of the directors' box and into another part of Old Trafford.
Busby revived the Red Devils after the devastating 1958 Munich air disaster in which he was seriously hurt and which claimed the lives of 23 people, including eight players, steering the club to their first European Cup success a decade later.
He also won the league title five times and the FA Cup twice and when he retired the club gave him seats in the directors' box, where a plaque was placed to mark his achievements and a bronze statue of Busby was erected outside Old Trafford in 1996. One of the roads to the stadium is named after him.
Following his death in 1994 the directors' box seats were transferred to his children Sandy and Sheena, who both died in the 2014-15 season, but those seats are no longer available to the family.
"My dad always said it was a privilege to have those box tickets," Amanda Eustace, one of Busby's granddaughters, told the Manchester Evening News, which also reports plaques bearing the Busby name have been removed from the seats in question.
"We have been extremely grateful to United for what they have given us over the past years.
"We do still have season tickets, which is absolutely fantastic."
Press Association Sport understands United made the directors' box seats available to Busby's grandchildren for one more year and then offered six (three apiece) complimentary season tickets in the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand plus free hospitality.
"The club continues to provide tickets and hospitality for the descendants of Sir Matt but with the passing of his children that hospitality will continue in the Warwick Suite," said a statement from Manchester United.
An online petition calling for United to reinstate the plaque - which the club could not confirm had definitely been removed when contacted by Press Association Sport - has been started.
Source: PA
