Ex-Everton chief Keith Wyness gives thumbs-up after Liverpool lifetime ban news
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness has insisted he is “all for” the decision taken by Liverpool to issue lifetime bans to ticket touts.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – claimed it is “wrong” for individuals to “prey on fan loyalty” and hopes other clubs follow suit.
Liverpool confirmed last week (31 October) that the club issued 75 lifetime bans to ticket touts last season alone in a crackdown on third-party sales.
The Reds also shut down 100,000 fake ticketing accounts and dished out 136 indefinite suspensions.
They added a further 5,670 accounts are currently under review by the club for suspicious activity.
Liverpool recently upped capacity at Anfield to 61,276 but still struggle to meet the demand to see the Reds in the flesh.
Other clubs should follow Liverpool in banning ticket touts, says Wyness
Wyness told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “It’s been local knowledge in the north-west that this has gone on for a long time.
“The demand for Liverpool tickets is so high and when you have that, ticket touts will appear.
“Other grounds and concerts will be the same.
“It’s great to see Liverpool being proactive. They’ve got to clean out their database, which is what they’re trying to do.
“I think it was very good to try and get to grips with it.
“They’re keeping control of more revenue as well, so it’s a commercial decision too.
“I hope more clubs try and clean house in this way. In this case, I’ll give kudos to Liverpool.
“It’s wrong to prey on fan loyalty. If they’re posing as fans, then a lifetime ban is the right thing to do. It sends a big signal to people in the future. I’m all for it.”
In other news, Liverpool block January exits for three first-teamers.
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