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Club's £10 tickets for steel worker 'solidarity'

Becki Bowden and Emma Petrie
BBC News
BBC A big sign that reads "The Iron Bar" is on the side of entrance to the ground. Fans stand outside ahead of the game.BBC
Scunthorpe Utd offered reduced price tickets to impacted steel workers for their home fixture against Southport on Saturday

Scunthorpe United offered reduced price tickets for British Steel workers on Saturday to show "solidarity" with employees at risk of redundancy.

British Steel launched a consultation on the proposed closure of its two Scunthorpe blast furnaces on Thursday, putting up to 2,700 jobs at risk out of a workforce of 3,500.

The National League North side, whose nickname is The Iron due to the area's long association with the iron and steel industry, offered British Steel employees £10 tickets for their home tie against Southport.

Michelle Harness, Scunthorpe United chair, described the recent news as "devastating" for those involved.

British Steel said the blast furnaces were "no longer financially sustainable" due to tough market conditions, the imposition of tariffs and higher environmental costs.

The BBC understands the company was expecting a £1bn injection of government money to keep the business going, but was offered £500m.

Michelle sits in front of a Scunthorpe United shirt with a silloette of the steel works on it.
Scunthorpe United's chair, Michelle Harness, said the steelworks and the club were 'linked together'

"It's devastating for the families," Ms Harness said.

"Last week 8,000 [fans] turned up, a large percentage of those must be Scunthorpe steel workers.

"The whole history of the steelworks revolves around the town, the club revolves around the town - we're linked together."

She continued: "We went through nearly losing the football club, now I just hope somehow they find some result to their problems."

Two women stand together in their club shirts and scarves and smile for the camera.
Rebecca McKeon (left) and Sarah Feve (right) praised the club for the move

Scunthorpe United supporter Kimberley Plastow said: "This town would be dead if we didn't have steel workers, it's what we're about.

"Is anyone going to step in and help our town?"

She added: "It'll end up as a ghost town, we'll have no one here, no one's going to be able to afford houses."

Another fan, Sarah Feve, urged people to "get behind the steel workers".

"We just need the steelworks open and working for this town," she said.

On the pitch, the league leaders secured a 2-0 win against Southport at the Attis Arena.

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