About TRA

Are you entirely independent?

We are entirely independent from the club and all other supporters groups, trusts, fanzines and commercial organisations. To achieve our aims we maintain a regular and open dialogue with the Club and make ourselves available to meet with all key stakeholder groups and individuals who express a genuine intrerest in helping us improve the atmosphere.



How is TRA funded?

Prior to March 2019, all funding for TRA came from the generous donations of our members. This was promoted through Twitter, our website, our forum and at games. In March 2019, after extensive consultation with our members (who were unanimous in support of the decision) we introduced a small annual membership fee to ensure we have the funds required to continue operating. This was set at £5 per year, which was considerably lower than the amount most of our members voted for as the amount they were prepared to pay. £5 will cover our costs for the 2019-20 season. We also made the decision to make membership free for anyone under the age of 18. We are committed to integrating youth into the culture we are creating and see this as an important step to achieving that.



What does TRA need funds for?

Whilst the organisers and members give their time for free, TRA do incur costs for things such as SMS used in communications, software development and database maintenance, promotional materials and website hosting. We believe a membership fee is preferable to sponsorship from commercial organisations or the Club, which could introduce a level of accountability and jeopardise our independence. For a breakdown of projected costs for 2019/20 season click here.



Who runs TRA?

TRA is run by two life-long United fans from Manchester who between them have been attending games for over 80 years. They do this in their own time and receive no money or any other kind of compensation for doing so. TRA are always looking for like-minded United fans to get involved and help us achieve our aim of improving the atmosphere and making Old Trafford once again the loudest ground in England.



How do I join TRA?

You can become a member by registering through our mobile app: https://www.theredarmy.co.uk/membership



Can I donate to TRA?

All donations are very welcome and will contribute to the on-going work of TRA. Donations can be made via: https://www.theredarmy.co.uk/donate



How do I contact you with a question or problem?

If you have a technical question relating to either our Forum or Database please fill out a support ticket here and we will look into it for you For all other information including ticketing questions, please use our Forum



The Vision

What are TRA are trying to achieve?

We want to return the once famous atmosphere to Old Trafford and reclaim our title as the loudest fans in England. We believe that the only way to achieve this is to introduce a culture of loud, largely youthful fans who are able to stand and sing together with their friends and like-minded Reds. In effect we would like to create an 'away fan' culture inside Old Trafford so that Reds can watch Utd next to their mates home one week, and away the next. We want this culture to be long lasting and available for future generations for many years to come.



Isn’t this just another version of the ‘singing section’?

No. This isn’t about creating one standalone ‘singing section’. This is about changing the culture at Old Trafford in order to improve the atmosphere across the entire stadium. By allowing large groups of friends to stand together we believe that we can create an atmosphere more akin to what you experience at a Untied away game.



What are the club doing to help?

Over the past 2 years we have been negotiating with the club for the improvements and changes that we believe are essential to introduce a sustainable, natural atmosphere inside Old Trafford. If you would like to have your say on anything related to the 'match-day experience' then joining TRA and discussing your ideas with us is the only realistic way that you can do that.



How are you going to change the culture within TRA areas?

Over recent years Old Trafford has earned itself a reputation as a quiet ground to visit, where the traditional, loud support which was the heart of the Club for generations has been replaced by the silent, seated tourist with their megastore bags and poor understanding of our long standing supporting traditions. This has created a culture of silence throughout the stadium - a culture that says "It is not OK to sing, it is not OK to stand and get behind your team, we expect you to be silent, we expect you to sit down". Once a culture like this has taken root it is very difficult to change it, but we are determined to do just that. The TRA culture is one where our members know that when they enter our sections they are entering an area of the stadium where they are expected to sing for 90 minutes, where filming on mobile phones is simply not allowed, where they can stand for the entire game - and where they can stand with groups of their friends. Not only that but the TRA culture is one where hundreds of our members regularly meet and drink together before the match, often enter the stadium early and together, are the first to start singing often well before kick off and are often the last to leave. Above all, it is a culture of like-minded Reds of all ages who can watch the match together and suport the team in the same manner as the would at an away game.



TRA Sections within Old Trafford

How many seats are in your section & where is it?

Premier League: 1400 Stretford End Right-Side, Blocks: W2106 / W2107 Europa League: 1700 League Cup: 1700 FA Cup: 1700 Stretford End Paddock, Blocks: W209 / W210 / W211 / W212 All tickets are allocated via a TRA members ballot



How do I apply for tickets?

TRA registered members apply for our sections on a match-by-match basis. A ballot then takes place and the Club send out paper tickets to all successful applicants and deactivate their ST for that match. Club Members can also apply but their application for a TRA ticket is dependant on the Club issuing them a match ticket in the Club ballot. If a Club Member is successful in both ballots, they will be issued a paper ticket for a TRA section. We are currently working on a new system but until that is up & running, once a ballot is open we will announce this on our forum or via SMS. Simply log into the database, select the game and apply.



What is the criteria for the ballot?

Firstly, everyone must be a member of TRA and have paid their £5 fee (free for under 16s) to apply to relocate to a TRA area. After that, applications will be considered with priority given to supporters who fall into the following categories:

  • ST holders who have deomnstrated commitment to the atmosphere since 2014

  • Supporters 'referred' to us by other trusted TRA members

  • Number of previous applications made to TRA

Please Note: In all cases the club has the final say



Is there an age limit for TRA areas?

Club rules state that children aged 13 and above can attend unaccompanied. TRA have also set a lower age limit of 8 for young Reds provided they attend with a responsible adult due to the likelihood of explicit language and sometimes aggressive nature of the chants that are often aired amongst large groups of vocal Utd fans.



How will TRA deal with members who don't contribute?

Our members have already demonstrated real ownership of TRA areas and are very protective of what we have all worked hard together to achieve so far, a large part of this has been due to the introduction of Groups - a system which allows large or small groups of friends to stand together in TRA areas. One of the affects of this has been that any individuals who are either not pulling their weight or who are clearly non-TRA members, have been easy to identify and this has enabled us to develop a very loud, passionate, loyal culture within our areas.



Which other parts of the stadium will be TRA?

TBC



What exactly are Groups

The Club have agreed to allow TRA members to watch the match alongside their friends, we manage this through the use of Groups. To create a Group a TRA member simply uses our online system to bring together their friends into a single Group. When a Group is successful in a TRA ballot, all members of the Group will be seated together. If you are not a member of a Group and would like to create one, the best way is to speak with vocal fans who are in your part of the ground and ask them to register with TRA, once you have all registered it is a simple process to use our system to create a group.



What about the 'Reclaim The Stretford End' campaign?

Whilst TRA have never been actively involved in this campaign, it is our wish that all vocal fans who are currently situated within Stretford End Tier 2 should eventually migrate down back into Tier 1, the original heart of the Stretford End.



What about Safe Standing?

Hopefully in the near future we'll be able to speak with the Club and look at ways we can get safe standing introduced into TRA areas on the Stretford End. So far we've not been involved in any meetings or discussion regarding the trialling of safe standing but if & when the opportunity presents itself, we will of course consult our members and then act on their behalf.