A Leeds United fan has gone viral after buying a Manchester United ticket at a charity auction for no reason other than to burn it.
We know some football fans will go to great lengths to express their dislike for other teams and their supporters, but not many are willing to spend £500 on a posh hospitality ticket for a game at their rivals' home ground simply to set it on fire.
The video was filmed during a charity auction in Yorkshire where the expensive Man United tickets were put on the list as a joke. Then, like any true Leeds fan would, he figured the best thing to do would burn them and dispose of them in the bin.
As you can see, once the printout with the tickets on them is set alight, the room full of Peacocks begins chanting "we are Leeds!" and applauding.
I mean, football fans are used to burning lots of money going to games, just not quite like this.
Naturally, it's split opinion on social media, with many Whites (or fans who simply don't like Man United either) quickly commenting "fully endorse this", "good work" and "500 quid goes to charity. Don’t see the problem".
On the other hand, plenty of Reds have labelled it "embarrassing" and argued that the ticket could have gone to a young fan, someone who is ill or simply can't usually afford to go to the game.
On the other hand, it literally just likes like an A4 copy of the tickets, so it's not like they couldn't just print out another set.
Featured Image — @dwlufc88 (via Twitter)
Sport
Everything you need to know about the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup before it comes to Leeds
The countdown is really on now to one of the biggest sporting events of the year - the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will land in Leeds in just a few weeks’ time.
The upcoming cricket tournament has already shattered all previous ticket sales records, ahead of what promises to be the biggest Women’s T20 World Cup ever staged.
With just two weeks to go to the opening match between England and Sri Lanka, ticket sales have already surpassed 155,000.
And anticipation is growing for the sporting event of the summer, a 24-day spectacle played across seven iconic venues in England and Wales.
Headingley will play its part in this record-breaking tournament this summer, hosting several major games.
The action kicks off here in Leeds on Wednesday 17 June, with a double-header featuring Australia v Bangladesh and India v Netherlands.
Headingley will also host one of the tournament’s marquee fixtures - England v Scotland on Saturday 20 June.
So if you’re planning to go down for all the action, or just want to know what’s in store, here’s the essential info you need for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
Leeds dates for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup
The T20 trophy on a tour of Leeds
Headingley will welcome eight teams across five fixtures in June, including England, Scotland, Australia, Pakistan, West Indies, Bangladesh, and India, plus tournament newcomers Netherlands.
Wednesday 17 June - Australia v Bangladesh, Headingley - 10.30am
Wednesday 17 June - India v Netherlands, Headingley - 2.30pm
Thursday 18 June - West Indies v Scotland, Headingley - 6.30pm
Saturday 20 June - England v Scotland, Headingley - 6.30pm
Tuesday 23 June - Australia v Pakistan, Headingley - 6.30pm
Tickets for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup
This year’s ticket sales have surpassed the total fan attendance of 136,549 recorded across the entirety of the 2020 edition in Australia, highlighting the extraordinary momentum behind women’s cricket and the growing global demand for the women’s game.
Adult tickets start from just £15 in Headingley, you can grab tickets for games HERE.
What else is on?
Spirit Week has been driving up the excitement even further, with the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup trophy currently on a tour around the UK - including a great day out here in Leeds.
And when it’s England v Scotland here in Headingley, there’ll be all sorts of activations and activities across town to get everyone in the spirit of the World Cup.
The ICC and UNICEF will also be delivering Cricket 4 Good clinics in local communities, with cricketing stars giving young cricketers tips and skills training.
What the ICC have said
Headingley will host a number of T20 Women's World Cup fixtures
ICC General Manager - Events and Corporate Communications, Gaurav Saxena said: “The 2026 edition becoming the highest-selling ICC Women’s T20 World Cup ever is another milestone for the women’s game.
“It not only highlights the incredible momentum behind women’s cricket but also reflects the strong cultural pull of an ICC pinnacle event, appeal for which is not limited to only the sports fans.
“This edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup is set to be our biggest tournament till date and is expected to smash attendance and viewership records in the UK and around the world. This milestone is a hugely exciting moment for everyone involved and has been almost a year in the making.
“The response from fans is a testament to the bold, creative and well-executed marketing efforts of both the ICC and the ECB in the run-up to the tournament, more of which are to follow over the next four weeks.
“We look forward to welcoming fans from across the globe to England and Wales for what promises to be the biggest and most exciting edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.”
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Tournament Director, Beth Barrett-Wild said: “Surpassing 155,000 ticket sales is an incredible milestone and a powerful signal of the momentum behind the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. To have exceeded the previous record set in Australia, before a ball has been bowled, shows just how much excitement there is for this tournament and for women’s cricket globally.
“We’ve always believed this tournament has the potential to be the biggest women’s cricket event in history, and the response from fans has been extraordinary. It reflects the growing profile of the women’s game, the strength of the teams and players on show, and the appetite for world-class sporting events across England and Wales as we build towards an unforgettable summer in 2026.”
Vision to host the Olympics in the North of England takes huge step forward
Daisy Jackson
The government has taken a serious step forward in its vision to bring an Olympic and Paralympic Games bid to the north of England.
A strategic assessment has officially been commissioned to see if the first northern Olympics could be viable in the 2040s.
The assessment will test the impact that hosting could have on the North’s regeneration and growth.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has said that our corner of the country produces some of the UK’s finest sporting talent, but that the region itself has been overlooked for hosting a global event of this size.
She said that the government is now ‘starting the firing gun on a long overdue vote of confidence in the North’.
An initial strategic assessment has been commissioned from UK Sport to see whether the UK could host an Olympic and Paralympic Games up north.
Manchester is already home to world-class cycling facility, the National Cycling Centre. Credit: Unsplash, Dylan Nolte
It will assess key factors such as potential cost, socioeconomic benefit and any bid’s chance of success.
Lisa Nandy said: “London 2012 showed what the Olympics can do for our country. It inspired a generation through sport, attracted huge investment and showed the best of Britain to the world.
“But while the North of England has driven so much sporting excellence, no matter the talent we produce, the sporting moments we create, and the world-class events we attract – for too long we have been told the Olympics is simply too big and too important to be hosted in the North.
“Not any more. It’s time the Olympics came North and we showed what we can offer to the world. I couldn’t be more pleased to announce that we’re starting the firing gun on a long overdue vote of confidence in the North.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, said: “Britain’s sporting prowess is recognised and respected around the world. It’s something we are determined to capitalise on to breathe life into our communities and build a stronger and more secure economy.
“That’s why we’re throwing our full support behind bringing the Games back home which will boost our Northern Growth Corridor. It’s also why we’re backing stadium regeneration plans, like at Elland Road, to deliver new homes, business opportunities and public spaces in Leeds and beyond.”
Chair of The Great North, North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said: “From our great cities and towns to our coastlines and countryside, the North has the venues, the passion and the sporting pride to deliver a world-class Olympic and Paralympic Games that showcases the very best of Great Britain to the world.
“A Great North Olympics would be a global showcase, leaving a legacy of prosperity, unity and renewal. It’s an opportunity not to be missed, delivering transformational investment in transport, regeneration and public spaces across the North of England.
“This could become the most people-powered Games ever hosted: inspiring millions of people into sport, volunteering and community action.”
The news comes ahead of a major sporting summer for the UK, which includes events like the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes Grands Départs.
The Government is already backing bids to host the World Athletics and Para-Athletics Championships in 2029, as well as the 2035 FIFA Women’s World Cup, as part of its commitment to driving a decade of change in women’s sport.
Danny Jones -
25th April 2023 
