We are aware that a number of supporters experienced problems at Wembley at the Carabao Cup final on Sunday. These included significant issues with the digital ticketing system to enter the stadium, as well as concerns at and near to the turnstiles with a lack of clear communication.

Ahead of the final SOS contacted LFC, on behalf of our members and supporters, to ask about their decision to use digital tickets, of which we had not been consulted. We were told it was Wembley’s preference and the club had received assurances about its ease of use that meant they had no reason to disagree.

We also met with representatives from Brent Council, the Met Police, Wembley Stadium and other stakeholders as is usual in the run-up to high-profile games. We questioned the process for entering the stadium and plans for the day. There was no explanation given as to why digital ticketing was chosen as a preference, but we were told there would be support available for any fans encountering problems on the day, and the usual ticket checks ahead of access. A few days before the final, we saw images showing fencing being erected close to the Liverpool ‘end’ of the ground, which we discovered formed part of a fanzone. We had not been told about this at the meeting.

On the day of the final, just a couple of hours before kick-off, we became aware via supporters and social media, of problems getting into the stadium. We contacted LFC immediately and were able to share updates for the fix to issues with digital tickets.

Since Sunday, the club have been in touch and have committed to engage with us to establish what happened and share their findings with supporters. We have also written to Brent Council, the Met and Wembley to ask for their plans on evaluating what took place and have asked that supporters are involved in those discussions. We have also explained that we will be collating fan experiences and requested to meet to discuss.

If you encountered any issues on Sunday regarding tickets, access or anything else, please email clubliaison@spiritofshankly.com with an account of what took place, providing as much detail as possible. All correspondence will be treated in confidence and made anonymous if shared.

It is not acceptable for supporters to have to deal with issues that they should have been consulted on, or find out about second hand. It should not come down to us trying to share urgent updates on ticketing in the immediate run-up to a match kicking off. Supporters deserve better and we will continue to work to make that happen.