MANCHESTER United and City fans found a team they could both support after joining forces to support living wage campaigners.

Reds and Blues met in their team colours at Old Trafford on April 9 to call on their respective clubs to extend their promises on paying staff the living wage.

Following the recent £5bn plus Premier League TV rights deal, all top flight clubs committed to paying full-time staff a minimum £7.85 per hour; £9.15 for London clubs.

But campaigners point out that this commitment doesn’t include the thousands of sub-contracted match day workers such as stewards, catering and cleaning staff.

Attending the rally, Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Stretford and Urmston, Kate Green, said there ‘had to be a case for closing the gap’ between the thousands footballers are paid and those on a minimum wage working in football stadia on match days.

“This is a strong show of support for the Living Wage Campaign. It makes a big difference to be paid fairly for a fair day’s work, not just to the individual but for the economy, which will benefit because workers will spend more with local businesses,” said Ms Green.

Manchester City Living Wage campaigner, Chris Fabby, said: “We’re all hugely proud of our clubs and the great work that they do in the community.

“What we’re not proud of are the huge inequalities. The match on Sunday is worth millions of pounds, but you will have people doing the cleaning and catering on poverty wages.”

Fellow campaigner Nixon Tod added: “Come the derby, passions will be high, but off the pitch we both have the same aim: a living wage for match day staff.”

Manchester United fan Tom Skinner said: "I've written to the club to ask them to pay the living wage, but I heard nothing back.

“United fans expect better and United's workers deserve better."

Responding to a Messenger enquiry, Manchester United re-affirmed their commitment on paying full-time staff the living wage, but made no comment on joining the likes of FC United and Chelsea by ensuring sub-contracted match day workers were also paid the living wage.

A Manchester United spokesman said: “During last month’s Premier League shareholders’ meeting, the clubs agreed to adopt the Living Wage for all full-time employees by the start of the 2016/17 season.

“Manchester United is fully supportive of this initiative and will be implementing this policy from 1st July 2015, a year earlier than agreed.”

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