What should’ve been a smooth and exciting start to the fourth Test between England and India at Old Trafford turned chaotic for thousands of fans—many of whom found themselves stuck in painfully slow queues while the match was already underway.
Long Lines, Empty Seats, and Social Media Outrage
By the time the first ball was bowled at 11am in Manchester, large sections of the stadium were still noticeably empty—not because of a lack of interest, but because fans were stuck outside.
Crowds snaked down Talbot Road and Brian Statham Way, leaving ticket holders frustrated and taking to social media to vent.
The Barmy Army, England’s vocal fan group, shared a photo on X (formerly Twitter), showing packed streets and captioned it: “If you’re wondering why there’s gaps in the stands at Emirates Old Trafford…”
Club Blames Late Arrivals Despite Packed Streets Before Play
Lancashire County Cricket Club responded quickly with a statement—but not everyone was happy with their explanation.
The club claimed nearly 9,000 fans showed up later than advised, which caused the bottleneck at the entrances.
Security checks, including bag searches, added to the delays.
“We apologise to anyone affected,” the statement read, adding that they’re looking into increasing the number of entry points for the rest of the Test.
“We strongly encourage supporters to arrive early and avoid bringing bags unless absolutely necessary.”
Fans Say the Blame Isn’t Theirs
But fans weren’t buying the late-arrival excuse.
Many pushed back, pointing out they arrived well before the start but still had to endure outrageous wait times.
One angry supporter said, “It shouldn’t be necessary to rock up three hours before the start of play.
Absolutely shameful scenes at Old Trafford.”
Another compared the experience to Lord’s, stating, “I turned up at 10:30 on day one at Lord’s and was inside within two minutes.”
A £100 Ticket and a Queue “Moving Slower Than a Snail”
One social media user, going by the name PitchedOutsideLeg, shared a particularly frustrating experience: “Arrived Old Trafford 09:45.
Still way back in huge queue moving slower than a snail’s pace. Paid over £100 for this ticket.”
They jokingly added that they hoped whoever handled stadium entry wasn’t in charge of nearby drink service, pointing out the irony given the many breweries in and around Stretford and Salford.
Looking Ahead: Will the Next Days Run Smoother?
With the rest of the Test already sold out—21,500 tickets gone for each of the first four days—Lancashire will be under pressure to fix the situation.
All eyes will be on how they handle entry logistics for the next sessions.
For now, fans are hoping they won’t need to line up at dawn just to catch the first delivery.