Newcastle v Barcelona: Champions League tickets bought by Dundee school

It is understood that Newcastle did not supply any tickets directly to the school group.

A similar number of students from the Dundee independent school previously took in Newcastle’s most recent Champions League game against AC Milan in 2023.

Regarding the Barcelona game tickets, a spokesman for the school said: “The High School of Dundee was approached by an approved provider and the tickets were bought as part of a group package.”

Buying tickets from sources other than directly from a club is not necessarily a new phenomenon in the game.

David Burt, a former Newcastle player, is a sports sales consultant at GB Sports Tours in north-east England.

Burt, who has “never been successful in the ballot” as a Newcastle fan, has seen it both ways.

“We have had school groups from up here in Newcastle and various areas going to Man City,” he said. “Sometimes they might be playing Newcastle or another good team and have said, ‘Can we get tickets for a game?'”

Newcastle season ticket holders were able to guarantee their ticket for all of the club’s Champions League home games by joining the cup scheme.

The rest were then split.

The supporters’ trust explained how some tickets were balloted and others were placed on general sale to those with a club membership – which costs £37 for an adult and £20 for a child – and to season ticket holders who did not enter the cup scheme.

Given the intense demand, it is perhaps not a surprise that the club are looking into either building a new stadium or increasing the capacity at St James’ Park.