Liverpool fans walk out in 77th minute over ticket prices

Supporters' groups organised the action for the 77th minute of the match against Sunderland after a £77 match ticket (up from £59) and a £1,000 season ticket for next season were announced this week.

The club argued the new structure - which includes 45 per cent of match tickets decreasing in price, 64 per cent of season tickets being reduced or staying the same in cost, better availability for local fans and around 1,500 £9 tickets for category C games - offers greater accessibility and affordability.

However, that was not enough to placate fans' groups as upwards of an estimated 10,000 of the 44,179 inside the stadium got up and left their seats in the 77th minute, with long queues forming for the exit.

Before the mass departure the Kop loudly sang, "Enough is enough, you greedy b*****ds, enough is enough" - which was roundly applauded by all four sides of Anfield, including the Sunderland supporters - before launching into 'You'll Never Walk Alone', usually reserved for the last few moments of a game.

There were noticeable empty blocks of seats all around the ground, particularly in the Kop where, before kick-off, fans had waved black flags instead of their usual club colours in protest.

The walkout was followed by a Sunderland fightback as the visitors, having been 2-0 down, scored twice in the last nine minutes to snatch a 2-2 draw.

Liverpool chief executive Ian Ayre had defended the new structure and said supporters should "look at the facts" before joining walking out, adding the club was "not pricing anyone out of the stadium".

Ayre told the club's website (www.liverpoolfc.com): "65 percent of season tickets (are) coming down or staying flat and 45 percent of matchday tickets (are) coming down.

"The headline seems to have focused on a 77 pounds ticket at Anfield, of which I think there are 200 for six of the top games in the best general admission seats in the house.

"I think that's the wrong thing to focus on. What you have to do is look at the facts, look right down through the spectrum of tickets we're offering and prices we're offering," said Ayre.