In a move which will break countless thousands of hearts Manchester United have decided to consign to the pages of history one of English football's most traditional and beloved rituals - the open-top bus tour of city streets.

Even if United should complete a unique hat-trick of successes by adding the FA Cup and European Cup to a Premiership title, they will not permit the city's hordes a brief glimpse of their trophy collection.

After tomorrow's FA Cup final against Newcastle, United move on to Spain and a Champions Cup meeting with Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

Alex Ferguson's team will fly back to Manchester next Thursday afternoon when, it had been anticipated, they would parade through their streets holding aloft at least one, possibly two and perhaps three, trophies.

But a combination of a change in local authority regulations which govern the organisation of such events and a flight home which lands smack bang in the middle of Manchester's notoriously bad rush hour has scuppered the procession of honour.

Because of the change in regulations United would be solely responsible for organising, controlling and regulating any homecoming, and with an estimated 500,000 people likely to pour out on to the streets, club officials do not believe that they could completely guarantee the safety of would-be revellers.

"If it's a business decision, it's typical of the club at the moment," said Lee Hodgkiss of the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association. "They are traditional events, and give a chance to people who can't afford to go anymore the chance to see the the team. everyone enjoys them, players as well."