14 September – Thousands of Manchester United fans protested inside and outside Old Trafford against the club’s ownership ahead of Sunday’s derby defeat to Manchester City.
A large number gathered outside the stadium with flares, answering a call from the 1958 Group, before going through the Munich tunnel. Inside, the Red Army group ditched their usual banners for a single message over the players’ tunnel: “The way you treat us is a disgrace.” It meant the only other banners on the ground were United’s own.
Anger is focused on ticketing, after United this week released data from its promotions research. The club confirmed that 685 accounts were banned, with a further 464 sanctioned or warned, although it added that 468 cases were resolved after supporters provided relevant information.
“Unless our generational support in the game has a real voice to be heard, what little is left of our fan culture will soon be gone forever,” the Red Army said.
Notably, many songs were aimed directly at minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, a sign that fans hold him as responsible as the Glazers, never forgiven for their leveraged buyout in 2005. Ratcliffe was grounded.
Steve Compton of the 1958 group was scathing. “Ratcliffe came in and had a look at us, but his idea of putting Manchester back into Man United couldn’t be further from the truth,” he said, adding that the club had issued statements but never apologised. “This has affected people’s health,” he said.
With full-year accounts due on September 23, a debt in excess of £1bn and still no plans for a stadium that will cost more than £2bn, the discontent will go nowhere.
It was a miserable day for Man Utd, who lost to neighbors City 1-0 despite having a man-up advantage. To make matters worse the goal, allowed after a VAR review, was later admitted as an “error of judgement” by the refereeing body Pro Ref.
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