Ruben Amorim addresses the vow of Frank Ilett to not cut his hair until Manchester United win five games in a row
Manchester United have been facing difficult times over the last two seasons. The club finished 15th in the Premier League and also lost the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur. They did not start the ongoing season on a brighter note.
Amidst these difficult times, Frank Ilett, known as the figure behind The United Strand, entertained United fans by pledging in October 2024 that he would grow his hair until United won five matches in a row.
The five wins on the trot have remained elusive for United until now, and his hair now has a different story to tell. However, he came very close to getting his promise fulfilled when United registered three wins in a row against Sunderland, Liverpool, and then Brighton before being held to a 2-2 draw against Nottingham Forest.
He reset the challenge when United travelled to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on November 8, but Spurs held the Red Devils to a 2-2 draw, and you see how each United player fared in this game in our detailed analysis. Meanwhile, this is testing his spirit to the full, and the manager, Ruben Amorim, also addressed this ahead of the Spurs game, saying that Ilett would be able to cut his hair soon. The 40-year-old felt that United could start another cycle for him with a win, but they were not able to achieve that against Spurs.
“We win the next one, and then we’ll see. I hope for him to cut it as soon as possible.”
Via Give Me Sport
Realistic chances of the feat happening anytime soon
Ruben Amorim addresses the vow of Frank Ilett to not cut his hair until Manchester United win five games in a row.
Frank Ilett’s hair vow has become a symbol of Manchester United’s search for consistency
Whether United will soon achieve this streak or if Ilett’s haircut remains a distant expectation depends entirely on the team’s ability to find consistency. United have struggled to even win back-to-back games at times, let alone five in a row, under current manager Ruben Amorim. The closest they have come so far was a three-win streak.
The fact that even players like Diogo Dalot are aware of the challenge but stress the need to take it “game by game” suggests the team recognises the difficulty of the task in the current highly competitive league.
The challenge has become a living, growing symbol of the club’s travails in recent years. It is difficult to see it happening for United anytime soon, given the inconsistency that they have displayed. Hopefully, his determination pushes the players to achieve the feat. With Tottenham’s late surge more or less costing us all three points on Saturday, Ilett will have to restart the count.