Man Utd fan group The 1958 has arranged a protest against the club's ownership ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against Fulham at Old Trafford.
Manchester United fans protest
Manchester United fans will protest against the club's ownership on Sunday
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The 1958 group of Manchester United fans have called on supporters to stand up and be heard, rather than walk away from their club because of the way it is being run by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family.
The influential fan group have arranged a protest before United play Fulham at Old Trafford on Sunday, having cancelled a planned demonstration before the opening game of the season back in August.
Figures within The 1958 fan group are expecting at least 6,000 people to attend Sunday's protest, which will start at 1pm at two separate points, outside Hotel Football and at the top of Sir Matt Busby Way.
The protest was planned before Michael Carrick took on the head coach role until the end of the season, guiding United to impressive victories against Manchester City and Arsenal in his first two games in charge. But Steve Crompton, spokesperson for The 1958, said the positive results on the pitch wouldn't affect this protest.
"We had to cancel the protest at the start of the season. There had been new signings and there’s always that optimism, I suppose," he said. "It was disappointing; it’s never about what happens on the pitch, it’s what happens upstairs.
"We have 95,000 members now, we put together a survey and it was quite mixed, it swayed slightly towards giving it more time and we listened.
"But as time’s gone on, things have not improved, they’ve gone horrendously. So it was the right time. Carrick has had a couple of good results, but it’s never about the football. People have had their eyes opened.
"For us, it’s as much about the matchgoing fans. It all seems to get brushed under the carpet when you have a couple of results, but ticket price hikes, we’ve had the concession changes. All of a sudden we announce a protest and they’re moving forward with the new stadium. For me, it’s all just PR.
"There’s nothing happened anywhere with Ineos that has filled anybody with any confidence, we don’t feel it’s working."
Thousands of Manchester United fans march to Old Trafford ahead of their home game against Arsenal last season
Thousands of Manchester United fans march to Old Trafford ahead of their home game against Arsenal last season(Image: © 2025 SOPA Images)
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The 1958 group has turned its focus onto Sir Jim Ratcliffe after years of protesting against the Glazer family. They would prefer a full sale of the club rather than an uneasy alliance between the majority shareholding of the Glazers and Ratcliffe's minority stake, which comes with the power to run the club.
"It's a crazy situation. If Ratcliffe wants to give us a glimmer of hope, then map out what is happening with the football club," said Crompton. "Matchgoing fans don’t care about a shiny tent he wants to build. For me that’s just a vanity project for his own ego.
"I’m trying to be the most optimistic I can, but I can’t go down any path and think there is a glimmer there; there just isn’t. It just doesn’t work. The Glazers must be laughing in Florida, they are getting zero flak, Ratcliffe is copping for it all, but they still own the club, it’s barmy. But I don’t know what the answer is."
United fans have protested numerous times in recent years
United fans have protested numerous times in recent years (Image: © 2025 SOPA Images)
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Ratcliffe was initially viewed as someone who could be a saviour by the fanbase - and by The 1958 - but faith in his ability to change the course of the club has completely eroded since his investment was confirmed in February 2024.
United remain more than £1bn in debt, with ambitious plans for a new 100,000-seater stadium also in the pipeline, although without a clear funding plan at the moment.
Crompton said he understands that football is a business now and will be treated as such, but is concerned that more debt is being put on the club to finance the new stadium, and The 1958 want better treatment for matchgoing fans, after ticket prices were hiked by Ratcliffe.
After two excellent results under Carrick, there is a feel-good factor around the club again, and Crompton accepts people might be wavering about whether to protest or not on Sunday, but he urged anyone unsure of what to do to look at the bigger picture.
"We’ve been here many times before. History tells us that eventually we end up back at square one," he said.
"This isn't protesting against Carrick and it's not protesting against the lads on the pitch, we'll always support them as we will after the protest.
"This is about the ownership that's laden with debt doing what's right by matchgoing fans. Die-hard fans are walking away and that’s not the answer, the answer is to stand up and have your voice heard, whether you’re going to the game or not, turn up, get behind the protest and let’s get our voices heard again."
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