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Thousands of Manchester United supporters staged a large-scale protest against the club’s owners, the Glazer family, ahead of Sunday’s Premier League fixture against Arsenal. Fans expressed their frustrations over the club’s decline and financial struggles, with banners reading “We want our club back” and “Fight For United - Fight Glazer.”
The demonstration, organized by supporter group The 1958, began at a nearby pub and culminated outside Old Trafford just before kickoff. It marked one of the most significant protests against the Glazers since the abandoned clash against Liverpool in May 2021, when fans stormed the stadium amid COVID-19 restrictions.
United’s American owners, who also control the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers, have been under fire since their leveraged buyout in 2005, which saddled the club with over £500 million in debt. Recent cost-cutting measures under minority stakeholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS Group, which took over the club’s football operations in February 2024, have only intensified fan anger.
While Ratcliffe has faced some backlash, the primary resentment remains directed at the Glazers, who have refused to relinquish control. Steve Crompton, a spokesperson for The 1958, reinforced the urgency of the protests: “The club is slowly dying before our eyes, on and off the pitch, and the blame lies squarely with the current ownership model. United is facing financial Armageddon. Debt is the road to ruin.”
Demonstrators were urged to wear black in a symbolic act of defiance against what they see as mismanagement and exploitation. Chants such as “It’s your debt, not ours” and “Love United, Hate Glazers” echoed through the streets, as fans called for sweeping changes in the club’s hierarchy.
United manager Ruben Amorim, when asked about the protests following the team’s recent Europa League draw against Real Sociedad, voiced his support for the fans’ right to demonstrate. “People have the right to protest. It’s part of our club. Everybody has a voice,” he said.
With United enduring one of their worst seasons in recent history, tensions are at an all-time high. Protests have become a regular occurrence, reflecting ongoing dissatisfaction with the Glazers’ ownership and the club’s downward trajectory. Whether these demonstrations will prompt any significant change remains to be seen, but one thing is clear—United’s supporters are determined to fight for the future of their club.
Featured Image Credit: X / @The__1958
