A prominent Manchester United supporters’ group, The 1958, has called on fans to wear black for Sunday’s Premier League match against Arsenal at Old Trafford as part of a protest against the Glazer family’s ownership and the club’s ongoing financial struggles.
The group issued a statement on Tuesday urging fans to participate in a pre-match march, highlighting growing frustration over United’s financial instability and poor performances on the pitch.
United recently reported a net loss of $144 million for the 2023-24 financial year, while figures released in February showed the club paid £14.5 million in compensation to former manager Erik ten Hag, his coaching staff, and former sporting director Dan Ashworth following their dismissals. The club also made £18.8 million in debt interest payments over the past six months.
Since Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS group acquired a 27.7% minority stake in the club on February 20 last year, several cost-cutting measures have been introduced, including setting ticket prices at £66 for all age groups and implementing two rounds of redundancies.
Despite managerial changes, including the appointment of Rúben Amorim to replace Ten Hag in October, United’s performances have not improved. The team recently suffered another setback, being eliminated from the FA Cup by Fulham in a penalty shootout.
In a statement, The 1958 blamed the Glazers’ ownership model for United’s decline.
“The club is slowly dying before our eyes, both on and off the pitch, and the blame lies squarely with the current ownership model,” said group spokesperson Steve Crompton.
“The club is facing financial armageddon. Debt is the road to ruin. Sir Matt Busby would be turning in his grave at the current plight of one of the world’s greatest football institutions, which is being brought to its knees and, in many ways, becoming a laughing stock.”
This protest will mark the second consecutive week of fan demonstrations at Old Trafford. Last weekend, United supporters took part in the Football Supporters’ Association’s “Stop Exploiting Loyalty” campaign against ticket price hikes during the FA Cup match against Fulham.
