A number of protesters wore clown masks as fans marched towards Old Trafford to express anger with the Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe for running Manchester United in a manner the 1958 fan group likened to a circus.
The Glazers have faced fan fury ever since taking a controlling stake of the Red Devils in controversial fashion in 2005, with the supporters’ group leading a variety of protests against the Americans in recent years.
The 1958 organised another anti-ownership demonstration ahead of Sunday afternoon’s Premier League clash against Fulham, when Ratcliffe, who became co-owner in February 2024, was also targeted as the group turned up the heat.
This week the group claimed United are “being dragged through chaos by clown ownership” and that it is being “run like a circus”, which was highlighted by a number of members wearing clown masks.
Fans chanted against the owners and held banners as smoke from flares filled the air as protesters marched down Sir Matt Busby Way to the forecourt.
Greater Manchester Police indicated there were between 500 and 600 protesters and no arrests had been made.
Steve Crompton, spokesperson for the 1958, told the Press Association: “It is a protest now about this partnership with Ineos and the Glazers that, just for me, isn’t working.
“The last two games have been fantastic and there’s been an upturn in what we’re seeing on the pitch, but what we do has never been about what happens on the pitch.”
Ratcliffe has overseen a variety of contentious changes since becoming part of the ownership, with ticket pricing and availability causing particular anger amongst United fans.
“We want our football club back,” Crompton said. “Everything that’s happening.
“We’ve got over 95,000 members that follow us. 50-odd per cent of them are matchgoing fans and what’s happening to matchgoing fans is just getting ridiculous.
“Fans are getting priced out of coming. I had a look this morning for the Villa game, and they’re selling tickets all over the stadium minimum of £300 as hospitality.
“There’s no tickets available to members to buy just as a standard ticket, so how do these fans to get to games anymore? It’s becoming unaffordable.
“That affects exactly what we want in the ground, which is a great atmosphere created by fans.”
United went into the Fulham game buoyed by beating Manchester City and Arsenal in Michael Carrick’s first two games.
The 1958 announced this protest 24 days ago, shortly after Ruben Amorim’s sacking, and stressed that this demonstration is about more than what happens on the field.
“This is never about the manager or the players,” Crompton added. “We’ll support them through thick and thin. And, let’s be honest, it’s been pretty thick for quite a while now.
“We’ll always back the team. That’s what you do as a supporter.
“But, you know, let’s not punish these supporters that want to back the team for a quick buck, which is where we’re at with it.”
