Man United fans wear clown masks in latest protest at club’s owners
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Some protesters wore clown masks as disgruntled Manchester United fans marched toward Old Trafford on Sunday to express their anger at the ownership of the club.
The 1958 — the fan group organizing the march — has been a vocal critic of the Glazer family, which took a controlling stage of United in 2005, and British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe, the owner of petrochemical giant INEOS who assumed control of the club’s soccer operations in 2024.
The latest anti-ownership demonstration took place ahead of United’s Premier League match against Fulham.
Fans chanted against the owners and held banners as smoke from flares filled the air while the protesters marched down Sir Matt Busby Way to the forecourt at the stadium.
Greater Manchester Police indicated there were between 500 and 600 protesters and no arrests had been made.
The 1958 group has complained about the “dysfunctional, inept ownership” of the 20-time English champions, whose last league title was in 2013.
The Glazers have been unpopular among fans since their leveraged buyout of the club 21 years ago. There was hope Ratcliffe — a boyhood United supporter — would bring the good times back but his minority ownership has so far been marked by high-profile hirings and firings, ticket price hikes and sweeping cost cuts.
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