Manchester United fans gathered in force on Saturday to protest the Glazer ownership. Organised by fan group The 1958, the aim was to march against the club's ownership due to broken promises in the wake of the failed European Super League over a year ago.
The march was set to begin at 2pm, with participants marching to Old Trafford ahead of the visit of Norwich, but most fans began to gather in anticipation over an hour earlier. Drinks were flowing but fans were in good spirits and the message was clear: they wanted the Glazers out, they wanted "the head of the snake" removed.
One fan, who was stood near fences erected to hang flags, said: "It’s a slow burner, it’s going to take time. We’ve got to get people on board, unite the fanbase and get everyone realising the best thing for Manchester United is to get rid of the Glazers."
READ MORE: How United and Erik ten Hag should deal with their Cristiano Ronaldo conundrum
As the clock ticked towards go-time, fans at the Tollgate were in full voice and the pub soon hit the 900-person capacity. People soon spilt onto the street outside as numbers further swelled - and then the flares came out.
Talking to fans just before they departed for the stadium, some expressed a welcome surprise at the turnout. Others likened it to the calm before the storm as 2pm edged closer.
And when the march did hit the streets, it was in droves. More than a thousand in number, including teenagers, adults, kids and parents, set off for Old Trafford.
A few climbed on top of buses and up traffic lights, others held up flags and let off flares, but the protest, on the whole, stuck by the promise of a ‘peaceful’ event. The colours were clear: green, gold, red, white and black.
The chanting continued as the fans reached Old Trafford and eventually a large group of fans settled in the Munich Tunnel. This caused problems for the match-going fans not attending the march and attempting to gain access to the stadium, with kick-off now 20 minutes away.
The original protest plan was to wait outside until the 17th minute, one minute for each year of Glazers ownership, and most stayed true to their word. Around 1,000 stuck by their guns and missed Cristiano Ronaldo opening the scoring after seven minutes, setting off further flares and chanting "we want Glazers out" - and then "Love United, Stay Outside" - with the same energy they had shown at the Tollgate.
A United spokesperson commented on the protests, saying: “We are working hard to create the conditions for renewed success on the pitch, while strengthening our engagement with fans. We respect the right of fans to voice their opinions peacefully and we will continue to listen to them, with the aim of working together to get the club back to where we all want it to be: competing for trophies.”
Over a year since thousands gathered outside Old Trafford and saw the game against Liverpool postponed, the turnout was less but the message was still loud and clear. The Glazer ownership is still a pressing issue for many fans and if they are to mend the rift, the club may need to accelerate the plans laid out after the failure of the ESL.
Sign up to our United newsletter so you never miss an update from Old Trafford this season.
