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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
George Smith

Manchester United fans send clear message with anti-Glazer protest ahead of Aston Villa fixture

Thousands of Manchester United supporters joined The 1958 supporters' group's protest against the Glazers ahead of Sunday afternoon's Premier League clash with Aston Villa at Old Trafford.

The size of the protest grew as it made its way through Manchester city centre ahead of arriving at Old Trafford before kick-off. It was the second time this season that The 1958 group had organised a mass protest against the Glazers' ownership of the club, as around 10,000 people marched back in August.

Supporters were encouraged to meet at The Old Nags Head pub in the city centre before marching through the city, displaying banners and flags in protest. Once in position at Old Trafford, they also boycotted the first 18 minutes of the clash with Villa, declaring, when announcing details of the protest earlier this week, that they would stay outside for 'one minute for each year the Glazers have driven our club into the ground'.

READ MORE: United vs Aston Villa LIVE

The Glazers, of course, are currently debating offers from British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani to sell the club. The aforementioned duo both submitted final offers on Friday.

While Sheikh Jassim is determined to gain full control of United, it is widely reported that Ratcliffe has put forward an offer that would see the Glazers retain a stake in the club. The Glazers must now decide what they plan to do, even though the fans are only going to accept one outcome and that is that the American owners are removed from the club completely.

Sunday's march through Manchester highlighted the level of anger that is being vented at the Glazers from the United fanbase, with the supporters determined to see the back of them sooner rather than later. Video footage circulating on social media saw Reds fans marching down Deansgate chanting, 'Love United, hate Glazers'.

Banners and flags were also displayed during the march, carrying messages such as 'Glazers out', 'We want our club back' and 'Full sale only'.

Once inside the Munich Tunnel, around half an hour before kick-off, a chorus of 'We want Glazers out' was chanted. Flags and banners were also on display, while the smoke from the flares let off drifted its way into the stadium.

As the two teams emerged from the tunnel ahead of kick-off, empty seats were visible as supporters continued to protest outside the stadium. Those inside Old Trafford chanted anti-Glazer songs in the build-up to kick-off.

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