Manchester United fans staged protests against the Glazer family both before and during their recent Premier League match against Aston Villa.
The protest took place on Sunday, which was also the deadline for interested parties to make bids to buy the club, with Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe submitting offers. The Glazers have faced backlash from United fans since their leveraged takeover of the club in 2005.
The 1958, a group of fans that became prominent last year, has been leading the latest round of protests and held another one before the home match against Villa. The protesters marched from central Manchester to Old Trafford, displaying a large banner that read ‘Full $ale Only’. Smoke from flares used outside the stadium rose through the concourses and filled the air inside as players warmed up.
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The 1958 group also called for an 18-minute boycott of the match, with “one minute for each year the Glazers have driven our club into the ground”. Although there were some visible empty seats at kick-off, the stadium was largely full.
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Chants against the owners were heard from the start, and there is even footage of manager Erik ten Hag briefly holding a green and gold scarf after their 1-0 win.
It is believed that this was the final deadline for potential buyers, so it remains to be seen if there will be any further protests from fans.
Asked if background anger could make things harder for his side, the United boss said: “We felt really that the fans were behind us.
“So, we have to focus to be successful because that’s what the fans expect and they can expect.
“They have to rely on us, so we will focus on that.
“I’m sure when we keep performances like we do all season, the fans are behind us and there’s lot of energy and I think a really strong bond between the fans and the players.”