Why are Manchester United fans wearing black against Arsenal in the Premier League today?

Evening Standard

·9 de marzo de 2025

Why are Manchester United fans wearing black against Arsenal in the Premier League today?

Supporters protesting against ownership with ‘club slowly dying before our eyes’

Manchester United fans are protesting

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Sections of the Manchester United support are today wearing black for their Premier League clash against Arsenal.

Supporter group ‘The 1958’ are organising a protest against the Glazer family ownership, as well as part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

They will march to Old Trafford ahead of the game, starting at 3.15pm GMT from the Tollgate Pub near the ground. It will continue down to United’s Trinity statue and down Old Trafford’s Munich Tunnel.

The group hope it “could be one of the largest ever protests” at the club.

Supporters have demonstrated against the Glazers since they purchased the club back in 2005, including wearing black along with armbands with ‘RIP’ written on them during the FA Cup final against Arsenal that year.

Ratcliffe, meanwhile, has been criticised for making a number of cost-cutting measures during his brief time in charge of football operations – including redundancies, the removal of perks for workers and the increase of ticket prices.

“The club is slowly dying before our eyes, on and off the pitch and the blame lies squarely at the current ownership model,” The 1958’s spokesperson Steve Crompton said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The club is facing financial armageddon. Debt is the road to ruin. Sir Matt Busby would be turning in his grave at the current plight of one of the world’s greatest football institutions which is being brought to its knees and in many ways becoming a laughing stock.”

Crompton added: “The club is going backwards and it’s likely to get even worse. We urge fans to rise up, unite and join us at 3pm on Sunday as we march to the ground and protest against the despised Glazers and the club’s deliberate assault on fan culture.”