The patience of the stands is running out
The clown masks said more than a thousand words. This Sunday, before the clash against Fulham, a group of between 500 and 600 Manchester United fans took to the Sir Matt Busby Way. The smoke from the flares and the banners made the message clear: enough.
The organization ‘The 1958’ was the promoter of this march, another in a long list. Their objective is twofold: the Glazer family, owners of the club since 2005, and Jim Ratcliffe, the tycoon who assumed control of the sport this year.
They complain about a “dysfunctional and inept property”
The phrase is not mine, it is theirs. And it sums up a frustration that has been simmering for years. The Glazers were never popular. Hope came with Ratcliffe, an avowed fanatic. But its arrival has been accompanied by increases in admissions, cuts and a feeling of more of the same.
The last league title was in 2013. Eleven years is a long time for a giant. The police reported no arrests, but discontent is more alive than ever. It’s not just because of the bad results. It is because we feel that the soul of the club is lost.
From the outside it can be seen as another fan tantrum. But those who live the sport know that this is about identity. To defend the colors when you feel that those who should do so are not up to the task. The game against Fulham ended up being the least of it. The real drama had already been played out in the streets.
