A Manchester United supporters' group, The 1958, has postponed its planned protest against the club's owners, which was scheduled to take place on August 17 before United's match against Arsenal. The group had organized a march to Old Trafford to demonstrate their displeasure with the ownership, including minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
The 1958 has been actively involved in organizing demonstrations against the club's owners, particularly the majority shareholders, the Glazer family. However, the recent decision to postpone the protest stems from a split in opinion among the fanbase and the assessment that the timing isn't optimal.
In February 2024, Sir Jim Ratcliffe acquired a 28.94% stake in Manchester United and assumed control of the club's day-to-day operations from the Glazers. Since then, he has initiated several changes, some of which have been unpopular with fans. A representative of The 1958 group previously criticized Ratcliffe, stating that he "chose to get into bed with the Glazers" and is "helping keep them in charge," further labeling him as "no savior" and "like a (red) devil in disguise".
The group acknowledged the diverse and passionate nature of the fanbase, stating that finding the right balance is not always easy. They had to consider various factors, including momentum, timing, fan appetite, the potential consequences of protest activity, and the impact of current and future decisions on the fans. Given the current sentiment among the fanbase, the group decided to postpone the planned protest for the Arsenal home game.
Fan protests against the Glazer ownership are not new. Frustration has been simmering since the Glazers' leveraged takeover in 2005, which loaded debt onto the club. The failed European Super League proposal further fueled the anger, leading to increased calls for the Glazers to relinquish control and adopt a 50+1 fan ownership model similar to that seen in Germany. In May 2021, a planned peaceful protest against the Glazers escalated, with fans breaking into Old Trafford, causing damage, and ultimately leading to the postponement of the match against Liverpool.
