Manchester United fans stage 500-strong protest against Glazers and Ratcliffe before City derby

Around 500 Manchester United supporters gathered outside Old Trafford on Sunday to protest against the club’s ownership ahead of the Manchester Derby, directing their anger at the Glazer family and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe over a crackdown on ticket touting that has left many loyal fans feeling victimised.

The demonstration was organised after United announced the suspension of 685 season ticket accounts as part of an anti-touting drive. Fan groups reacted furiously to the club’s approach of suspending accounts first and asking holders to appeal afterwards, with The 1958 saying the club had “crossed a line” by punishing loyal supporters without “compelling evidence”.

Protesters assembled at The Bishop Blaize pub before marching along Sir Matt Busby Way, chanting about wanting their club back. Banners carried messages including “We want our club back, some things are worth fighting for”, “Jim ain’t the one”, “Jim can’t fix it”, and “You take it all from fans and banning us for nothing. Premium prices — all for greed.”

United did confirm that any reallocated season tickets “will be sold at season ticket prices, not matchday prices” and that “the club is not profiting from this process”, but the assurance did little to ease tensions among the Old Trafford faithful, who feel the club is using the policy to force out long-standing supporters.

Fan group The Red Army (TRA) announced it would replace its usual Stretford End flag display with a single banner above the players’ tunnel reading: “THE WAY YOU TREAT US IS A DISGRACE.” In a statement, the group said the message was “on behalf of every genuine fan group, match-going supporter, supporters’ club and fan representative” affected by the club’s recent conduct.

The TRA also framed the issue as wider than one club, describing it as “a league-wide crisis that should be addressed at every club, regardless of rivalries and history”, and called for match-going supporters to be prioritised within the club’s fan engagement model. The group said it continued to advocate for a change in ownership but stressed that any protest needed “a realistic roadmap” to act as a catalyst for genuine change.