Manchester United supporter group The 1958 organised a substantial demonstration outside Old Trafford ahead of this afternoon's fixture against Fulham, directing their anger at both the Glazer family and the Ineos ownership.
Protesters at the front of the march donned clown masks, a pointed reference to the group's statement from a fortnight ago in which they labelled Sir Jim Ratcliffe an "incompetent clown".
While The 1958 have previously held multiple demonstrations targeting the Glazers, this marked their inaugural protest specifically aimed at Ratcliffe and his Ineos team.
The group has identified five pressing changes they believe are essential to prevent further decline at the club.
Speaking to The Sun, protest organiser Steve Crompton described Ineos as "hopeless" and outlined the critical issues that must be addressed to rescue the club.
"For me it's all based around match-going fans. Another one is the culture needs bringing back," Crompton said.
He expressed particular concern about the erosion of supporter traditions, noting that the Red Army atmosphere has been systematically diminished.
Manchester United fans wore clown masks during Sunday's protest
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"The Red Army is constantly getting pushed back to the point that the TRA is not even recognised anymore, which is shocking in itself," he added.
Crompton emphasised that safeguarding fan culture remains paramount, warning that it is gradually being destroyed under current ownership.
The protest organiser also demanded that matchday tickets become more affordable for regular supporters, highlighting a stark disparity in availability.
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Five facts about the Premier League | PA/GETTY/REUTERS/GBNEWS"If you go on the United website there are no tickets available for members but you can get hospitality seats starting at £300," Crompton explained.
He insisted that the ownership must either change their approach or begin listening to fans, noting that Ratcliffe had promised to "put Manchester back in Manchester United" but has instead removed everything meaningful for matchgoing supporters.
Crompton also criticised the constant managerial upheaval, describing it as "ridiculous" given that fans are expected to bear the financial burden of such decisions.phs
The group called for a transparent plan to eliminate the club's debt.
The 1958 had initially planned a protest for United's season opener in August but abandoned those plans after divisions emerged among their 95,000-strong membership, with many feeling Ineos deserved additional time to prove themselves.
Manchester United face Fulham today hoping to continue their resurgence under Michael Carrick
|REUTERS
However, Crompton believes that patience has yielded nothing positive.
"That time proved hopeless. I think we have gone backwards since Ratcliffe has got on board. Maybe too many cooks spoil the broth," he said.
The demonstration represents a significant shift for the supporter group, which has long focused its opposition on the Glazer family's ownership.
However, they now view the Ineos involvement as equally problematic for the club's future.