Man Utd protest against ownership before derby

Thousands of Manchester United fans staged protests both inside and outside Old Trafford before Sunday's derby against Manchester City. Outside the ground, a large number of supporters, part of the 1958 Group, protested, following a call from the group and making their way through the stadium tunnel. Inside, the Red Army group of fans refrained from bringing their usual banners, instead displaying a single banner above the players' tunnel, which read, "The way you treat us is a disgrace."

This highlighted the fans' dissatisfaction with the club's current ticketing situation, as United had recently published data on their touting investigation. The club confirmed that 685 fan accounts were banned, with 464 more sanctioned or warned, while 468 cases were resolved after supporters provided necessary information, as the club deemed no further action necessary.

The Red Army group expressed concern that unless their generational match-going support is given a real voice that is actually listened to, the remaining fan culture would soon vanish. The group emphasized that they were not a protest group but an atmosphere group, yet they had not hesitated to make their position clear when they believed failing to do so would be detrimental to the interests of match-going supporters.

Songs sung during the game directly targeted minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, suggesting supporters believed he shared as much responsibility for the current situation as the Glazer family, who were criticized for the club's debt incurred during their leveraged buyout in 2005. United's debt, including outstanding transfer fees, is estimated to be over £1 billion, with no clear plan on how the club intends to finance the planned new stadium, which is expected to cost more than £2 billion.

The fans' grievances centered around the treatment of lifelong match-going fans, particularly concerning the season-ticket fiasco and the suspension of accounts without proper evidence. The club has made several statements but has not provided an apology, leading to hundreds of messages from supporters who have been affected, causing concern for their mental health.

These regular, working-class fans were sent emails suspending their tickets without any actual evidence, leading to the question of how one can defend something against which they have no defense.