Manchester United Supporters Trust follow up on statement after ‘humiliating’ start to the season

On Aug 16, 2022

The Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) has released a statement describing the club’s start to the season as a ‘humiliation’.

Erik ten Hag‘s tenure as United manager has got off to a woeful start, with United losing 2-1 at home to Brighton before being thrashed 4-0 away by Brentford.

MUST have called for further action in the transfer market and outlined their disappointment with the club’s owners the Glazer family.

The Manchester United Supporters’ Trust have criticised the club’s start to the season

They urged United supporters to stick together and express their concerns regarding the club.

The statement read: ‘We don’t usually comment on on-field matters, but felt that we should make an exception on this occasion. After the disaster-zone of last season, and the tumbleweed of the transfer window (so far!), hopes were not exactly high entering into this term. But we don’t think many people expected things to be quite so humiliatingly bad as they were on Saturday evening.

‘As we’ve always said, a fish rots from the head. And the ultimate responsibility for the terrible state of our football club must lie with its owners, the Glazer family. It is now for them to explain to United fans just why we are in this state, and what they are going to do about it. We’ve had some difficult times in the last decade, but this really does feel like rock bottom.

‘MUST hold the owners of the Club primarily responsible for this new low in our decade of decline. Sir Alex papered over the cracks, but since 2013 the consequences of our owners have been plain to see’

‘On behalf of Manchester United fans everywhere, we demand urgent and radical change. And we as fans – all of us – need to stick together. Fans unity, with one voice aimed at the owners and the club, is needed more than ever right now.’

MUST stated that they will be raising the concerns of supporters directly with the club.

They said: ‘Aside from protests we will also be raising fans’ concerns directly with the club and demanding answers for supporters on issues including ownership, debt, dividends and team performance and the need for real change on all these fronts.’

MUST called for further action in the transfer market and criticised the club’s owners, the Glazers

Erik ten Hag’s side have endured a woeful start as they have lost their first two fixtures

Anti-Glazer supporters group The 1958 also released a statement on their website.

The statement read: ‘It’s great to see the momentum and that other accounts and media are finally calling for unity across our fanbase (whatever their motives maybe we don’t care, better late than never). For those that have been following us for months, you will know this is one of our core values…’

So far in this transfer window United have brought in Lisandro Martinez, Christian Eriksen and Tyrell Malacia. However, it is clear that further investment is needed in order to improve United’s fortunes, especially in midfield.

United have been linked with Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong throughout the transfer window but have so far been unable to finalise a deal.

FULL STATEMENT FROM MANCHESTER UNITED SUPPORTERS’ TRUST

As you might have seen, we took the unusual step of issuing a statement on Saturday evening after that utterly chaotic car-crash of a football match against Brentford.

MUST statement following Brentford 4-0 United

We don’t usually comment on on-field matters, but felt that we should make an exception on this occasion. After the disaster-zone of last season, and the tumbleweed of the transfer window (so far!), hopes were not exactly high entering into this term. But we don’t think many people expected things to be quite so humiliatingly bad as they were on Saturday evening.

As we’ve always said, a fish rots from the head. And the ultimate responsibility for the terrible state of our football club must lie with its owners, the Glazer family. It is now for them to explain to United fans just why we are in this state, and what they are going to do about it. We’ve had some difficult times in the last decade, but this really does feel like rock bottom.

We’re being asked a lot about protests at upcoming games (including Liverpool) and as we have always said we will publicise any credible, lawful and peaceful protest so that our members have the information and can make their own decision as to whether they wish to take part. We do not believe in patronising members by trying to tell them what they should do. These are individual decisions and it is essential that we all respect the decisions of fellow fans even if it differs from ours. Unity really is paramount above all else.

As we said in our statement on Saturday night, we as fans need to stick together. Unity is strength and one united voice directed to the club and owners is needed more than ever.

Aside from protests we will also be raising fans’ concerns directly with the club and demanding answers for supporters on issues including ownership, debt, dividends and team performance and the need for real change on all these fronts. We believe we should be using all means at our disposal to influence the club management and owners and there are different roles for different groups but we’d encourage individual fans to consider backing all different approaches. We all need to be tolerant of others views and choices even where they are not our own preferred option. It has always been our role to directly and frankly speak truth to power and we will never shirk from that responsibility.

Finally, the Full Members’ ballot on MUST involvement in the fan share scheme has now closed and we are now extending the consultation to our Lite and lapsed members and the wider supporter base. It is important to understand that as a membership organisation MUST is bound by the vote of our Full Members so that is why we carried out the formal ballot separately from the wider consultation. Whilst we understand for many that a long-term project like the FSS doesn’t feel as relevant when things are so bad on the pitch, but it remains important in the long term. The sorry state of United is in part the function of 17 years during which the fans’ voice has been too weak, and the FSS offers a route to begin to address that. We will announce the ballot result in the coming days and expand the consultation to ensure no fan is excluded from giving their views.

United face Liverpool in their next game and are still reeling from last season, when they ended up finishing in sixth place.

Having frequently enjoyed success under Sir Alex Ferguson, United have yet to win the Premier League since his retirement in 2013.

MUST stated that United’s terrible star to the season has left them at ‘rock bottom’

The club’s supporters have protested against the Glazers on many occasions and frustrations have continued to escalate, with United bottom of the table after two games.

Regarding the possibility of future protests, MUST said: ‘We’re being asked a lot about protests at upcoming games (including Liverpool) and as we have always said we will publicise any credible, lawful and peaceful protest so that our members have the information and can make their own decision as to whether they wish to take part.

‘We do not believe in patronising members by trying to tell them what they should do. These are individual decisions and it is essential that we all respect the decisions of fellow fans even if it differs from ours. Unity really is paramount above all else.’