Supporters at Manchester United have long filled Old Trafford with colour, noise and history.
While the stadium’s middle tier is permanently draped with banners celebrating the club’s past, organised tifos are a more recent addition to the matchday experience.
The fan group ‘Stretford End Flags’ have led the charge in recent seasons, producing eye-catching displays for major occasions.
From bold messages on big European nights to deeply emotional tributes, FootballGroundGuide looks at some of the most memorable displays seen at the Theatre of Dreams.
Big European Nights: “Never Gonna Stop” and “Take Me Home”
European football has provided the perfect stage for some of Old Trafford’s most ambitious tifos.
Ahead of a Europa League quarter-final clash with Olympique Lyonnais during the 2024/25 campaign, supporters unveiled a huge banner in front of the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand.
The design referenced the club’s past continental triumphs and carried the words: “Never gonna stop,” which is a nod to the popular terrace chant, “We've seen it all. We've won the lot. We’re Man United, and we’re never gonna stop.”
It was widely regarded as a statement display, reinforcing United’s pedigree on the European stage.
For the semi-final home leg against Athletic Bilbao, fans followed it up with another large-scale effort. Captain Bruno Fernandes was central to the concept, requesting that the entire squad be featured rather than focusing on individual stars.
The finished design showed the current group of players alongside the words “Take me home, United Road,” inspired by the chant sung to the tune of “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
While some supporters felt it did not quite match the impact of the Lyon display, it was another clear sign that Old Trafford is embracing tifo culture more confidently with each big occasion.
Man Utd Icon Tributes and Other Emotional Banners
Some of the most powerful displays at Old Trafford have come not in celebration of a result, but in honour of the club’s history and heroes.
Each February, the stadium marks the anniversary of the 1958 Munich Air Disaster, which claimed the lives of eight United players. A surfer banner remembering the Busby Babes is unfurled in the lower tier of the Stretford End, creating a poignant moment of reflection.
Following the passing of Sir Bobby Charlton in 2023, Old Trafford staged a moving full-stand tribute before the Manchester derby.
A giant banner stretched across the Stretford End reading: “Sir Bobby Charlton 1937–2023 – The Finest English Footballer the World Has Ever Seen.” Scarves were raised, applause rang around the ground, and a minute’s silence united both sets of supporters in respect.
Other club icons, such as Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane and Eric Cantona, have all had banners dedicated to their service at Old Trafford displayed over the years, too.
Sir Alex Ferguson Has Become Part of Old Trafford Identity
Tributes to Alex Ferguson have also become part of the stadium’s visual identity. The banner “The Impossible Dream Made Possible,” unveiled to mark his 25 years in charge, remains one of the most iconic sights above the Stretford End.
Alongside these are long-standing slogans such as “We’ve Won It All” and “Greatest of English Football,” proudly celebrating the club’s trophy haul. While not traditional tifos, they are woven into the fabric of Old Trafford’s matchday atmosphere.
FGG Verdict: Old Trafford Tifos Always Deliver
Old Trafford may be relatively new to elaborate tifos compared to some continental arenas, but the evolution is clear.
Whether declaring European ambition with “Never gonna stop,” uniting the squad through “Take me home, United Road,” or honouring legends like Sir Bobby Charlton and Sir Alex Ferguson, the stadium’s displays blend modern supporter creativity with a deep respect for history.
For many fans, they are becoming an increasingly powerful part of the matchday ritual, adding colour, emotion and identity to the roar inside the Theatre of Dreams.