The supporter's group responsible for rallying Man Utd protestors in recent years, the 1958, have issued a statement today – their second in response to the announcement that Sir Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS have purchased a 25% stake in the club.
The 1958 have long pushed for a takeover of the club and have organised weekly protests against the Glazer family for the past three seasons. They were partly responsible for the postponement of Man Utd vs Liverpool in 2021 when fans stormed the pitch after breaking into Old Trafford pre-kick off while they also forced Richard Arnold to meet them in a pub in Cheshire after a group turned up outside the ex-Chief Executive's home.
Man Utd protestors: Full statement from the 1958
As the takeover battle between INEOS and Sheikh Jassim heated up throughout 2023, the group made it clear that they wanted a “full sale only” to fully remove the Glazer family from the club. In the end, the Glazers elected to accept an offer of partial investment in the club which has left many Man Utd supporters frustrated.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has recently met with the Manchester United Supporter's Trust to discuss his plans for the club and today, the 1958 have issued the following statement:
“We believe the Ratcliffe investment gives us more hope for a brighter future and potentially a clearer pathway towards majority ownership further down the line. This doesn’t mean we rest on our laurels. The aftermath of the European Super League is proof sitting back and doing nothing is not an option. We are working towards a next phase, strategy and plan.
“A generation of supporters have fought and battled to rid our club of these owners. We never wanted them at the start and we don’t want them now. We owe it to ourselves and the legacy of these efforts to ensure they are removed. We hope Sir Jim is an ally and vehicle in making this happen. Do not forgive and do not forget the damage the Glazers have done to our club and fan base.”
The 1958's second statement on the deal
The latest statement from the protest group is the second time they've addressed the INEOS deal. In the days after the announcement, they gave their immediate reaction on X. Their reaction was hotly anticipated as they had backed both Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim at different points of the sales process.
When the protests first started, the group marched with a banner with Sir Jim Ratcliffe's face on it signalling that they wanted the Failworth-born Billionaire to buy the club. Then, when details of the different bids were made public, they leaned towards Sheikh Jassim as he promised to clear all of the club's debt as part of his proposed takeover.
On December 26, they posted:
“It is no secret that we have met and spoken to Sir Jim. We did make a noise at our Liverpool protest and a banner about the first public intention to ever buy our club. We are about disruption, keeping the protest and distain for Glazer in the public eye. Every action triggers a reaction. Good or bad, we don’t give a ****!
“People are still talking about this now. So from our perspective. Job done! This was three months before the club statement and six months before any divisive ownership bull**** with other bidders. The message then was the same as the message now – no minority investment and full sale of Glazer shares.
“So, this still means we should scrutinise any investment into the club. This means we should know what the pathway to full control is if there is one. We won't be cracking open the champagne just yet until we have some clarity about their exit strategy. We have never wavered from this stance. Let us hope this is the start of a new dawn for our club.”