This was a protest that has been planned over a number of weeks and before the season started. It spanned the first two home games (Wolves to raise awareness) and Forest for the sit in.
It is worth going over the process and reasoning of the last few weeks to communicate this to the fanbase for both awareness and understanding.
What did we do in the background?
We had 10,000 leaflets printed to canvas match going fans. Social media just doesn’t translate to successful actions on the ground alone. You cant just bang a tweet out and cross your fingers thinking job done.
- We distributed leaflets at the ground (Wolves and Forest)
- We had banners front and centre at the ground (Wolves and Forest)
- We had a promotional campaign video made (see below)
- We distributed leaflets at all United pubs around Trafford and Urmston
- As always we spoke to TRA for their support (they were onboard) and we will continue this collaboration. No agendas just an understanding to do the right thing for our club.
- We spoke to MUST to contact MUSC groups two weeks before Forest (they never got back to us then said they were too busy two days before Forest). So, we contacted them ourselves and in fairness they didn’t have enough notice. This was not a fault of ours. They did announce our protest plans in their first newsletter and allow us to store items at the MUST house.
- We spoke to journalists (we have a trusted circle now)
- We spoke to some media outlets (local radio news bulletins)
In short, we did everything we could to get the message out and plan this rigourously.
Why a sit in?
We have tried a walk out (73rd minute) and a stay out (17 and 18 minutes). There is no point calling to boycott a stadium or a stand when fans aren’t even prepared to do that.
We wanted to see how a sit in went so we could move forward from there. Its still a visual and vocal protest. Everything we do is a temperature check against what is pragmatic and achievable.
We use bedsheets as a form of symbolism. The common fan versus corporate greed if you like. Protesting is all we can do as fans its the only tool in our toolbox. All we can do is give any action the best chance of success in how we plan and co-ordinate that. Even then it is down to each fan on the day to play their part.
Why Forest?
It was the first 3pm game on a bank holiday weekend. People want to get off home on match days but we hoped more would stay given these circumstances. There will be some who are time boxed with coaches leaving. There is nothing we can do about that.
We knew it was not televised in the UK with it being a 3pm kick off. However, both Sky and BT do not show protests anyway. They avoid and censor them, we know this for a fact.
To us, failure isn’t an end, but a stepping stone towards success. Each stumble, setback, and challenge is a chance to learn, adapt, and grow. We embrace failure as a valuable teacher on the journey to achieving our dream of getting our club back. To overcome any setbacks makes success all the more satisfying.
We have learned from this as we always do and will put things in place to ensure we don’t hit similar issues in future.
Saturday marked an historic day for our fanbase.
The first ever sit in at Old Trafford in its 113 year history.
It was yet another leap of faith and reds in their 1000’s met the challenge.
- It was emotional
- It was biblical
- It was magical
It was a protest with families, young and old all taking part. Fans making their way in defiance to show real unity and a bond with those in the Stretford End and around the tunnel.
This was unprecedented, this was reported worldwide, this was a success
Remember we have always said this is a marathon, not a sprint. That is the fight we are prepared for.
We continue to grow, we continue to build, we continue to gather momentum, we continue to unify like minded fans.
Importantly we continue to turn the gaze of the world and social media inwardly at Glazer greed. We will shine a torch on their morally corrupt and inept ownership and into every shadow of their operation.
We want our club back.
The 1958 🇾🇪