Manchester United fans have displayed a solitary banner in the Stretford End at Sunday’s Old Trafford derby branding the club a ‘disgrace’.
The Red Army opted not to have any other flags or banners at the game against Manchester City in protest over ‘the recent behaviour of the club’.
Fans group The 1958 staged a demonstration before the game over United’s clampdown on ticket touts, which they claim has targeted innocent supporters.
The TRA, who organise and pay for the flags and banners in the Stretford End, issued a statement on Saturday explaining their actions.
It read: ‘On Sunday there will be no flag display on the Stretford End. In its place, a single banner will hang above the players’ tunnel with a clear message to the owners, directors and decision-making staff at Manchester United: ‘The Way You Treat Us is a Disgrace’.
‘This isn’t a TRA message, it’s a message on behalf of every genuine fan group, match-going supporter, supporters’ club and fan representative who has either contacted us directly or been negatively impacted by the recent behaviour of the club.
Manchester United fans have displayed a solitary banner in the Stretford End at Sunday’s Old Trafford derby branding the club a ‘disgrace’
Sir Jim Ratcliffe was watching on amid huge protests from home supporters
Fans group The 1958 staged a demonstration before the game over United’s clampdown on ticket touts, which they claim has targeted innocent supporters
The Red Army opted not to have any other flags or banners at the game against Manchester City in protest over ‘the recent behaviour of the club’
‘It’s an honest, heartfelt cry for recognition from the maligned, vilified, and misrepresented beating heart of our football club – the generational match-going supporters.
‘Neither is this solely a Manchester United problem, this is a league-wide crisis that should be addressed at every club, regardless of rivalries and history. Without drastic changes, there will be no rivalries in the future vision for football shared by the decision makers.
‘Whilst we still advocate for a change in ownership, we believe that there should be a realistic roadmap for any protest if it is to act as a catalyst for change.
‘Unless our generational match-going support is given a real voice that is actually listened to, the little that remains of our fan culture will soon be gone forever.
‘TRA aren’t a protest group, we’re an ‘atmosphere’ group but we’ve never shied away from making our position clear when we believe not doing so would be to the detriment of the interests of match-going supporters.
‘We hope that you’ll understand and support our decision and that those of you who are asking for meaningful change and are able to help will stand up and be counted when called upon in the near future.
‘Until then, we’ll continue to fully back and support the players and manager throughout, starting with the derby on Sunday.’
United revealed the outcome of their ticket tout investigation on Friday, saying that a total of 685 suspicious accounts have been hit with bans for breaching season-ticket rules.
The club claim to have broken up large-scale organised networks involved in touting and denied that innocent fans have been targeted, adding that some examples of unfair treatment of supporters shared on social media are untrue and don’t tell the full story.
