Manchester United supporters will demonstrate at Old Trafford in opposition to Mason Greenwood's probable re-integration.
The forward, who hasn't played for the team in a competitive encounter since January 2022, hasn't been seen by the Old Trafford faithful in quite some time.
In the 2022–2023 season, he last played at home against West Ham United. Days after the game, Greenwood was detained after images and an audio recording alleging a sexual assault on a woman were posted on social media. The footballer, age 21, was later suspended by United, and Nike announced that they had stopped sponsoring him.
His trial was scheduled for November of this year after he was later charged with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour, and assault causing actual bodily harm.
The Premier League powerhouses are currently debating his future at the club as a result of their internal investigation, which is expected to be completed before their season-opening match on Monday, August 14, against Wolverhampton Wanderers. At this time, supporters hope to have their say on the matter.
The group, which is now led by women, hopes to win everyone's support during their performance as well as the support of the pressure group The 1958, which is staging a demonstration against the Glazer family at the same venue.
One member told The Athletic: “One thing I’ve been really proud about is how united the match-going fanbase has been on this issue. There is potentially a bit of a divide with the online fanbase, who have been more supportive of Greenwood. But there seems to be genuine unity among the match-going fans. The nature of the audio means people have been really unified in being outraged and disgusted by it."
“As female fans, we have always been slightly marginalised. Sometimes your voice is ignored and you don’t get taken as seriously as others. On an issue like this, it feels like an attack on all of us. We have to be hopeful the club do the right thing because, if Greenwood did come back, it would be serious enough to make many fans re-evaluate their relationship with the club.”
The spectators at the game also issued a statement to the club outlining their goals and feelings.
Read the full statement here:
"Today, we female fans of Manchester United are demanding that the club to abide by their duty of care towards their female fans and employees and demonstrate a zero tolerance approach towards acts of violence against women by refusing to bring Mason Greenwood back into the squad. The situation is clear taking Greenwood back legitimises and normalises sexual assault and domestic abuse. It tells other players, and the men and boys that look up to them, that abusing women is acceptable, without consequence, and won't affect you or derail your career.
It also tells us, as women, that we don't matter. It tells female MUFC employees that their employer is happy to make them work alongside an abuser, and tells hundreds of thousands of female fans that supporting the team we love involves supporting men who abuse women like us. It tells us that our safety doesn't matter, our experiences don't matter; that the 1 in 4 women who experience domestic abuse and/or sexual assault in the UK don't matter. It tells us that men who make the club money matter; not us, our fellow fans, mothers, sisters or daughters. The club has launched all sorts of initiatives in recent years to allegedly promote inclusivity and diversity at the match, but "All Red All Equal" means nothing if the rights of those who have perpetrated gender- based violence are more equal than those who have lived through it.
We know there are currently multi million pound PR firms spinning narratives to go along with his potential return. "Repentant father who has turned his life around and just wants to support his partner and child." "Young genius who made a mistake but deserves a second chance." Threatening your partner with sexual violence isn't "a mistake", it's deliberate, targeted abuse. The lockdown parties and police warnings were apparently "a mistake", getting dropped by England and sent home from camp for breaking the rules was also apparently "a mistake". The problem here isn't a player who has "made a mistake", it's a player who has consistently demonstrated an attitude of extreme arrogance, entitlement and exceptionalism; and who has shown nothing but disregard and contempt for what it means to represent this great club. Everyone makes mistakes, but not everyone does so while in the position of power and privilege Greenwood is. If you want to play at the highest level at the biggest club in the world, your behaviour will be held up to the highest level of scrutiny, accountability and expectation.
The decision of senior management at MUFC regarding Greenwood's return will tell us fans everything we need to know about their ability to run this club, and about whether they have any genuine willingness to listen to, engage with, and support fans on issues that matter to us. Is this club for them just a vehicle for commercial success, trophies, sponsorships and revenue? Or do they genuinely share our vision of Manchester United as a great institution that exists as a place of belonging and community for those who care about its values and traditions?
We are calling on the club to do the right thing. For their fans, for their employees, for the millions of young boys and girls across the world who look up to our players as heroes and role models, and the millions of women whose lives have been blighted by violence and abuse. To the decision makers at the club, remember, this goes beyond football. This decision is a reflection of you, your morals; of who you are as individuals, and as humans. Will you stand with abusers, or with the abused? History will judge your choices. Make sure you choose well."
