Manchester United fans plan Greenwood protest before first home game

A faction of Manchester United supporters is orchestrating a series of protests to emphasize their opposition to the reintegration of Mason Greenwood into the club’s plans.

These fans, all regular attendees of matches at Old Trafford, aim to express their sentiments outside the stadium ahead of United’s first game of the season against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday.

A banner, reflecting United’s colors, has been created bearing the message: “Female Fans Demand No Greenwood Return – End Violence Against Women.”

“It’s time for the club to stand up and make the right decision,” one of the organisers told The Athletic, speaking on condition of anonymity due to fears of being targeted by Greenwood’s supporters. “It’s time to say, ‘We have high standards at United about how we expect players to conduct themselves and, if you do not meet those standards, you need to be moved out’.

“This is a tipping point for the club. Are they going to side with commercialism and trophies and money? Or are they going to take the side of match-going fans, and the club being a social and community institution that we can be proud of, and proud to have as part of our identity?”

Since his arrest in January 2022 in connection with an alleged sexual attack that was circulated on social media, 21-year-old Greenwood has not featured for United. Subsequently, he became the subject of a police investigation that resulted in charges of attempted rape, controlling and coercive behavior, and assault causing actual bodily harm. Greenwood vehemently denied all allegations.

Initially, a trial date had been scheduled for the conclusion of this year. However, the charges were subsequently dismissed in early February. The UK’s Crown Prosecution Service clarified that the charges were dropped due to a blend of essential witnesses retracting their statements and the emergence of new evidence, rendering the likelihood of a successful conviction implausible.

Following this turn of events, Manchester United initiated their own inquiry. A forthcoming declaration is anticipated to reveal whether Mason Greenwood will continue to be associated with the club or not. The demonstrators are preparing for the possibility of receiving news that he will be granted an opportunity to rehabilitate his position.