This article references rape, sexual assault, and domestic violence.
It’s not uncommon to see demonstrations outside Manchester United’s stadium. Usually, the protests are aimed at the club’s divisive owners (the Glazer family), but last night – at Manchester United’s first game of the Premier League season – a separate, smaller protest was underway. A collective of female football fans had a clear message: Don’t let Mason Greenwood return to Manchester United.
Greenwood, 21, was arrested in January 2022 and suspended on full pay by Manchester United after allegations of attempted rape, assault, and coercive control were made against him. He’s since been the subject of an internal investigation at the club after the Crown Prosecution Service dropped all charges against him in February earlier this year, concluding there was “no longer a realistic prospect of conviction” after “key witnesses” withdrew their involvement.
Greenwood denied all of the alleged offences.
Earlier in August, a Twitter account called ‘Female Fans Against Greenwood’s Return [FFAGR]’ released a statement calling for Manchester United to “do the right thing” and decide against reintegrating Greenwood into the team, noting that his potential return “tells us, as women, that we don’t matter.”
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The collective further announced they’d be staging a demonstration outside Old Trafford, Manchester United’s stadium, ahead of their first game in the new Premier League season on Monday evening. We spoke to several women in attendance (all dedicated Manchester United fans) to discuss their opinions about Mason Greenwood potentially returning to the club.
Lauren, 33, who works for a mental health charity in Manchester, comes from a family of Manchester United supporters. She describes the ongoing speculation surrounding Greenwood’s potential return as “quite triggering” and attended last night’s protest after feeling “in limbo” while waiting for the club to make a decision.