Manchester United supporters made history on May 2, 2021, accomplishing what many deemed impossible - forcing the postponement of a Premier League match through direct fan action.
"We had to take a stand against the owners who were destroying our club," – one fan explained after the unprecedented events at Old Trafford.
The protest became known as "the day football stopped" as supporters broke onto the pitch at the Theatre of Dreams before a scheduled match against "Liverpool", causing the fixture to be abandoned. This marked the first time Premier League fans had directly caused a game's cancellation.
Interestingly, the demonstration wasn't spontaneous but the culmination of years of frustration with the Glazer family's ownership, finally boiling over following the failed European Super League proposal.
The images of fans on the hallowed Old Trafford turf sent shockwaves through English football. Security barriers breached. Match officials unable to safely access the stadium. A statement made.
Four years later, the protest remains a watershed moment in the relationship between fans and football club ownership. Has anything truly changed since that remarkable Sunday afternoon? The debate continues.
