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Some of Manchester United’s performances during Ruben Amorim’s tenure could be described as hair-raising, but for one fan, the phrase has taken on a far more literal meaning.
After United went five games without a win following their 1-1 draw away at Aston Villa in October 2024 — Erik ten Hag’s fourth-to-last game in charge — lifelong fan Frank Ilett vowed not to cut his hair again until the team managed five victories in a row.
Almost a year later, and his barber’s chair continues to gather dust as United’s form nosedives further. “I just wanted to do something that kind of gives people a laugh in a bit of a difficult time, really but there was no way that I expected it to go on for as long as it has,” the 29-year-old tells The Athletic.
The hair itself is mesmerising. What began as a tight buzz cut has mushroomed into a frizzy, ballooning afro, almost a supersized version of former United midfielder Marouane Fellaini’s trademark mane. Its unwieldiness has only been compounded by Ilett living in Spain, with the blazing Valencian sun beating down on his heaving brow.
