The deterioration of Old Trafford over the last decade or two has been one of many contributing factors to the Manchester United fans’ protest over the Glazer family’s ownership of the club.
The famous old ground has been slowly decaying and whilst other clubs are investing in state-of-the-art facilities, the Theatre of Dreams is falling apart, quite literally.
As reported by The Mirror, two fans were struck by falling debris from the stadium during the women’s Manchester Derby on Sunday.
Photos emerged on social media of two bits of concrete that had allegedly hit the pair of supporters after falling from the walls in the concourse.
The rotting walls aren’t the only thing in need of refurbishment in the ground with the leaky roof a regular fixture for match goers to contend with.
However, the latest issue is now set to raise safety concerns and may be enough to finally push the Glazer family into some long overdue investment.
The deterioration of the ground was highlighted by its omission from hosting fixtures in Euro 2028 with City’s Etihad Stadium chosen as the Manchester-based venue for the tournament.
Having showcased the Champions League final in 2003, the decision to overlook Old Trafford for the Euros is a sad indictment how far the club has fallen in recent times.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is set to secure his 25% stake in the club in the coming weeks and should he take control of the sporting structure as promised, he will be working closely with the Glazers to reinstate Old Trafford to its former glory.
The INEOS consortium led by Ratcliffe have a huge in-tray on their arrival but sorting the issues in and around the stadium will be high on the to-do list.
United have to wait until 6th December for their next home game with tricky trips to Everton, Galatasaray and Newcastle to navigate before Chelsea’s visit.