Manchester United women’s team mock long-suffering fan with ‘haircut’ celebration

Manchester United’s Elisabeth Terland and Maya Le Tissier playfully mocked long-suffering supporter Frank Ilett by pretending to chop off their ponytails while celebrating a goal in the 3-0 win at Atletico Madrid.

Ilett, known as the United Strand, has vowed to not cut his hair until United win five games in a row. He began his challenge in October 2024, with the team missing the chance to record their fifth successive win as they were held by West Ham on Tuesday.

His challenge relates to the men’s team, who have been managed by Erik ten Hag, Ruben Amorim, and now Michael Carrick since Ilett started the stunt almost 500 days ago. But United’s women’s team are now on a run of six consecutive victories in all competitions.

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They seized control of their Champions League play-off tie against Atletico, with goals from Terland, Melvine Malard and Julia Zigiotti Olme completing a clinical victory for Marc Skinner’s team ahead of the return leg next week.

After Terland’s third-minute opener, the striker and captain Le Tissier held up their ponytails before pretending to cut them off. England international Le Tissier also posted a scissors emoji on her Instagram.

Since a 0-0 draw at Arsenal in the Women’s Super League, United have beaten Burnley in the FA Cup, Arsenal in the League Cup, Aston Villa, Liverpool, Leicester, all in the league, and now Atletico in the Champions League. They host the London City Lionesses on Sunday.

llett, 29, vowed in October 2024 that he would not cut his hair until the club won five games in a row but United’s struggles last season led to a longer wait than he anticipated, and resulted in a comically overgrown barnet.

His daily video updates on ‘The United Strand’ have accumulated millions of views - while Ilett planned to donate his hair to The Princess Trust, a charity that provides wigs to young cancer patients dealing with hair loss as a result of their treatment.

After Amorim’s departure, Carrick led United to four consecutive wins against Manchester City, Arsenal, Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur, setting up the chance of a fifth in Tuesday’s trip to West Ham.

But against an in-form Hammers side, United could only manage a 1-1 draw at the London Stadium, with Benjamin Sesko’s 96th-minute leveller cancelling out Tomas Soucek’s opener after Casemiro saw a goal disallowed.

For Ilett, it means the opportunity to finally shed his huge mop of hair, a moment he planned to share with his now enormous following of millions on social media, went up in smoke.