Frank Ilett, known as The United Strand, vowed not to cut his hair until United win five in a row
The challenge has lasted over 490 days, mirroring the club’s inconsistency
It has gone viral, drawn debate, and raised over £6,000 for charity
One fan, one vow, 493 days of unchecked hair growth, and still no scissors in sight. On 5 October 2024, Manchester United supporter Frank Ilett promised he would not cut his hair until the club strung together five straight wins.
Fast forward to Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at West Ham, and the streak remains incomplete, the challenge alive, and Ilett, better known as The United Strand, now followed by millions watching every twist in both United’s form and his expanding afro.
At the outset, Ilett asked his audience to predict when the haircut would finally happen, 2024, 2025 or 2026. Around 27,000 people responded, with an overwhelming majority selecting 2026. That projection now looks increasingly realistic as United continue to struggle for sustained consistency.
The scale of the story has grown alongside his hair. Ilett now commands more than 2.3 million followers across platforms and hosted a YouTube livestream during the West Ham fixture that peaked at over 100,000 viewers. What was conceived as a passing joke has become embedded in the broader narrative surrounding the club’s form.
Speaking 365 days into the challenge, Ilett told BBC, the concept was originally intended to lift spirits among supporters.
“I just want to bring some joy to other Manchester United fans in this kind of weird time at the club,” he said.
He acknowledged there was no elaborate strategy behind the idea, only confidence that United would soon rediscover momentum.
“I thought it would be over in three or four months,” Ilett told BBC Sport. “It was meant to be a laugh, and then that would be it. But it hasn't quite worked out like that.”
When the challenge began, United had last recorded five successive wins between January and February 2024. That sequence felt recent enough to suggest another was imminent. Instead, results have fluctuated, and the wait has stretched deep into a second calendar year.
The club’s longest historical gap without five straight victories lasted 902 days, ending in January 1999, a statistic Ilett admits he prefers not to focus on.
“I started this thinking it was just a dip in form, especially as United had won the FA Cup in May. I didn't realise it could actually get worse and carry on for so long,” he said.
Over time, the growing afro has become a visual shorthand for United’s inconsistency, frequently shared across social media after each stalled run.
“My hair is a visual representation that Man Utd aren't in the place they should be, so I understand why the club haven't been in contact — but hopefully as it goes on and we get a bit more positive vibes around the club, they'll be in contact,” he added.
The attention has brought commercial opportunities. Ilett now works with an agent handling sponsorship and media enquiries and has partnered with major brands.
That expansion has prompted debate among sections of the fanbase, particularly after he appeared in an advertisement for a gambling company. Ilett has rejected claims that he has earned the substantial figures some have speculated.
Despite criticism, he insists the challenge now carries responsibility beyond personal expression.
“It's not really about me any more,” he says. “There are so many people following along. I can't just stop.”
He intends to donate his hair to the Little Princess Trust and has established a JustGiving page in support of the children’s cancer charity. The original £500 target has been comfortably surpassed, reaching £6,132 by Tuesday afternoon.
Captain Bruno Fernandes and manager Michael Carrick were dismissive when asked about the challenge after United secured a fourth consecutive victory against Tottenham. Carrick admitted he first heard of the saga through his children, underlining its reach beyond traditional football circles.
The story has not been universally embraced. One supporter received an indefinite ban from Old Trafford after confronting Ilett during a home match against Chelsea in September 2025.
Others have criticised the commercial aspect of the campaign. Yet many supporters continue to defend him, and reactions to his appearance on the Stretford Paddock podcast were largely supportive.
Who Is Frank Ilett?
Frank Ilett is a lifelong Manchester United fan who turned frustration into a viral endurance test. Under the name The United Strand, he transformed a single promise into a social media phenomenon that now doubles as a weekly performance review of his club’s form.
His hair has grown through the managerial spells of Erik ten Hag, Ruben Amorim and Michael Carrick, becoming an unlikely timeline of transition at Old Trafford.
When asked about his ideal venue for the eventual trim, Ilett told BBC, he has one ambition.
“I mean if they let me, it would be amazing to be on the pitch at Old Trafford being cut by one of the players or something, but we'll have to see nearer the time,” he said.
What Is Manchester United Fan’s Viral Haircut Challenge?
The rules are simple: no haircut until Manchester United win five matches in succession across all competitions. The challenge began on 5 October 2024 and has now stretched beyond 490 days. Every stalled run extends both the anticipation and the hair.
When Did Manchester United Last Win Five In A Row?
United’s most recent five-match winning streak in all competitions came between 28 January and 18 February 2024, when they defeated Newport County, Wolves, West Ham, Aston Villa and Luton Town.
In the Premier League, their last sequence of five straight victories ran from 13 May to 14 August 2023, beating Wolves, Bournemouth, Chelsea, Fulham and Nottingham Forest.
Within a single Premier League campaign, they achieved five consecutive wins between 13 November 2022 and 14 January 2023, overcoming Fulham, Bournemouth, Wolves, Nottingham Forest and Manchester City.
Until that benchmark is reached again, The United Strand remains exactly that, uncut, unmistakable and still waiting.
