Why The United Strand should have cut his hair FOUR TIMES by now
Manchester United Women have won five in a row again, while the men's team have reached 100 games without giving him a reason to reach for the clippers
The United Strand might need to start paying attention to Manchester United Women if he wants a haircut.
Frank Ilett, the Manchester United fan who vowed not to cut his hair until the men's team won five consecutive matches, has now spent 745 days waiting for his moment in the barber's chair.
But while the men's side continue to fall short of the target, the women's team have been busy doing exactly what he needs.
An overdue haircut for The United Strand?
Eva Olid's side have now put together a five-match winning streak for the fourth time since Ilett began his challenge in October 2024.
That's four separate occasions on which United Women have achieved the feat that has kept the viral fan's hair growing - three times under Marc Skinner who departed in the summer, and now again under new manager Olid.
Ilett, who posts daily updates on social media, has become an internet sensation as his increasingly lengthy locks have turned the challenge into a running joke among football fans.
The men's team drew with Leeds at the weekend, taking Ilett to the 100-game mark without the haircut he has been waiting for.
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Meanwhile, Manchester United Women have turned their own fortunes around after a difficult start to the season which included a 2-1 defeat to London City Lionesses and a 5-0 thrahsing by Chelsea, followed by a 1-1 draw with Arsenal.
Since then, they have hit their stride, stringing together five consecutive victories to achieve the feat once more.
They had achieved the feat three times before since his challenge began, most recently in February, when they celebrated a goal with a scissors-themed hair-cutting gesture on the pitch in their Champions League tie against Atletico Madrid.
However Ilett's challenge remains tied to the men's team, meaning the women's impressive runs won't officially send him to the barbers.
But after four separate five-match winning streaks, surely the United Women have earned the right to give him a trim themselves?
Ayisha Gulati is the women's football writer at FourFourTwo. Fresh from a summer covering the Lionesses’ triumphant Euro 2025 campaign in Switzerland, she brings a passion for all things WSL, UWCL, and international women’s football. She has interviewed names including Alessia Russo and Aitana Bonmati and enjoys telling stories that capture the excitement on and off the pitch.
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