Supporters of a Man United community programme admit they fear for its future as the club continues with its cost-cutting measures.
The Premier League giants have made a wave of cuts including within its charitable arm, the Manchester United Foundation, and concerns are growing the Street Reds kids programme could be axed or scaled back.
These sessions are run across Greater Manchester, with a particular focus on working-class areas such as Fallowfield, Moss Side, and Wythenshawe.
The Street Reds programme offers free football sessions for under-18s and run sessions and programmes for girls too.
Aryan Wally, 25, who regularly attended the sessions as a teenager, said: “I loved these United-run football sessions. Sometimes they’d reward us with free United tickets. I didn’t grow up rich, so I couldn’t regularly go to the games, but the foundation gave kids like me that experience.
“As a kid, you go through tough times sometimes. You could go to these sessions, forget about everything, or talk to the coaches.”
We reached out to the Manchester United Foundation, but they have declined to comment on the redundancies and cuts at the club.
Tola Nawzad, another former attendee, said: “They used to choose certain kids to be put forward for the development team. I was chosen, and they took us to the United training ground. We trained with some youth players, as well as taking pictures with senior players. The development team also organised for us to play a match at Old Trafford, where we played the England Under-16s girls’ team. It was an unforgeable experience.”
Tola added that the programme offered him many opportunities and it would be a huge shame if these opportunities were no longer available to kids, as it would likely cause teenagers to get caught up in crime or anti-social behaviour.
In December 2024, reports emerged that Manchester United was reducing funding for the United Foundation. Many people in the local communities are now concerned that this could lead to the closure of the Street Reds sessions.
Aryan, who now owns a barber shop in Northenden, said: “You also make a lot of friends. Many of the lads I played with come into my shop for haircuts.”
Images used with permission
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