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The New Look Stretford End Stole the Show During Man United v Newcastle

Manchester United, Matchgoing Fans, Old Trafford

Manchester United is easily the biggest club in English football. Despite not being the club that it once was, the club’s home, Old Trafford, is still considered to be the most iconic stadium in English football.

Once upon a time, The Stretford End was famous for “sucking the ball into the net” anytime the Red Devils needed a second-half winner.

While the Stretford End hasn’t enjoyed the same success since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, the fans have still remained loyal and cheered like their lives depended on it.

Despite the turbulent times, the club still continues to have the best fans as they support the players and managers through thick and thin, especially the traveling away contingent, as they’re the loudest and often support their team in every corner of the country.

Before the start of the 2025-26 season, The Red Army, one of the most prominent MUFC Supporters Groups, began a “Reclaim the Stretford End” campaign. This campaign aims to bring back the color from the 70s and 80s, a time when the terrace was at its peak.

And it has worked like a charm.

The campaign began with 70 flags before the opening game of the season against Arsenal, all of which were self-funded.

Among them were the “Manchester. Established 1878” with a graphic of every trophy won by MUFC, as well as the “United We Are. United We Stand. The Greatest. By far the best in the land”. Another one featured an image of David Beckham scoring the famous goal at Selhurst Park from the halfway line while there were also banners featuring lyrics such as “All the lads and lasses with smiles on their faces, Walking down the Warwick Road, To see Matt Busby’s aces.”

Earlier this month, The Athletic met up with members of The Red Army and went into detail over the Reclaiming the Stretford End project.

The Boxing Day fixture against Newcastle saw the biggest display of the project as the iconic Stretford End was serenaded with flags and posters.

After the game, The Red Army took to X (formerly Twitter) to address the work that happened to make this possible.

On the official account of TRA – The Red Army (MUFC), they stated that they waved 130 flags in total, with 127 being unique flags, all of which were designed by Stretford Enders. They also added that this was just the beginning, hinting that the sea of flags could become a regular sight at the Stretford End again.

The support from the fans definitely came through as an injury ridden Manchester United with numerous players away on AFCON duty defied the odds to defeat Newcastle 1-0.

MUFC fans on Football Twitter immediately took notice of the flags and heaped praise on the fans for the display and the atmosphere.

@mufclouis_: Petition to get flags in the second tier of the stretford end aswell, would look amazing and boost the atmosphere even more. #mufc

@JoeBlog66523307: Hope it gets extended to the upper tier and behind goal at old scoreboard end lower. Hopefully once safe standing is fully allowed we could have it in whole of the Stretford End top and bottom like our own RED WALL

@RJP_Writes: Stretford End was magnificent. Took me back to the buzz I had in there as a kid.

@_itz_mujahid: This is the old Trafford we know

@davidsmith1932: Stretford End tier 1 looks fabulous now, a real throwback in today’s sanitised football..congratulations to all involved there

@Khereem3: The aura is crazy

@FlantheA3: Was already chuffed enough getting seats amongst the flags, but having the opportunity to wave one fall into my hands was even better (even if I wasn’t that consistent in preventing it getting caught on itself lmao) (was the quartered MUFC flag just ahead of the TRA crowdsurfer)

@stuarteddywl103: Keep em coming @TraMufc Held the ‘Man Utd are Magic’ one tonight. Looks brilliant. #UTFR #MUFC

@LeahGS: The feeling you get being there is indescribable. Forever our home #MUFC

However, not every reaction was positive as a few people called them out for trying to copy the Kop at Anfield –

@carldibbert: Kopite behaviour. You’re getting as bad as the Ev

@LFC_Gwn: When you want to be like Liverpool

@N_Macca74: Poor attempt trying to copy the Liverpool kop….they’ve only just started to put flags on the Stretford End whereas Liverpool have decorated the kop with flags for decades.

@Rusty4900955991: It’s fascinating to watch all these clubs, who despise us, genuinely try to mimic Liverpool. Arsenal and Man United have suddenly started to do it. It’s quite funny to be fair.

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