Frank Ilett has become the unfortunate, and unwilling, face of Manchester United's regression. Almost 18 months ago, Ilett, better known as 'The United Strand', posted a video on TikTok stating that he wouldn't cut his hair until Manchester United won five games in a row.
The target wasn't impossible. Manchester United had won five games in a row under Erik Ten Hag. Several teams in the league had already acheived it, or would go on to acheive it, that season. It happened that Manchester United have endured their worst period of form in decades.
It's been almost 500 days since that first video. Since then, his haircut has gone from Wayne Rooney to Maroune Fellani. The bigger his hair has got, the more it seems to prove United's collapse.
The United Strand is making Man United look much worse than they are
United were on the verge of five wins in a row against West Ham. Wins against Man City, Arsenal, Fulham and Tottenham had put United on the verge of five wins, and a game against 18th place West Ham looked like the perfect chance for The United Strand's challenge to end, and for United to banish their demons.
As we know, that was not the case, as United struggled to a 1-1 draw away at West Ham, only rescued to an injury-time equaliser from Benjamin Sesko. The United Strand was watching on a livestream on Kick, reportedly seen by 200,000 people, and looked devastated to see United fail to complete the challenge.
The tide is clearly turning on The United Strand. Lots of fans are already turning on him, and for good reason. Five wins in a row is an incredibly high standard for any club. Plenty of clubs enjoy successful seasons without stringing together five wins.
That's the problem with The United Strand. His shtick may have started as a good natured ribbing of United's form, but it's developed into a serious albatross around United's neck. It was a pillar of the coverage on United's game, mentioned by the pundits before the game started, and several times by the commentators.
It was even mocked by the West Ham team after the game, with several of the players posting their haircuts immediately after the game.
United's form has been incredible since Michael Carrick took charge. 13 points from a potential 15 since Carrick took charge is a huge jump in form. It's also likely that had the United team of two months ago been in the position United had faced against West Ham, they would've lost. Progress has been made, and it is hidden by The United Strand's dominance over the narrative.
It's easy to forget that United are making such progres when all the coverage equates United's loss against West Ham to 'more of the same', and United still struggling. This is not what's happening: United are getting better. They need to block out the noise, and ignore the afro.