Furious Man Utd fans slam club over 'PR disaster' after Mason Greenwood decision
Manchester United have been condemned by a group of fans over their handling of the Mason Greenwood investigation after it was confirmed the striker would be leaving the club on Monday.
Greenwood, 21, has not played for United since January 2022, shortly before he was suspended by the club. In February, Greenwood had charges of attempted rape, engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service, leaving his future unclear.
The club undertook an investigation in order to determine Greenwood's future, with Manchester United confirming on Monday that both parties had deemed it "most appropriate" for the striker to continue his career elsewhere.
In the wake of their decision, United have come under fire from several fans; including a number of female fans who formed a group known as 'Female Fans Against Greenwood's Return' during the lengthy investigation.
The group, who staged a protest against Greenwood's potential return outside Old Trafford ahead of Manchester United's opening game of the season against Wolves last week, have slammed the club's handling of the situation and insisted they were focused on avoiding a "PR disaster".
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The group said on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter: “MUFC leadership have finally done the right thing, for the wrong reasons: to save their own necks, to avoid the PR disaster, not out of care for any of us. They have lied, backtracked and ignored us until they feared for their own reputation.
“This isn't the first thing they've got wrong and it won't be the last. They broke the promises they made after the ESL and put fans last. Owners and leaders, they need to go.
“We are relieved that those with lived experiences of abuse, both fans and employees of MUFC, will finally be able to support their team and attend work without being forced to relive their trauma. Survivors, we see you, we are with you.
“We hope MUFC and the whole football world will wake up to their responsibilities after this shameful incident. Female fans aren't passive customers. We are real people with real experiences, and we will make hell in defence of the clubs we love, and in defence of each other.”
Women's Aid also reacted to the news on Monday with a statement of their own, confirming that they have held discussions with the club in the wake of media reports which had claimed Greenwood was set to return last week.
Their statement read: “We know that today’s news from Manchester United that Greenwood will be moving on from the club will be a relief for many survivors of domestic and sexual abuse.
“Football is loved by so many people worldwide, and players are often idolised by fans, so the way that alleged domestic abuse cases are treated in clubs has a huge impact on public understanding about what is accepted and tolerated in society. We have heard firsthand the impact this case and the related materials shared on social media have had on survivors of abuse, and while next steps are established following the outcome of Manchester United’s internal investigation, this will happen away from centre stage of Old Trafford.
“With many survivors never contacting the police to report abuse in the first place, and the majority of domestic and sexual abuse cases not resulting in a criminal conviction, it is vital that clubs – like all employers – have an approach that is wider than the criminal justice system, and which deals with the reality of the scale of the issue.
“This needs to involve addressing the attitudes that underpin domestic and sexual abuse, and working with players from a young age to make it clear that clubs stand against sexism and misogyny. This is an issue that reaches far wider than football, with misogynistic content widely available on social media, so it is important to recognise how widespread harmful attitudes are and address this.
“We reached out to Manchester United last week in light of the statement made on Wednesday, and have since had conversations with the club. Our approach at Women’s Aid remains the same – we want to work collaboratively with football clubs and organisations to increase understanding and awareness of domestic abuse, as part of our ongoing football campaign.”
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