MANCHESTER UNITED superfan Frank Ilett has teamed up with Paddy Power as he dares to hope he can finally get a haircut.
Ilett, 29, runs the social media page, The United Strand, where he is in an ongoing challenge to not cut his hair until the Red Devils win five games in a row.
Having started the challenge on October 5 2024, he now has quite the striking barnet due to United’s poor form on the pitch.
In fact, until back-to-back wins over Sunderland and then Liverpool earlier this month, Ilett could have kept his challenge going even if it was for winning back-to-back games.
However, those wins and last Saturday’s victory at Brighton have sparked hope Ruben Amorim‘s side have finally turned a corner.
Both the club and players who star for United have acknowledged the challenge and hope to reach the magic number.
Away clashes against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham stand in the way of the challenge being completed more than 13 months after it started.
And as a potential date with destiny approaches, betting site Paddy Power have teamed up with Ilett in a viral video.
The video shows Ilett walking past his “barber”, who is heard doing a voice over complaining about how sad the situation makes him.
As the fan walks past, the barber is seen looking sorrowfully out of the window before saying: “It does make me sad actually. I miss him. He’s one of my best customers. Well he used to be.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
“He doesn’t even bother to make appointment’s anymore. What’s the point.”
The video then cuts to a news broadcast addressing United and joking how they are not expected to win five games in a row until 2029, while also showing a picture of how Ilett’s hair might look.
Ilett, who started the challenge to lift the spirits of his fellow United fans before also deciding to raise money for charity due to the fame of his challenge, is seen appearing in the next scene.
He jokes that if he is ever having a bad hair day he can always put on a hat, although it is comically small on his massive head of hair.
The next frame shows a picture of Ilett with a much shorter trim framed on the wall before his barber says: “Now I wonder, will I ever see him again.”
Ilett, who exclusively told SunSport in August that he had been sent a variety of free products for his hair, is then seen reading out an offer to cut his hair.
He reads the message saying it is the “second weirdest looking hair in football“, only behind Newcastle and England star Anthony Gordon.
The next scene shows Ilett running into the hair salon to hug his barber to then book in his haircut in anticipation of winning five in a row.
His barber then says: “As soon as they win five, that seat is yours.”
Ilett promises he will be back soon, to which his barber replies: “Yes you will. Yes you bloody will.”
Unfortunately, in the Paddy Power universe United have still not managed to reach five wins in a row six months later.
The barber is shown sweeping away hair before looking up and seeing Ilett, now with an even bigger set of hair, walking by the window before he swears about United.
Despite Ilett’s charitable efforts, raising money for MIND UK alongside a planned donation of his hair and the proceeds to the Little Princess Trust, he was subjected to vile abuse during his last visit to Old Trafford.
Ilett was attacked by a fan who grabbed his hair and refused to let go before hurling abuse at him during United’s 2-1 win over Chelsea in September.
The fan was handed an indefinite ban by the club following the incident, with Ilett telling SunSport after his ordeal: “Yeah, it was a bit weird to be honest!
“I thought he was just joking to start with, but then he started yanking my hair and calling me an ‘attention-seeking c***’.
“The whole day was full of hundreds of positive interactions yesterday and 99 per cent of all of the reactions to this challenge has been nice. But just a few people can ruin it!
“My intention with this challenge was never to highlight Man United’s flaws. It was always and always will be to spread humour and positivity to United fans in a difficult time.
“I never expected it to go on for so long, but I’m hopeful we can go on a good run soon and I, more than most…want these wins to come as soon as possible!
“I will always try to focus on the positives and hope that this was just a one off.”
When the magic number is reached, Ilett has said he plans on having the long overdue trim at the Theatre of Dreams.
