A Manchester United Supporter Promises Not to Cut His Hair Until the Team Wins Five Times In a Row.

JAKARTA - Last year was tough for all Manchester United fans. For one supporter, Frank Illet, it was especially true.

Illett set himself a unique challenge last October: he wouldn't cut his hair until the Red Devils won five consecutive matches.

"I thought it would only last a few months and would be a bit funny. It was something to spread humor among Manchester United fans during a difficult time."

"It felt realistic at the time because the previous season, they had won five consecutive matches," Illet told ESPN.

At the time, Manchester United was still managed by Erik Ten Hag and had ended the previous season by winning the FA Cup final against Manchester City.

Illett thought it was the right time to try the challenge, despite all the failures and inconsistent performances the club had experienced in recent years.

The 29-year-old, a boyhood Manchester United fan from England and now living in Spain, began the challenge after a 0-0 draw against Aston Villa.

He hoped five consecutive wins would soon be achieved. However, after 77 matches in all competitions and a change of manager, that has yet to happen.

In fact, Illet's best achievement last year was three consecutive wins when Manchester United beat Rangers, Fulham, and FCSB in late January 2025 under current manager Ruben Amorim.

For context, Liverpool—the reigning Premier League champions and Manchester United's arch-rivals—have won five consecutive matches this season in just over a month (33 days, to be exact).

Because the Red Devils haven't achieved five consecutive wins, Illet's hair has become a viral spectacle on social media.

His hair is now very long, afro-like, and it's growing taller by the day.

His daily social media posts to his more than 700,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok—counting the days since his last haircut, regardless of whether Manchester United is playing that day or not—have turned him into a cult figure and a living, thriving monument, an embodiment of the club's struggles.

"I've had a lot of ups and downs. The problem is, it's a lot of time. Washing, combing, drying, everything takes a lot longer than usual," he said.

Illett's mood mirrors Manchester United's. He was in the stands at Old Trafford to watch his team beat Chelsea 2-1 earlier. He then watched his beloved team lose 3-1 at home to Brentford a week later.

Coupled with a humiliating Carabao Cup defeat to League Two club Grimsby Town, his optimism began to fade.

"I've tried to stay positive, I've tried to stay optimistic. But that's when I think I can't find anything positive and keep pretending that something will happen," he said.

His reactions haven't always been positive. Police are investigating an incident at a Chelsea match, in which a fan aggressively pulled Illet's hair and appeared to be swearing at him.

"Honestly, it was all a bit strange. I'll always try to focus on the positives and hope this was a one-off," Illet said at the time.

Despite Manchester United's continued problems on the pitch, Illet hasn't asked Amorim to leave.

Despite reports circulating about the Portuguese coach's future, he believes his performances aren't as bad as the results.

"I don't think changing the manager is the right solution. I completely understand that people want him out because they say the most important thing in football is results."

"I think there are some positives. We have the most anticipated goals and shots in the league. There are a few instances where some of those balls are goals."

"We're having a very different conversation. I think in the short term, we need good results immediately," he said.

With more than 30 Premier League games remaining this season, plus the FA Cup still to come, Illet hasn't given up hope for his hair.

"We'll see how long this can last," he said with a laugh.

For now, Manchester United have yet to win five straight games, although they did secure a 2-0 victory over Sunderland on Saturday, October 4, 2025.