What began as a light-hearted idea shared online has, in 493 days, grown into something far bigger than its creator ever anticipated.
Frank Ilett, also known as The United Strand, posted a video on 5 October 2024, where he gave himself his last haircut until Manchester United won five games in a row.
On the video, he put up a poll asking what was then a relatively small following when they thought his next haircut would be: in 2024, 2025 or 2026?
Of the 27,000 responses, 90% said 2026. After snatching a 1-1 draw at West Ham on Tuesday, the wait goes on.
Ilett now has more than 2.3 million followers on social media and hosted a YouTube livestream of Tuesday’s game, which at times had more than 100,000 people watching.
Speaking 365 days into the challenge, Ilett told BBC Sport that the ‘no win, no trim’ concept was initially filmed as harmless entertainment, designed to “share positivity” during a frustrating period for United fans.
“I just want to bring some joy to other Manchester United fans in this kind of weird time at the club,” he said.
According to Ilett, there was no grand plan – just enthusiasm and a football team in poor form.
“I thought it would be over in three or four months,” Ilett told BBC Sport. “It was meant to be a laugh, and then that would be it. But it hasn’t quite worked out like that.”
The last time United managed five consecutive wins was between January and February 2024.
Ilett says that “didn’t feel long ago, when the challenge began”, but history offers less comfort.
The club’s longest run without five straight wins lasted 902 days, ending in January 1999 – a statistic Ilett said he tries not to dwell on.
“I started this thinking it was just a dip in form, especially as United had won the FA Cup in May. I didn’t realise it could actually get worse and carry on for so long,” he said.
As the months passed, the challenge evolved. What started as a light-hearted video became a visible symbol of United’s struggles, with Ilett’s hair being shared across social media acting as a weekly reminder of how far they had fallen.
“My hair is a visual representation that Man Utd aren’t in the place they should be, so I understand why the club haven’t been in contact – but hopefully as it goes on and we get a bit more positive vibes around the club, they’ll be in contact,” he added.
Alongside the growing attention came monetisation, increased reach, and a responsibility he had not anticipated.
“It’s not really about me any more,” he says. “There are so many people following along. I can’t just stop.”
Ilett now has an agent who deals with commercial enquiries and has partnered with huge media brands as he cashes in on his growing hair. He also now has a long-established company dealing with media requests.
Asked where the dream haircut would be, Ilett told BBC Sport there was only one place he had in mind.
“I mean if they let me, it would be amazing to be on the pitch at Old Trafford being cut by one of the players or something, but we’ll have to see nearer the time,” he said.
