Continued letdown: 757 days

Frank Illett, the Manchester United fan known as "The United Strand", stunned his followers with a video showing his head completely shaved, bringing to an apparent end a challenge that had reached 103 matches without a haircut.

Famous for refusing to visit the barber until United strung together five straight wins, Illett opened the clip on his Instagram account with the line: "Enough.. I've had it". He then appeared with a shaved head and started running through the styles he fancied for the next chapter.

The scene was a stitch-up. It turned out to be part of a promotional campaign for an artificial intelligence platform, and Illett closed the video confirming nothing had changed: "The challenge is still ongoing, and I'm committed to it, and I won't cut my hair until Manchester United win five consecutive matches."

He posted another video on Facebook after the defeat to Chelsea, driving the point home with a weary verdict: "Another defeat, no surprises."

Illett launched his challenge on 5 October 2024, vowing to steer clear of the barber until United managed five consecutive wins in official matches. He reckoned it would take only a few months.

Five managers have since taken charge, on both a temporary and permanent basis, and none hit the target. Erik ten Hag, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ruben Amorim, Darren Fletcher and Michael Carrick all came and went as the challenge stretched to 103 matches and 757 days, right up to the Chelsea game yesterday, Saturday 31 October 2026.