MANCHESTER UNITED superfan Frank Ilett has teamed up with Paddy Power as he dares to dream 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.
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Frank Ilett has starred in a Paddy Power advert as Man Utd near five games in a rowCredit: X @paddypower
Paddy Power are joking Ilett’s ‘barber’ has been left upset without his best customerCredit: X @paddypower
Having started the challenge on October 5 2024, he now has a mop of hair on his head due to United’s dreadful form on the pitch.
In fact wins over Sunderland and then Liverpool earlier this month was the first time United had even scored back-to-back victories.
Now, after Saturday’s victory at Brighton, Illet finally has a glimmer of hope that Ruben Amorim‘s side have turned a corner.
Both United and some of the club’s stars even acknowledged the challenge, hoping they can finally reach the magic number.
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Now only away clashes against Nottingham Forest and Tottenham stand in the way of a fresh trim – a whopping 13 months after the challenge started.
And, as a potential date with destiny approaches, bookies Paddy Power have teamed up with Ilett in a viral video.
The clip 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 on 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.
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“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 by then.
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, appears 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 which jokes he now has 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.
Unfortunately, it seems United are destined to fall short as we instead cut to six months later and the hairy fan walking past the barbershop window with an even more ludicrous barnet.
They joked United would not complete five wins in a row until at least 2029Credit: X @paddypower
But after Ruben Amorim’s side reached three wins in a row Ilett was seen hugging his barber promising to book an appointmentCredit: X @paddypower
But six months down the line United still hadn’t completed the featCredit: X @paddypower
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!
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“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.
