Stuart Forrest was deeply frustrated. The Manchester United fan, 47, watches his team home and away and he has not enjoyed what he has seen this season.
After an awful few days when Manchester City and Newcastle United both won 3-0 at Old Trafford, Forrest decided to do something ahead of Saturday’s away game at Fulham.
“I bought a bedsheet for £10 ($12.40) at 10pm on Friday from Tesco in Handforth,” he tells The Athletic. “I felt there have been performers in the team not showing the commitment and fight I’d expect from a United player. My frustration was high after the Newcastle defeat and I decided to make a banner for the first time in my life in the hope that the players would see it.”
With their boys — Sonny, 12 and Freddie, nine — in bed, Forrest discussed the idea with his wife Ann-Marie.
“I knew I was getting up at six to get the train to Fulham with our sons,” he says. “We all go to every home game and apply for every away. We got lucky for Fulham.
“I wanted to paint ‘Play like you give a f***’ on the bedsheet. But my wife said ‘You can’t do that, you’re taking the boys. It has to be more positive.’ We decided on a more…