West Ham vs Man United will decide fate of loyal fan who hasn't cut his hair for 500 days

A Manchester United fan’s 18-month vow is one win away from being fulfilled.

 If Manchester United wins today’s match against West Ham, it will end the 500-day period for Frank Ilett without a haircut.

The 29-year-old commonly known as “the united strand” pledged in October 2024 that he would not cut his hair until Manchester wins five consecutive games.

What started as a light-hearted stunt became a viral saga as United’s form failed to improve under the leadership of Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim.

Documenting his journey of not getting his haircut, he amassed over 1.3 million Instagram followers.

Currently, Manchester United is on a 4-game Premier League winning streak under interim management.

The football club previously secured victories against Tottenham (2-0), Arsenal (3-2), Manchester City (2-0), and Fulham (3-2).

With these wins, not only did Manchester United secure 4th place in the 2025/26 Premier League rankings, but the chances of Ilett getting a haircut also rose.

West Ham United has also shown improvement with its recent Premier League victories. The club has secured a 2-0 win at Burnley on February 8, 2026, a 3-1 win against Sunderland (January 24, 2026), and a notable late win at Tottenham.

Now, the eyes of 1.3 million fans are set on today’s match between Manchester United vs West Ham.