Manchester United Supporters' Trust (MUST)

What Manchester United Supporters' Trust (MUST) does

Manchester United Supporters' Trust (MUST) is a non-profit supporters' trust and Co-operative and Community Benefit Society registered with the UK Financial Conduct Authority, founded in 1998-99 as Shareholders United Against Murdoch (SUAM) and reincorporated under its current form in 2005 following the Glazer takeover of Manchester United Football Club. The organization represents approximately 200,000 members worldwide, making it the largest supporters' trust in the world, and operates from its headquarters at 18 Sir Matt Busby Way adjacent to Old Trafford stadium in Manchester. MUST's core functions include collective advocacy on ticket pricing, away match allocations, stadium development, and ownership/governance matters; operation of an Independent Supporter Liaison Officer (ISLO) service providing advice and dispute support to match-going fans; administration of a Withdrawable Share Capital (WSC) scheme holding approximately £2.5 million from members; and structured dialogue with club executives through formal seats on the Fans' Forum, Fans Advisory Board, and the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force.

The organization runs a two-tier membership model: a free Lite tier offering consultation and ISLO access, and a paid Full Membership at £15 per year with voting rights and committee eligibility. Supporting revenue streams include a merchandise shop (operated through I-MUST Limited), online prize draws funding charitable causes including a £6,328.99 foodbank donation to Manchester South Central Food Bank, voluntary donations from £3 to £100, and interest on WSC deposits. MUST's technology platform is a web-based membership management system with self-service registration, WSC account administration, a help desk ticketing system, an e-commerce shop, and integrations with Stripe, Google Analytics, Mixpanel, and Disqus. The organization distributes through over 130 official Manchester United Supporters Club branches worldwide and coordinates joint advocacy with the Football Supporters Association (FSA), Football Supporters Europe (FSE), and Supporters Direct, a body co-founded by MUST's own founder Jonathan Michie.

Strategically, MUST functions as a member-owned mutual with no external investors, no equity funding rounds, and no profit distribution permitted under its rules. Its leadership is elected, with a Board of Directors and Committee supported by approximately ten employees (two full-time plus part-time/casual staff) and significant unpaid volunteer hours from board and committee members. Documented advocacy outcomes include a £30 cap on away ticket prices estimated to have saved travelling fans approximately £10 million, a 25% reduction in home League Cup and Europa League ticket prices, Premier League funding of £5 per match for away supporters since 2014, mandatory structured dialogue between clubs and supporter groups, and club support secured for future safe standing implementation.

Name

Manchester United Supporters' Trust (MUST)

Legal name

Independent Manchester United Supporters' Trust (I-MUST Limited – registration number 30024R)

Website

https://imust.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Manchester United Supporters' Trust (MUST) is a non-profit cooperative representing 200,000+ Manchester United fans globally through membership services, advocacy on ticketing, stadium development, and governance, plus a £2.5 million Withdrawable Share Capital scheme.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Supporter Trust Services

NAICS

Spectator Sports (71121), Spectator Sports (7112), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Fan Membership, Subscriptions & Patronage Platforms (MPACABAF)

Keywords

• Supporter trust services
• Fan advocacy organization
• Membership association
• Ticket price advocacy
• Supporter representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Full membership at £15 per year provides voting rights, eligibility for committee/board positions, and shop credit redemption. Lite membership is free. £1 of each membership fee contributes to the member's WSC account.
2. Prize Draws and Fundraising: Online prize draws selling entries at £1-£20 for signed memorabilia and merchandise, with proceeds supporting foodbank donations and charitable causes. Major recent foodbank donation of £6,328.99.
3. Merchandise Sales: MUST operates a shop selling branded merchandise including badges, scarves, flags, keyrings, books, and signed memorabilia. I-MUST Limited is the separate trading company for merchandising operations.
4. Donations: Accepts voluntary donations at various levels (£3, £5, £10, £20, £50, £100) and monthly standing orders. MUST HQ venue rental provides additional income.
5. WSC Interest Income: Interest earned on Withdrawable Share Capital funds invested in secure deposit accounts, declared annually at a rate up to 5% or 2% above Co-op Bank base rate.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

MUST is a not-for-profit Co-operative and Community Benefit Society (regulated by the FCA) that represents Manchester United Football Club fans. It offers tiered membership (free Lite and £15/year Full) with benefits such as voting rights, fan consultation, an Independent Supporter Liaison Officer (ISLO) service, and shop credit. The trust also runs a merchandise shop, online prize draws, a Withdrawable Share Capital (WSC) scheme, and foodbank partnership activities, and advocates on ticket pricing, away allocations, stadium development, safe standing, and supporter ownership.

Product overview

MUST is a not-for-profit supporters' trust organization operating as a Co-operative and Community Benefit Society regulated by the FCA. The organization offers a tiered membership structure: a free Lite Membership providing consultation and basic services, and a paid Full Membership (£15/year) with voting rights and additional benefits. Supporting the membership core are the ISLO support service, fan consultation surveys, prize draws, and an online shop. The organization also operates a Withdrawable Share Capital scheme for members and maintains a foodbank partnership for community outreach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MUST Lite Membership Free membership tier providing regular consultation on issues important to match-going fans, representation at club and Premier League level, access to the Independent Supporter Liaison Officer, email newsletter, and access to auctions, competitions and prize draws.
• MUST Full Membership Paid membership at £15 per year with voting rights on Trust policy, eligibility to stand for committee/board election, collectors' membership certificate, priority access to events and screenings, and ability to reclaim membership fee as shop credit when spending £50.
• MUST Prize Draws Regular prize draws offering signed memorabilia, merchandise, and exclusive experiences with proceeds supporting foodbank donations and charitable causes.
• MUST Shop Online merchandise store selling official memorabilia, keyrings, badges, scarves, flags, books and other supporter items.
• Independent Supporter Liaison Officer (ISLO) Service Dedicated support service providing advice and information for match-going fans, personal support in disputes with Club or other bodies, and access to legal advice if required.
• Fan Consultation and Survey Services Regular supporter surveys and consultation processes to gather fan opinions on key issues including ticket pricing, stadium development, and club policies.
• Withdrawable Share Capital (WSC) Scheme Members' investment account where money remains in the member's name, earns interest (up to 5% or 2% above Co-op Bank base rate), and can be withdrawn with 3 months' notice. Maximum limit of £100,000 per member. Total WSC currently stands at approximately £2.5 million.
• Foodbank Partnership Programme Partnership with Manchester South Central Food Bank, with funds raised through prize draws and donations supporting community welfare initiatives, including a £6,328.99 donation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25% reduction on ticket prices for home League Cup and Europa League matches
• +10 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Football Supporters Europe (FSE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 June 2025MUST is represented at FSE Congresses and participates in European supporter campaigns including advocacy on UEFA competition policies, ticket holdbacks, and policing issues affecting away fans. MUST submitted and passed a motion at the FSE Congress in Malmö highlighting issues around euro holdbacks and policing.
• Football Supporters Association (FSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMUST works with the FSA on national campaigns including the £30 away ticket price cap (extended for 2 years), safe standing, and structured dialogue requirements. A MUST Board Member serves as an elected member of the FSF National Council. The relationship has delivered tangible savings for travelling supporters.
• Supporters Direct (now part of FSA infrastructure)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJonathan Michie, a MUST founder, was a founding Director of Supporters Direct - the government-funded body providing legal and advisory support to football supporter groups establishing trusts. MUST is the only recognised supporters' trust for Manchester United by Supporters Direct.
• Official Manchester United Supporters Club (MUSC) BranchescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOver 130 official MUSC branches globally serve as local distribution points for MUST's message and services, including branches in Scandinavia, Australia, Ireland, USA, Hong Kong, India, Germany, South Africa, and many other countries. These branches co-signed the Open Letter to Potential Bidders.
• Manchester United Fans' ForumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMUST participates in the official Fans' Forum alongside other supporter group representatives. The Forum provides formal consultation on supporter-related decisions and serves as a structured dialogue mechanism between supporters and club executives.
• Fan Groups and Fanzines (Joint Advocacy)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-signatories to the Open Letter to Potential Bidders include fan groups and fanzines: RED NEWS, United We Stand, OldTrafford.dk, Stretty News, No Question About That (NQAT) podcast, Columbus Red Devils, and others. These groups collaborate on common supporter causes while maintaining distinct identities.
• Manchester United Disabled Supporters' Association (MUDSA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial supporters group co-signatory to the Open Letter to Potential Bidders. MUST's Committee includes MUDSA representation through Alan Rayment. The organizations collaborate on accessibility and equal access advocacy.
• Rainbow Devils (LGBTQ+ Supporters Club)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial LGBTQ+ Manchester United supporters club, co-signatory to Open Letter. MUST Committee includes Najib Armanazi representing Rainbow Devils, championing equality and inclusion in supporter culture.
• MUFC Women's Supporters ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial supporters club for the women's team, co-signatory to Open Letter. MUST Committee includes Deborah Henry representing MUWSC, promoting the women's team profile and supporter engagement.
• The 1958 (Fan Group)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFan organization with whom MUST agreed a Unity Charter reflecting shared goals for fan representation and supporter ownership advocacy, despite different tactical approaches.
• VoteFootball.org Campaign SiteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMUST co-funded and continues to pay for hosting of the VoteFootball.org campaign site used for major national campaigns on supporter rights and governance.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Arsenal Supporters' Trust: Independent, democratic supporters' trust for Arsenal FC. Like MUST, it focuses on fan representation, ownership/governance, ticket pricing, and shares the same UK regulatory framework and membership-based model.
• Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust: Official supporters' trust for Tottenham Hotspur, focused on ownership influence, ticket pricing, and the new stadium consultation — directly parallel to MUST's Old Trafford regeneration work.
• Spirit of Shankly: The official independent supporters' union of Liverpool FC. Closest direct peer to MUST: also a democratic members' organisation representing fans of a major Premier League club, campaigning on ticket pricing, ownership, and structured dialogue, and affiliated with the FSA and FSE.
• Chelsea Supporters' Trust: Recognised supporters' trust for Chelsea FC, run as a not-for-profit Community Benefit Society in the same legal form as MUST. It engages on ticket prices, ownership changes (post-Abramovich), and stadium redevelopment — issues near-identical to MUST's agenda.

Broad incumbents

• Football Supporters Europe (FSE): Pan-European network of football supporters that MUST engages with via Congress motions and pan-EU campaigns (e.g. UEFA away ticket holdbacks, policing). Provides the cross-border coordination layer that complements MUST's domestic work.
• Supporters Direct: The former government-funded body that provided legal and advisory support to football supporters' trusts, of which MUST founder Jonathan Michie was a founding Director. Now part of the FSA infrastructure, it set the template MUST operates under.
• Football Supporters' Association (FSA): National umbrella body for football supporters in England and Wales, of which MUST is a member. FSA runs the national campaigns (safe standing, away ticket cap, structured dialogue) that MUST helps lead and execute at club level.

Others

• AFC Wimbledon: Fan-owned English football club born out of supporter opposition to the relocation of Wimbledon FC. Relevant adjacent case study for what successful fan-led ownership mobilisation can achieve, although it is a club itself rather than a supporters' trust.

Emerging players

• FC United of Manchester: Fan-owned football club founded in 2005 as a direct response to the Glazer takeover that triggered MUST's transformation. Represents the operational fan-ownership model that MUST's WSC and advocacy ultimately aim to enable at Manchester United.

Regional players

• Manchester City Supporters' Club: The supporters' trust for Manchester City, the city's other major club. Operates the same membership-based, FCA-regulated Community Benefit Society model and engages on parallel issues (ownership, ticket prices, fan engagement), but does not directly compete with MUST.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MU_ST
• Facebookfacebook.com/manchesterunitedsupporters
• Instagraminstagram.com/mu_supporterstrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/manchester-united-supporters-trust

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Manchester United Supporters' Trust (MUST)