The remarkable hair vow of Manchester United supporter Frank Ilett continues to capture attention, including in the darts world. Ilett became known worldwide for a playful stunt: he decided he wouldn't visit the barber again until United won five Premier League matches in a row. What began as a lighthearted fan promise turned into a true internet sensation, with the tally now standing at nearly 500 days without a trim. After the dismissal of Ruben Amorim and the appointment of Michael Carrick, the fairytale seemed on the verge of coming true, as wins over Manchester City, Arsenal, Fulham FC, and Tottenham Hotspur brought the magical fifth victory within reach. But on Tuesday evening, Manchester United's 1-1 draw with West Ham United at the London Stadium left both the team and their most famous fan back at square one, meaning the scissors can stay in the drawer for now.
Top darter Gian van Veen, who recently reached the final at the World Darts Championship, shared his view on the situation with Sportnieuws.nl. The Dutchman, besides being a supporter of FC Den Bosch, is also a fan of English football, with a slight preference for Manchester United. Van Veen noted, "I enjoy watching the Premier League and in that I have a slight preference for Manchester United. But I'm not that big a fan. So on Tuesday I was thankfully not completely gutted." He was matter-of-fact about Ilett, suspecting that the attention around the stunt also has its perks: "I don't think he was completely gutted either. He's getting plenty of attention from it, so he won't be too upset."
Van Veen himself would never make such a bet, as the darter, known for his well-groomed look on stage, can't imagine going a year and a half without a trip to the barber. "In fact, I was at the barber this morning," he laughed. That haircut didn't bring much luck, though, as Van Veen went out in the quarterfinals on Night 2 of the Premier League Darts 2026 against Gerwyn Price. After two nights, he sits fourth in the table.
