In the aftermath of an attack on the home of Manchester United's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, journalist Andy Mitten explored the reported perpetrators behind the incident on Thursday's OTB AM.
A reported demonstration of fans' frustration with the mismanagement of United, the house that Woodward lives in with his wife and young children was empty at the time of the attack.
Reports in the Daily Telegraph linked the attack to members of Manchester United's "notorious 'Men in Black' hooligan firm." However, Andy Mitten, the editor of club fanzine United We Stand, has his doubts about this assessment.
"There are fans who think that [this behaviour] is disgraceful," he explained on Thursday's OTB AM, "and there are fans who don't and think it is valid. There are conspiracy theories among some fans who think it was a set-up.
"I know who [the 'Men in Black' are] and I've not been told of anyone who's been to [Ed Woodward's] house the other night.
"I would expect to because word would seep out, [but] United no longer have active hooligans though."
A noted chronicler of the club's history, Andy Mitten is well familiar with this aspect of Manchester United's fringe.
"That group and I knew a lot of them from going to games," he explained, "15 years ago when I went up to [a game against] Rangers in Glasgow there was a mob of maybe 400 Manchester United lads.
"Within a fanbase as big as Manchester United's, there is more of everything: more disabled supports, more executive supporters, more hooligans.
"But there has not been an active hooligan mob and I know who the ['Men in Black'] lads are and I knew last night there wasn't going to be a firm, if you like, going to Manchester City, but inside the ground the atmosphere was vicious."
Commending the stewards and police for their management of 'risk supporters', Andy Mitten remained certain that he would have heard if the reported fan group was involved in the attack on Ed Woodward's home: "I've got to be honest, up to now I've not been told of anyone."
You can watch back Andy Mitten's assessment of last night's match between United and Manchester City here.
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