Manchester City

Kit History

1884 a

1887 a

1892-1893 j

1894 a

1900-1901 i

1903-circa1920 a f i

1921-1932 a b c g

1933-1937 i

1938-1939 b

1947-1954 a

1954-1955 j

1955-1956 b f

1956-1959 a b

1959-1961 a

1960-1961 n

1961-1963 a b k

1964-1966 a k

1966-1967

1967-1968 a b f

April 1968-1969 a b f

1969-1971 a i l

1971-1973 l m

1973-1974 d m o

1974-1975 d

Umbro

1975-1976 d

Umbro

1976-1977 d m

Umbro

1977-1978 d m

Umbro

1978-1981 d h

Umbro

1981-1982 d h

Umbro

1982-1983 d h k

Umbro

1983-1984 h

Umbro

1984-1985 h

Umbro

1985-1987 d

Umbro

1987-1989 d

Umbro

1989-1991 d

Umbro

1991-1993 d

Umbro

1993-1995 d

Umbro

1995-1997 d

Kappa

1997-1999 d

Le Coq Sportif

1999-2001 d

Le Coq Sportif

2001-2002 d

Le Coq Sportif

2002-2003 d

Reebok

2003-2004 b

Reebok

2004-2006 e

Reebok

2006-2007 e

Le Coq Sportif

2007-2008 e

10 Feb 2008

Munich memorial kit

Background

Manchester City are a world famous club with a devoted fan base. What is less well known is that the modern club owes its existence to a woman. In 1879 Arthur Connell was appointed curate of St Mark's church in the working class West Gorton district of Manchester. Like most of the rapidly growing industrial areas of the north and midlands, West Gorton had no social facilities apart from public houses. Arthur's young wife, Anna Connell, decided to form an association to encourage young working men to spend more of their time on physical pursuits and less of their wages on beer. Anna persisted in the face of initial indifference and over the summer the members formed a cricket team, which was so successful that in 1880 the members formed St. Mark's (West Gorton) FC.

The club became West Gorton in 1882 and then Gorton AFC in 1884. In 1887, they moved to Hyde Road, Manchester and became Ardwick FC. In 1891, Ardwick joined the Football Alliance and a year later were in the Football League when the Alliance was incorporated as Division Two. In 1894, the club became a limited company and adopted the rather less parochial name of Manchester City when they adopted Cambridge Blue and white as their colours.

In 1899, City won promotion to the First Division for the first time, spending three seasons in the top flight before dropping back down. 1903, however brought promotion and in 1904 the club won the FA Cup and finished as runners-up in Division One. Success brought allegations of irregular payments. City were forced to auction off their best players, including the brilliant Billy Meredith, who signed for rivals Manchester United.

In 1926 City lost to Bolton Wanderers in the Cup Final and were relegated to Division Two. They returned to the top flight in 1928 and reached another FA Cup final in 1933, going one better and winning the competition a year later. In 1937, City were crowned as League Champions, only to suffer relegation the following season.

After the Second World War, City's colours were described as "light blue" and, towards the end of the decade, "sky blue." There is no evidence to suggest that the shade of their shirts changed, however, merely that these terms were thought to be more modern. Their erratic progress continued: promoted in 1947, relegated in 1950 and promoted once again in 1951. In 1955 they were beaten by Newcastle in the FA Cup final, returning to Wembley in 1956 this time to beat Birmingham City to win the FA Cup for the second time. In 1963, City were back in Division Two. Under the inspired management team of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison, the side was rebuilt and for a brief, glorious period, outshone their arch-rivals Manchester United. The Second Division Championship in 1966 was followed by the League title in 1968, the FA Cup in 1969 and both the European Cup Winners Cup and League Cup in 1970. A second League Cup was added in 1976.

The 1980s brought relegation twice (1983, 1987) and promotion twice (1985, 1989) and a return to the inconsistencies of the past. In 1994 former player, Francis Lee took control of the club from Peter Swales but what started out as a new era of optimism turned into disaster. Having invested heavily in the transfer market and in building the new £11m Kippax Stand, City were relegated from the Premier League to Nationwide Division One. Manager Alan Ball resigned and was replaced by Steve Coppell who also resigned after 32 days in the job. The club was in total dissarray with accusations flying between the board, players, management and fans. In 1998, Francis Lee bowed to pressure and resigned to make way for a new board but despite a host of new signings by manager Joe Royle, City were relegated to Nationwide Division Two, the equivalent of the old Third Division.

City were expected to take the Division by storm in 1998-99 but their campaign proved a struggle and in the end they sneaked into the play-offs, meeting Gillingham at Wembley for a place in Nationwide Division One. City fell two goals behind but snatched an equaliser in the fourth minute of extra time before winning the match in a penalty shoot-out. The following season, City won automatic promotion on the last day of the season and returned to the Premiership wearing what the manufacturers decribed as "lazer blue" shirts. A year later, City were relegated yet again and Royle was sacked, the ninth management casualty in ten years.

Former England boss, Kevin Keegan was appointed manager. An inspirational leader who had been found wanting as a tactician in his previous job, Keegan led the Blues back to the Premiership with two games to spare in 2002. The following season, City finished in ninth place and finally left Maine Road, their home since 1922, to move into the brand new City of Manchester Stadium.

Historical Football Kits

Kit History

Background

Sources