Season 1888/89
original illustrations of the kits worn during the season
Possible Home Kit
Possible Home Kit
Possible Change Kit
Possible Change Kit
The Season in brief
Newton Heath were involved with the ill-fated Football Combination, claiming the Championship before the competition disbanded in April.
In the Lancashire Junior Cup they lost a second round tie at Bury 9-0 but won a third Manchester Cup, beating, Hooley Hill 7-0 in the Final.
The number of professionals at the club had increased to such an extent that a benefit game was arranged for them in May 1889, which suggests they were paid a share of the gate receipts rather than receiving a regular weekly wage.
Leslie Millman's collection of Baines Cards from this era suggest Newton Heath wore a collared shirt. Unfortunately we have not been able to verify the exact date of the cards. The alternative design would have been a round collar shirt.
Evidence of the red and white kit comes from both the Baines Cards, and a newspaper report from the game at Bolton Wanderers on September 7th 1889 which included a description of Newton Heath playing in “their familiar red and white costumes” and is contained in Alan Shury & Brian Landamore's 'The Definitive Newton Heath F.C.' published by SoccerData.
We believe the 'Heathens' change kit was likely to have been a plain white shirt, which remained the most popular choice as they were the cheapest to buy.
Charbel Boujaoude has discovered a match report from the game at Preston in May in which Newton Heath were described as playing in 'stripes'. This may have been the red and white quartered home shirts, or an undiscovered change kit.