Season 1898/99
original illustrations of the kits worn during the season
Home Kit
Change Kit
The Season in brief
The 'Heathens' promotion challenge evaporated in the winter and early spring. After a late rally they again finished 4th, some nine points behind Champions Manchester City. There were early defeats in the F.A., Manchester and Lancashire Cups. On seven occasions the defence conceded four or more goals, but it was the attack on which the committee were focused. Henry Boyd, who had scored five goals in twelve games, John Cunningham and Matt Gillespie were all suspended sine die in March 1899. Gillespie later apologised and was re-instated but Boyd and Cunningham were sold.
The club negotiated a five year lease giving them sole possession of the Bank Street ground. At last the running track that encircled the pitch could be removed and wholesale ground improvements made. Plans were announced for a new stand in the Clayton End, raising the stand in the Bradford End and adding dressing rooms etc., and the possibly of a new covered stand on the Reserved side. The club were reported to have received a fairly large sum of money to improvements although it is not definite that the work was ever carried out.
There was no change to Newton Heath's home kit. The club's registered colours are given as white and blue in the Association of Football Statistics annual covering the 1898/99 season. This information was confirmed by contributor Pete Wyatt.
We know that the Heathens change kit featured a red and black striped shirts thanks to contributor James Thomas, who discovered a match report from Newton Heath's game at Walsall on January 21st, in which the Heathens change shirts were described as a "red and black combination".
There is no contemporary evidence that either of the other possible colour combinations (the earlier green/gold stripes or the blue/brown stripes) were worn during the season.