Season 1908/09
original illustrations of the kits worn during the season


Home Kit
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Variant
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The Season in brief

Injuries to key players hindered United's title defence, and other than Harold Halse, signed from Southend United, Mangnall made few additions to the side. United saved their best performances for the FA Cup, and progressed to the semi final with few problems. In an epic tie between the two best sides in England, United managed a 1-0 win over Newcastle United, courtesy of a Harold Halse goal.

The Final played at the Crystal Palace on April 24th 1909, was hardly a classic. Sandy Turnbull, turning in a shot from Harold Halse that had rebounded off the bar, scored the only goal of the game. The United party celebrated for two days in London before returning to Manchester and a heroes reception, just hours before facing Woolwich Arsenal in their final home game of the season. Not surprisingly United lost 4-1!

United retained both their home and change kits, with players continuing to wear both the all black socks and those with two white hoops (often in the same match as can be seen in photographs from the Charity Shield replay)

For the League game at Ashton Gate on April 12th 1909, United wore a new change shirt - a plain white shirt with a red V on both the front and back, and worn with white shorts and both styles of black socks. The kit had been presented to the club by George Robey, a famous music hall star of the time and friend to several of United's players, for the FA Cup Final. As both United and Bristol City, their Cup Final opponents, normally played in red, the clubs agreed they would both wear change colours for the Final. The shirt worn in the Final included a Lancashire rose on the left breast.

As in the previous season goalkeeper Harry Moger preferred to wear the outfield shirt but with a undershirt beneath. Photographic evidence from the public practice game suggests Tom Wilcox, the reserves 'keeper, wore a thick woollen polo-neck undershirt, whilst a squad photograph in the 'Penny Gazette' shows Herbert Broomfield wearing a white undershirt beneath the home shirt.