Season 1913/14
original illustrations of the kits worn during the season


Change Kit
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Change Kit 2
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Home Kit
unitedkits_gk_kit_0304
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Change Kit
unitedkits_gk_kit_0310
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The Season in brief

Bentley's autocratic management style upset the senior players and the club's worsening financial plight forced the Directors to make unpopular decisions. They were in dispute with Billy Meredith over the payment of his benefit money, and refused to grant second benefit games due to Duckworth, Roberts and Bell. Alex Bell refused the terms offered by the club in May 1913 and was promptly sold to Blackburn for £1,000. This was followed in August by the sale of Charlie Roberts to Oldham for a new club record fee of £1,750. Dick Duckworth finally accepted a new two year contract and was appointed as joint club captain along with George Stacey, who had been the player's choice to replace Roberts.

Surprisingly United remained in the top three until early February although signs that the side were over achieving had come in the 5-0 defeat at Goodison on Boxing Day, and a 6-1 thrashing at Bolton on January 3rd. The defeat at Burnden Park was the first in a sequence of fourteen League and Cup games without a win. With the very real prospect of relegation the club splashed out £1,300 in March to bring centre half George Hunter from Chelsea, a new club record. He made his début against Aston Villa at Old Trafford, Villa winning 6-0! After managing just two points from a possible twenty-six United finally managed a 2-1 win, their first since New Year's Day, at Anfield. That victory and four points in their final three games, helped preserve their First Division status.

A photograph from November 1913, shows United wearing a change kit with broader stripes than on previous shirts. All ten outfield players sported these new shirts suggesting that the old change shirts were beyond repair. We know from a match report in the 'Manchester Evening News' from August 1914 that the shirts were blue and white stripes.

We also think that it is very likely that the club resorted to just plain black socks.