Season 1959/60
original illustrations of the kits worn during the season


Home Kit
unitedkits_gk_kit_0685
unitedkits_gk_number_0685
Variant
unitedkits_gk_kit_0691
unitedkits_gk_number_0691

 
The Season in brief

Dennis Viollet, who had succeeded Bill Foulkes as club captain in February 1959, created a new club record by scoring thirty two League goals in a single season (from thirty six appearances).

Busby was reputedly given a transfer budget of £120,000 to help rebuild the side, but finding the right players proved difficult and at least seven potential targets failed to materialise. In fact the only notable arrival, in January 1960, was Maurice Setters from West Brom.

In attack United seemed to have few problems, they scored over a hundred League goals for the third season in four, and fans up and down the country were treated to some amazing games, not least United's victories at Chelsea (6-3), Blackpool (6-0) and at Old Trafford against Leeds United (6-0).

In contrast the defence was fragile and the team were beaten heavily at Spurs (5-1), Newcastle (7-3) and Arsenal (5-2). Sheffield Wednesday ended United's Cup run, winning 1-0 at Old Trafford in a quarter final tie.

The reserves won the Central League at a canter, and Johnny Giles, Nobby Stiles, Tony Dunne and Nobby Lawton all looked promising players for the future.

United's kits remained unchanged from the previous season. Plain white socks were worn with their home kit on occasion, and during the winter of 1959 a long sleeved shirt was introduced. It was worn for the first time on December 5th in the game against Blackpool.

Regular contributor Athanasios Papathanasiou has sent us a photograph of United's Cup-tie at Derby which shows United wearing the long-sleeved home kit but with the white socks with red band from the away kit.

We know from a match report in the Evening Chronicle of United's game at Bolton in November, that Harry Gregg wore the blue change shirt.