Season 1971/72
original illustrations of the kits worn during the season


Third Kit (long-sleeved)
unitedkits_kit_0828
unitedkits_number_0828
Third Kit (short-sleeved)
unitedkits_kit_0829
unitedkits_number_0829
Playing Record in this kit:

P7 W1 D4 L2 F9 A10

This kit was worn in the following matches:
Date Opposition Date Opposition Date Opposition Date Opposition
27/11 Southampton (a) 11/12 Stoke C (a) 15/1 Southampton (a) 22/3 Stoke C (a)
4/4 Sheff Utd (a) 22/4 Nott'm F (a) 25/4 Arsenal (a)    
Home Kit
unitedkits_gk_kit_0817
unitedkits_gk_number_0817

 
 
The Season in brief

Frank O'Farrell was appointed United's new Manager in the summer of 1971, and Sir Matt Busby was offered a place on the Board.

Although there were no notable additions to the playing staff, O'Farrell enjoyed a successful start to his Old Trafford career. United, who had been barred from Old Trafford for the first two home games of the season after an incident at the Newcastle game in February 1971, lost only once in O'Farrell's first fourteen games in charge.

By Christmas they led the First Division and had played, on occasion, scintillating football. George Best was great form, and had hit fourteen League goals by the end of November, as was Denis Law, who had hit twelve by Christmas.

The second half of the season was a complete contrast to the first. Law and Best managed just five more goals as the side lost the winning habit. After the victory against Nott'm Forest on December 4th 1970 United did not win again until March 11th. They won only five of their nineteen League games in 1972 and had to be content with another eighth place finish.

Stoke City, for whom Gordon Banks was almost unbeatable between the posts, knocked United out of both the League and FA Cups at the quarter final stage, although only after replays in both competitions.

United had new home, change and third kits for the 1971/72 season. All three kits featured a collar for the first time on a United shirt since 1955.

Shirts were available with both long and short sleeves and as the choice of sleeve length was left up to individual players, both styles were worn in the same game. Occasionally the home kit socks were worn with the change kit.

We are grateful to Athanasios Papathanasiou for sending us comprehensive details of the kits worn in each game.