Season 1978/79
original illustrations of the kits worn during the season


The Season in brief

United were involved in one the most dramatic F.A. Cup Finals played at Wembley. Playing in their third Final in four years, they were losing 2-0 with just four minutes remaining. Two goals in as many minutes, from Gordon McQueen and Sammy McIlroy, seemed to have taken the tie to extra time until Arsenal's Alan Sunderland scored the winner in the last minute. The Cup provided United fans with the few memorable moments in an otherwise drab season, in particular Jimmy Greenhoff's winner in the semi final replay against Liverpool.

Their League form was dismal, and any title challenge ruined by their record of fifteen draws. Andy Ritchie's hat trick against Leeds and the 3-0 triumph at Maine Road were probably the only highlights of the campaign, and were offset by heavy defeats at Birmingham (5-1) and two defeats at Old Trafford in just four days by Liverpool (3-0) and West Brom (5-3). Never higher than fifth, they eventually finished 9th after winning just two of the final thirteen games.

Third Division Watford, managed by Graham Taylor, scored two second half goals to beat United 2-1 in a third round League Cup tie at Old Trafford in October.

To mark their centenary United's three kits all sported a new club badge. Initially the Admiral logo on the home shirt was in black but this was soon replaced by a red logo. The standard home shirt (short sleeves) had a sleeve trim of two narrow and one broad red bands.

Marvin Nash, somewhat of an expert in United's Admiral kits, has confirmed that replica versions of the centenary kit were not made for sale to the public. However a patch of the centenary club badge was available from the club shop, which was then located under 'K' Stand. The shop was nothing like today's impressive megastore and on match days there were often large queues outside as the club operated a 'five out/five in' policy to prevent shop lifting. Despite it's size the shop was a great improvement on the original which had stood by the railway bridge.