Season 1979/80
original illustrations of the kits worn during the season
Standard home kit
Shirt number
Playing Record in this kit:
P8 W5 D1 L2 F15 A5
This kit was worn in the following matches:
Date | Opposition | Date | Opposition |
---|---|---|---|
29/8 | Spurs (a) | 29/9 | Stoke C (h) |
6/10 | Brighton (h) | 20/10 | Ipswich T (h) |
3/11 | Southampton (h) | 10/11 | Man City (a)1 |
17/11 | C Palace (h) | 24/11 | Norwich C (h) |
1Most of United's players wore the 1978/79 home shirt with centenary crest in the second half at Maine Road. Many thanks to Sean Moran who discovered the change.
Variant home kit
Shirt number
Playing Record in this kit:
P1 W1 D0 L0 F1 A0
This kit was worn in the following matches:
Date | Opposition | Date | Opposition |
---|---|---|---|
22/3 | Man City (h) |
Kit Notes:
A special club badge, designed to mark the 100th League 'derby', was included on United's shirts for the visit of City to Old Trafford in March.
Variant home kit
Shirt number
Playing Record in this kit:
P13 W8 D2 L3 F21 A12
This kit was worn in the following matches:
Date | Opposition | Date | Opposition |
---|---|---|---|
22/8 | West Brom (h) | 1/9 | Middlesbrough (h) |
5/9 | Spurs (h) | 15/9 | Derby Co (h) |
22/9 | Wolves | 1/12 | Spurs (a) |
8/12 | Leeds U (h) | 15/12 | Coventry C (a) |
22/12 | Nott'm F (h) | 5/1 | Spurs (a) |
9/1 | Spurs (h) | 2/2 | Derby Co (a) |
9/2 | Wolves (h) |
Variant home kit
Shirt number
This kit was worn in the following matches:
Date | Opposition | Date | Opposition |
---|---|---|---|
22/8 | West Brom (h) | 1/9 | Middlesbrough (h) |
15/9 | Derby Co (h) | 8/12 | Leeds U (h) |
15/12 | Coventry C (a) | 5/1 | Spurs (a) |
Kit Notes:
This shirt, which had a sleeve trim with one narrow and one broad red band, was mostly, but not exclussively, worn by Gordon McQueen and Joe Jordan.
Variant home kit
Shirt number
Playing Record in this kit:
P1 W0 D0 L1 F0 A2
This kit was worn in the following matches:
Date | Opposition | Date | Opposition |
---|---|---|---|
10/10 | WBA (a) |
Home kit (lomg-sleeved)
Shirt number
Playing Record in this kit:
P1 W1 D0 L0 F3 A0
This kit was worn in the following matches:
Date | Opposition | Date | Opposition |
---|---|---|---|
29/12 | Arsenal (h) |
Home kit 2
Shirt number
Playing Record in this kit:
P10 W8 D2 L0 F21 A5
This kit was worn in the following matches:
Date | Opposition | Date | Opposition |
---|---|---|---|
23/2 | Bristol C (h); | 27/2 | Bolton W (h) |
12/3 | Everton (h) | 15/3 | Brighton (a) |
5/4 | Liverpool (h) | 7/4 | Bolton W (a) |
12/4 | Spurs (h) | 19/4 | Norwich (a) |
23/4 | Aston Villa (h) | 26/4 | Coventry C (h) |
Kit Notes:
The trim on the sleeve had three narrow and one broad red band.
Variant home kit
Shirt number
Playing Record in this kit:
P3 W1 D0 L2 F2 A8
This kit was worn in the following matches:
Date | Opposition | Date | Opposition |
---|---|---|---|
1/3 | Ipswich T (a) | 29/3 | C Palace (a) |
3/5 | Leeds U (a) |
Variant home kit
Shirt number
This kit was worn in the following matches:
Date | Opposition | Date | Opposition |
---|---|---|---|
28/7 | Stuttgart (a) | 27/1 | Hajduk Split (a) |
Kit Notes:
Shirt featured the centenary club crest. Kits identified by Sean Moran.
Post-season home kit
Shirt number
This kit was worn in the following matches:
Date | Opposition | Date | Opposition |
---|---|---|---|
6/5 | Portland Timbers |
Standard change kit
Shirt number
Playing Record in this kit:
P1 W0 D0 L1 F0 A2
This kit was worn in the following matches:
Date | Opposition | Date | Opposition |
---|---|---|---|
2/4 | Nott'm F (a) |
Variant change kit
Shirt number
Playing Record in this kit:
P5 W1 D4 L0 F6 A3
This kit was worn in the following matches:
Date | Opposition | Date | Opposition |
---|---|---|---|
25/8 | Arsenal (a) | 8/9 | Aston Villa (a) |
13/10 | Bristol C (a) | 12/1 | Middlesbrough (a) |
16/2 | Stoke C (a) |
Standard third kit
Shirt number
Playing Record in this kit:
P2 W0 D1 L1 F1 A3
This kit was worn in the following matches:
Date | Opposition | Date | Opposition |
---|---|---|---|
18/8 | Southampton (a) | 26/12 | Liverpool (a) |
Home Kit
Variant
Home kit Variant
Home kit Variant
Change Kit
Variant
Pre-season Third Kit 2
Worn in the friendly against Stuttgart on July 28th 1979. Kit identified by Sean Moran.
Style and colour of the shirt number to be verified.
The Season in brief
Sexton paid a new club record of £825,000 to bring Ray Wilkins to Old Trafford from his previous club, Chelsea. Wilkins remains one of the classiest midfielders to have played for the club since the War. Wilkins' arrival signalled the side's strongest title challenge since their return to the top flight, and club captain Martin Buchan and Gordon McQueen were dominant at the heart of United's defence. Despite winning seven of their final eight League games they lost out to Liverpool by just two points. The 2-0 defeat at Brian Clough's Nott'm Forest on April 2nd proved crucial.
The most embarrassing defeat came at Portman Road on March 1st. To counter the threat of Ipswich's English international Paul Mariner, Sexton instructed Martin Buchan to man mark the centre forward. Realising the tactic early Mariner simply dropped deep, pulling Buchan out of position. Ipswich won 6-0, despite Gary Bailey saving three penalties, and Mariner scored a hat trick.
United were beaten in the early rounds of both domestic Cup competitions. Despite losing their 'keeper early in a third round FA Cup replay at Old Trafford, Spurs won 1-0 in extra time and Norwich won 4-1 at Carrow Road in a League Cup third round tie. East Anglia was ce rtainly not a happy hunting ground for United.
Following the use of a special centenary crest in the previous season, all three kits again featured the traditional club crest, and the Admiral logo became a permanent fixture.
The trend for variations of the standard kit continued unabated; a special club crest appeared on shirts for the Old Trafford 'derby' and both the 1978/79 centenary and 1979 Cup Final shirts were worn several times throughout the new season. The centenary change and third shirts were also used.
Can you help identify the kits worn by United in the games against Norwich (a) 26/9/1979 and Everton (a) 24/10/1978