Season 1985/86
original illustrations of the kits worn during the season


The Season in brief

United sat top of thetable in November, having won won thirteen of their opening fifteen games, including twelve consecutive victories to start the season. Injuries to key players Bryan Robson, Gordon Strachan and Gary Bailey exposed the lack of depth in the squad and United managed just three wins in the following twelve and slipped to second after losing 2-1 at West Ham on February 2nd. They eventually finished fourth, ending the season with just five wins in their final seventeen games. Even before the Championship race had been lost, the United board agreed to sell Mark Hughes to Barcelona at the end of the season for a new club record fee of £2.6m. Hughes' replacement was Peter Davenport, signed from Nott'm Forest for £570,000. He managed a solitary goal in eleven appearances.

The latest batch of youngsters, who included Lee Martin, Russell Beardsmore and Tony Gill, reached the F.A. Youth Cup Final. After a 1-1 draw in the first leg, they were beaten 2-0 at Maine Road in front of over 18,000. It was City's first Youth Cup triumph.

United's three kits stayed largely unchanged from the previous season, although the change kit socks were redesigned. Contributor Simon Kealy has confirmed that a new design for the shirt numbers was introduced.

Whenever United wore black shorts with their home kit, the keeper normally folowed suit. This was certainly the case in the Charity Shield game, and, from a photograph sent to us by Toy Park, in the League match at Portman Road.

Replica versions of these kits featured larger, embossed crests and adidas trefoil logos and were available with or without the embossed Sharp sponsors logos on the chest.