Season 1989/90
original illustrations of the kits worn during the season


The Season in brief

The season started on a wave of optimism as United ran up an emphatic 4-1 win over new Champions Arsenal on the opening day of the season. Before the match the club's potential new owner, Michael Knighton, juggled balls on the pitch. It ended nine months later with Bryan Robson lifting the FA Cup at Wembley.

Sadly there was little to cheer in between. Knighton's proposed purchase of United floundered when he failed to secure the necessary funding much to the disappotment of the United board. On the pitch Ferguson had spent big bringing in Neil Webb, Mike Phelan, Paul Ince, Gary Pallister and Danny Wallace, yet the results went from bad to worse. The lowest point of the season came on September 23rd when United lost 5-1 at Maine Road

Drawn away in each round of the F.A. Cup, United disposed of Nott'm Forest (sweet revenge for 1988/89), Hereford, Newcastle and Sheffield United. They needed a replay in the semi final to overcome Oldham, and another in the Final against Crystal Palace, managed by Stevie Coppell. The first game, a 3-3 draw, was a classic; open, attacking football. In the replay Palace decided to kick United off the pitch. The dour game was finally settled by Lee Martin's stunning goal.

All three of United's kits remained unchanged for the new season, All three shirts were available in both short and long sleeved versions. As was the case with the previous adidas replica kits, these were easily differentiated from the player shirts as they featured embossed (rather than embroidered) club crests and manufacturers logos.

Retro versions of both FA Cup final home shirts have been released by Score Draw. They feature fully embroidered crests (slightly modified to remove the three stripes from the boots) but lack the "MUFC" striped fabric, adidas crest and three-stripe branding of the originals.