Season 2000/01
original illustrations of the kits worn during the season


The Season in brief

Alex Ferguson became the first manager to guide a side to three consecutive Premier League titles. United dominated the Premiership from the start and by the end of January had a fifteen point advantage over Arsenal, who were destroyed 6-1 at Old Trafford in late February.

The club reached the Champions League quarter finals for a fifth consecutive season but lost both legs against Bayern Munich. The team were beaten in the fourth round of both the League Cup (at Sunderland 2-1) and the F.A. Cup (1-0 to West Ham at Old Trafford).

The sponsorship deal with Vodafone began at the start of the season. United had new home and third kits, with the previous season's third kit upgraded to the change kit. Two styles of black socks were worn with the home kit: one was plain black whilst the other had a white Umbro diamond logo on the rear. These was mostly worn in European games. The Premier League sleeve patches, for the first and only time, included the word "Champions" but not the year. Short numbers were also introduced by the Premier League.

Barthez favoured a short sleeved shirt although during the winter months, and for most of the Champions' League games, he wore long sleeves. We know he wore a short sleeved shirt for the game in Valencia, however. The short sleeved third kit was worn only in pre-season and did not feature the Premier League sleeve patches. In the Premier League game at the Stadium of Light, Barthez wore white socks with the home kit to avoid clashing with Sunderland's black socks.