By Daniel Gellatley
- Check Daniel’s great site, Kitted Off, as well as United Kits
Manchester United’s 2009-10 home kit raised a few eyebrows upon its unveiling. Discounting tonal elements incorporated into the fabric during the 1980s and 1990s it was their first red shirt to be defaced on the torso – the decoration took the form of a black chevron.
According to Nike’s accompanying marketing piece, it reflected what the club wore when they first played at Old Trafford almost 100 years prior. However, as is typically the case with references to the past when the links aren’t tenuous, the research was a bit off. As an aside, adidas also referenced the stadium’s inauguration with the 2020-21 third ‘dazzle’ strip a nod to ‘110 years of stripes’.
It is correct they sported a chevron during that period, though it’s more associated with their maiden FA Cup triumph in 1909 – on a white shirt. One resembling that was issued for the goalkeepers, which only got one competitive outing.
The 2009-10 away was of the same design, all-black with blue panelling and – unlike the other Nike teams – United used the template for all their goalkeeper kits; the other two in blue and yellow. The previous season’s white domestic away strip was retained for the third, being last used in the Champions League Final defeat to Barcelona, topping off the trio of unremarkable kits.
Since the white goalie top was unfavoured by the custodians, that would have made a better outfield change option owing to its sentimentality by instead referencing the centenary of the club’s first cup win.
As it was for that final, it should have white shorts and black socks – the same as the home. Obviously, the alternating colours would be on standby for both.
This would result in another anniversary kit being used; the all-blue 08-09 European away/domestic third that celebrated 40 years since winning the European Cup for the first time, replacing the other white strip that was kept on.
Having white as the first-choice change could mean that the blue would be used more often than the twice the actual retained uniform did.
Controversially, I wouldn’t amend the home shirt as I think making the chevron white would make it look worse, but that leaves the black away unaccounted for.
I’d relegate it to the vacated goalie slot and as its trimmings are a darker shade of blue to one of the existing kits so I’d change that – to red, to become a near-complete reversal of the outfield home. Give it white socks as well so it has some allusion to the away, making the three interchangeable.
The thing I never got about Nike resurrecting the chevron kit from 1909 to celebrate Old Trafford is that it was a change kit, by definition never worn at OT.
Granted they did adopt the chevron as first choice for a couple of seasons during the 1920s (with red shirts as a change), but that was a nadir period for the club so who wants to remember that?