Colours

The birth of Manchester United resulted from the growth of the railways in this country in the 1840's. In 1878 Newton Heath Football Club was formed by a group of railway workers employed in the Carriage and Wagon Works of The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railways. The team colours chosen were green and deep yellow halved shirts which derived from the livery colours of the railway carriages on which they worked. These colours were renewed in 1993-94 as an Away kit (see Bryan Robson in the print).

By 1892 the Club had been admitted to the Football League and in the later 90's the strip changed, for reasons unknown, to white shirts and black shorts.

In 1902 they moved to new premises in Bank Street and also changed the Club name. Manchester Central was rejected because it sounded too much like a railway station and Manchester City was already in existence. Manchester Celtic was also turned down before the unanimous approval by the Board for the name of Manchester United.

It was at this time that Manchester United's kit changed to red. Again, there is no known reason but several theories. Manchester City were playing in blue and besides being an obvious contrast (like Liverpool and Everton in Liverpool) United's origins and support initially came from the working classes whose representative colour was red. In addition, the Club was proud of its association with Lancashire as witnessed by United's choice of change strip for the 1909 Cup Final against Bristol City. Manchester United turned out in white shirts with a deep thin red V on the front and back adorned with the red rose of Lancashire as its badge.

Red and white stripes were worn as well as blue and white stripes before the First World War. In the 1920's the home kit reverted for a time to white shirts with a thick deep red V. Finally, in 1928 the Club switched to red shirts and white shorts on a permanent basis although it is known that the team played in the latter part of the 1933/34 season in red and white hoops.

The most significant colour change occurred in the FA Cup Final of 1948 when United chose blue shirts with the Manchester coat of arms as its badge. This theme was re-introduced in the 1968 European Cup Final against Benfica when United played in an all blue kit (See George Best in the print). As a change kit this colour has remained popular throughout the years.

The most interesting away colour was the use of a grey design in 1994-95. In 1996 whilst losing 0-3 to Southampton at half time Sir Alex Ferguson ordered the team to change its kit on the premise that the colour merged with that of the crowd making it difficult for the United players to pass to their team-mates. Following a report written for the Club by the head of the University's Orthoptics Department which showed a player's peripheral vision was limited by grey shirts this away kit was never used again.

From 1902 Manchester United was known simply as 'The Reds' or 'United'. Then in the 1950's under Matt Busby the young team was hailed throughout Europe as 'The Busby Babes'. After the 1958 Munich air tragedy this name was no longer appropriate and fittingly it was Sir Matt Busby who found the answer. Back in 1934 Salford Rugby Club, playing in red shirts, had successfully toured France and been christened 'Les Diables Rouges" - 'The Red Devils'. Reasoning a devil is more intimidating than an angelic babe, Sir Matt Busby initiated the new name which was incorporated into the club's merchandise and official crest.

Crests

The Club’s first crest replicated the city’s official coat of arms. The shield displayed a sailing ship to represent the shipping element of the city and the three gold stripes depicted the city’s 3 rivers. The Latin motto was ‘wisdom and effort’.

The 1960’s saw a personalised Club crest incorporating a modernisation of the shield. From 1973 the shield’s gold stripes on a red background were replaced by a red devil and tripod on a gold background. The change in 1998 saw the title altered from ‘Manchester United Football Club’ to ‘Manchester United’.