In 1989-90, City’s first season back in the top flight, early away games saw us travel to face Coventry City and Wimbledon sporting the maroon and white striped away shirt. However for the trip to Highbury to face Arsenal on October 14th 1989, which could have seen us use the home shirts but a shorts-clash raised a problem....Sky blue shorts would be available later in the season, worn in the Manchester Derby at Old Trafford, when Ian Brightwell ‘just wellied it, but they were not to hand on this afternoon. Opting against pairing the home shirt with the away shorts – a look we would use the following season at Highbury – City instead went for the quick fix of an all yellow strip complete with the club crest and brother sponsor. The shirt was originally designed by UMBRO to be used at Sheffield Wednesday for the January 1st 1990 fixture, in them days you could plan your whole football season ahead as soon as the fixtures were announced in June.
Blurry eyed traveling blues were left rubbing their eyes as we trotted out in all yellow shirt, the last time we’d worn a yellow shirt as far as I’m aware was also in London at Arsenal’s rivals Spurs back in the 1960/61 season. The banana craze had long died down by this stage so the shirt colour was not directly linked to that.....City duly got thumped 4-0 on a sunny afternoon at Highbury and rumour has it that club chairman Peter Swales saw to it that the kit was to be burned which is not entirely truly as it was donated shortly after by City director Freddie Pye, to one of his nephew’s friends to use for their Saturday/Sunday side called MMS who I believed were managed by Liam Hall, the kit was used well into the 1990’s before the side broke up, a lot of players got to keep the shirts but the majority have long been since sold on. A few have surfaced more recently but were sold on by a dealer for big profits. The shirt has certainly become the holy grail of City match shirts for collectors.
I'm fortunate enough to have the number 13 squad shirt in my collection but would love to add a 2-11 shirt........If anyone can help secure or has any information on a shirt then please feel free to direct message. Top price offered and also a finders fee for any help in securing. (1) Manchester City Match Worn Shirts | Facebook
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