Gary James - City colours history

[Shaelumstash]

Just a question for Gary James, or any others with a good take on City history: What were the reasons behind our initial adoption of sky blue shirts, white shorts and navy blue socks?

I'm interested because as I've said in previous posts, I've never seen any other team in the world ever play in that particular colour scheme. Was there any significance behind it?

I have heard stories the "sky blue" was initially "Cambridge blue" and there was some link to Freemasonry behind the colours. Not having a whinge about our new white socks, just interested to know the history. Thanks

 

[warpig]

have you never heard of a fucking pm!!!!

just kidding ;-)

Adoption of sky blue

While Manchester City have become almost synonymous with the sky blue shirt/white shorts combination in English football, the club took almost two decades before assuming the use of their classic colours on a constant basis. Indeed, when they first began playing organised football, the club selected a black strip emblazoned with a triangular cross pattée design (frequently referred to as the Maltese Cross) on the left breast. The first known use of the colour blue came in a navy blue and white striped shirt from 1887, while the sky blue was first worn with white on a half-and-half shirt design from 1890. This was followed with a white shirt with a telling return to the navy blue socks which would continue to be used into the 1950s.
It took the bankruptcy and reformation of the club, also the catalyst for the adoption of the name Manchester City F.C. in place of the previous Ardwick A.F.C., to inspire the change to the single-colour sky blue shirt and the return to white shorts in 1894, though this did not stop an experiment with off-black shorts and socks the following season. The reversion to white shorts and navy blue socks shortly after marked the end of City's colour swapping and it would be a further 65 years before another colour would find its way onto the kit - even then only in the form of a maroon trim on the socks. Since 1897, no colour outside of the sky blue/white/navy blue triplet has been used as the main colour for either shirt, shorts or socks.

<a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_City_F.C._strip#Traditional_colours" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester ... al_colours</a>

 

[Mike N]

I seem to remember reading that we originally played in 'Cornflower blue'.

 

[bluekeith]

so why did we play in yellow in the 60s

 

[Shaelumstash]

have you never heard of a fucking pm!!!!

just kidding ;-)

Adoption of sky blue

While Manchester City have become almost synonymous with the sky blue shirt/white shorts combination in English football, the club took almost two decades before assuming the use of their classic colours on a constant basis. Indeed, when they first began playing organised football, the club selected a black strip emblazoned with a triangular cross pattée design (frequently referred to as the Maltese Cross) on the left breast. The first known use of the colour blue came in a navy blue and white striped shirt from 1887, while the sky blue was first worn with white on a half-and-half shirt design from 1890. This was followed with a white shirt with a telling return to the navy blue socks which would continue to be used into the 1950s.
It took the bankruptcy and reformation of the club, also the catalyst for the adoption of the name Manchester City F.C. in place of the previous Ardwick A.F.C., to inspire the change to the single-colour sky blue shirt and the return to white shorts in 1894, though this did not stop an experiment with off-black shorts and socks the following season. The reversion to white shorts and navy blue socks shortly after marked the end of City's colour swapping and it would be a further 65 years before another colour would find its way onto the kit - even then only in the form of a maroon trim on the socks. Since 1897, no colour outside of the sky blue/white/navy blue triplet has been used as the main colour for either shirt, shorts or socks.

<a class="postlink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_City_F.C._strip#Traditional_colours" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester ... al_colours</a>

Thanks for that. I did read that, and obviously this explains some of the history. Been posted plenty of times before, but for anyone interested, here's a picture history of every kit we've ever worn.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Manchester_City/Manchester_City.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Manches ... r_City.htm</a>

I was more interested in the reasons why those particular colours were chosen. I have heard the Freemasonry theory before, but wasn't sure if that was just an urban myth.

 

[1.618034]

I seem to remember reading that we originally played in 'Cornflower blue'.

It was called Cambridge Blue...

I've also heard that it was a masonic colour but how true that is I don't know.

 

[murgle33]

Thanks for that. I did read that, and obviously this explains some of the history. Been posted plenty of times before, but for anyone interested, here's a picture history of every kit we've ever worn.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Manchester_City/Manchester_City.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Manches ... r_City.htm</a>

This has less detail but includes away kits:

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.kitclassics.co.uk/kits/mancity.png" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.kitclassics.co.uk/kits/mancity.png</a>

 

[Falastur]

Gary James, in his "Manchester: The City Years" suggests that the Masonic link is nothing but conjecture, and the likely reason for picking Cambridge Blue was no other reason than to look distinctive. No other club wore plain shirts in that colour, though Blackburn and Liverpool wore it quartered, which is a completely different look.

 

[Kippax.]

I wonder if we will ever go back to our original black shirt?

 

[Vienna_70]

I wonder if we will ever go back to our original black shirt?

I hope not.

Light / Cambridge Blue is synonymous with Manchester City; we are known throughout the world for wearing it.

It would be a shame if this ever changed, IMHO.