Date: 16th February 2012 at 3:05am
Written by:

 With all the latest pictures flying around the interweb of next season’s United kit, here at Redflagflyinghigh we thought it only fitting we should take a look at the kits from the Sir Alex era that have made us actually consider supporting another team for the season.

We all know the kits we’re talking about, the ones that make you feel slightly sick whenever you see your beloved team take the field in them, kits so bad that dressing your kids in them seems liable to cause a visit from a social worker.

There’s been some great United kits over the years, but theres also been some terrible ones, here’s our own top five.

So bad, it was actually...terrible.

So bad, it was actually...terrible.

5. Season 93-94 goalkeeping kit. 

It may have been the season that gave us arguably the greatest starting XI in Manchester United history but it was also the period that gave birth to a goalkeeping top so hideous, you have to wonder whether it was Peter Schmeichel’s prowess or the sheer vulgarity of his shirt that made so many strikers miss one on ones.

Is this really a Manchester United kit or an experiment gone wrong?

Is this really a Manchester United kit or an experiment gone wrong?

4. Seasons 1995-97 Away kit 

I remember actually buying this kit and thinking it was cool, with the former players names printed into the fibre, although I was young and foolish and also remember the sinking feeling when on holiday in Kos some Geordie asked me, in all seriousness “are you a Wednesday fan like?” Awful.

"Gold! Always believe in your soul , you've got the power to know...."

"Gold! Always believe in your soul , you've got the power to know...."

3. 2001-02 Reversible Gold kit.  To mark 100 years as Manchester United the club decided to release one of the most vile kits in that entire centennial with the sort of gaudy monstrosity that wouldn’t have looked out of place at a Liberace concert. This reversible number was actually okay if you wore it as the white one, but the gold kit was terrible and should have only been worn by the team for behind closed doors games, when the cameras weren’t working.

"Build a bonfire, build a bonfire, put this kit..."

"Build a bonfire, build a bonfire, put this kit..."

2. 1990-92 away kit. I’d only just fully started appreciating Manchester United and the intricacies of football when the club unleashed this debacle upon us, a kit so bad its a wonder I didn’t decide to become a cricket fan instead. The site of Mickey Phelan sporting the sort of moustache that wouldn’t look out of place in modern day Merseyside, strolling around the pitch shouting at anyone who’d listen while wearing this creation, gave me nightmares for the next two decades.

"Get stripped son, you're coming off"

"Get stripped son, you're coming off"

1. 1995-96 season away kit. It takes a special kind of kit to be so bad, it actually gets substituted at half-time yet this is exactly what happened to this atrocity (exhibition) in a game at the Dell.  Lee Sharpe remembers:

I’m not sure if any of the players mentioned the kit. Personally I felt that we were playing really poorly, and that we couldn’t really blame anything or anyone but ourselves. Having said that, it was a bit tricky to see players. It was all right if you had a bit of time to look up and see what was happening, but you didn’t see much if you only had time to glance. I think the weather had something to do with it too – the fact that it was so bright made our dull grey harder to make out.

Anyway, I don’t think anyone had time to complain. The manager just stormed in and said: “Get that kit off, you’re getting changed.” Those were the first words he said at half-time. I don’t think he liked the shirt anyway – our results had been poor whenever we wore it, and we certainly never played in it again.

United lost four and drew one game in the four and a half they played in the now infamous grey

kit, a record almost as bad as the kit’s colour scheme.

Have I missed any out of my ‘top five’ or have I been overly harsh on the ones I’ve chosen? Feel free to comment, suggest and abuse below:

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12 responses to “[Pictures] Top Five Worst United Kits Of The Fergie Era”

  1. the kaizer says:

    that grey kit is so bad. its awful

  2. mu4ever says:

    the gold wasn’t that bad i actually liked it

  3. Reid says:

    I like the blue and white stripe 1 but the old away 1 which was half gold half green had to be the worst for me

  4. paul says:

    You missed the black binliner kit..another classic!!!

  5. Sale Red says:

    The blue Adidas kit is quality, many happy memories associated with that kit. No real surprise with the others, and no coincidence they’re all made by Umbro who clearly had Stevie Wonder in their design team. Truly awful kits.

    • Eric the king says:

      Agreed. in its day that adidas kit was awesome & i even knew plenty of opposition fans who grudgingly said the same. worst for me was that one about 96/7, home with speckled collar. the actually quality in the shirt was piss poor ,& after rushing out buy it on release day,as i always did back then, had sold itto my mate that night.

  6. Thomas says:

    I remember getting the 95-96 away shirt for my birthday, must have been the only time I was disappointed whilst receiving a Utd shirt!

  7. JonyB says:

    i’ll admit to quite liking the 95/97 shirt with all them great players names……

  8. Samuel fox says:

    I stil have 2 of those kits,i realy liked the grey one lol

  9. Aaron haarlem says:

    the red 1985 kit is the best of all. I agree with most but would not put blue” madchester “adidas in ,hate the red with black v on utter shit looked like a rugby top

  10. TheCANTONA says:

    I didn’t see the problem with the gold ones, actually i like it quiet a bit. I also prefer umbro/adidas than Nike.
    Nike has gave us some terrible kits these years…