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Leaked pictures showing the design of Manchester United's new home kit for the 2018/19 season have been circulating online for the last few weeks. However, with the kit's official release set for this Thursday, the club gave the public their first official glimpse of the kit via a short video posted on their official Twitter account on Tuesday.
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The video explains the background of the kit and the idea behind the "train track" graphic prominently featured on the front of the jersey. Marking 140 years since the club was founded, the jersey signals links to Manchester United's humble beginnings as "Newton Heath Railway Cricket FC".
Founded in 1878, the club initially competed against other railway companies prior to their acceptance into the English First Division in 1892. It wasn't until 1902 that the name was changed to Manchester United and the famous red and white strip was adopted.
While paying homage to the club's humble beginnings is a wonderful gesture, the new kit has implemented dramatic changes from recent Manchester United home kits. The most striking feature is the black stripes which prominently feature on the jersey, growing thicker towards the base.
However, that is not the only difference. The shorts for this season are black, completely changing how the Manchester United team will look when playing at home. Famously, the club have worn white shorts at Old Trafford for decades.
Inigo Turner, design director at Addidas Football, attempted to explain the changes by highlighting the story behind the kit and the connection of the new design to the past:
"When designing the kit, we wanted to tell the story of the first incarnation of the United kit, 140 years ago. Originally, the team wore dark shorts, and we’ve reinterpreted this story in a bold and contemporary way, connecting the past to the future, and combining the very best in performance with street wearability"
However, United fans were not impressed by the historical references and the official announcement sparked outrage on Twitter. Many called the new kit horrendous while others called the story behind the kit a gimmick to generate more sales.
The majority of fans called into question the wisdom of changing the colour of the club's shorts from white to black.
While the majority of fans showed their frustration with the kit, some were pleased with the design and welcomed the change in style and appearance.
Manchester United will wear the kit for the first time during their first pre-season friendly against Club America on Thursday. The kit goes on official sale the same day and will also be worn by the newly formed Manchester United women's team along with youth teams affiliated with the club.
