Retro kits, also known as throwback kits or heritage kits, have become increasingly popular in recent years and has served as a way for football clubs to pay homage to their history and roots.
Manchester City is no exception, and the club has released a number of retro kits over the years that have been embraced by fans and collectors alike.
These kits are often designed to mimic the style and colors of kits worn by the club in the past, and they can be a great way to show off your support for Manchester City while also celebrating the club’s rich history.
In this blog post, we will take a look at some of the most popular Manchester City retro kits and the stories behind them.
Before we get right into our list of best Manchester City home retro shirts, we’d like to let you know that this article contains links to sites where you can get these shirts, and if you use our link to purchase one of these items, we get a commission at no extra cost to you.
The best Manchester City home retro shirts 2023 list
8. 2004-06 Manchester City Reebok Home Shirt
In eighth place on our best Man City retro home shirt list, is the 2004-06 Man City Reebok home shirt. The shirt goes for £60.00 on vintagefootballshirts and it’s one of the cheaper ones that we have on our list.
It is a shirt that looks pretty good, and if you’re a fan of the likes of pacey winger Wright-Phillips and lethal finisher Robbie Fowler, then this is one kit you’d love to have. It is also the home shirt Man City wore in Kevin Keegan’s last season in charge.
Kevin Keegan was the manager who brought Man City back up to the first division after they were relegated in the 98/99 season.
Kevin Keegan no doubt played a major role in the success Man City have had over the years and so it’d be great to have a shirt from his last season in charge of Man City. That’s a great way to pay homage to the work he did at the club.
A lot of pretty good players worn this kit and it definitely was a kit that paved way for better times ahead for Man City, because in the next season after Kevin Keegan’s retirement, Man City did in fact finish 8th in the first division.
Players who worn the 2004-06 Man City Reebok Home Shirt
It is a pretty solid kit and it was also worn by a lot of great Man City players. We have the likes of:
- Distin
- Wright-Phillips
- Fowler
- Reyna
- Musampa
Get the product here
2004-06 Manchester City Reebok Home Shirt £60.00
7. 1977-81 Manchester City Umbro Home Shirt
Next up on our list of great retro City shirts, is the 1977-81 Umbro Home Shirt. This retro kit is the one that Man City wore when Manchester City finished 4th in the 1st Division, making qualification to the UEFA Cup.
It was also used when the side reached the Fifth Round of the FA Cup losing out to Nottingham Forrest. It is a kit that is aesthetically pleasing and also has a really good build quality.
If you’re Manchester City fan who is a fan of a collared retro kit, and love when the club’s badge is on the side, then this is one solid kit you can get.
The kit is actually really nice, and what we personally love about it, is the touch of white it has on the collar and at the end of the sleeves.
You can also see how the crest of the Club is designed, It has both the modern and retro feel to it. You can see in the build quality, that the crest wasn’t printed on the shirt, but rather an embroidery was done which gives it that vintage feel.
Players who worn the 1997-81 Man City Umbro Home Shirt
It is a pretty solid kit and it was also worn by a lot of great Man City players. We have the likes of:
- Kinsey
- Simpson
- Baker
- Wilson
- McCarthy
Get the product here:
1977-81 Manchester City Umbro Home Shirt £398.00
6. 1987-89 Manchester City Umbro Home Shirt
In sixth place on our list of the best Man City retro kits you can buy, is the 1987-89 Manchester City Umbro Home Shirt. The shirt currently cost £298.00 on Vintagefootballshirts.com, and it is worth the price.
If you’re Manchester City fan, then you’d be very interested in the kit that Man City wore when they secured promotion to the first division after they were relegated the season before.
It was also worn when Manchester City were knocked out in the quarter finals of both the FA and League Cup in the 1987-88 season.
It is a kit that reminds Man City fans like myself, about what it is like to be relegated and also what it is like to secure promotion to the first division. It clearly evokes a lot of emotions and that’s why we have it on our list of great kits.
In terms of design, it is really good looking. You have a kit that has a V-neck collar which I think is cool, the shirt also has some nice patterns on it and the crest is not printed on it, rather it is embroidered.
Players who worn the 1987-89 Man City Umbro Home Shirt
It is a pretty solid kit and it was also worn by a lot of great Man City players. We have the likes of:
- Stewart
- Moulden
- Lennon
- Hinchcliffe
- Taggart
Get the product here:
1987-89 Manchester City Umbro Home Shirt L £298.00
5. 1997-99 Manchester City Kappa Home Shirt
The 1997-99 Man City Kappa Home Shirt, is one of my favorite retro Man City kit. A kit that is so beautiful, love the color, the long sleeve and just how the sponsor and badge are on the shirt.
It also is a kit, that’s very similar to the 1987-89 kit. It is similar in the sense that it was the home kit that Man City worn in the 1997 season when they got relegated again to division two.
And once again, just like in the 1987-89 season, after they were relegated, they gained promotion later on the next season, but this time it was in dramatic fashion against Gillingham.
It really is a special kit as a lot of really good Man City players worn this kit. If you’re a collector, then this is one kit that we think you should get and that’s because of the history, emotions and nostalgia this kit evokes.
Players who worn the 1997-99 Man City Umbro Home Shirt
It is a pretty solid kit and it was also worn by a lot of great Man City players. We have the likes of:
- Shaun Goater
- Paul Dickov
- Weaver
- Horlock
Get the product here:
1997-99 Manchester City Kappa Home Shirt L/S Y £150.00
4. 2007-08 Manchester City Le Coq Sportif Home Shirt
This is another one of my favorite retro Man City shirts and it is also one of the cheapest on our list of Man City retro shirts. Personally love the design of the shirt, the stipes on it and a badge in the center is something that I love to see in football shirts.
It also has the badge that we were using when we won our first league title. The 2007-08 season was also quite good for us City fans, as we gained a place in the UEFA Cup through the fair play league.
This kit also has ‘Munich Disaster 50th Anniversary 19th February 2008 Old Trafford, Manchester MUFC 1 v 2 MCFC’ embroidered to right sleeve.
The Home shirt was worn when City started the season with a new owner in Thaksin Shinawatra and a new manger in Sven-Goran Eriksson, and in that season, the side finished 9th in the Premier League.
It is a really good shirt with an amazing design and one that I’d recommend to any Man City fan out there looking for a retro shirt to buy.
Get the product here:
2007-08 Manchester City Le Coq Sportif Home Shirt w/tags XL £125.00
3. 2015-16 Manchester City Nike Home Shirt
This is one kit that the younger Man City fans would connect to a lot more, as the shirt was worn by some of the players that still play presently.
The 2015-16 Man City season was a special one for the club and the fans, as Man City managed to get to the Semi-final of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history.
Man City also managed to get themselves a trophy in this retro shirt as well – they won the Carabao Cup, beating Liverpool 3-1 on penalties after the tie finished 1-1 after extra time.
In terms of design, it is another classic and one that would catch the eye of many. The shirt features the team’s traditional sky blue color with white accents, and has a modern design with a v-neck collar and short sleeves.
The shirt is made of lightweight, breathable fabric to help players stay cool and comfortable on the pitch, and also has Nike’s signature Dri-Fit technology to wick away moisture and help keep players dry.
The v-neck collar, the white accents and the concealed buttons beneath the placket are the three things that I personally love about the 2015-16 Man City shirt.
Players who worn the 2015-16 Man City home shirt
Some of the key players for Manchester City during the 2015-2016 season included:
- Vincent Kompany
- David Silva
- Yaya Toure
- Sergio Aguero
- Raheem Sterling
- Kevin De Brunye
Get the product here
2015-16 Manchester City Nike Home Shirt XL.Boys £35.00
2. Manchester City 1972 home shirt
In second place, is the Man City 1972 home shirt. This is another really special retro shirt that has a design for the ages. It is a simple shirt with a really clean design and once again has the Man City crest, in the middle.
It also has no sponsor on it, which makes it really simple and nice. It was a shirt worn by some of Man City’s great players, the likes of Colin Bell and Mike Summerbee.
It is a classic Manchester City retro home shirt that is recognized by fans and collectors around the world. It is a highly sought-after collector’s item, and is often featured in exhibitions and museums dedicated to the history of football.
The shirt has a traditional design, with a round neck collar and short sleeves, and is made of lightweight, breathable fabric to help players stay cool and comfortable on the pitch.
If you’re a Man City fan then this has to be one of the kits you should be going after. It is a gem of a a football shirt and one that die hard Man City fans would want to have.
Players who worn the 1972 Man City home shirt
Some of the key players for Manchester City during that time included:
- Tony Book
- Francis Lee
- Colin Bell
- Mike Doyle
- Tommy Booth
- Mike Summerbee
Want to know what happens to football kits after a match? Then feel free to check out our: What happens to football kits after the game, article.
1. Manchester City 2012 home shirt
The number one retro kit and the shirt that almost every Man City fan would love to have, is the 2012 Man City home shirt. This is the shirt Man City won their first ever league title in.
It also is the shirt where the 93:20 moment happened – the moment where Aguero won Man City the league title with the last kick of the game, and because of that one special moment, this retro shirt, is now a collectors item.
Man City have since made a couple of shirts in memory of that moment. One of them shirts is the 93:20 10th anniversary shirt, which you can check out on the official Man City site.
The 2012 Man City home shirt would be the perfect addition to any Man City fan’s collection. It is a shirt for the ages, a shirt that captures the one moment every City fan loves and cherishes, it is a gem of a shirt.
To read a similar article, feel free to check out our best away Man City retro shirts: The best Man City away retro shirts 2023 edition – 1984, 1994, 1996, 1999 and 2016 shirts.
Redeyedrae, is an FPL content writer with years of experience in playing and writing about FPL. He has written for major FPL blogs like ALLABOUTFPL, Fantasytipsters, FF Titans, and nevermanagealone. With his deep knowledge of the game, he has become a trusted source for FPL fans worldwide. His content is well-researched and always up-to-date. He’s passionate about helping FPL managers gain an edge in their leagues by sharing insights and analysis about everything fantasy football on raensports.
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