New away kit available now

Available globally via adidas.com and United Direct, the fashion-friendly ice pink kit can also be purchased at the Old Trafford Megastore and adidas stores such as the one in Market Street, Manchester where limited numbers were sold as part of a special unveiling event last month.

Already proving popular with United supporters, it’s the first pink shirt in the club’s history and is inspired by the famous Football Pink newspaper.

‘The Pink’ was an institution in the football world until 2007, as a major source of knowledge about the weekend’s games. Created by the Manchester Evening News, it was printed on Saturday afternoons as fans were leaving the stadiums.

Reporters at every football game across the region, including chief United writer David Meek, would take down every detail in their match report; goals, misses, tackles and sending offs. These were relayed to an army of copywriters back at the Manchester Evening News headquarters over the phone (or sent by pigeon, in the really early days).

With astounding speed, match reports and the day’s results were compiled, and the pink newspapers were printed and put on vans to be distributed to fans clamouring for news after the game.

The whole operation was a wonderfully-orchestrated symphony of stadium reporters, copy-takers, sub-editors, compositors, printers and van drivers, all working together to bring the very latest football news to fans around Manchester. For many years it was a main source of information for readers about the game they loved so dearly.

‘The Pink’ eventually succumbed to the digital age of instant goal notifications and on-the-whistle reports in 2007. But in 2018, adidas have brought its spirit to life again with a nostalgic kit design inspired by the famous newspaper’s distinctive colour.

To order your pink away kit, please visit adidas.com or United Direct.