1996–97 Manchester United Away Shirt – Authentication Guide
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Shirt Overview
Team: Manchester United
Season: 1996–97
Type: Away
Manufacturer: Umbro
Primary Colour: White with red, black, and blue trim
Notable Match: Liverpool 1–3 Man United, December 1996 (Premier League)
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Key Authentication Features
Crest: Fully embroidered Manchester United badge with rich gold threading and clean circular shape.
Umbro Logo: Embroidered in red with black outline, positioned above the crest.
Sponsor: “Sharp Viewcam” in two-tone navy and red — printed directly onto the fabric.
Collar: Thick fold-over design with black, red, and blue detailing — unique to this away shirt.
Back Printing: Squad numbers featured a red and blue outlined style with player name above (e.g., “MAY” and number 4 shown on this example).
Inner Label: Blue Umbro tag with white logo and size (XL) printed; stitched firmly to inner collar.
Watermark: Subtle Umbro diamond pattern embossed throughout, with a large tonal club crest watermark at the lower hem.
Material: Ribbed polyester with diagonal texture typical of mid-90s Umbro designs.
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Player Info
1996–97 Manchester United Squad Highlights
| Player | Position |
|---|---|
| Peter Schmeichel | Goalkeeper |
| Gary Neville | Defender |
| David May | Defender |
| Ronny Johnsen | Defender |
| David Beckham | Midfielder |
| Roy Keane | Midfielder |
| Paul Scholes | Midfielder |
| Ryan Giggs | Winger |
| Eric Cantona | Forward |
| Ole Gunnar Solskjær | Forward |
| Andy Cole | Forward |
| Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson | |
| ⸻ | |
| Season Summary | |
| Manchester United wore this away kit during their 1996–97 Premier League-winning campaign. It marked the final season for club legend Eric Cantona. The shirt’s minimalist aesthetic with detailed collar design remains a fan favourite and is now a sought-after retro classic. |
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Final Notes
Watch for poor embroidery on fakes, misaligned sponsor print, or missing watermark features. Authentic shirts always have the bold collar trim and textured crest overlay near the hem.
This post is part of Shirtchecker.com’s mission to help collectors visually authenticate shirts and avoid buying fakes.
