1995–96 Manchester City F.C. season

The team kit was produced by Umbro and the shirt sponsor was Brother.

The home kit, while on the face of it a classic plain blue shirt with white shorts, in fact had a pattern inlaid that was only visible when caught by the light, which contained an outer circle similar to the club badge at the time, with the word "City" in giant capital letters over the top. The away kit was intended as a tribute to the classic red and black stripes which City had worn as an away kit on a number of occasions previously, but for no apparent reason had two-tone grey shoulder stripes as well as an embossed shield which was more suited to the shape of the club's badge after its redesign in 1997 (by which point the shirt was no longer being worn) than the circular badge of the time.

Home

Away

When Alan Ball was named as Manchester City manager at the start of the new season, he said that his job was "the envy of millions". But it quickly appeared to be a poisoned chalice, as a City side in the middle of a major transition (with many older players being transferred to make way for the club's promising set of youngsters) failed to win any of their first 11 Premiership games. This was followed by four wins from their next five games, which lifted City out of the relegation zone.

A 2-2 home draw with third-placed Liverpool on the final day of the season looked to have secured City's survival, but positive results and a greater goal difference for the two sides directly above them - Coventry City and Southampton - condemned the club to relegation after seven years in the top flight.

Manchester City's score comes first[1]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 2 DF Richard Edghill 3 DF Michael Frontzeck 4 MF Steve Lomas 5 DF Keith Curle 6 DF Giuseppe Mazzarelli (on loan from FC Zürich) 7 MF Georgi Kinkladze 8 FW Gerry Creaney 9 FW Niall Quinn 11 MF Peter Beagrie 12 DF Ian Brightwell 13 GK Martyn Margetson 14 DF Kit Symons 15 DF Alan Kernaghan 16 MF Nicky Summerbee 17 MF Michael Brown

No. Position Player 18 FW Nigel Clough 19 MF Martin Phillips 20 DF Lee Crooks 21 GK Eike Immel 23 MF David Kerr 24 DF Scott Hiley (on loan from Birmingham City) 25 GK Andy Dibble 26 MF Scott Thomas 27 DF Rae Ingram 28 FW Uwe Rösler 29 DF John Foster 30 DF Chris Beech 31 MF Aled Rowlands 32 FW Mikhail Kavelashvili

Sold during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player 1 GK Tony Coton (to Manchester United) 2 DF Andy Hill (to Port Vale) 3 DF Terry Phelan (to Chelsea) 3 MF Ronnie Ekelund (on loan from Barcelona) 6 DF Michel Vonk (to Sheffield United) 8 FW Paul Walsh (to Portsmouth) 10 MF Garry Flitcroft (to Blackburn Rovers)

No. Position Player 14 FW Carl Griffiths (to Portsmouth) 18 DF David Brightwell (to Bradford City) 19 FW Fitzroy Simpson (to Portsmouth) 24 FW Adie Mike (to Stockport County) 31 MF Paul Lake (retired) 32 DF Eduard Abazaj (on loan from Benfica)