The iconic United 1991 look is back

As we had done for our first European final, against Benfica in 1968, Manchester United wore a unique strip for the 1991 European Cup-Winners’ Cup showdown with Barcelona.

And it was a thing of understated beauty.

The classic white adidas jersey will evoke happy memories and the new Bring Back Collection released today (Monday) is certain to resonate with supporters, young and old.

This was a time when Alex Ferguson was starting to really work his magic at Old Trafford. Football was changing, as was the outlook for the Reds. No longer sleeping giants, but a growing force to be reckoned with.

The FA Cup win that many feel kept the Scot in a job the previous season earned a spot in Europe as the suspension on English clubs, imposed after the Heysel Stadium Disaster, was lifted.

Had we fallen behind in the years since 1985? The English sides’ dominance of the competitions could surely no longer be taken for granted. With Liverpool serving an extra year’s ban, United (in the Cup-Winners’ Cup) and Aston Villa, in the UEFA Cup, were the league’s representatives and, although the Midlanders made it past Banik Ostrava, their interest on the continent ended in the second round, after a second-leg collapse at the San Siro resulted in a 3-2 aggregate exit to Inter Milan.

So it was left to United to fly the flag. The early hurdles at Pecsi Munkas and Wrexham were successfully navigated without conceding a goal but a 1-1 home draw with a talented Montpellier side, featuring Laurent Blanc as libero, did not bode well in the quarter-finals.

Many wrote the Reds off but a 2-0 triumph in France set up a semi-final tussle against Legia Warsaw, with a 4-2 aggregate victory over the Poles leading to a date with destiny in Rotterdam.

Italia ’90 is often trumpeted as the turning point in football supporting in this country. The hooliganism, known as ‘the English disease’ on the continent, had threatened Bobby Robson’s side even participating in the tournament.

Instead, something changed, for the good, and the game reached even greater levels of fandom and welcomed a culture shift. A year on, any fears of an English side heading to the largest port in Europe for a major final against another of the world’s biggest clubs being a recipe for trouble were misplaced.

It may have rained in Rotterdam but the mood was euphoric and optimistic, United fans far outnumbered our Catalan counterparts and sang their hearts out.

The sight of Ferguson playing the conductor as Monty Python’s ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’ was belted out never leaves you.

1991: Rotterdam Revisited Video

1991: Rotterdam Revisited

STREAMING NOW | ‘1991: Rotterdam Revisited’ is the story of our second European triumph, told by those who were there…

And this was the brightest side of life because of how the game unfolded.

United were big underdogs against Johan Cruyff’s so-called Dream Team. Naysayers were predicting the Nou Camp aristocrats would be a completely different proposition to any other side we had previously faced on the road to De Kuip.

Skipper Bryan Robson, approaching 10 years at the club, produced a vintage performance in the heart of the midfield. Brian McClair carried out Ferguson’s instructions to nullify Ronald Koeman, even if the Dutch defender did score what would only be a consolation goal for Barcelona, from a free-kick.

But the hero, without a question of a doubt, was Mark Hughes. With great poetic timing, a man deemed not good enough by Barca, despite being a striker of legendary proportions at United, proved that assessment was wholly wrong.

Steve Bruce contends to this day that the opener was over the line, and his goal, but Sparky helped it in to make sure and was officially credited with the decisive touch with the ball on the line when he made contact.

Robson’s set-piece had created that effort and a top-class through ball from the captain allowed Hughes to thunder forward and hurdle keeper Carles Busquets, who flew out of goal in a desperate bid to halt him. The angle was narrowing by the millisecond but it did not bother the PFA Player of the Year, who twisted to thud a finish as emphatic as the message he was delivering to his former employers.

It is a moment that still brings goosebumps to those lucky enough to witness it but it may have been said this club never do it the easy way. Koeman’s shot squirmed past an injured Les Sealey to shift momentum Barca’s way, only five minutes later. Yet, another five minutes later, Hughes rampaged through again, only to be brought down by Nando. The red card proved largely irrelevant as the Catalans piled on the pressure, looking to force extra-time.

Clayton Blackmore cleared off the line from Michael Laudrup and there were joyous scenes upon the final whistle. Ferguson had already lifted the trophy, famously, with Aberdeen and his credentials were beginning to stack up.

The white shirts bring back such happy memories, the dancing on the pitch, the elation in beating one of the world’s greatest clubs, a team that would win their first European Cup a year later.

More than anything, though, this was evidence that the previous year’s FA Cup triumph was no flash in the pan.

United were back – looking, and playing, great.

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