Manchester City have unveiled their fourth kit for the 2024-25 season, which has been co-designed by lifelong fan and British music royalty Noel Gallagher. The Premier League champions have taken inspiration from Oasis' iconic debut album Definitely Maybe to mark the 30th anniversary of its release. The strip includes outlines of 'marine blue supersonic waves' and has been given the name Definitely City by kit manufacturer Puma.
Speaking about his involvement in the design, Gallagher reiterated his love for his boyhood club, who have seen their fortunes transform from when he and brother Liam were regulars at Maine Road - long before Oasis' success in the 1990s.
'Definitely Maybe is what set us on our way, the record lasting as long, you can’t predict that kind of thing. It’s a great working class, Mancunian record – it’s real.
'When PUMA approached us at one of the games about designing a kit it took about five seconds to agree to it. It’s the same colour palette as the cover of Definitely Maybe: it’s unique but it’s definitely striking, and I think it looks great. When you see people representing your Club, it’s important that they look good.
'Definitely Maybe has never lost its magic to me, I just think it’s an amazing snapshot of what we were about.
'With the anniversary, I’ve been listening to it a lot more than I would ever listen to it, it makes me smile – they were great times. It’s spawned a great football kit, it’s legacy lives on.'
A Nod to Manchester's Musical History
The release of the City kit comes less than a fortnight after the Manchester brothers finally put their 15-year feud on ice and announced they will be performing together again, 34 years after their first gig. Their 14-show tour will run from July 4 to August 17, kicking off at Cardiff's Principality Stadium before the brothers pack out Heaton Park in Manchester, Wembley in London, Murrayfield in Edinburgh and Croke Park in Dublin. Some fans had slammed Oasis as they complained about the high cost of tickets for his upcoming shows.
City are set to wear their new strip for the first time when they face Inter Milan at the Etihad in the Champions League on September 18. The kit will also be worn for select European fixtures throughout the campaign.
The Collaboration: A Match Made in Heaven
Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher has described his disbelief at being asked to design Manchester City’s new kit in the theme of hit album Definitely Maybe. Gallagher, who along with brother Liam announced last month that Oasis are ending a 15-year feud to reform for a sell-out tour in 2025, has long held a friendship with Pep Guardiola, the manager of the Premier League champions. The Gallagher brothers are City fans of old and the club’s current run of dominance at the top of English football is a far cry from their time at Maine Road and in the third tier of the game.
Noel said: “I’ve been supporting City for 50 years, the last decade has just been the stuff dreams are made of.” He has now designed a fourth strip in the colours of the band’s 1994 debut album, and the club has recreated the album’s front cover. Guardiola is pictured sitting on a sofa playing a guitar surrounded by members of the men’s and women’s first teams, in a living room decked out in City memorabilia.
Noel added: “Every single step of the way it’s got bigger and better and more global, it really is amazing. If Definitely Maybe has a theme, it’s honest, I think it’s real. People say that thing of if you walked up to your 16-year-old self and said ‘in 40 years you’ll be designing kits for the team’ you’d be like ‘what?’. It’s a proper honour. When the guys from (kit makers) Puma approached us at one of the games, I took about five seconds to agree to it. It’s the same colour palette as the cover of Definitely Maybe. I think it’s unique, but it’s definitely striking and I think it looks great. When you see people represent your club, it’s important that they look good.
“Definitely Maybe has never lost its magic to me. I just think it’s an amazing snapshot of what we were about. With the (album’s 30th) anniversary, I’ve been listening to it a lot more than I would ever listen to it. You know, it makes me smile. They were great times. Really, really great. It’s spawned a great football kit. So its legacy lives on.”
A Symbol of Manchester's Legacy
The new kit is a testament to the enduring influence of Oasis and their music on the city of Manchester. The album cover, recreated for the kit launch, embodies the band's authentic working-class roots and serves as a reminder of the era that defined British popular culture. The collaboration between Gallagher and Manchester City is a celebration of this shared legacy, showcasing the power of music and football to unite communities and inspire generations.
The 'Definitely City' kit is a bold statement, a fusion of music and sport that transcends the boundaries of individual identities. It represents the shared passion of a city and its people, a testament to the enduring power of music and football to connect us all.
