Manchester City Away Shirt 2000-01 Le Coq Sportif Vintage

Manchester City 2000-01 — The Le Coq Sportif away shirt from the Premier League promotion season

In 2000-01, Manchester City was in the Championship — the former First Division — fighting to regain their place in the English top flight. It was in this context of a comeback that this Le Coq Sportif away shirt sponsored by EIDOS was born, a testament to a pivotal era in the history of the Maine Road club. A piece of blue history in size S, in 8/10 condition.

The shirt's details

Season: 2000-2001
Club: Manchester City
Type: Away
Kit manufacturer: Le Coq Sportif
Sponsor: EIDOS
Condition: 8/10
State: LITTLE PULLS — authentic wear and tear of a worn vintage shirt, a few small snags in the fabric that show this shirt has lived

What this shirt represents

The 2000-01 season was a key period in the Manchester City saga. The club had been through an incredible rollercoaster: relegated to the third division in 1998, promoted back to the second, and then the Citizens were looking to take the final step to return to the Premier League. It was a club in reconstruction, with a strong identity and one of England's most passionate fanbases, loyal even in the lower divisions.

This season saw Joe Royle at the helm of the club before Kevin Keegan took over — KK's arrival at Maine Road was a symbolic turning point. The squad included players like Shaun Goater, the legendary "Feed The Goat," and Darren Huckerby, two strikers capable of tearing up the Championship. The atmosphere around the club was electric, a mix of impatience and hope of returning to the elite.

Moments etched into this shirt

Promotion to the Premier League — May 2001
City finished second in the First Division behind Fulham and returned to the English top flight. A long-awaited, deserved promotion, which concluded one of the most spectacular comebacks in modern English football after two seasons outside the top flight.

Shaun Goater, the goalscorer of Maine Road
"Feed The Goat and he will score" — this fan slogan says it all. The Bermudian striker was one of the central figures of this era, capable of scoring decisive goals in crucial matches. He embodied this team that played for promotion, without complexes.

The partnership with EIDOS — an iconic sponsor of the 2000s era
EIDOS Interactive, the British video game publisher behind Tomb Raider and Hitman, proudly displayed its logo on this shirt. A sponsorship that anchors this jersey in a particular era, one where gaming and football were beginning to forge strong commercial links — and which now gives this shirt an undeniable pop culture charm.

Authentic vs Replica

An authentic vintage shirt is a piece designed to be worn — not to stay in a box. The cuts, materials, and finishes: everything is different from an official store replica. The Le Coq Sportif of this era used textiles and manufacturing techniques that are no longer found today, with details that make a difference for a true connoisseur.

This one shows an 8/10 condition with some small fabric snags — "little pulls" as they say in the industry. Nothing that stands out, nothing that compromises the integrity of the shirt. It's the natural wear and tear of a piece that has survived more than two decades, and that's precisely what gives it character compared to a factory-produced copy.

Vintage size guide

Vintage sizes from this era are consistently smaller than modern cuts. A size S Le Coq Sportif shirt from 2000-01 does not correspond to a modern S from 2024. The sizes of the 2000s in football were designed for tighter, more fitted body shapes — far from today's loose and oversized cuts.

Before buying, measure your chest circumference and compare it with our indicated measurements. Generally, if you usually wear a modern M, this vintage S might suit you. But don't take risks: precise measurements are your best friend to avoid unpleasant surprises upon receipt.

Why have it in your collection

The Manchester City 2000-01 Le Coq Sportif away shirt ticks all the boxes for a collector's grail: a historic club in a crucial period of its history, a French kit manufacturer with a real heritage in English football of the 90s-2000s, and an EIDOS sponsor that adds a rare pop culture dimension. City's shirts from this era — between relegation to the third division and the beginning of the Keegan era — are niche pieces that interest both Citizens fans and collectors of vintage Premier League shirts.

In 8/10 condition with just a few small snags, there aren't many in this condition still floating around on the market. Most surviving examples from 2001 are in much worse shape — faded, damaged, or simply impossible to find. This one is still here, still beautiful, still tellable. That's no small feat.

To go further

• Manchester City - Wikipedia
• Football Kit Archive - Kit History
• Premier League - Official Site
• UEFA - European Football

If you're a Citizens fan or simply an admirer of 2000s English football, this piece deserves your display case — not just a drawer. It's up to you.