Why Southampton are wearing yellow kit against Man City in FA Cup semi-final

As When Southampton walk out at Wembley to face Manchester City, they will do so in a special yellow strip that lacks player names on the back. This commemorative kit is a direct tribute to the club’s success in the 1976 FA Cup, where they famously defeated Manchester United to lift the trophy exactly 50 years ago.

The decision to pivot away from their usual red and white stripes is a nod to the most iconic moment in the club's 141-year history. That 1976 triumph remains Southampton's only major silverware, and by wearing the yellow-and-blue colourway, the current squad looks to evoke the spirit of Lawrie McMenemy’s legendary side.

Southampton manager Tonda Eckert has embraced the significance of the occasion, acknowledging that while his team will have to suffer against the quality of Manchester City, they must find another gear when they have the ball. The German coach, who has guided the Saints on a 20-match unbeaten run, believes the momentum from their cup journey is vital.

"I thought that we had rewritten that story over the last weeks,” Eckert said on the club's official website ."It’s quite clear that the cup has also helped us to perform in the league – I think it’s that way around."

"Obviously you do find belief by winning games in the Championship, but you find even more belief if you see that you can compete with teams in the Premier League. I think that’s very normal – it’s true for the players, as it is for the staff and everyone who works around the team."

"I think it’s not that one is in the way of the other. If you see what it means to the football club, if you see how many supporters are going to be travelling with us to Wembley, I don’t see how this is in the way of anything."

The Saints have made the yellow commemorative strip a permanent fixture of their FA Cup campaign this season, wearing it in every round leading up to the semi-final. The kit has seemingly served as a lucky charm, with Southampton toppling Premier League giants Arsenal and Fulham to reach the final four.

The FA granted special permission for the club to continue wearing the 1976-inspired kit on the Wembley stage. Around 36,000 Southampton fans are expected to fill the national stadium, many of them sporting the limited-edition 50th-anniversary range that includes remakes of the classic shirts subtly featuring the signatures of the 1976 winning squad.

A victory for Southampton would set up a chance to lift the trophy in its 50th anniversary year, mirroring the timeline of their original success. The winner of today's clash will return to Wembley in May to face either Chelsea or Leeds United in the showpiece final. With the play-offs looking like their most likely route back to the Premier League, a trip to the FA Cup final would be a historic bonus to Eckert's full debut season in charge.