Classic or Catastrophe? The adidas Manchester City Series Divides Opinion

Are people really queuing up for Size?’s adidas Manchester City Series? A red shoe is always a harder sell, no matter the fanfare. Yet when it comes to the City Series and Manchester in particular, you can bet the 3-Stripes fanatics to show out for this one.

Some are hailing it the pièce de résistance of size?’s 25th Anniversary line-up. Others think it missed the mark entirely. The one and only @thesneakerannexe commented on Size?'s post saying, "need these in my life", followed by @thespzlron1 chiming in with a similar view, "Marmite...love them or hate them, I'm a fan I cannot lie".

Whichever side of the fence you sit on, it is clear that colour palette has split people down the middle, but so often the best things in life do. If there isn’t any hate, is the shoe even worth having?

This is, without question, the brightest Manchester colourway we’ve seen. Size? has gone full tilt with this red-heavy number, giving United fans the recognition they have finally been after, as well as a bold departure from the muted palettes that usually win over the Stone Island and CP Company casuals.

adidas fanatics will clock it instantly but to who aren’t in the know, this is a reverse of the 2002 adidas Manchester, released for the Commonwealth Games and designed by Gary Aspden, Mike Chetcuti and Jay Nalbach.

That pair might’ve gathered dust on shelves back in the day, but ask those who are respected in the scene and they’ll tell you it kickstarted the City Series subculture as we know it.

Since then, we’ve seen the Manchester reworked multiple times, 2010’s original size? drop, the CP Company triple collab, even nods through the Cordoba. But this one? It dares to do something new. It isn’t another retro. It’s a remix.

Personally, I missed out on the Cordobas in 2020 while working at the size? Manchester store and I’ve regretted it ever since. So yes, you can catch me entering the draw this time around. But that’s coming from someone who has put miles on the Ardwick SPZL, CP Manchester, and was once a proud owner of the adidas Moss Sides ... so there is clearly a bias for anything 0161.

According to the guys at @the.dassler, a Manchester-based event is taking place on the night of the 11th of December, so if that’s true then we can likely expect DJs, bands and maybe even a surprise guest or two. Like the city itself, this one’s hard to ignore.

Dropping at the Manchester Size? store on the morning of the 11th of December, other stores and online will be recieving a drop two days later on the 13th. So if you’ve missed out on the previous City Series releases, get yourself in the mix and pitch up the fold out chair on market street.

For more information on this and other limited adidas releases, make sure to download The Sole Supplier app!