Cup Semi-Finals.

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Woodwardfan

Woodwardfan
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I've been supporting United since I was 8 in 1956. This will be the only the sixth semi-final the club has reached in those 60 years ; we've never won one of course. When I was now't but a lad it seemed a regular Sunday morning event getting up at the crack of dawn armed with sandwiches and a flask to queue for big match tickets Subsequent years were to prove it was a relatively golden era.

The purpose of this OP is twofold:

1. Young supporters should not assume this club does this well in the cups normally.
2. To emphasise the size of the manager's achievements in reaching two semi-finals in his first 15 months with the club. To do it as a League 1 club is unprecedented for any club and in our club's history the average time per semi has been 10 years!!

We have a good chance tonight and if there were such a thing as the law of averages then it must favour us surely. Good luck United.

I've been to every one of those semis but tonight we've decided to watch it on TV. Maybe that will change our luck.
So you Blades "Give'em one for me tonight", we'll have the volume turned up to full !
 

My first game was 73.
We did nowt in the cups until Bassett came along.
"Young uns" who have been watching since the early nineties have had it good.
But your right surely by the law of averages?
 
Didn't we reach one in the early 60s?
 
I've been supporting United since I was 8 in 1956. This will be the only the sixth semi-final the club has reached in those 60 years

Seventh.

1961, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2003 again, 2014, 2015.

Not that this detracts from your point.
 
Post war:

1961 Leicester FA cup semi
1993 Pigs FA Cup semi
1998 Newcastle FA Cup semi
2003 Liverpool League Cup semi
2003 Arsenal FA Cup semi
2014 Hull FA Cup semi
2015 Spurs League Cup semi
 
My first game was 73.
We did nowt in the cups until Bassett came along.
"Young uns" who have been watching since the early nineties have had it good.
But your right surely by the law of averages?

No such law.

Our FA Cup record from 68-69-78-79 was awful. Eleven seasons when we were in the top two divisions and we went out at the first time of asking 8 time and the 3 times we didn't (1970, 1973, 1975), we went out in the next round.
 
Even when I started supporting them throughout the 80s we were abysmal in the cups. As someone said this changed with Bassett starting with that run which took us to Norwich in the 5th round in 89 I think. We reached the quarters the year after against ManYoo which I think is the biggest crowd at the Lane I've ever been in.
 
I've been supporting United since I was 8 in 1956. This will be the only the sixth semi-final the club has reached in those 60 years ; we've never won one of course. When I was now't but a lad it seemed a regular Sunday morning event getting up at the crack of dawn armed with sandwiches and a flask to queue for big match tickets Subsequent years were to prove it was a relatively golden era.

The purpose of this OP is twofold:

1. Young supporters should not assume this club does this well in the cups normally.
2. To emphasise the size of the manager's achievements in reaching two semi-finals in his first 15 months with the club. To do it as a League 1 club is unprecedented for any club and in our club's history the average time per semi has been 10 years!!

We have a good chance tonight and if there were such a thing as the law of averages then it must favour us surely. Good luck United.

I've been to every one of those semis but tonight we've decided to watch it on TV. Maybe that will change our luck.
So you Blades "Give'em one for me tonight", we'll have the volume turned up to full !


It all kicked off in '93 and my lad has been lucky enough to see it all.

From '71 to '93 I saw nowt capped off with a game against Walsall.

Tell the kids of today how lucky they are and they don't beleive you.
 
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I've been supporting United since I was 8 in 1956. This will be the only the sixth semi-final the club has reached in those 60 years ; we've never won one of course. When I was now't but a lad it seemed a regular Sunday morning event getting up at the crack of dawn armed with sandwiches and a flask to queue for big match tickets Subsequent years were to prove it was a relatively golden era.

The purpose of this OP is twofold:

1. Young supporters should not assume this club does this well in the cups normally.
2. To emphasise the size of the manager's achievements in reaching two semi-finals in his first 15 months with the club. To do it as a League 1 club is unprecedented for any club and in our club's history the average time per semi has been 10 years!!

We have a good chance tonight and if there were such a thing as the law of averages then it must favour us surely. Good luck United.

I've been to every one of those semis but tonight we've decided to watch it on TV. Maybe that will change our luck.
So you Blades "Give'em one for me tonight", we'll have the volume turned up to full !

I'd given up on semi-finals because I was beginning to think it was all down to me - this totally ignores the fact that in many of the previous matches, United failed to turn up to assist the supporters.

Woody, allow me to pick up the baton on your behalf. I'm going tonight, so if the worst happens it probably will be down to me.

COYRAWW :)
 
Eleven seasons when we were in the top two divisions and we went out at the first time of asking 8 time and the 3 times we didn't (1970, 1973, 1975), we went out in the next round.

I think I'd take that now....just to be out of this league.
 
Sorry about the miscalculation it is the 7th.

The best? v. Arsenal ( robbed again, this time by a Poll decision followed by a tackle and then a Seaman worldie) how well we played. The worst? Can't talk about it! One of the worst days of my life.

I did go to the 1961 game at Elland Road ( we were robbed, goal disallowed for handball Doc Pace, controlled with his chest as clear as day)). There were two replays, both midweek on school nights, my Dad was visibly upset denying me the trip to both games but I didn't let him off the hook, and he cared. Was he right? In some ways yes but no he was not!! Mind you he wasn't to know there would be so few other opportunities I suppose.
 

I've been supporting United since I was 8 in 1956. This will be the only the sixth semi-final the club has reached in those 60 years ; we've never won one of course. When I was now't but a lad it seemed a regular Sunday morning event getting up at the crack of dawn armed with sandwiches and a flask to queue for big match tickets Subsequent years were to prove it was a relatively golden era.

The purpose of this OP is twofold:

1. Young supporters should not assume this club does this well in the cups normally.
2. To emphasise the size of the manager's achievements in reaching two semi-finals in his first 15 months with the club. To do it as a League 1 club is unprecedented for any club and in our club's history the average time per semi has been 10 years!!

We have a good chance tonight and if there were such a thing as the law of averages then it must favour us surely. Good luck United.

I've been to every one of those semis but tonight we've decided to watch it on TV. Maybe that will change our luck.
So you Blades "Give'em one for me tonight", we'll have the volume turned up to full !

I'm giving you a few years, and I wasn't there in 1961, but I sympathise with a lot of that.

I disagree slightly with the young supporters aspect. Both Trig Jnrs expect us to do well in the cups, after all, six semi-finals in 22 years is pretty impressive and they started supporting around that time (if Darren has a moment, where would we be in the last 25 years league table of semi-finalists, FA Cup, League Cup and combined please:)?). However, despite all evidence to the contrary, they still expect us to win and were both very positive about last night, that's the really painful part.

On the way back to the car last night, I lightheartedly said I was running out of years to see us in a final, but in the cold light of day this morning, I did have a slight feeling of panic, I really might not live to see it. I don't aspire to winning one, I'd need some immortality pills for that, but just to see us in a Wembley final and I'd die happy.
 
I've emailed Jim Phipps and asked if we can change our nickname to 'The Bridesmaids'...
 

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