My massive highlight of yesterday....

[JohnDenver]

What a great post, and a great story.
Loved the Bassett era, and the mentality we had then. He’s a legend and top bloke. Another statue needed at the Lane, I think!
Glad he was well again and on top form.
I only remember him making one bad call, which was to play that bloody game at Wembley. We’d have beaten em at Elland Road.

I’ve not forgiven him for the isometric diamond home kit either.

 

[SwissBlade]

Not quite the same level, but Ritchie Humphries was in our carriage on the tube back to Stanmore with his little lad who was in his Blades top.

Only one to recognise him was Trig Jnr (TY), at least nobody bothered him. He’s an ex-Pig, but a Blade as I recall, so he’s alright by me.

Cracking bloke as well, not just because he’s a blade

 

[bornablade]

When we talk about 'our DNA' and 'our identity' I think it all started back with Harry.

Give us 11 players who mostly cost next to nothing but will run through the proverbial shit house door and we'll give them 100% support.

Those type of players can and have become legends at the Lane. It's Us v.the World type mentality.

Harry identified that and developed the team and club accordingly.

We want to see skill but we want players 'who'll die for those 3 points'.

Warnock and Wilder and now Hecky have continued its course.

 

[Champagneblade]

Most important question... Why were you at an AGM as a teenager! Nerd!!

My Dad had an original share and he let me go for the experience. I just asked him if we were interested in signing Glynn Snodin but I remember he called me Son and he was very cheery, and amusing during the meeting.

They say never meet your heroes but he was every bit as I’d hoped and imagined.

 

[John Street West Terrace]

What a great post, and a great story.
Loved the Bassett era, and the mentality we had then. He’s a legend and top bloke. Another statue needed at the Lane, I think!
Glad he was well again and on top form.
I only remember him making one bad call, which was to play that bloody game at Wembley. We’d have beaten em at Elland Road.

Bassett said in his book that he wanted it at Elland Rd the original venue with it being a smaller pitch , it was the fans/media that stirred up a hornets nest that it got it changed to Wembley saying it would give the London teams un unfair advantage having played there already after Arsenal -Spurs match was given it . FA rationale was there wasn’t another ground in the south that would have a adequate ground capacity for that semi .

 

[N20 Blade]

Bassett said in his book that he wanted it at Elland Rd the original venue with it being a smaller pitch , it was the fans/media that stirred up a hornets nest that it got it changed to Wembley saying it would give the London teams un unfair advantage having played there already after Arsenal -Spurs match was given it . FA rationale was there wasn’t another ground in the south that would have a adequate ground capacity for that semi .

Yep exactly right, the whole thing was a farce, nothing to do with the Sheffield petition but the FA working out a way of doubling almost trebling income for that semi. We were talking about this at the weekend. When did it become the norm for both semis at Wembley? I remember going to OT for newcastle and then arsenal so sometime after 2003?

The fact we played much better at OT than we ever have at Wembley backs the argument that leeds would have helped us.

 

[Keen Blade]

I've been going to the Lane since 1968 and so have fond memories of the 70/71 season etc.
But until Harry Bassett arrived in 1998 the Blades , despite some successes , were always something of a "soft touch" , never quite having the balls to stand up for ourselves.
When Bassett arrived he injected some real "steel" into our mentality as a team and as a club.
He had virtually no money to play with after joining a relegation bound outfit but sheer nouse in the market and limitless energy , gave us 2 consecutive promotions - he fell in love with us and us with him.
He gave us a real pride in our club , we would never again be a "soft touch".

 

[Yarrayering]

....Was being there with my lad of 14 watching the blades in an FA CUP semi final!

However, second to that was the 78 year old cockney man I spoke to for 15 minutes on the train from Beaconsfield til Gerrards Cross.
He had lots of knowledgeable thoughts on the game and the blades. We reminisced about the days of Deane and Agana and he told my lad
his best advice was to 'enjoy it', when I asked him his thoughts on my lads footie career.

Oh, his name? Dave 'Harry' Bassett.

PS He wouldn't even sit down despite lots of folks offering to give up their seat for him, what a bloke! I couldn't bring myself to ask for a selfie to spoil the moment, but I took this shot of him on his way off the train. Can you spot him?

Absolutely love that man, speaks volumes about him... What a legend

 

[CornwallBlade]

Hi Stegosaurus here,

I've suggested that a few times. It's the only way for both teams to be a success as we get to pool our resources. We get a larger fan base which means more ticket revenue. We get two owners pooling their money togethetr (So the Prince will chip in about a tenner), a bigger ground. We also get to add some of Wednesday's squad to our own -- meaning we can trim the has beings like Sharp, Fleck and Basham and have them replaced immediately. It's a win-win.

Yawn………you’re becoming too predictable