Have you ever caught the ball when in the crowd?

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Fulwood Blade

Fulwood Blade

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Greenwich Blade said:
A As I listened to him moaning away the ball was clattered into the John Street Terrace, empty as it was at that end. My dad chased after the ball as it bounced around on the steps, scooped it up and then lobbed it to Paul Garner who was waiting with his hand raised in that universal signal of "ovver 'ere, mate."

Garner then chucked it to Matthews who took it forward a few yards and then leathered it into the back of the net. Forget Paul Garner, that was one assist to Rennie Bell, thanks very much.
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Something a little light hearted...........

Thinking about GB's post got me thinking about balls going into the crowd.

I keep telling my nipper - the ball has never come anywhere near me.....EVER !..........Grrrrrrrr. - and been going near on 50 years.

Any stories about having your head knocked off? leaping up like a salmon, catch it in both hands followed by great applause from the crowd? having an assist like GB's dad?

UTB
 



Caught the ball at Reading - Elm Park - when Steve De'Ath was their keeper. Can't remember when - would have been in the 80s
We were 1-0 down (the usual, at shite sides like that in those days) De'Ath was "organising" his defence and looking the other way. I thought I'd be helpful and lob the ball back for him - aiming for his head ;) - I bowled the ball in his direction and as it reached him it just missed the top of his head as he turned to see where the ball was. Of course it was behind him by then - so he was looking into the crowd wondering where the ball was - looking a reight chuff. Would've looked like a complete tosser had I hit the top of his head. So close.

It was about as exciting as that season got, to be fair.

Is that the sort of thing you were looking for?
 
At Watford a few seasons ago - it was during the warm up, I was near the back, I volleyed it straight back into the hands of the goalkeeping coach - he didn't even have to move.

Also caught a sliced shot from George Long in the warm up at Chesterfield. Threw it back this time though so didn't have the same pinpoint accuracy!
 
Away at West Brom, 1972 or thereabouts.
 
I just about dislocated my finger at Scunthorpe earlier this season - of course I would have caught it if it hadn't been viciously swerving.

The incident I remember quite vividly was at MK Dons in the league cup tie a couple of seasons ago. During the warm up a steward was standing facing the crowd and an off target shot hit the perimeter wall and rebounded into his bollocks. He disappeared for about 20 mins and came back looking a bit sheepish. I doubt he ever stood with his back to the pitch pre-match again!
 
Remember the days when they did 10 minutes warm up before the game and the strikers belted balls at Hodgie in the Kop goal ?

If you do you'll also remember the white railings.

As a young lad you congregated here before the game. I was up on the railings but looking up towards the back of the Kop and I "caught" a ball right on the back of my head hit with such force it knocked onto the terracing.

When I got up everyone was laughing at me saying it was a good shot from Sherman !

Them wert days.
 
yes, cant remember who we were playing...near end of game, up 2-1. on the kop, caught the ball, their keeper looked at me, so i launched it to the corner flag and gave him the wanker gesture. He really appreciated it and enjoyed the little run. we won 2-1.
 
I dont have the chance that often because on the 3rd row its either over my head or ducking as its coming in at pace & I did have 1 funny thing happen in a warm up once cant remember specifically probally 5/6yrs ago. The ball flew into the crowd, i ducked the problem was the woman in row behind reactions werent as quick, got ball in the face never have i stifled laughter so much as she would killed me if id laughed
 
Thought my glory day had come one day on the kop. Wasn't the old season ticket seats it was close to pillar restricted view so I can't even give the era except has to be beyond 1995. As the ball is belted over the bar, spinning rapidly towards me, getting bigger and bigger looking like a big beach ball for me to grasp triumphantly and show what a keeper I am. The twat in front rose like a Salmon from nowhere and nonchalantly plucked it out of the air like a veteran and in one movement bowled it back overarm. Show Off.
 
Caught a ball in the warm up at the infamous Portsmouth away "linesman" game in 1998. Forgot who's attempt it was, but it stuck like fly paper (no gloves !) from a drilled effort, and I bowled it back to the strikers. Dead chuffed I was..
 
Caught a ball in Wendy north stand. Caught it clean and got a cheer because it coming high and fast, I then got some right abuse when they realised my allegiance because I showed off to all and sundry with the ball above my head, Wendy were losing and time wa running out when mel sterland started getting a bit frustrated with me and I started gesturing to him to fuck off.loads of blades suddenly started cheering, brilliant.
 



Remember getting a good punch on a Bob Booker warm up shot at Bury in the 88/89 season. Also recall getting a good header on a warm up shot around the same time, thinking about it, be a season later at the 2-0 win at Oldham on the plastic.

At a test match a few years ago, Trent Bridge v Pakistan, a mate walked into the stand with beers in each hand, copped for a six right on the chest but didn't spill a drop!
 
Grey Blade said:
I just about dislocated my finger at Scunthorpe earlier this season - of course I would have caught it if it hadn't been viciously swerving.

The incident I remember quite vividly was at MK Dons in the league cup tie a couple of seasons ago. During the warm up a steward was standing facing the crowd and an off target shot hit the perimeter wall and rebounded into his bollocks. He disappeared for about 20 mins and came back looking a bit sheepish. I doubt he ever stood with his back to the pitch pre-match again!
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Sat here at work and that one made me laugh out loud. There's just something funny about somebody else getting hit in the plums :D:fattwat::D
 
In a pre-match warm-up in the days of standing on the kop, our players were doing shooting practice (think it was Simon Tracey in net). One of the shots was leathered into the crowd and a bloke stood right in front of me wasn't paying attention and got twatted full in the face. Must've stung like buggery but he tried to play it cool and acted like nowt had happened. :D
 
Headingley, a fine one handed catch off a fine shot by Jim Love, in one of his early games. Better than anything I managed actually playing the game.
 
Multiple times.

Ones that stick in the mind in no particular order are...

throwing the ball back as a young un on the terrace at Notts County, not long before Hodges put one in with his wand of a left foot.

Volleying the ball back onto the pitch during the warmup at Inverness one pre-season, fantastic technique... All the Blades players thought so.

Heading one back away at Bury.

Punching back a Ryan Flynn clearance that didn't look anywhere near as powerful as it was... Thought I'd broken my hand for a few minutes :)

I also used to regularly return the ball from behind the net at training. Think Tracy and Kelly learned loads from me... Just as I learned a few new words uttered by Paul Beesley :D
 
Almost utterly unrelated... but when the much maligned and yet oddly similar line up were taking shots against the (again much maligned) keeper last season, Jnr and I were very unimpressed with how many managed to be off target.. Fast forward to this season, a much better keeper between the sticks and yet the players bang them in during the warm up.

Therein lies a story, just not sure what it is.
 
Ricky said:
Also caught a sliced shot from George Long in the warm up at Chesterfield. Threw it back this time though so didn't have the same pinpoint accuracy!
Click to expand...
Did he flap at it or punch it? Either way I bet he made a hash of it.
 
As a Blades obsessed kid in 81 I used to go down to watch training. For some reason Les Tibottt and John Ryan were practicing headers on the grass behind the kop.

My job became being stood behind the goal, collecting the ball and throwing it back.

I thought I was in heaven and didnt wash my Tibbott hands for weeks!

A lot more innocent in those days!
 
I got whacked on the arm by a stray Ade Akinbiyi shot away at Scunthorpe at a pre-season friendly about 10/11 years ago. Think it was before the Premiership season and I think I only went because it was a new ground and didn't think there would be much opportunity of a return visit at any point soon, only for me to become sick of the bastard place after multiple return visits.

Favourite one was Preston away. United had a free kick about 20 yards out, and Michael Brown stepped up and floated it straight in to the arms of LS26BLADE
 



Bury away about 1969. Woody smashed one over the bar and i put my hand up to stop the ball and sprained my wrist. Think i'll put a claim in!
 
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