More Blades fans than home fans for an away game

[BusheyBlade]

Not only did we lose 1-0 at MK with BT missing an open net, but Wednesday beat Carlisle 2-1 in the 96th minute with on loan Antionio scoring the wnner just after Carlisle missed a great chance to win the game. You cant fucking write it.

Yup, I turned to the guy sat next to me at the full whistle and said no worries, at least the pigs only drew. Cue text messages coming in and lots of cursing.

 

[Lt. J Dangle]

I remember an interview with Paul Heaton in Melody Maker, years ago. He was talking about the Blades and some of his happiest memories being when we were in Division 4 and used to go to all these little towns and boss it.

 

[Cheets]

Not only did we lose 1-0 at MK with BT missing an open net, but Wednesday beat Carlisle 2-1 in the 96th minute with on loan Antionio scoring the wnner just after Carlisle missed a great chance to win the game. You cant fucking write it.

I think Carlisle's equaliser was pretty late on too as I remember thinking "Get in!"

 

[Jehovah]

Added to them then going to Brentford an getting absolutely annhiliated to inexplicably win 1-2!!!!! ARRRRRGGHGHGHHHHHHHGGGHHHHHHHHHH

Their jammyness is unbelievable.

 

[alcoblade]

I would say even more than 10,000

Leicester's previous home game the week before had an attendance of just over 10,000 and that was against Oldham Athletic who themselves were pushing for a play off place and apparently brought 2000 with them

The bars in Leicester were full of United fans buying the final ticket stubs off the Leicester fans season tickets for ridiculous money

Yes, I was there myself and I'm sure we easily outnumbered them.

 

[COME BACK CHED]

Darlington would have easily been 3 to 1 Blades .

 

[PTBlade]

What was the 'official 'attendance for the Darlington game back in 82?

 

[bornablade]

What was the 'official 'attendance for the Darlington game back in 82?

11,130. Although I've just read another figure of 12,557 with 11,000 Blades in attendance.

 

[LS16Blade]

What was the 'official 'attendance for the Darlington game back in 82?

The official gate was 11,130 and Dario's average gate for their other 22 home games that season, before they played us, was 2,118.

 

[WhiteHawk]

What was the 'official 'attendance for the Darlington game back in 82?

'Sheffield United: The Complete Record' has it as 12,557.

 

[LS16Blade]

Almost every game in Division Four
And a hell of a lot of games in Division Three the 1979-80 season when we first went down to that level.

Football was in such a depressed state back then that just taking two or three thousand fans away from home and you could quite easily outnumber the home fans

I remember a 4-3 win at Mansfield sending us to the top of Division Three and 8000 Blades were there to see it........Absolute bedlam and I ended up spending the night in Mansfield nick.
Mistaken identity, but did the police give a toss ?
No, they just carted me off and locked me up because I was standing within a square mile of some trouble

As JJBlade says, practically every game in a Division 4. York City that season was the first away match that I went to and United fans were on all 4 sides of the ground. The few Home fans that there were, were in the main (only) stand where I was sat. The gate that day was 5,560 when York were averaging barely 2,000.

There were loads of away games like that in 81/82 season:

Stockport were just about managing 2,000 or so, but even on a midweek match the travelling Blades pushed the gate to 5,450.
Port Vale were averaging 3,000 but United had loads there and the gate was over 7,000 (Edwards got a screamer).
Bradford were averaging 4-5,000 but United took hordes there and the gate was nearly 14,000 (another Edwards special).
Scunthorpe were barely scraping 2,000 at the Old Show Ground but United took the ground over in a gate of 8,105. We lost - the last time we did that season.
Same at Mansfield who were also scraping 2,000. Further to what JJ said, Field Mill was always a favourite trip for Blades. 8,951 there that day; Blades everywhere.
As mentioned elsewhere, Halifax at Easter was a cracker. Halifax generally got less than 2,000 in those days but United descended on mass. Over 8,000 there to see us win 5-1.
United filled the tiny ground at Crewe (gate over 6,000) and we're on all 4 sides. Last minute winner from Jeff King. Thousands went to Bournemouth giving them a gate of almost 10,000 which was unheard of for them.
We had a huge following for the midweek game at Peterborough when the gate of 13,439 was the highest gate they'd had in 15 years. Posh were getting 3-4,000 on average at the time.

Great days.

 

[FATTYFOULKE]

MK Dons away this year could be a record breaker - I seem to remember them giving someone as many tickets as they wanted, didn't Coventry or some other club take nearly 10k this or (end of) last year? Considering MK Dons is our last away game, promotion will hopefully either be in the bag or almost in the bag by then so it could be a party

How sweet would that be? Always remember them taking an exaggerated delight in scipperimg our promotion chances and sucking up to the pigs online about it.

Always remember that Alan Lee rubbing it in to the blades fans and looking in the program to see who the fuck he was and why he might hate us so much.

Would love to go down there as already promoted and even champions. I despise that club and everybody associated with it.

 

[Greenwich Blade]

Last game of the 1987/88 season, Huddersfield away; they were already relegated and we needed to win to avoid dropping down with them, although our 2-0 win only got us into the Play-Offs which operated under a different system back then, and of course we lost over two legs in the semi against Bristol City so we went down anyway.

There were about 5,000 Blades there that day and only 3,000 Udders-feeled.

 

[JJBlade]

Another great away day, that day at Huddersfield was bonkers

Tony Pritchet described the atmosphere something along these lines

"United gave themselves a final chance against a backdrop of absolute bedlam"

 

[1973Blade]

As JJBlade says, practically every game in a Division 4. York City that season was the first away match that I went to and United fans were on all 4 sides of the ground. The few Home fans that there were, were in the main (only) stand where I was sat. The gate that day was 5,560 when York were averaging barely 2,000.

There were loads of away games like that in 81/82 season:

Stockport were just about managing 2,000 or so, but even on a midweek match the travelling Blades pushed the gate to 5,450.
Port Vale were averaging 3,000 but United had loads there and the gate was over 7,000 (Edwards got a screamer).
Bradford were averaging 4-5,000 but United took hordes there and the gate was nearly 14,000 (another Edwards special).
Scunthorpe were barely scraping 2,000 at the Old Show Ground but United took the ground over in a gate of 8,105. We lost - the last time we did that season.
Same at Mansfield who were also scraping 2,000. Further to what JJ said, Field Mill was always a favourite trip for Blades. 8,951 there that day; Blades everywhere.
As mentioned elsewhere, Halifax at Easter was a cracker. Halifax generally got less than 2,000 in those days but United descended on mass. Over 8,000 there to see us win 5-1.
United filled the tiny ground at Crewe (gate over 6,000) and we're on all 4 sides. Last minute winner from Jeff King. Thousands went to Bournemouth giving them a gate of almost 10,000 which was unheard of for them.
We had a huge following for the midweek game at Peterborough when the gate of 13,439 was the highest gate they'd had in 15 years. Posh were getting 3-4,000 on average at the time.

Great days.

There can't be many clubs as big as us who have played in the fourth tier (maybe Pompey) I bet no club has outnumbered the home fans as often as we did that season.

 

[coolhandluke]

Another great away day, that day at Huddersfield was bonkers

Tony Pritchet described the atmosphere something along these lines

"United gave themselves a final chance against a backdrop of absolute bedlam"

I remember the day well . I also recall a pitch invasion that was so effective a couple of Blades made it all the way to the dressing rooms !

 

[JJBlade]

I remember the day well . I also recall a pitch invasion that was so effective a couple of Blades made it all the way to the dressing rooms !

I remember the play off game following on from that day at Huddersfield
Bristol City, first leg away on a Sunday evening

United took about 1500 and there was fighting all over the place, two United fans stabbed. Bristol fans wading into anybody for nothing.
We were sat in the main stand which was about 25%/75% in Bristols favour

We had everything thrown at us, fans charging in and windmilling anything that moved.

Who'd have known that the following year we would get promoted and the last game would be away at Bristol City (bless 'em) What had they created for themselves.

This time 6000 or 7000 United fans were there, and to say they took revenge is a bit of an understatement.
The brave Bristolians from 12 months previous decided not too get involved

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

MK Dons away this year could be a record breaker - I seem to remember them giving someone as many tickets as they wanted, didn't Coventry or some other club take nearly 10k this or (end of) last year? Considering MK Dons is our last away game, promotion will hopefully either be in the bag or almost in the bag by then so it could be a party

I think there is going to be one huge away following to that game,if the Gods sort us out kindly that is.

 

[Weasel]

I remember the play off game following on from that day at Huddersfield
Bristol City, first leg away on a Sunday evening

United took about 1500 and there was fighting all over the place, two United fans stabbed. Bristol fans wading into anybody for nothing.
We were sat in the main stand which was about 25%/75% in Bristols favour

We had everything thrown at us, fans charging in and windmilling anything that moved.

Who'd have known that the following year we would get promoted and the last game would be away at Bristol City (bless 'em) What had they created for themselves.

This time 6000 or 7000 United fans were there, and to say they took revenge is a bit of an understatement.
The brave Bristolians from 12 months previous decided not too get involved

Remember it all well. Was down there the first time in the play offs ad as you say it was a bit naughty at times and many Blades got a clip. Some of the lads from my local were ambushed and got a bit of a kickin through sheer numbers onto them outside the ground. Well nasty atmosphere in the ground and you had to be really careful after the game otherwise you could really have come unstuck. You just had to back each other, grit your teeth and check that they were still in your gob when you got back to the car.

Next season i reckon most of the lads from the local went down complete with a good few mates and well known local hardmen who liked a ruck for a bit of payback. As you already mentioned, it certainly was payback time and the Bristol lads got it with bells on in the park.

Wasnt that the game when they got chased off their own pitch as well after a little get together between the two sets of fans?

 

[JJBlade]

Remember it all well. Was down there the first time in the play offs ad as you say it was a bit naughty at times and many Blades got a clip. Some of the lads from my local were ambushed and got a bit of a kickin through sheer numbers onto them outside the ground. Well nasty atmosphere in the ground and you had to be really careful after the game otherwise you could really have come unstuck. You just had to back each other, grit your teeth and check that they were still in your gob when you got back to the car.

Next season i reckon most of the lads from the local went down complete with a good few mates and well known local hardmen who liked a ruck for a bit of payback. As you already mentioned, it certainly was payback time and the Bristol lads got it with bells on in the park.

Wasnt that the game when they got chased off their own pitch as well after a little get together between the two sets of fans?

It was mate
Although I deplore football violence and any other come to think of it, you can sometimes just allow yourself to watch it going on and think to yourself
"You bastards deserved that"

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

Anyone mention Boxing Day 1979? I know the pigs don't like to mention it but there was definitely more Blades than snorters at the dear old rust bucket that day. We were in the front middle of the south stand surrounded by fellow Blades fans. There's a photo of one of their goals at the away end of the ground and most fans in the background in the North Stand are stony faced and still sitting down.

 

[JJBlade]

I think there is going to be one huge away following to that game,if the Gods sort us out kindly that is.

Wolves got 10,000 at MK Dons in the last game or two before they went up. But they were already celebrating by that time
I can see us taking more than that if the same situation existed

On our trip to MK Dons the year we lost out on promotion after Ched Evans got sent down, we had about 6500 fans there, more in the expectation that we were going to fuck it up again rather than a mass celebration.
If a mass celebration was almost a certainty it's frightening to think how many would be there.

 

[JJBlade]

Anyone mention Boxing Day 1979? I know the pigs don't like to mention it but there was definitely more Blades than snorters at the dear old rust bucket that day. We were in the front middle of the south stand surrounded by fellow Blades fans. There's a photo of one of their goals at the away end of the ground and most fans in the background in the North Stand are stony faced and still sitting down.

There was more than 49000 at the Swill that day, United officially had 15000
There were more scattered about but we didn't have more than them.

The figures were closer at Bramall Lane for the return fixture actually when Wendy were as good as promoted and United had done the usual fuck up job, thousands of the fuckers were everywhere.
There weren't more of them than Blades but it was the closest it's ever been

 

[bornablade]

Wolves got 10,000 at MK Dons in the last game or two before they went up. But they were already celebrating by that time
I can see us taking more than that if the same situation existed

On our trip to MK Dons the year we lost out on promotion after Ched Evans got sent down, we had about 6500 fans there, more in the expectation that we were going to fuck it up again rather than a mass celebration.
If a mass celebration was almost a certainty it's frightening to think how many would be there.

Think I'm correct in saying that the capacity of the MK stadium for the Wolves match was not as high as it is now. We should, if the club can negotiate on our behalf get a lot more than 10,000 tickets for that game. We could even get double that.

 

[spongebobblade]

Anyone mention Boxing Day 1979? I know the pigs don't like to mention it but there was definitely more Blades than snorters at the dear old rust bucket that day. We were in the front middle of the south stand surrounded by fellow Blades fans. There's a photo of one of their goals at the away end of the ground and most fans in the background in the North Stand are stony faced and still sitting down.

Back you up all the way with regards the South Stand. We were towards the Blades end and two thirds of the way back and to what ratio I couldn't say but when the unclean scored there were far more who remained seated than who celebrated. Couldn't comment for the far side of the stand as the tears in my young eyes obscured my view

 

[Borbokisfreekick]

Anyone mention Boxing Day 1979? I know the pigs don't like to mention it but there was definitely more Blades than snorters at the dear old rust bucket that day. We were in the front middle of the south stand surrounded by fellow Blades fans. There's a photo of one of their goals at the away end of the ground and most fans in the background in the North Stand are stony faced and still sitting down.

Don't be daft, comments like that make us sound even more deluded than the pigs. I wasn't even born, but have enough sense to say there weren't more blades there than pigs in a 49,000 crowd at their ground!

 

[LS16Blade]

Another great away day, that day at Huddersfield was bonkers

Tony Pritchet described the atmosphere something along these lines

"United gave themselves a final chance against a backdrop of absolute bedlam"

Spot on, JJBlade. Pritchett wrote:

"There were 5,100 reasons why Sheffield United would not, could not, dare not lose their vital game at Huddersfield. That was the official number of their supporters in the 8,644 crowd and their influence was overwhelming from before the first whistle until after the last."

"United got the kind of thunderous welcome usually reserved for a side on the brink of the championship as they came out for their last match of the season at Huddersfield. Far from winning the title, United needed a win to make sure of avoiding relegation but thousands from Sheffield packed behind one goal and completely outnumbering the home team supporters, gave their team a moving reception."

"Against a background of absolute bedlam from their supporters, United launched themselves furiously at a Huddersfield defence which had already conceded 98 goals this season."

...back in the days when The Star was worth buying and youngsters sometimes kept a scrapbook....

 

[LS16Blade]

Don't be daft, comments like that make us sound even more deluded than the pigs. I wasn't even born, but have enough sense to say there weren't more blades there than pigs in a 49,000 crowd at their ground!

But Handsworth's comment isn't necessarily daft, Borbokis. It is impossible to prove either way at this distance, and as you say you weren't born at the time, but you have to appreciate the particular context in which that match took place In 1979.

Throughout most of the mid to late 70's, Wednesday's support was a standing joke; 7-8,000 gates were common-place. They would get an occasional big crowd which would boost the average a touch, because they had a big capacity to accommodate enormous followings like the 20-odd thousand from Man U when they took the ground over in their Second division title season in 74/75, or the 15,000 plus that Villa brought when Wednesday actually allocated their Kop to Villa and told their own fans to go in the North and South stands to avoid a repeat of the sort of trouble that Man U wrought.

When United went there in 1979, we were riding high and confidently expecting to beat them. We'd also had near enough a decade of being the top dog in the city on the pitch and with bigger gates. Even though we'd joined them in the 3rd division, we were still getting the bigger gates in the run-up - 16,000's compared to 11,000 or so. The Pigs' gate for the home match before Boxing Day was 11,530 against Exeter.

In 1979, the Leppings Lane end capacity was 18,000 and it was rammed. As others have mentioned, there were also United fans all round the other parts of the ground. Obviously, it isn't possible to say how many and as we know, the Pigs have always been able to pull on lots of grannies and aunties for a one-off match.

The Pigs' gates for their next 3 home matches, even after kicking us off the park, were 13,287, 11,958, and 12,425. In the 5 days after Boxing Day, and despite losing to our hated rivals, we pulled in 21,684 against Grimsby and 20,820 against Blackburn. That is a reasonable indicator of the relative levels of support at that time, and that carried on into February until it had become very apparent that Boxing Day had indeed been a watershed in the fortunes of the clubs; that we were in serious decline and the Pigs were on the way up.

The Boxing Day crowd was, in all likelihood, probably not far off being a 50/50 split. One game when United were definitely in the majority at the Sty, however, was Easter Monday in the 1971 promotion season. 47,000 there that day: Pigs were doing nothing and generally down to 13-14,000 and we were heading for promotion. United fans everywhere that day. God knows where the home fans were, but it certainly wasn't on the Kop.

 

[Weasel]

But Handsworth's comment isn't necessarily daft, Borbokis. It is impossible to prove either way at this distance, and as you say you weren't born at the time, but you have to appreciate the particular context in which that match took place In 1979.

Throughout most of the mid to late 70's, Wednesday's support was a standing joke; 7-8,000 gates were common-place. They would get an occasional big crowd which would boost the average a touch, because they had a big capacity to accommodate enormous followings like the 20-odd thousand from Man U when they took the ground over in their Second division title season in 74/75, or the 15,000 plus that Villa brought when Wednesday actually allocated their Kop to Villa and told their own fans to go in the North and South stands to avoid a repeat of the sort of trouble that Man U wrought.

When United went there in 1979, we were riding high and confidently expecting to beat them. We'd also had near enough a decade of being the top dog in the city on the pitch and with bigger gates. Even though we'd joined them in the 3rd division, we were still getting the bigger gates in the run-up - 16,000's compared to 11,000 or so. The Pigs' gate for the home match before Boxing Day was 11,530 against Exeter.

In 1979, the Leppings Lane end capacity was 18,000 and it was rammed. As others have mentioned, there were also United fans all round the other parts of the ground. Obviously, it isn't possible to say how many and as we know, the Pigs have always been able to pull on lots of grannies and aunties for a one-off match.

The Pigs' gates for their next 3 home matches, even after kicking us off the park, were 13,287, 11,958, and 12,425. In the 5 days after Boxing Day, and despite losing to our hated rivals, we pulled in 21,684 against Grimsby and 20,820 against Blackburn. That is a reasonable indicator of the relative levels of support at that time, and that carried on into February until it had become very apparent that Boxing Day had indeed been a watershed in the fortunes of the clubs; that we were in serious decline and the Pigs were on the way up.

The Boxing Day crowd was, in all likelihood, probably not far off being a 50/50 split. One game when United were definitely in the majority at the Sty, however, was Easter Monday in the 1971 promotion season. 47,000 there that day: Pigs were doing nothing and generally down to 13-14,000 and we were heading for promotion. United fans everywhere that day. God knows where the home fans were, but it certainly wasn't on the Kop.

My old man was at both these games you recall though he and the entire family (we are all Blades) no longer frequent that utter shit hole as we refuse to hand over our money to those wankas.

In our many chats about the Blades impending world domination (was a bit forced admittedly when we slid to heavy defeats v stevenage and crewe) we also used to chew the wendy crackling about previous Pork v Blades derbies.

He maintains that there were more Blades fans in the home of pork back on BD in 79 as he was in the north stand that day and as you said the lepers lane end was packed out. When they scored he said half of each stand didnt 'go up' nor did a fair few pockets on the pork chop kop. He mentioned that he got to see this 4 times unfortunately but there was no denying there was huge amounts of Blades in attendance that day. Will never know the numbers of each but probably a split of 50 50 wouldnt be far off the mark. Doesnt really matter though as he said he would have took being the only Blade in the ground with the Blades winning 4 nil instead. Thankfully he didnt allow me to go to that one as he was out with the lads and knew even young uns werent safe from a piggy trotter slap when the numbers were well in their favour - the classless bstards.

Easter 71 - the pork chop kop was awash with Blades, though no doubt that was airbrushed out of history by our Porcine friends.

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

Glad one or two (who were actually there, rather than not even born at the time!) have backed up what was always my hunch that they're were more Blades at the sty on boxing day than snorters, or at least 50/50.

As for the game in 71 I was only two at the time so remember nothing of the game but great to read that we vastly outnumbered the snorters on their own patch on the way to promotion.