Last game in PL

[Dkc]

There has been a bit of discussion about our last game in the PL, Wigan at home. I think a lot of people who were at that game have erased it from their memory. I certainly have. I haven't watched the highlights since, and had forgotton about the Jags handball.

There was so much anger around after that game, it ranks high among the worst Blades days in living memory, perhaps only topped by Walsall at home. There are also conspiracy theories that aren't true (Jags handballed it deliberately, Blades wanted to relegate West Ham and threw the game, convinced that WHam would lose to ManU). Among some, the dislike of Warnock remains. I remember Danny Weber's miss, reports of Sean Bean storming into Warnock's office and it almost ending in a scrap (still no idea what was said), fans fighting amonst themselves, Ferguson playing a weakened side, Tevez. I almost got smacked for admitting putting 50 quid on us being relegated before the Villa game when the odds were 25-1. I couldn't get rid of my winnings fast enough, but when people in the pub found out that I'd betted against the Blades they weren't happy.

This time, I hope it will be different. Even if we get relegated, we'll be stronger. But I do worry. I'm looking at the coming seasomn as a free hit, with any finish above the relegation places as a massive bonus. I hope Blades fans can accept that we could well go back down, and still support us all the way.

I was going to post highlights of the Wigan game but I'm not sure if I'm ready to watch it again yet.

 

[Blade for Sale]

There has been a bit of discussion about our last game in the PL, Wigan at home. I think a lot of people who were at that game have erased it from their memory. I certainly have. I haven't watched the highlights since, and had forgotton about the Jags handball.

There was so much anger around after that game, it ranks high among the worst Blades days in living memory, perhaps only topped by Walsall at home. There are also conspiracy theories that aren't true (Jags handballed it deliberately, Blades wanted to relegate West Ham and threw the game, convinced that WHam would lose to ManU). Among some, the dislike of Warnock remains. I remember Danny Weber's miss, reports of Sean Bean storming into Warnock's office and it almost ending in a scrap (still no idea what was said), fans fighting amonst themselves, Ferguson playing a weakened side, Tevez. I almost got smacked for admitting putting 50 quid on us being relegated before the Villa game when the odds were 25-1. I couldn't get rid of my winnings fast enough, but when people in the pub found out that I'd betted against the Blades they weren't happy.

This time, I hope it will be different. Even if we get relegated, we'll be stronger. But I do worry. I'm looking at the coming seasomn as a free hit, with any finish above the relegation places as a massive bonus. I hope Blades fans can accept that we could well go back down, and still support us all the way.

I was going to post highlights of the Wigan game but I'm not sure if I'm ready to watch it again yet.

Cheers for dragging that back up. What do you do for an encore, 10 minutes on the ebola epedemic?

 

[Dkc]

Cheers for dragging that back up. What do you do for an encore, 10 minutes on the ebola epedemic?

In order to get past it, we must face it head on

 

[PaulHalfway]

Horrible, horrible day, just like Chelsea, Walsall and all the PO final defeats

 

[Riccardo]

I'm confident we I'll stay up , my prediction is 15th

 

[Greasy Chap Butty]

It's irrelevant. Like when commentators talk about what happened last time team X played team Y 10 years ago. Different players, different managers. So, the only thing you could possibly worry about is Jags handballing it in the last game, but you might as well worry about getting struck by lightning.
We don't need to get past anything. Enjoy it, it's what we've aimed for for so long.

 

[BushBlade]

It's irrelevant. Like when commentators talk about what happened last time team X played team Y 10 years ago. Different players, different managers. So, the only thing you could possibly worry about is Jags handballing it in the last game, but you might as well worry about getting struck by lightning.
We don't need to get past anything. Enjoy it, it's what we've aimed for for so long.

Don’t tempt fate.

We had a bit of closure last season when Wigan did us a favour so maybe we’ll complete that by Jags getting the goal that keeps us up.

 

[South Bucks]

One of the things I remember about that dreadful day (I thought before hand we'd do enough to stay up) was at full time loads of fans around me on the kop threw their season ticket booklets towards the pitch together with less than best wishes for Mr Warnock, they were raining down in their dozens, glad I wasn't near the front.

 

[TopBoy]

I'm still numb. Not watched any highlights from this game or any playoff failure ...

 

[Shoreham_Bhoys]

I'm still numb. Not watched any highlights from this game or any playoff failure ...

Wade Elliott still haunts me.

 

[BladeInIreland]

In order to get past it, we must face it head on

Must we? Nah, going to keep it buried with all the other traumatic experiences.

 

[Stanthemanfan]

Wade Elliott still haunts me.

David hopkin still haunts me!

 

[LoughboroBlade]

The gloom had begun to set in the minute the Fulham result came in the previous week to be honest. They had been in freefall, and the general assumption had been as the last games approached that they wouldn’t pick up a further point. Not only did they pick up a point, they picked up three, and the atmosphere as we kicked off at Villa Park had a sinking feeling. I suspect the players were affected by that result too, as they all looked nervy, off it, and faced a Villa team in party mode for their final home game (and parading their old European cup-winning team before kickoff). It was one of our poorest performances of the season.

The manner of the following week’s events was awful, but I’d be lying if I said I was confident going into it – and I don’t recall any of those I spoke to being confident. It wasn’t helped by Warnock’s decision-making for the team selection. There are plenty of instances we can point to under Warnock where he’d make an odd selection and it paid off. This was one of them when it very much did not – it felt like the first time Jagielka had started at right-back since Shaun Murphy left and Jags moved centrally thereafter. Geary was obviously first choice, and had played the two previous home games. But he’d had a bad game at Villa (one of his only that season mind), been exposed physically – I imagine Warnock saw this as potentially a big vulnerability up against Lee McCulloch on Wigan’s left, and the idea was for Jagielka to match him. And I actually don’t think that was a terrible idea, even in retrospect. The problem was more I thought putting Geary at left back (Kozluk used to switch but it was the only time I can remember seeing Geary start there), so rather than have 1 of the back 4 altered we changed 2, and looked vulnerable. Was Chris Armstrong injured? He’d been poor at Villa, and hauled off at half-time, but the previous games we’d gone with Geary-Morgan-Kilgallon-Stretch as the back 4. If Armstrong was injured and Warnock was intent on Jagielka at right-back, we probably should have gone with Jags-Morgan-Davis-Kilgallon.

In theory, the midfield was on paper a bit stronger – Quinn in on the left shifted Tonge inside, but in reality a reason for Jagielka in midfield previous games was to strengthen us a bit more and Quinn had barely played in recent months. This goes against most of the rhetoric about the game, but I would argue the selections of Quinn and Geary on our left-hand side had more of a bearing on the result than Jagielka’s selection at right back. In trying to plug one weakness, we created another. Jagielka got a great assist for an extremely brave header by Steadinho for the equaliser.

Ultimately, we never looked comfortable. Would we have been less nervy with a more orthodox lineup? Probably, though I’ve no idea if the result would have been different. There are so many things that might have changed the game, but collectively it just all went wrong. Had Jagielka ballooned the cross Kozluk-style into the Kop, meaning at 0-1 Stead didn’t go for the chance and injure himself, would we (and perhaps he) gone on to get the goal in some other opportunity? Quite possibly. At that stage Stead was in good form, and though he continued bravely he clearly wasn’t in great shape after the collision. Had Nade been left on might he have scored Webber’s one-on-one effort (that I still have nightmares about)? Again, maybe. Had McCulloch not been sent off, would Wigan have moved Heskey to defence and defended as solidly? Maybe not.

It was just one of those days where it just felt like in addition to heaping problems on ourself everything conspired to relegate us – not wholly unlike 1994. It doesn’t in my opinion take away what was a great effort over the season by a group that really didn’t deserve on paper to have anywhere near as many as 38 points.

 

[Addison]

Started the day off optimistically but then read the Sunday papers. Basset had written that he was torn between us and Wigan going down because Paul Jewell was a mate. On balance he said he hoped W

 

[Addison]

Started the day off optimistically but then read the Sunday papers. Basset had written that he was torn between us and Wigan going down because Paul Jewell was a mate. On balance he said he hoped W

Started the day off optimistically but then read the Sunday papers. Dave Basset had written that he was torn between us and Wigan going down because Paul Jewell was a mate. On balance he said he hoped Wigan stayed up!! .If someone who was so close to the Club was tipping us to go down then the alarm bells started ringing. Still think to this day DB said that because of the bad feeling at the time between NW and the slimey Wally Downes.

Went to the game optimistic we were at Home, nothing to lose only needed a point. Game kicked off and someone must have told Emile Heskey he wasn't going to get paid any money for the rest of his career. He was everywhere and a player who'd been criticised all season for his efforts was playing out of his skin. We looked nervous and later NW confirmed they'd found out in the dressing room Man U had sold us down the river with the team selection. Went 0-1 down but still confident. Stead then nearly gets decapitated and equalises. In good spirits so make may way for an early half time piss and then suddenly deathly silence. Ask whats the matter and told Wigan had got a pen. Rush back to the top of the steps to see our former player score against us. So I never saw the hand ball that everyone argues about.

Second half was like being inside a bubble as nothing seemed to work until the Webber moment, on my feet celebrating a goal as he shot, how did he miss that!!

Atmosphere was getting toxic. Left a few minutes before the end, don't normally do that but foolishly believed we may score if I wasn't in the ground. Yes being a Blade makes you do some stupid things.

Heard the final whistle walking down Shoreham Street rest of day was a haze. How had we managed to fck that up after playing the Shammers off the park a month or two earlier.

The Tevez affair in the ensuing weeks only added to the pain. What came out of it was that Scudamore, Richards and co hated us for daring to question their integrity. The big Clubs turned their backs on us. £ signs were more important than blatant cheating. Little old Charlton, Wigan Watford, Fulham stood by us as we stood our ground to at least get compensation.

Scudamore, Richards, the cheating Icelandic chairman, the Shammers disgraced former Club Secretary, Ferguson, Benitez and all those clubs who turned their backs on us, we know who you are, Fck you the Blades are back in town on 10 August 2019. UTB.

 

[Antarctic Monkey]

I had £20 on the blades to go down at 26/1 when we were ‘safe’!

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Relive the day as it happened here:

Wigan Athletic Match Thread

Our last match of the season. Will we stay up or not?

www.s24su.com

Wallow in the post-match reaction here:

F*ck.

Thats all I can think to say. Only sheffield united could do this, be 10 points clear and still go down by 1 goal. Only sheffield united could get relegated every 13 years for the past 50 years. Only sheffield united could manage to get relegated when next season would be worth 60...

www.s24su.com

 

[grafikhaus]

On a more cheerful note - the last game we played in the second tier before our last promotion to the 'promised land' was at home to...Crystal Palace on 30th April 2006 (our first home opponents this coming season on August 18th).

Crikey, have we been on a journey since!

 

[Punk Blade]

Don’t tempt fate.

We had a bit of closure last season when Wigan did us a favour so maybe we’ll complete that by Jags getting the goal that keeps us up.

For me the closure was Wigan outlasting West Ham in the PL, making it worth it for them to stay up at our expense. Taking the FA Cup with them was a bonus.

As much as it hurt, no ill will towards Wigan, they did what they had to. My memory after the game was that everyone was upset by the outcome, I don’t remember much celebration from the Wigan fans.

 

[drinksmat]

It rained quite a bit that day

 

[Punk Blade]

nothing to lose

 

[Sheffsteel]

It rained quite a bit that day

I remember walking away from Bramall Lane being so angry.......
......then whilst walking back to the car...the heavens opened up and there was a right downpour.

I remember thinking normally on the last day of the season it’s sunny weather but trust the football Gods to send us a mini monsoon at the end of the match that relegated us against all the odds. I still feel angry even thinking about that day.

 

[S64 Blade]

Relive the day as it happened here:

Wigan Athletic Match Thread

Our last match of the season. Will we stay up or not?

www.s24su.com

Wallow in the post-match reaction here:

F*ck.

Thats all I can think to say. Only sheffield united could do this, be 10 points clear and still go down by 1 goal. Only sheffield united could get relegated every 13 years for the past 50 years. Only sheffield united could manage to get relegated when next season would be worth 60...

www.s24su.com

7UpJordan and Sharpy. The glory years.

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

I'm confident we I'll stay up , my prediction is 15th

How did the first 14 think we'll get on?

 

[Gin&Juice]

Warnock's fault. End of discussion. I read that he changed the starting 11 on the morning of the game, is that gospel or just another rumour?

 

[YES Blade]

David hopkin still haunts me!

If that face doesn’t haunt you, nothing will!

 

[Beans]

I was strangely confident going into this game - I never really thought we'd go down. Our home form had been really good that year - just checked now and we only lost 5 out of 18 going into that game, and from December onwards we'd played 11 home games and only lost twice - so I was confident we'd get at least a point. Wigan on the other hand had only won one away game so far that year.

And of course, I (naively) never thought Man United would lose at home to West Ham.

Relatively speaking, I don't even remember being that gutted at full time, compared to playoff finals etc. I think it was a good few days before it actually hit me what had just happened.

Anyway, cheers for bringing that up OP

 

[HackeyBlade]

I was 15. I'd just got into the drinking side of football and had plans to meet all my pals after the match to drink in one of the shit boozers we could get served in. I fucked it off and walked home in the pissing down rain absolutely broken

 

[Liverpool blade]

I’ve erased that day from my memory. Or so I thought until OP bought it back up again, many thanks.
I’m confident we’ll stay up as I think we’re going to surprise a few teams. UTB

 

[Baaaaaaa Blades]

remember bloody Heskey having a stormer of a game , battered our defence and ran them ragged and then as mentioned above defended very well when he went back
the rain was just constant and as said above just wasnt the norm at all for the last game of the season!