Last time we were in 5th position in the top division on Xmas Day

[Tickhill Blade]

Ipswich promoted to 1st division for their first time in history in 1961 and then finished as champions of the League in the following season

If Wilder emulates their manager he'll have done ok!

 

[FreePaulRodgers]

Was after we beat Forest 2-1 on 18/12/71 to take us to 5th position and then a 2-1 win at Newcastle on 27th Dec took us to 4th position.

Think the last time before that was on 25/12/23 (playing Xmas Day fixtures were the norm then)

And finished 10th.(In 72).

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Xmas 1971 cardView attachment 67107

Remember getting that.

 

[Sparky]

22/12/1990 Remember when we were still looking for our first win of the season and Forest came to town? Pitch invasion at the end!!!

Oh Yes. Great memory.

 

[metalblade]

This is another post of yours that set me thinking. The situation in 1971 was in some ways similar to that in Autumn 1963, which in turn finds some echoes today. We went top of the old Division 1 on October 26th 1963, with a win at Burnley. The programme for the following home match, v Arsenal, celebrates this fact, and says it is the first time since 1925 that this had been the case. It felt as if this could lead to something even better, with the programme stressing the team spirit, camaraderie and absence of big egos (like the current squad rather than the 1971 group?), and the defence, which seemed to have been playing together for ever, was rock-solid. There were also youngsters such as Badger and Bernard Shaw coming through, and indeed Bernard Shaw was playing at the time in place of the injured Graham Shaw. We remained top until November 16th, but in an era when there was no big 6, there were many teams just behind us. We lost at home to Bolton that day, lost top spot as a result, and more importantly lost Hodgy to a broken thumb. The failure to replace him properly, at a time before transfer windows had been introduced, was the major factor in a sudden sharp decline in results, and by Xmas, we were mid-table, and ended the season 12th. I remember that as the brief moment when that experienced and accomplished team looked as if they were going to fulfil their potential, but lack of resources/ambition cost us dear. Xmas 1963 ended up nothing like Xmas 2019 - just a might-have-been.

Who was the reserve keeper all I remember was he wasn't a patch on Hodgy. Thompson rings a bell I don't think it was Widdowson?

 

[silver blade]

Was after we beat Forest 2-1 on 18/12/71 to take us to 5th position and then a 2-1 win at Newcastle on 27th Dec took us to 4th position.

Think the last time before that was on 25/12/23 (playing Xmas Day fixtures were the norm then)

Just remind me what position did we end up at the end of the 71/72 season

 

[Silent Blade]

Who was the reserve keeper all I remember was he wasn't a patch on Hodgy. Thompson rings a bell I don't think it was Widdowson?

Widdowson was supposed to replace Hodgy in the next match but broke his arm at training that week so we re-signed Des Thompson from Buxton!

 

[Silent Blade]

Just remind me what position did we end up at the end of the 71/72 season

I would be happy with 10th this season!

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

Who was the reserve keeper all I remember was he wasn't a patch on Hodgy. Thompson rings a bell I don't think it was Widdowson?

Des Thompson, because of Hodgy's consistency, was in the reserves 1955-62, and hardly played any first-team games. He went to non-league Buxton, and when Hodgy was injured, was re-signed, at the age of 35 and with no league experience to speak of for 8 years. It did not go well, and United sank down the league table, and did not recover. Rather like Don Givens 3 decades later, he found himself tainted with responsibility for failure.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

I would be happy with 10th this season!

Be surprised if you could find anyone who wouldn't.

Be a few who will be disappointed to finish below 10th now though.

 

[blade too long]

What about the old first division?

Wasn't a 38 game league and for most of its length was 2 points for a win so hard to contrast

 

[XM657]

I would be happy with 10th this season!

Oh!!! SB. first time you've disappointed me. Even me and myself deprecation added to seventy plus years following United are looking for single figure finish, come on son FAITH in CWAK and the Lads.

 

[XM657]

Des Thompson, because of Hodgy's consistency, was in the reserves 1955-62, and hardly played any first-team games. He went to non-league Buxton, and when Hodgy was injured, was re-signed, at the age of 35 and with no league experience to speak of for 8 years. It did not go well, and United sank down the league table, and did not recover. Rather like Don Givens 3 decades later, he found himself tainted with responsibility for failure.

Des or Daz as he was known by a section of the terrace, I (we) frequented, (just looked it up) played 7 consecutive games 1963. Lost 5 Drawn 2 Won 1. First three games losses plus previous Bolton loss put United in a downward spiral they never recovered from finishing mid table for 1963-64.
Personally, Des Thompson was a good servant to the club and well liked by the reserve officianardos of the day in his '55-62 spell. Obviously, in hind sight, '63 was a mistake, was it his though and because of Hodgys excellence the club/committee, as usual for then wouldn't spend.

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

Des or Daz as he was known by a section of the terrace, I (we) frequented, (just looked it up) played 7 consecutive games 1963. Lost 5 Drawn 2 Won 1. First three games losses plus previous Bolton loss put United in a downward spiral they never recovered from finishing mid table for 1963-64.
Personally, Des Thompson was a good servant to the club and well liked by the reserve officianardos of the day in his '55-62 spell. Obviously, in hind sight, '63 was a mistake, was it his though and because of Hodgys excellence the club/committee, as usual for then wouldn't spend.

That is very much how I remember it. He was a bit of a 'character' for the reserves (I thought of him as a poor man's Harry Gregg), and it would be wrong to blame him for the decline. The blame lay with the club, which is why I used the Don Givens comparison. Givens stepped up to take the penalty when others did not, and the club had been in decline for a while. Givens just happened to be in the spotlight at the culminating moment. Those 2 moments are largely responsible for my Blades pessimism, though I am in danger of trusting Wilder!