When it mattered that much you couldn’t turn back..

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Eza Blade

Eza Blade

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Me and my mate was social distancing each other last night and started to discuss when did you know you was hooked.

For me it was losing to Wednesday at Wembley, I would have been about 10. The feeling of anger, disgust, hatred and sadness didn’t leave me for weeks, (still a bit bitter now) the summer was a right off. Especially as most of my mates supported Wednesday(cunts).
 



Earliest proper memory was Walsall and going down to the 4th.

Burnley play off final was hardest defeat to get over for me.
 
Probably the first time I walked up the steps to the top of the Kop and looked down onto the pitch and round the ground. This was possibly the friendly against a River Plate in 78. If I went to any before that then I havent any recollection.

Whether it was the crowd, the atmosphere or a combination of everything, I can’t put my finger on it but I knew I would be in it for the long haul.

42 years on, all I can think about in the last couple of hours is that I’d have normally been in the pub this afternoon before the Spurs match, if it wasn’t for this awful situation we are all in
 
Eza Blade said:
Me and my mate was social distancing each other last night and started to discuss when did you know you was hooked.

For me it was losing to Wednesday at Wembley, I would have been about 10. The feeling of anger, disgust, hatred and sadness didn’t leave me for weeks, (still a bit bitter now) the summer was a right off. Especially as most of my mates supported Wednesday(cunts).
Click to expand...

I come from a family of pig fans. My Dad (albeit not around much as a kid) was/is a pig, my Mum's brothers and father were all pigs. The only exception was a loony uncle of my Mums who/is a Blade. He was, and still is, a very damaged bloke. He'd be diagnosed and medicated with something today. He used to go missing for years and then show his face like nothing happened and visit family etc.

One of his reappearance cycles aligned with Sheff Utd vs. Crystal Palace 1997 PO Final. I'm not sure why but he bought me and him a ticket. He knew I was a football nut so it was probably that. Low and behold he turned up to my Mum's at about 7am in the morning in a white transit van with a United flag on each corner of the roof and United shirts wedged into the rear windows.

The match itself was abysmal. It was roasting hot, slow paced and I cannot remember anything about the game apart from Palace fans disrespecting a pre-game minutes silence for someone associated to Utd who had passed on (can anyone remember?!) and the displeasure having a perfect, trajectory view of David Hopkins last minute 25 yard winner.

Nonetheless I was hooked. The next season was the Spackman era and the atmosphere vs. Sunderland at home in the first game was electric. Without any real previous affinity even I felt the excitement around the return of Deano. I went home and away with said Mad Uncle until he did his disappearing act but it didn't stop me. I carried on going down t'lane often by myself. I remember walking home from school one day and seeing those metal Sheffield Star headlines board outside a newsagent in Page Hall with words to the effect of "Blades sell star duo". I bought a paper and felt like I'd been punched in the stomach. If I had a top 3 players list at that time it was Fjortoft, Borbokis and Deane. To see two of them sold at the same time was truly, without exaggeration, heartbreaking for me.

The 1997/1998 season was a true induction for anyone who wanted to know what baggage came with the life of being a Blades fan; promise, hope, euphoria, shock and ultimately, disappointment.

Around this time my Mum started going out with a huge Blade (who sadly died last year) and his presence and my inauguration meant that what was once a Pig household soon became partisan Sheffield United territory, even my Mum identifies as a Blade! My nephews have grown up as Blades, my sister has paid for sponsorship of her business at BDTBL and sponsored the 4-2 bouncing day massacre, so the legacy since 1997/1998 is that we are a United family. 🔴⚪⚔❤

PS. My Dad is 🐽🤮
 
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Definitely 70/71 season I was allowed to go on my own with a friend felt really grown up at the age of 12 stood on the kophalf way down behind the barriers getting in at 1.30 reading program those we're the days also seeing my dad uncle grandad cousins all on terrace then after match getting 39 home UTB
 
Bristol City 'relegation' playoff 2nd leg. I was 11, and extremely upset.
 
I have to say I was totally hooked before I even watched the Blades play a single game .

On the occasions that my old man was the one to give me my bedtime story (admittedly few ) , they were not about the doings of Peter Rabbit , Rupert Bear etc. but those of Jock Dodds , Harry Johnson and Billy Gillespie so by the time of going to my first match at age six , I was 100% committed (for better or worse :eek::))
 
after visiting BDTBL for the first time as a 7 yr old - 0-0 draw with Sunderland in a 3 sided stadium. But even then I knew this was going to be the start of an eventful and often painful journey!
 
My first game, last game of the Season('77) 1-0 win v Plymouth, uncle took me as my folks don't like football.
Edwards (he was alright but he's no Billy Sharp!)
 
Born a Blade, father born and raised on Charlotte road, first game around '74 as an 8 year old, my cousin sold programmes on the corner of john street and shoreham street, I'd hold a few programmes while he gathered cash, then having sold up, walk back to the office and he would get a steward to let me into the kop while he cashed in and took a seat with his mates on the south stand, from then on never missed a home game, local aways too, Chesterfield, millers, Barnsley and of course Wednesday including "that" day after Xmas day and of course the penalty miss to send us into league division 4,don't go away much now but upto about 5 years ago, barely missed a game home or away. My one and only team, the incredible lows and the (less frequent) intoxicating highs.
 



It's just always been where I wanted to go since I knew it existed. Brought up on the top of East Bank Road so could almost see the ground from my house
 
Being handed over the turnstile by me dad, and standing at the railings BL end.1960's
The only constant in my life ever since.
 
I was a Blade before I ever went to a game as my mother had told me our family are United supporters when I started school. I knew I was hooked on going to my first match, I just felt that I belonged and had a season ticket from the start of the following season, 69/70.
Of all the bad times we’ve gone through being relegated at Chelsea was the the occasion which still hurts the most.
 
Eza Blade said:
Me and my mate was social distancing each other last night and started to discuss when did you know you was hooked.

For me it was losing to Wednesday at Wembley, I would have been about 10. The feeling of anger, disgust, hatred and sadness didn’t leave me for weeks, (still a bit bitter now) the summer was a right off. Especially as most of my mates supported Wednesday(cunts).
Click to expand...
Probably when I bought my division 4 season ticket.

I was a bit older but suffered crushi g disappointment and came back for more
 
For me, the moment I was handed the original fluorescent lime green away shirt by my uncle and told “you can keep it if you come to a game”.
 
What you've never had you never miss. I came from a non-football family with Wednesday leanings (both sides of the family came from Hillsborough). At junior school I got into football but was awful at playing it and didn't go to games. I became a "non-attending" Blade and had the shirt, schoolbag etc. Mum and dad thought it was a stupid game for yobs (I think they were right but whatever!!). Lost interest as a teenager. This was rekindled by my lad, Esteemed Forgeblade, who became a Blade through his mad drunken uncle (my ex- brother in law) in the early 90's. We went to a couple of games 96-97, then the play-off at Wembley. Although we lost, that was it. It kindled, or rekindled, something in me which has never gone away (and was always there, rather suppressed, before). Season tickets ever since, nearly 25 years. I wish I'd started earlier, as I missed a lot from being a "late developer ", but it's a huge part of who I am now. The end of this season is sad and full of "what might have beens " but not half as sad as for those 3500 plus (and counting), victims of Covid19 and their families, who were here only 3 weeks ago and aren't now.
I'll always be a Blade, and I think I always have been (despite some years of indifference and denial!), and it matters hugely to me, but the current situation has put a bit of perspective on things. Although now I've had it I miss it terribly.
Everybody take care and look after yourselves, and look forward to normality and football starting again!
UTB!
 
Eza Blade said:
Me and my mate was social distancing each other last night and started to discuss when did you know you was hooked.

For me it was losing to Wednesday at Wembley, I would have been about 10. The feeling of anger, disgust, hatred and sadness didn’t leave me for weeks, (still a bit bitter now) the summer was a right off. Especially as most of my mates supported Wednesday(cunts).
Click to expand...


I always console myself with the fact that game meant nothing in the end, have a nice soft spot for arsenal and always have... They didn't let us down..
 
I was hooked in the mid 1960s. When you think about it I've no idea why, I must have been looking for meaning in my life. Strange really. I'm not from Sheffield although I went to school there and eventually moved there and married into a family of Sheffielders.

Being a Blade is a massive part of my identity.
 
My first season of going to games was 97/98. So I suppose for me, it was the semi final at Old Trafford.

I remember crying when we lost and then somehow getting my leg trapped between the seat and back of the chair and my dad trying to navigate it out. I was literally stuck in the moment of disappointment, so it was probably then.
 
Our S6 family were either non football fans or armchair pigs but my best mate at junior school used to go to the Lane with his grandad. After finishing the Sheffield Star soccer coaching in the summer our reward was a United or Weds home game. I had no hesitation in picking the Blades and watched us beat Fulham in 1977. I was instantly hooked but being 10 years old had nobody to take me. Towards the end of the fateful 78/79 season I’d found another schoolmate and his dad but that ended with relegation. 79/80 a different mate but by 81/82 I was 14-15 years old with different mates. We missed just a handful of games during that season, travelling to away matches (without our parents knowledge) mainly on the football specials including night matches when we said we were stopping at a mates house for the night (his mum was really laid back). I funded it all by buying 20 fags everyday and selling them individually at school. There were 3 of us (sometimes 4) and it was a fantastic year. I’d seen 2 relegations in my first 4 seasons but it hadn’t killed my enthusiasm. The 4th division season though made me realise this would be for life
 
BonnyBlade said:
Definitely 70/71 season I was allowed to go on my own with a friend felt really grown up at the age of 12 stood on the kophalf way down behind the barriers getting in at 1.30 reading program those we're the days also seeing my dad uncle grandad cousins all on terrace then after match getting 39 home UTB
Click to expand...
I was 13 in 1970 and we must have been standing practically next to each other. That was my first season ticket year (£2.50) although my dad had been taking me since 1964. I can't honestly remember my first match except it was at night and I was completely mesmerized.
 
My family wasnt a massive football family. One of my uncles was one of those who went to whoever was at home, but his leanings were towards the dark side. I forgave him this because otherwise he is a sound bloke, and at that time he played for Oughtibridge and was a pretty decent player.

Anyway.....

My first ever game was actually Pigs vs Wrexham in the latish 70s. Cant remember the score, but randomly remember Dai Davies playing in goal for Wrexham.

Going there just didn't feel right.

My first Blades game was THAT game vs Walsall. Even given the events of that day, I just knew I didn't want to be anywhere else.

Still don't......
 



Glyn Hodges left foot said:
For me it was when sam Hashini stole our money and changed to Samantha, i thought that ‘took some balls’. It was then i knew we were a different and special club.
Click to expand...


Brilliant ! GOODBYE SAM HELLO SAMANTHA

A song by my favourite artist :shark:

Thank God for Jesus !!
 
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