Alan Woodward

[BladeFisher]

In response to a Sitters comment I thought I'd start one off about my Blades hero.

Firstly how is he doing? A few months ago he was really quite ill, what is the latest?

Now onto the player. I hadn't realised till I read one of the Blades books that he was a smoker, which when I read it I was rather taken aback. As a kid I idolised this guy. He always struck me as very shy and a right sportsman but hell what a shot he had on him. Did anyone every measure the power of his shot against Peter Lorimer the other player who had a reputation for a powerful shooter?

What was unique about him was his reputation for corner and banana kicks and of course penalties. I thought he scored two direct from a corner against Coventry at the Lane but maybe got that wrong.

If I recall he got sent off once at Burnley? which amazed me too, thought he was a bit Linnekeresque when it came to bookings/sending offs.

Finally on wiki it refers to his temperament precluding him getting international honours. What was wrong with it?

Still lovely memories of a real, real legend at BDTBL from young lad to grey haired, thunder thighs.

I remember my first away game, midweek at my local club Portsmouth 1970. Ball to Currie, launches an inch perfect pass to Woody who sets off like an express train down that right wing. Great night, Pompey 1 Blades 5

Wonderful memories Alan. Top Blade.

 

[sitwell]

Incredible footballer ,best uncapped player ever ? Ipswich 7-0 is my most prominent memory ,world class display.Didnt he have an affair with one of the women who worked at the Lane and ended up marrying her ?

 

[BladeFisher]

Incredible footballer ,best uncapped player ever ? Ipswich 7-0 is my most prominent memory ,world class display.Didnt he have an affair with one of the women who worked at the Lane and ended up marrying her ?

Yeah Sitters, I think that's why he left the club. I remember Goal and Shoot! and like all sad kids then used to cut out the rare Blades player's profiles.

There was one photo of Woody squatting down and his thighs were about the size of the average teenager's midriff! Then another one where they asked questions like favourite film, meal etc. Had them on the bedroom wall at home on the Isle of Wight where I lived after leaving Sheffield in 1964. Takes you back thinking about it.

Was just the power the guy had in his shot. I never thought he'd miss with a penalty. Surprised he didn't break the net.

 

[sitwell]

Loved Shoot ,it was educational ,I would never have know what Miscellaneous likes and dislikes meant .I could spell Miscellaneous at the age of 10 ,bet there arent many 10 year olds now who could

 

[metalblade]

He scored from a corner at Filbert St and did the same at the lane at the kop end v Newcastle I think it was.

Ramsey was England manager and we didn't play with out and out wingers while he was in charge.

 

[Guesty]

I think Shoot! used the words 'shoots like a cobra with venom in both boots' to describe him, my Dad loves quoting that.

I also seem to remember hearing that his sending off was in a match in which United were subject to a whole series of atrocious decisions. Woodward said to the ref ' you're not going to let us win this, are you?' and got a red card for his trouble.

 

[Large Mendonca]

My favourite player while i was a lad - wish we had someone with half his ability........

 

[Maidenhead]

I think Shoot! used the words 'shoots like a cobra with venom in both boots' to describe him, my Dad loves quoting that.

I also seem to remember hearing that his sending off was in a match in which United were subject to a whole series of atrocious decisions. Woodward said to the ref ' you're not going to let us win this, are you?' and got a red card for his trouble.

Referee was called McNally.

He not only sent off Woody but also Keeley.

If that's what Woody said he was dead right.

We finished with 9 men and I believe we lost 4-1 ( my memory of past games is not great and Darren or Silent I certainly am not)

I seem to recall that Mcnally was later given a game at BDTBL and before the kick off the kop was chanting "bring on the bastard". I don't recall that we ever saw him again after that.

 

[Maidenhead]

Referee was called McNally.

He not only sent off Woody but also Keeley.

If that's what Woody said he was dead right.

We finished with 9 men and I believe we lost 4-1 ( my memory of past games is not great and Darren or Silent I certainly am not)

I seem to recall that Mcnally was later given a game at BDTBL and before the kick off the kop was chanting "bring on the bastard". I don't recall that we ever saw him again after that.

It was at Burnley btw

 

[Grecian2000]

Referee was called McNally.

He not only sent off Woody but also Keeley.

If that's what Woody said he was dead right.

We finished with 9 men and I believe we lost 4-1 ( my memory of past games is not great and Darren or Silent I certainly am not)

I seem to recall that Mcnally was later given a game at BDTBL and before the kick off the kop was chanting "bring on the bastard". I don't recall that we ever saw him again after that.

As well as being the only man to send off Woody, I believe McNally was also the only ref to send of Bobby Moore. He also ref'd our cup exit at Aldershot (to a dodgy penalty) in thick fog. Early day Mike "Cheating Cunt" Dean.

As for the Woody sending off, we had conceded a goal where Steve Kindon powered over the top of our CB and headed in. Looked a bit dubious but fair do's. Bobby Campbell scored an identical goal later on only for McNally to dissallow it. At this point Woody had a word and off he went. Cue chaos on the side of the ground with fighting, people trying to climb the fences etc.
We did, indeed, go on to concede 4. One of the most dubious performances I've ever seen from an official.

As for the great man, he was just that. A proper player, and a nice bloke.

 

[Darren]

As well as being the only man to send off Woody, I believe McNally was also the only ref to send of Bobby Moore. He also ref'd our cup exit at Aldershot (to a dodgy penalty) in thick fog. Early day Mike "Cheating Cunt" Dean.

As for the Woody sending off, we had conceded a goal where Steve Kindon powered over the top of our CB and headed in. Looked a bit dubious but fair do's. Bobby Campbell scored an identical goal later on only for McNally to dissallow it. At this point Woody had a word and off he went. Cue chaos on the side of the ground with fighting, people trying to climb the fences etc.
We did, indeed, go on to concede 4. One of the most dubious performances I've ever seen from an official.

As for the great man, he was just that. A proper player, and a nice bloke.

It was 11th March 1978. Stainrod got our goal and I think it put us 1-0 up.

 

[Guesty]

Referee was called McNally.

He not only sent off Woody but also Keeley.

If that's what Woody said he was dead right.

We finished with 9 men and I believe we lost 4-1 ( my memory of past games is not great and Darren or Silent I certainly am not)

I seem to recall that Mcnally was later given a game at BDTBL and before the kick off the kop was chanting "bring on the bastard". I don't recall that we ever saw him again after that.

Didn't he later get done for fiddling his expenses?

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Didn't he later get done for fiddling his expenses?

Does ring a bell, Guesty! I do know he seemed to delight in getting players who'd never been sent off, Woody, Moore; Lineker was lucky to be playing a bit later.

As an aside, great ava Guesty. Reminds me of an old mate who is the reason I took up bass playing, Chris Glen the mad scots git. Not seen him for years, probably mid to late 80s when he was doing a gig with the late, great Gary Moore (I think at the time he was with MSG).

 

[georgebernardshaw]

Yeah Sitters, I think that's why he left the club. I remember Goal and Shoot! and like all sad kids then used to cut out the rare Blades player's profiles.

There was one photo of Woody squatting down and his thighs were about the size of the average teenager's midriff! Then another one where they asked questions like favourite film, meal etc. Had them on the bedroom wall at home on the Isle of Wight where I lived after leaving Sheffield in 1964. Takes you back thinking about it.

Was just the power the guy had in his shot. I never thought he'd miss with a penalty. Surprised he didn't break the net.

The only time I saw the referee move the wall forwards at a free kick.

 

[Grecian2000]

He did miss one horrible penalty. Man City at home and he scuffed it into Ken Mulhearn who couldn't believe his luck as it hit him on the leg (I'm sure he was just trying to dive out of the way of the expected thunderbolt). I think we ended up losing 1-0.

 

[Racy]

Only the other day I was talking about the old days with a with a bloke on a job Im working on in Derby he is hardcore Rams Fan first one he mentioned "Who was that grey haired youth on the wing always caused us plenty of trouble"
The one and only Woody

 

[Sothall_Blade]

Loved Shoot ,it was educational ,I would never have know what Miscellaneous likes and dislikes meant .I could spell Miscellaneous at the age of 10 ,bet there arent many 10 year olds now who could

I used to have a map of England and Wales with the shirts of all 92 league clubs in the correct geographical position on the map. So I knew where obscure towns like Aldershot, Gillingham, Carlisle etc were from a very early age.
I probably wouldn't know where they were now if it weren't for that football map. I've never been to any of them.

 

[super_pig]

Only the other day I was talking about the old days with a with a bloke on a job Im working on in Derby he is hardcore Rams Fan first one he mentioned "Who was that grey haired youth on the wing always caused us plenty of trouble"
The one and only Woody

heh.. indeed mate.. the away fans used to laugh at him .. 'who's that old bloke on the wing'.. at first..

 

[Trafford]

I don't know why but I have an image of him in a sheepskin coat at Owlerton - seem to recall he liked a bet on the dogs?

 

[Darren]

He did miss one horrible penalty. Man City at home and he scuffed it into Ken Mulhearn who couldn't believe his luck as it hit him on the leg (I'm sure he was just trying to dive out of the way of the expected thunderbolt). I think we ended up losing 1-0.

That was 20/1/68. We actually lost 3-0. Man City won the league that season. He also missed one v Coventry on 13/11/71 (though he did score 2 to win us the game 2-0).

Off the top of my head, I think Peter Duffield, Mitch Ward and Nick Blackman are the only players who took more than 3 pens and never missed one.

 

[Grecian2000]

That was 20/1/68. We actually lost 3-0. Man City won the league that season. He also missed one v Coventry on 13/11/71 (though he did score 2 to win us the game 2-0).

Off the top of my head, I think Peter Duffield, Mitch Ward and Nick Blackman are the only players who took more than 3 pens and never missed one.

Cheers Dazzler, was it 1-0 when he missed the pen against MC? I know it was fairly crucial (i.e. not at 3-0 down with 5 to play).

I remember the Coventry one as well. I think he missed that one at 1-0 as we had a pointless debate on the way home (did you ever frequent the 51 per chance) about whether he would have scored a hat trick or would the game have fundamentally changed by him scoring the pen and so we may not have got the last goal anyway.

 

[Darren]

Cheers Dazzler, was it 1-0 when he missed the pen against MC? I know it was fairly crucial (i.e. not at 3-0 down with 5 to play).

I remember the Coventry one as well. I think he missed that one at 1-0 as we had a pointless debate on the way home (did you ever frequent the 51 per chance) about whether he would have scored a hat trick or would the game have fundamentally changed by him scoring the pen and so we may not have got the last goal anyway.

I don't know what the score was in the Man City game at the time of the pen miss I am afraid.

I assume you are referring to the 51 Herdings to Lodge Moor bus? That was one of my regular buses, along with the 27 (City to Dyke Vale Road) 28 (City to Herdings), 43 (City to Jordanthorpe) and 64 (City to Charnock). Amazing how you remember these things...

 

[Wapping Blade]

I had one too

I used to have a map of England and Wales with the shirts of all 92 league clubs in the correct geographical position on the map. So I knew where obscure towns like Aldershot, Gillingham, Carlisle etc were from a very early age.
I probably wouldn't know where they were now if it weren't for that football map. I've never been to any of them.

I had one too and I'm trying to remember who published it - it had all the nicknames as well.

 

[Darren]

I had one too

I had one too and I'm trying to remember who published it - it had all the nicknames as well.

Make that 3 of us

 

[Revolution]

That was 20/1/68. We actually lost 3-0. Man City won the league that season. He also missed one v Coventry on 13/11/71 (though he did score 2 to win us the game 2-0).

Off the top of my head, I think Peter Duffield, Mitch Ward and Nick Blackman are the only players who took more than 3 pens and never missed one.

did Andy Gray ever miss one?

 

[Darren]

did Andy Gray ever miss one?

Good point. He missed one in a friendly I think, but never in a competitive game. He didn't take that many though. I can recall

30/4/04 Ipswich H
1/3/05 Arsenal A
6/8/05 Leicester H

So he would not beat the "more than 3 pens" rule (if I am right - NB I don't count shoot outs. I think he managed 3 in them in 04-05).

 

[BladeFisher]

I don't know what the score was in the Man City game at the time of the pen miss I am afraid.

I assume you are referring to the 51 Herdings to Lodge Moor bus? That was one of my regular buses, along with the 27 (City to Dyke Vale Road) 28 (City to Herdings), 43 (City to Jordanthorpe) and 64 (City to Charnock). Amazing how you remember these things...

51 bus yeah! used to get that down from Lodge Moor to the Lane when staying with my grandparents at the top end of Crimicar Lane.

 

[Guesty]

That was 20/1/68. We actually lost 3-0. Man City won the league that season. He also missed one v Coventry on 13/11/71 (though he did score 2 to win us the game 2-0).

Off the top of my head, I think Peter Duffield, Mitch Ward and Nick Blackman are the only players who took more than 3 pens and never missed one.

What about Nuddy? He probably missed one I can't remember.

 

[LA Blade]

He coached this team over here - http://www.sheffieldunited.org/

 

[Silent Blade]

I remember my first away game, midweek at my local club Portsmouth 1970. Ball to Currie, launches an inch perfect pass to Woody who sets off like an express train down that right wing. Great night, Pompey 1 Blades 5

Wonderful memories Alan. Top Blade.

He scored a hat trick that night