10 Memorable Night Matches at the Lane

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The Coventry cup match and the man utd 2-1 both stick out in my mind...great nights
 



I'll add the 3-1 beating of Fulham in the cup replay of 1967 2 goals from wild Bill Punton who had a stormer of a game in front of 33,000 in the lane. As a young un I was well impressed, the first time I had ever stood on John st terrace the crush was that bad the buttons were ripped off my jacket which earned me a good telling off when I got home.
 
I'll add the 3-1 beating of Fulham in the cup replay of 1967 2 goals from wild Bill Punton who had a stormer of a game in front of 33,000 in the lane. As a young un I was well impressed, the first time I had ever stood on John st terrace the crush was that bad the buttons were ripped off my jacket which earned me a good telling off when I got home.


My recollection is of getting in five minutes late and we were already one up.
 
sufc 3 piggies 2 friday night 3-0 up , they pulled 2 back but we finished the stronger#

Another game we let them off with a pounding. Only we could go 3-0 up at ht and then try and throw it away ffs. Although I was happy we'd beaten THEM, I felt annoyed we had'nt destroyed them when in such a strong positin. Reminded me of the game at Hillsborough (2006?) when we went 2-0 up with Tonge and Akinbyi. We should have won infinity - 0 but won 2-1 ffs.
 
Forgot about Simpkin..I remember Knighton,Chris Chilton..Was it Billy Baxter the Centre Back.Anyway X rated stuff from the Codheaded ones.


Ken Wagstaffe was their best player. Very good winger on his day - built on similar lines to Paddy Buckley.

The other one I remember was their goalkeeper, Ian McKechnie. He was pelted with oranges on the night as he ran to the goal at the Kop end. He'd said something about liking oranges and it had been reported in the papers.
 
The season we got relegated in 1994 we beat West Ham 3-2, a class goal by whitehouse as well. Not sure it's top 10 but definitely top 20.
 
Another game we let them off with a pounding. Only we could go 3-0 up at ht and then try and throw it away ffs. Although I was happy we'd beaten THEM, I felt annoyed we had'nt destroyed them when in such a strong positin. Reminded me of the game at Hillsborough (2006?) when we went 2-0 up with Tonge and Akinbyi. We should have won infinity - 0 but won 2-1 ffs.
Every time we beat the pork is an occasion to rejoice no matter what the score or how it's done , a draw or heaven forbid is loss is a nightmare that always reminds me of Boxing Day . Spits on the floor and our lass asks me what the fuck are ya doing .
Liverpool in 70's is a stand out one for me .
Forest at home for first win in div 1 , ( well it was dark ) think it was 17 ? Matches
Pigs when Quinn did his little leap in the air . We won 3-1
Chelsea when we beat em , in there promotion year .
Was"nt at the match but when going home from Fellbrig in Norfolk park , one of my mates , shouting oi Beeffy united are slaughtering Arsenal at the lane , you could hear the crowd from my house . UTB.
 
There's 4 missing from the 02/03 season alone.

Leeds when Jags scored "that goal"

Pigs when A. Quinn scored first then we won3-1 (browns volley)

Liverpool 2-1 Sir Michael Tonge

Nottm Forest 4-3. Peschisolido


It was a shame we didn't go up as it was a magic season even better than when we did go up. And we even Beat Pompey away and Leicester at home who should not have been allowed to compete like they did under administration. We lost Brownie 'cos of them.
 
hard to believe we could complain about only beating teams rather than pulverising them

Boxing day 1979 casts a long shadow...
The season we got relegated in 1994 we beat West Ham 3-2, a class goal by whitehouse as well. Not sure it's top 10 but definitely top 20.

2-0 down in no time at all, Whitehouse scored just before half time.

Gayle got the second just after half time and Paul Rogers got a winner later on. Both from corners and I think Ludek Miklosko may have been at fault for both...
 
Boxing day 1979 casts a long shadow...

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should bring up the 7-3 win we had in 1951 , its as relevant, dont remember them ever slapping 7 past us

I went to see our 2-0 win over wednesday in 64 when Birchenall scored both only 13 tears after the 7-3 win , we werent singing any songs about that win, pigs still go on about their win 35 years after it , a division 3 result ?, we just dont seem to promote ourselves as much , do we
Does it matter what Wednesday think , come on its 14 years since they were higher than 8th in the championship , they are shite
 
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I remember a 3-3 draw at home to Barnsley, we were losing up until quite late then got an equaliser. Can't remember the year or the scorers but sticks out as I was very young at the time
 



Some great memories from those matches. Only one I didn't go to was the first one versus Tottenham. Remember my dad who was a Wednesday fan going though and raving the next morning about this new player we had signed from Watford.

Another night game that I remember was in 1971 just a few weeks before the Cardiff game. It was my 3rd match in 4 days having been to the away games at Leicester on Saturday and Hillsborough on Easter Monday both ending in 0-0 draws. We then played Milwall at home on the Tuesday night needing a win to keep up our promotion challenge. We struggled to break down Milwalls defence all evening and on a muddy pitch the match looked to be heading for another goalless draw as the game entered the final 5 minutes. Trevor Hockey dribbled the ball into the area and was tackled and brought down . There then ensued a mad scramble in the penalty area in with both sides appealing for various fouls and handball and bodies all over the place. Suddenly the ball stuck stuck in the mud on the six yard line and everyone appeared to freeze. Then Hockey picked himself up of the floor and knocked it into the net. Everyone expected the referee to give some infringement but amazingly gave the goal. The Milwall pllayers went mad and the last few minutes descended into chaos including one Milwall player having a go at ball boy for not retrieving the ball quickly enough. This was quite amusing as they had been time wasting all night. Then to cap it all one of their defenders managed to volley the ball into his own goal from the edge of the area to give us a vital 2-0 victory.
 
I remember a 3-3 draw at home to Barnsley, we were losing up until quite late then got an equaliser. Can't remember the year or the scorers but sticks out as I was very young at the time

Marcus Bent scored in the last minute after some shite defending from a very good Barnsley side.

Bent was handy in those days.
 
Some great memories from those matches. Only one I didn't go to was the first one versus Tottenham. Remember my dad who was a Wednesday fan going though and raving the next morning about this new player we had signed from Watford.

Another night game that I remember was in 1971 just a few weeks before the Cardiff game. It was my 3rd match in 4 days having been to the away games at Leicester on Saturday and Hillsborough on Easter Monday both ending in 0-0 draws. We then played Milwall at home on the Tuesday night needing a win to keep up our promotion challenge. We struggled to break down Milwalls defence all evening and on a muddy pitch the match looked to be heading for another goalless draw as the game entered the final 5 minutes. Trevor Hockey dribbled the ball into the area and was tackled and brought down . There then ensued a mad scramble in the penalty area in with both sides appealing for various fouls and handball and bodies all over the place. Suddenly the ball stuck stuck in the mud on the six yard line and everyone appeared to freeze. Then Hockey picked himself up of the floor and knocked it into the net. Everyone expected the referee to give some infringement but amazingly gave the goal. The Milwall pllayers went mad and the last few minutes descended into chaos including one Milwall player having a go at ball boy for not retrieving the ball quickly enough. This was quite amusing as they had been time wasting all night. Then to cap it all one of their defenders managed to volley the ball into his own goal from the edge of the area to give us a vital 2-0 victory.
What I remember about Hockey's goal was that Millwall's keeper, Bryan King, had picked the ball up and about to take a drop kick but Hockey dived towards him, used his hands to knock the ball off King's arms and then Hockey fell on the ground to stab the ball into the net. We all laughed at the "Horseplay" but incredibly the ref didnt see Hockey's charge at King and allowed the goal to stand. There was confusion within the Blades fans and forcing ourselves to cheer at the ref's decision. My dad pulled me up from my seat telling me to cheer at the goal, I was confused but I saw the ref surrounded by the angry Millwall players and the ref still pointed his finger to the centre spot awarding the goal! Just before the end, an own goal made it 2-0 for us
 
Marcus Bent scored in the last minute after some shite defending from a very good Barnsley side.

Bent was handy in those days.

We were absolute toilet that night.

No doubt Pinchy was apoplectic at Bents goal, coming as it did from a massive hoof from out of our keepers hands... :-)
 
Hello fellow Blades, I'm new to the forum.

Great topic, some good shouts on there, some of my top night games would be:

Forest - 4-3 in the play offs
Leeds - 2-1 in the cup
Tottenham - 6-0 in 1993
Pigs - 3-1 at home, Brownies free kick
Liverpool - 2-1 in the League Cup Semi
Blackburn - 2-2 (5-3 on pens) FA Cup Quarter Final 1993 - Alan Kelly was a hero that night!!
 
Hello fellow Blades, I'm new to the forum.

Great topic, some good shouts on there, some of my top night games would be:

Forest - 4-3 in the play offs
Leeds - 2-1 in the cup
Tottenham - 6-0 in 1993
Pigs - 3-1 at home, Brownies free kick
Liverpool - 2-1 in the League Cup Semi
Blackburn - 2-2 (5-3 on pens) FA Cup Quarter Final 1993 - Alan Kelly was a hero that night!!

Great username!!

Nothing quite like a Borbokisfreekick ...
 
Fa cup reply v arsenal 1996 I think?
We won one nil with a Carl veart header at the away end in the first half.
 
Fa cup reply v arsenal 1996 I think?
We won one nil with a Carl veart header at the away end in the first half.
That FA Cup night was amazing. The lower tier at the Lane end was full of United fans. We should reintroduce that.
Was an amazing atmosphere that night. Dane Whitehouse had a cracking game, he also got the equalizer at Highbury to take it to the replay if I remember right.
 
I was at 5 of those games. The atmosphere at the Hull Tigers game was electric. Forty two thousand in the ground. I was nearly crushed behind a barrier at the back of the kop. Game was blood and thunder and Chris Simpkin the Hull Tigers defender was kicking the Blades off the park. Ref stopped the match and got both captains together to read the riot act, never seen it before or since. We were neck and neck with Cardiff Reds and Hull in the league behind Leicester and the match felt like a promotion decider. Really depressed at the end (and bruised ribs). All ended well and Hull never recovered from that defeat until recent seasons

Defeat? It was us that lost wrecking an unbeaten home league record.
 
Another couple for me: The night we played River Plate in August 1978. Although it was only a friendly, it was something special to see half of the Argentine World Cup winning team play in Sheffield and coming two nights after we beat Liverpool, it was quite a week at the Lane.

Found a website that has details of the River Plate line up that night

http://footysphere.com/post/206689973/sheffield-united-river-plate-1978

Fillol, Passarella, Luque and Ortiz played (all started) in the 1978 World Cup final, Alonso was in the 1978 World Cup squad and came on as sub in their opening game against Hungary, Perfumo played for Argentina in that infamous 1966 quarter final match against England and was captain in 1974 World Cup,

After the friendly match I went to John Street to have a closer look at the World Cup winners, I spotted 3 of them in the coach but there was no sign of Passarella. Pedro Gonzalez seemed to fall in love with one of the young ladies who was near me and tried to speak to her through the window but he then came out of the coach to meet the lady to hold her hand and was sort of wooing her! Then a passing car was getting a lot of attention and were surrounded by Blades fans, I was wondering who were in the car and I found that Sabella was in the car with Passarella giving the impression that they are close friends (Sabella must have invited him to a meal out or something like that) and it was no surprise to me that Sabella was Passarella's assistant in the 1998 World Cup
 
Found a website that has details of the River Plate line up that night

http://footysphere.com/post/206689973/sheffield-united-river-plate-1978

Fillol, Passarella, Luque and Ortiz played (all started) in the 1978 World Cup final, Alonso was in the 1978 World Cup squad and came on as sub in their opening game against Hungary, Perfumo played for Argentina in that infamous 1966 quarter final match against England and was captain in 1974 World Cup,

After the friendly match I went to John Street to have a closer look at the World Cup winners, I spotted 3 of them in the coach but there was no sign of Passarella. Pedro Gonzalez seemed to fall in love with one of the young ladies who was near me and tried to speak to her through the window but he then came out of the coach to meet the lady to hold her hand and was sort of wooing her! Then a passing car was getting a lot of attention and were surrounded by Blades fans, I was wondering who were in the car and I found that Sabella was in the car with Passarella giving the impression that they are close friends (Sabella must have invited him to a meal out or something like that) and it was no surprise to me that Sabella was Passarella's assistant in the 1998 World Cup

That was the last ever game my Dad went to at the Lane
 
Forgot about Simpkin..I remember Knighton,Chris Chilton..Was it Billy Baxter the Centre Back.Anyway X rated stuff from the Codheaded ones.



Ian Butler I believe also played . He was a Barnsley lad. Did Terry Neil play for Hull in that game ? Simpkin was the main culprit and the kop let him know it.
 
I'll add the 3-1 beating of Fulham in the cup replay of 1967 2 goals from wild Bill Punton who had a stormer of a game in front of 33,000 in the lane. As a young un I was well impressed, the first time I had ever stood on John st terrace the crush was that bad the buttons were ripped off my jacket which earned me a good telling off when I got home.


The first game at the Cottage was on Match of the Day, I recall Len Badger and Alan Clarke for them
 



That FA Cup night was amazing. The lower tier at the Lane end was full of United fans. We should reintroduce that.
Was an amazing atmosphere that night. Dane Whitehouse had a cracking game, he also got the equalizer at Highbury to take it to the replay if I remember right.

The Arsenal players looked very nervous as kick off neared, I remember.

They were looking around as if all the dogs of Hades were about to descend on them!
 

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