Down memory Lane.....this day

[Darren]

20th February 1971 Blades 1 (Hemsley) Sunderland 0

When I started following football in January 1970, I was very keen on looking at photos in football comics and magazine so that I got to know players faces and which club they played for. When I first saw a photo of Jim Montgomery (Sunderland) I was surprised that there is a keeper in the 1st division who is cross-eyed but then thought about Sunderland being 2nd bottom of the 1st division at the end of the 1969-70 season (Wendy finished bottom) I wasnt surprised that Sunderland had been leaking in too many goals.

When I first saw Jim play in the 1971 match at BDTBL, he gave one of the finest goalkeeping displays I had ever seen, making several superb saves on a very muddy pitch. The longer the game went on it did seem impossible that we would get a ball past him until late in the game when a cross from the right seemed to be slightly overhit, but running down towards the far post was Ted Hemsley (what was our left back doing there!) who expertly dived low to head the ball low into the net. Even we had clear chances after the goal but Monty carried on foiling them. It was a quiet afternoon for John Hope but he was alert enough to dive full length to beat out a powerful cross shot by Gordon Harris. Monty got a standing ovation at the end of the game. He carried on to be a legend especially in the 1973 FA Cup final. Since then I always try to remember the phrase "Never judge a book by its cover".

A boy at my boarding school who was a year below me is from Sunderland and he told me that he lives across the road from Jim Montgomery's house and then one day in 1977, I was in the changing room after a PE lesson, this boy from Sunderland (called Mark) told me that Jim is visiting him at the school in the evening (he said Jim had to go somewhere in the south and on the way back he would pop in my school near Newbury to see Mark) I didnt know whether to believe him and it was the same for my mates so the news went around the school quickly and then someone said that Jim is now in the school hall with Mark so many boys (and a few girls) got out their autograph book and pens and there was a long queue in the hall for Jim's autograph. Jim was very obliging! Top man!

I know this was the 70's and the past is a foreign country and so-one, but a grown man making a specific trip to a school to see a boy as he "had to go somewhere in the south on the way back" (Newbury obviously being on the direct route from wherever JM was to Sunderland) would these days see him arrested!

I am sure it was done in all innocence and I am in no way suggesting JM was up to no good, but the way you told it was quite amusing

 

[Silent Blade]

Ferbruary 21st 1925. FA Cup 3rd round
Blades 1 (Tunstall) Everton 0
I believe Tunstall's goal is the earliest footage of any of our goals scored in our history

Team was
GK Charles Sutcliffe
RB Bill Cook
LB Ernest Milton
RH Harold Pantling
CB Seth King
LH George Green
RW Albert Partridge
IF Tommy Boyle
CF Harry Johnson
IF Billy Gillespie
LW Fred Tunstall

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/hard-luck-everyone-aka-hard-luck-everton/query/everton

 

[SotonBlade]

The year we last won it I believe??

Ferbruary 21st 1925. FA Cup 3rd round
Blades 1 (Tunstall) Everton 0
I believe Tunstall's goal is the earliest footage of any of our goals scored in our history

Team was
GK Charles Sutcliffe
RB Bill Cook
LB Ernest Milton
RH Harold Pantling
CB Seth King
LH George Green
RW Albert Partridge
IF Tommy Boyle
CF Harry Johnson
IF Billy Gillespie
LW Fred Tunstall

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/hard-luck-everyone-aka-hard-luck-everton/query/everton

 

[Silent Blade]

The year we last won it I believe??

Yes, only Albert Partridge didnt play in the final out of the team in that Everton match. David Mercer (whose son, Tony, became famous in the Black & White Minstrel Show) took his place

 

[Sharrowblade]

Blimey, first match on this thread that I haven't got the programme cover. Still, here's a link to it.

http://www.evertoncollection.org.uk/object?id=796 EFC/7/39/6&q=sheffield united

 

[Sharrowblade]

Sorry been slacking recently....so here's the rest of February's programme and match memories. I'm sure Dazzler and Silent can find one or two to comment on.

14th February 2006. A 1-1 draw with Reading. Bruce Dyer scores his only goal for the blades on his debut. Kitson levels, but Kenny denies the Royals with a win by saving the Ginger One's last minute penalty


15th February 1992 FA Cup 5th Rd Vinny Jones gets the competition's fastest ever booking 4 seconds for his foul on Dane Whitehouse.


16th February 1963: Not the programme, but the front of the Green un that night. West ham win 2-0 in a match that few expected to be played. A Single sheet programme was produced for the game in limited numbers.


17th February 1962. Unofficial pirate programme from the game. United won 3-1


18th February 2006. Akinbiyi's most notable contribution as United win 2-1, on the way to promotion


19th February 2005, an Andy Gray Penalty gives us a reply in the 5th Round of the Cu.


February 20th 1988. Peter Hetherston and Tony Agana make their debuts. Agana notches the only goal of the game in the last minute against the Dingles

 

[Sharrowblade]

21st February 1959. United 1-0 Wendys, Doc Pace putting the dark side to the sword.

February 22nd 1997. Fjortoft hat-trick sees of the Mariners


23rd February 1963. A Friendly at the Lane, against Stoke. Stanley Matthews played, just shy of his 48th birthday


February 24th 1970. A 2-0 win over QPR, courtesy of Colquhoun and Reece. Both goals came from Woody corners.


February 25th 1985. Brownie points if you went to this one. A Friendly against Gothenburg, an 0-0 draw.


February 26th 1968, a 3-2 win over Spurs, a certain youngster from watford makes his debut and scores.


and finally today, February 27th 2010, a 4-3 win over Plymouth. jamie Mackie threatened all game but the winner came courtesy of Cressy sneaking behind Argyle goalkeeper Stockdale, and pouncing on it to score in an empty goal. Oh how we laughed.

 

[Silent Blade]

Sorry been slacking recently....so here's the rest of February's programme and match memories. I'm sure Dazzler and Silent can find one or two to comment on.


17th February 1962. Unofficial pirate programme from the game. United won 3-1
View attachment 7434

This is interesting that it was a pirate programme. Couldnt open the attachment. The day before the match was the Sheffield Hurricane (I was in my mum's tummy!) and one of the floodlights pylons fell onto the pitch but the club were able to move the pylon away and the match went ahead

 

[Sharrowblade]

Sorry Silent, should be ok now, obviously there was an official programme, but these pirates were normally very minimal efforts, cheaper and frowned upon by the Club, but some are quite collectable.

Here's a bit of nostalgia, 100 years ago today, your starter for ten, does anyone recognize the ground?



and a little more recent,

28th February 1976, a 0-0 draw with title chasing QPR, Keith Edwards made his debut.
QPR went onto to win the ntheir next six games and finish runners up to Liverpool by 1 point. United finished bottom and a 1 goal victory for QPR would have given them the title.

 

[JohnDenver]

Memorable for me as thanks to Cathay fucking Pacific I was on the tarmac at Heathrow rather than at the game.

That was to have been Revolution jr's first ever Blades PL game. As a result of that delay, he's still waiting for his first ever Blades PL game...

What a game to miss too. Monty scared the crap out of their midfield while Tonge played all the football. Berbatov mostly sulked but showed a couple of touches of utterly languid genius.

Second only to the Arsenal performance that season.

 

[Silent Blade]

Sorry Silent, should be ok now, obviously there was an official programme, but these pirates were normally very minimal efforts, cheaper and frowned upon by the Club, but some are quite collectable.

Here's a bit of nostalgia, 100 years ago today, your starter for ten, does anyone recognize the ground?
View attachment 7468


and a little more recent,

28th February 1976, a 0-0 draw with title chasing QPR, Keith Edwards made his debut.
QPR went onto to win the ntheir next six games and finish runners up to Liverpool by 1 point. United finished bottom and a 1 goal victory for QPR would have given them the title.
View attachment 7467

The photo will be at Hillsborogh (at the time they called it Owlerton- even my Wendy supporting uncle called it Owlerton until his death aged 82 in 2009).
Keith Edwards' debut was in the 3-0 defeat at Leicester in the FA Cup 8 weeks earlier

 

[Silent Blade]

28th February 1970

 

[Wapping Blade]

The photo will be at Hillsborogh (at the time they called it Owlerton- even my Wendy supporting uncle called it Owlerton until his death aged 82 in 2009).

Snap - my Wendy supporting uncle also always called it Owlerton and he died aged 79 in 2003.

 

[Sharrowblade]

Snap - my Wendy supporting uncle also always called it Owlerton and he died aged 79 in 2003.

yep, it was the Owlerton piggery

 

[Sharrowblade]

The photo will be at Hillsborogh (at the time they called it Owlerton- even my Wendy supporting uncle called it Owlerton until his death aged 82 in 2009).
Keith Edwards' debut was in the 3-0 defeat at Leicester in the FA Cup 8 weeks earlier

Silent, are you being Pedantic. . league debut of course.

 

[Grecian2000]

24 years ago today, a game that didn't take place.

Barnsley v Sheffield United FA Cup 5th Rnd, 2nd replay. Postponed, snowed like hell.

 

[Shalalalafenoughty]

That cross of TC's for the first goal at Blackburn was perfection. It's worth remembering that he was only just twenty at the time and naturally right-footed. In truth, Ted's pass wasn't the best and TC had to stretch for it slightly but, as my Wednesday-supporting mate said at the time, Woody had time to mash a pot of tea before sticking it away.

 

[Silent Blade]

1st March 1975. Ipswich 0 Blades 1 (Woodward)

I wasnt at the game but there are a few things worth noting. Ipswich finished in 3rd place that season only 2 points behind Champions Derby and we had won both matches against Ipswich that season. A lot have been written about the rise of Ipswich under Bobby Robson. Since our return to the top divison in 1971 our league record (up to March 1975) against Robson's Ipswich was played 8, won 4 drew 3 lost 1 (unbeaten at Portman Road). We scored 13 (Woody scored 7) and conceded 5. In the following season we drew 1-1 at Portman Road (their equaliser was late in the game) so out of 6 matches the only time Robson's Ipswich won a match against us at Portman Road was in the FA Cup 3rd Round in 1974 (lost 3-2)

 

[Silent Blade]

March 3rd 1973 Arsenal 3 (Charlie George 2, Alan Ball) Blades 2 (Alan Woodward, Jim Bone)

That was the match when there was an unusual special train for an away Blades match. It was called "Leagueliner". There was a "discotheque" carriage (with the decor you normally see at discos) where fans could dance during the journey (I dont think H & S would allow it nowadays) and another carriage for watching videos of two matches (Derby 5 Arsenal 0 and Palace 3 Stoke 2 were the featured matches). After the game, the Blades players were travelling back to mingle with the fans and signing autographs etc (I was the little boy in the photo with Ted Hemsley and two other fans that was published in the next home programme v West Ham). There was a glamourous looking woman who seemed on her own on a table behind me. Eddie Colquhoun and Woody came over to the table to sit with her and having a smoke etc. I was gawping at the three but my dad told me to sit down and mind my own business!

 

[2ndtenorblade]

The picture on the Gothenburg programme, where was it taken? I feel as if I should know.

 

[Darren]

The picture on the Gothenburg programme, where was it taken? I feel as if I should know.

I am pretty sure it is Edwards scoring at Leeds on 6/10/84.

 

[Sharrowblade]

I am pretty sure it is Edwards scoring at Leeds on 6/10/84.

I think you're right Dazzler.

here's my effort for today: March 3rd 1972, a friday night a Highfield Road, and a oversize offering from Coventry City.

My Uncle and old man went and came back muttering.

United led 2-0 when the game was abandoned after an hour. In true United style, we lost the re-arranged game.

 

[Grecian2000]

I'm with you Dazzler. Definitely Elland Road and an almost perfect goal that nearly got me killed. You know not to stand out when in the main stand at Leeds but when Morris and Edwards conjoured that piece of magic, to take the lead against a club I probably hated more than the pigs at the time, you'd need to be super glued to the seat not to react. All hell broke loose.

As for the Coventry program Shazzer, mine got "ruined" as it was too big to stash away with the proper sized ones and ended up severley dog eared simply because of it's size. Still the only game I've been to that didn't go the full 90.

 

[Sharrowblade]

Regarding the Coventry programme, quite hard to find in a really good condition, due to the very reason you gave, and because of the weather that night.

The one I've shown is the one me dad brought back and that has a corner fold.

Oversize programmes, the square ones and the newspaper ones give me a right headache when it comes to storage.

 

[Darren]

I'm with you Dazzler. Definitely Elland Road and an almost perfect goal that nearly got me killed. You know not to stand out when in the main stand at Leeds but when Morris and Edwards conjoured that piece of magic, to take the lead against a club I probably hated more than the pigs at the time, you'd need to be super glued to the seat not to react. All hell broke loose.

As for the Coventry program Shazzer, mine got "ruined" as it was too big to stash away with the proper sized ones and ended up severley dog eared simply because of it's size. Still the only game I've been to that didn't go the full 90.

The only game I have been to that got abandoned was a friendly v Villa at the Lane (on Friday 30th Jan 87 I think). The pitch was covered in ice and we went 1-0 up through a goal from Foley before a Villa player got badly injured just before HT.

I think both sides decided at HT it was too dangerous to carry on and the game was abandoned.

 

[Silent Blade]

I think you're right Dazzler.

here's my effort for today: March 3rd 1972, a friday night a Highfield Road, and a oversize offering from Coventry City.

My Uncle and old man went and came back muttering.

United led 2-0 when the game was abandoned after an hour. In true United style, we lost the re-arranged game.

View attachment 7491

Friday night? The match was definitely played on Saturday afternoon March 4th. The programme has got the date wrong. I was at Wembley that day watching Stoke v Chelsea in the League Cup final. Me and my dad had thought the Blades won 2-0 when we left Wembley. We found out that the match had been abandoned when my dad bought a Saturday evening Sports paper in Leicester Forest Service Station on the M1. We did go to the re-arranged fixture

 

[Silent Blade]

The only game I have been to that got abandoned was a friendly v Villa at the Lane (on Friday 30th Jan 87 I think). The pitch was covered in ice and we went 1-0 up through a goal from Foley before a Villa player got badly injured just before HT.

I think both sides decided at HT it was too dangerous to carry on and the game was abandoned.

The injured player was Andy Gray (yes, mate of Richard Keys). It was feared that he had broken a bone in his neck

 

[bornablade]

The injured player was Andy Gray (yes, mate of Richard Keys). It was feared that he had broken a bone in his neck

If this game was Januray 1987 I am surprised Andy Gray was still at Villa. I remember him playing for them in the mid 1970's. In fact wasn't he part of that excellent Everton side from about 1984 onwards? He also had a spell at Wolves. Can't remember if this was after or before Everton.

 

[BerksBlade]

Strange idea putting a large picture of one of your opponents on the programme cover!

 

[Silent Blade]

If this game was Januray 1987 I am surprised Andy Gray was still at Villa. I remember him playing for them in the mid 1970's. In fact wasn't he part of that excellent Everton side from about 1984 onwards? He also had a spell at Wolves. Can't remember if this was after or before Everton.

His first club was Dundee United before going to Villa (won the PFA player of the Year and PFA Young player of the Year for 1976/77, I remember this because he used to write weekly columns for Shoot!). Went to Wolves (scored the goal that beat Forest in the 1980 League Cup final, then he went to Everton (won league in 1985) then returned to Villa, then to WBA before ending up at Glasgow Rangers