Sheffield United Reserves - The Glory Years

[wardonia_blade]

I have mentioned before that this is my 50th season watching the Blades so I thought I would put something together on where it all started, watching the reserves in the 1960’s. I realise that this is of limited interest but I am sure there are a few out there who were similarly dragged along by their dad to get them out of the house on a Saturday.
The reserves played at home, at the Lane, on Saturdays when the first team were playing away. I never understood why they scrapped this format. The only part of the ground that opened was the terrace and the old wooden stand behind, ideal for the 2-3000 that attended. Ideal for taking your offspring to their first game in a safe environment.
One of the great attractions was that the first team scores were displayed on a low-tech scoreboard attached to the old cricket pavilion. The man put the scores up every 15 minutes following a phone call to the away ground. There was no local radio, five live, internet, mobile phones and BBC national radio covered one match only. The scoreboard man was all powerful. I remember willing him to conjure up an equaliser in the 6th round tie at Leeds in 1968, but not to be. Five times he marched straight past Leeds early goal and our dreams were over for another year.
The team played in the central league and won it in 1965-66 with a fairly consistent line up. The mainstays of the team were Bob Widdowson in goal, Mick Heaton, Dennis Finnigan and Charlie Bell, with Jack Parks banging in the goals. All these players spent several seasons at the Lane with only a handful of first team appearances between them. Parks must have scored 30 goals in 1965-66 without making one first team appearance and gets no mention in the Official Blades Encyclopaedia.
Squads hadn’t been invented and substitutes were not used until 1965-66, both situations restricting the opportunities for the reserves. I suspect that a distinct lack of ambition was another restricting factor.
Lots of youngsters did make the first team though, notably Badger, Shaw, Munks, Wagstaff brothers, Fenoughty, Woodward, Birchenall, Salmons, Barlow, Jones and Hill. Testimony to the great scouting done by Archie Clark in this era in the Dearne Valley area.
Eventually I progressed to the first team and saw my last reserve game in 1971. A night match this time and the scoreboard man played an absolute blinder with a 1-0 win at Arsenal.
Happy days.

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

I have mentioned before that this is my 50th season watching the Blades so I thought I would put something together on where it all started, watching the reserves in the 1960’s. I realise that this is of limited interest but I am sure there are a few out there who were similarly dragged along by their dad to get them out of the house on a Saturday.
The reserves played at home, at the Lane, on Saturdays when the first team were playing away. I never understood why they scrapped this format. The only part of the ground that opened was the terrace and the old wooden stand behind, ideal for the 2-3000 that attended. Ideal for taking your offspring to their first game in a safe environment.
One of the great attractions was that the first team scores were displayed on a low-tech scoreboard attached to the old cricket pavilion. The man put the scores up every 15 minutes following a phone call to the away ground. There was no local radio, five live, internet, mobile phones and BBC national radio covered one match only. The scoreboard man was all powerful. I remember willing him to conjure up an equaliser in the 6th round tie at Leeds in 1968, but not to be. Five times he marched straight past Leeds early goal and our dreams were over for another year.
The team played in the central league and won it in 1965-66 with a fairly consistent line up. The mainstays of the team were Bob Widdowson in goal, Mick Heaton, Dennis Finnigan and Charlie Bell, with Jack Parks banging in the goals. All these players spent several seasons at the Lane with only a handful of first team appearances between them. Parks must have scored 30 goals in 1965-66 without making one first team appearance and gets no mention in the Official Blades Encyclopaedia.
Squads hadn’t been invented and substitutes were not used until 1965-66, both situations restricting the opportunities for the reserves. I suspect that a distinct lack of ambition was another restricting factor.
Lots of youngsters did make the first team though, notably Badger, Shaw, Munks, Wagstaff brothers, Fenoughty, Woodward, Birchenall, Salmons, Barlow, Jones and Hill. Testimony to the great scouting done by Archie Clark in this era in the Dearne Valley area.
Eventually I progressed to the first team and saw my last reserve game in 1971. A night match this time and the scoreboard man played an absolute blinder with a 1-0 win at Arsenal.
Happy days.

Cracking post

 

[Darren]

When I was young and stupid, I used to regularly go to reserve games in the 80's. That's when they started playing them at night and you often saw some good stuff. Games that spring out are a 4-3 win over Bury in 1982 with us coming from 3-0 down and Del Chambers (who?) getting a hat trick and Alan "perma-injured" Young, the winner and a 5-5 draw with Sunderland in 1987 with Philliskirk getting 4.

 

[Dnblade]

Nice post WB..I don't think I ever went to a Reserve game,but remember all the names you mention.
I'm sure I remember the scoreboard man jokingly putting up the Wendy score one time...he put up that they were winning 0-1 which was met with a less than enthusiastic response..then he changed it the other way to show they were actually losing 1-0 which got him a round of laughs.
Archie Clarke was a bit of an unsung hero,but scouted some good young players from around the area for John and Cec to polish.

 

[Longtime Blade]

I hardly ever went to see the reserves but there was a period in the early seventies when the "Stop Press" column on the front

page of the Green 'Un would frequently contain the single entry:

STEVE CAMMACK scores for Sheffield Utd Reserves.

 

[Darren]

I have mentioned before that this is my 50th season watching the Blades so I thought I would put something together on where it all started, watching the reserves in the 1960’s. I realise that this is of limited interest but I am sure there are a few out there who were similarly dragged along by their dad to get them out of the house on a Saturday.
The reserves played at home, at the Lane, on Saturdays when the first team were playing away. I never understood why they scrapped this format. The only part of the ground that opened was the terrace and the old wooden stand behind, ideal for the 2-3000 that attended. Ideal for taking your offspring to their first game in a safe environment.
One of the great attractions was that the first team scores were displayed on a low-tech scoreboard attached to the old cricket pavilion. The man put the scores up every 15 minutes following a phone call to the away ground. There was no local radio, five live, internet, mobile phones and BBC national radio covered one match only. The scoreboard man was all powerful. I remember willing him to conjure up an equaliser in the 6th round tie at Leeds in 1968, but not to be. Five times he marched straight past Leeds early goal and our dreams were over for another year.
The team played in the central league and won it in 1965-66 with a fairly consistent line up. The mainstays of the team were Bob Widdowson in goal, Mick Heaton, Dennis Finnigan and Charlie Bell, with Jack Parks banging in the goals. All these players spent several seasons at the Lane with only a handful of first team appearances between them. Parks must have scored 30 goals in 1965-66 without making one first team appearance and gets no mention in the Official Blades Encyclopaedia.
Squads hadn’t been invented and substitutes were not used until 1965-66, both situations restricting the opportunities for the reserves. I suspect that a distinct lack of ambition was another restricting factor.
Lots of youngsters did make the first team though, notably Badger, Shaw, Munks, Wagstaff brothers, Fenoughty, Woodward, Birchenall, Salmons, Barlow, Jones and Hill. Testimony to the great scouting done by Archie Clark in this era in the Dearne Valley area.
Eventually I progressed to the first team and saw my last reserve game in 1971. A night match this time and the scoreboard man played an absolute blinder with a 1-0 win at Arsenal.
Happy days.

That last game was apparently against Bury
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sharrowblade/5519890094/in/set-72157626859138566

 

[Dnblade]

I hardly ever went to see the reserves but there was a period in the early seventies when the "Stop Press" column on the front

page of the Green 'Un would frequently contain the single entry:

STEVE CAMMACK scores for Sheffield Utd Reserves.

Yeah,that's right...and the Sheffield Club report would only go upto Half Time...H/T Sheffield 1 Frickley 0..must have sodded of to the pub 2nd half.haha.

 

[sitwell]

I used to go all the time and loved it ,before my mum would let me go to away games with the big lads.
Free with a season ticket and 15p I think without , the programme was one sheet of paper. Cant remember any games realy but the name Andy Keeley springs to mind for some reason.

 

[stateonstainrod]

Remember a very young Len Badger trapping a ball which came down with snow on it and the crowd voicing as one the thought that we'd "found one".

2 others I thought would make it but didn't--Jimmy House and Gary France.

One who sadly noone thought would- Steve Faulkner- ditto the late Mick Heaton. Did ok at Ewood though.

 

[232 Bramall Lane]

We had a theory that if the Scoreboard man was "bouncing" as he walked along the gantry towards the scoreboard then he was about to put up good news.
Regarding the Central League title, I remember being at a night match when we clinched it but on the Kop. Maybe it was opened to cater for the larger crowd? I also think we included some first teamers on the night. Would this be the season mentioned earlier or did we win it again in the 60s ?

 

[Large Mendonca]

I think the only reserves game I went to was in the early 90s, we put out a strong team and got hammered 4-0 by Man Utd. I'm sure loads of the famous "kids" were in their team, but of course we knew nothing about how good they were and what they would go on to do.

 

[Silent Blade]

We had a theory that if the Scoreboard man was "bouncing" as he walked along the gantry towards the scoreboard then he was about to put up good news.
Regarding the Central League title, I remember being at a night match when we clinched it but on the Kop. Maybe it was opened to cater for the larger crowd? I also think we included some first teamers on the night. Would this be the season mentioned earlier or did we win it again in the 60s ?

We won the Central League 3 times, 1921-22, 1965-66 and 2002-03

 

[Borbokisfreekick]

Great post.

I remember going to a few reserve games in 1991-1992 - this was my first season watching United, and my Dad took me along to a few reserve games against the Pigs, Forest and Man United. I think they were on Thursday nights back then at the Lane.

We also took my best mate who's whole family were Wednesday fans, funnily enough, this was enough to turn him into a Blade!! He's been a Unitedite ever since. Must have been some quality football.

 

[Kentblade]

I have mentioned before that this is my 50th season watching the Blades so I thought I would put something together on where it all started, watching the reserves in the 1960’s. I realise that this is of limited interest but I am sure there are a few out there who were similarly dragged along by their dad to get them out of the house on a Saturday.
The reserves played at home, at the Lane, on Saturdays when the first team were playing away. I never understood why they scrapped this format. The only part of the ground that opened was the terrace and the old wooden stand behind, ideal for the 2-3000 that attended. Ideal for taking your offspring to their first game in a safe environment.
One of the great attractions was that the first team scores were displayed on a low-tech scoreboard attached to the old cricket pavilion. The man put the scores up every 15 minutes following a phone call to the away ground. There was no local radio, five live, internet, mobile phones and BBC national radio covered one match only. The scoreboard man was all powerful. I remember willing him to conjure up an equaliser in the 6th round tie at Leeds in 1968, but not to be. Five times he marched straight past Leeds early goal and our dreams were over for another year.
The team played in the central league and won it in 1965-66 with a fairly consistent line up. The mainstays of the team were Bob Widdowson in goal, Mick Heaton, Dennis Finnigan and Charlie Bell, with Jack Parks banging in the goals. All these players spent several seasons at the Lane with only a handful of first team appearances between them. Parks must have scored 30 goals in 1965-66 without making one first team appearance and gets no mention in the Official Blades Encyclopaedia.
Squads hadn’t been invented and substitutes were not used until 1965-66, both situations restricting the opportunities for the reserves. I suspect that a distinct lack of ambition was another restricting factor.
Lots of youngsters did make the first team though, notably Badger, Shaw, Munks, Wagstaff brothers, Fenoughty, Woodward, Birchenall, Salmons, Barlow, Jones and Hill. Testimony to the great scouting done by Archie Clark in this era in the Dearne Valley area.
Eventually I progressed to the first team and saw my last reserve game in 1971. A night match this time and the scoreboard man played an absolute blinder with a 1-0 win at Arsenal.
Happy days.

Very interesting read and brought back many memories. Well remember watching the score board man walk round to change the scores often stopping via the Blades one, crowd glued to him and not the game then he would walk off again. Started in 1946 so we has progressed by your time but many happy hours spent in the Lane. The first Time I ever went was when my grand father took me to watch a cricket game, but it was the football that always got my attention. A club steeped in history with a loyal band of fans second to none.
UTB

 

[Sirius]

Very interesting read and brought back many memories. Well remember watching the score board man walk round to change the scores often stopping via the Blades one, crowd glued to him and not the game then he would walk off again. Started in 1946 so we has progressed by your time but many happy hours spent in the Lane. The first Time I ever went was when my grand father took me to watch a cricket game, but it was the football that always got my attention. A club steeped in history with a loyal band of fans second to none.
UTB

If memory serves, we were able to field a number of teams, with a view to players progressing to the first team. If a player was injured, a Central League player would step up. Some were young, others at the end of their career. Beneath that was the Hatchard league, and Junior sides. Happy days Kenty.

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[brownie4583]

I think the only reserves game I went to was in the early 90s, we put out a strong team and got hammered 4-0 by Man Utd. I'm sure loads of the famous "kids" were in their team, but of course we knew nothing about how good they were and what they would go on to do.

I went to that game,Beckham scored a screamer from around 30 yards and their team also included both Neville's,Scholes(i think),and Simon Tracey was in Blades goal.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Used to go to every game and was there when we won the Central League, joined in the pitch invasion and all. The great Cec Coldwell held up the trophy, maybe the only one we've won since I started in 1955!! Oh no, there was an odd County Cup or two!!

Our neighbour, Herbert Bray, used to give us a lift to reserve matches, and boy was he passionate. He particularly targeted referees and on the terrace in small crowds the officials could hear every word. One week at the final whistle he launched himself at the wire netting which protected the players as they left the pitch. His false teeth fell through the netting and fell at the feet of a linesman who passed them back politely. In his rage Mr Bray put them straight back in his mouth and resumed his tirade. Fond memories.

Another journeyman perpetual reserve was Dennis Shiels, Irish lad, not so good. Remember moaning one cup match at West Ham when his name was announced in the team. We were big underdogs but defied all the odds and Shiels scored both goals. Every dog has its day as they say.

Another name I associate with those days was Des Thompson, heavy, serious, not an athlete, holes in his jumper I seem t o recall.

 

[LSF]

Remember a very young Len Badger trapping a ball which came down with snow on it and the crowd voicing as one the thought that we'd "found one".

2 others I thought would make it but didn't--Jimmy House and Gary France.

One who sadly noone thought would- Steve Faulkner- ditto the late Mick Heaton. Did ok at Ewood though.

Loved going to reserves and I was a ball boy back in 1964 against Huddersfield Reserves, couldn't sleep night before I was so excited
Jimmy House - Played with Jim in the 1967-68 Sheffield Boys U 15's, obviously a great talent at that age and the scouts all came to watch him during that season, but he plumped for the Blades. He was in the Central League side at 16 (no mean feat in those days let me tell you!) and seemed destined to make a career out of football. However, like 90% of football apprentice's his progress stopped and he ended up playing in Southern Irish football for a few years. Came back to Sheffield and has been/is? working as a postman. Despite his talent in that largely crap Sheffield Boys team of that year, Jim was a nice quiet kid with absolutely no edge to him.

On another note, Cec Coldwell captained the reserve team in the championship year just before he retired from playing.

 

[Lane Ender]

Remember a game against Liverpool Reserves early 70s they turned out a really strong side John St terrace and stand was packed.

 

[JohnDenver]

Loved going to reserves and I was a ball boy back in 1964 against Huddersfield Reserves, couldn't sleep night before I was so excited

 

[anglian blade]

Remember a game against Liverpool Reserves early 70s they turned out a really strong side John St terrace and stand was packed.

There was one aginst Leeds when both TC and Eddie Gray were playing. It was packed for that too

 

[Darren]

Our reserves were crap in the late 70's and early 80's. We finished bottom of the Central League for about 3 seasons running if memory serves and notable games included a 10-0 defeat at Villa in 77-8 (when future N. Ireland World Cup player Mal Donaghy had a trial) and a 10-2 defeat at home to Forest in 79-80.

All of sudden in 81-82, the reserves turned good and there were some good games that season with United beating strong First Division reserve teams like Wolves (4-0) and Man City (5-0).

 

[Large Mendonca]

I went to that game,Beckham scored a screamer from around 30 yards and their team also included both Neville's,Scholes(i think),and Simon Tracey was in Blades goal.

Cheers for the reminder - I thought Beckham's goal was even further out than that from memory ??

 

[LSF]

It comes to us all JD

 

[bornablade]

Remember going to all the Central League matches in the early to mid 1960's. I think the team that won the Central League in the mid 1960's was made up of a number of players that had grown too old for the first team. Cec Coldwell is one name mentioned. There is a book about the Blades that devotes a whole chapter to a chap called Roy Ridge who I think it's fair to say never appeared for the first team but was quite happy to be a reserve team player season after season. My dad always called Denis Shields 'the world's worst footballer.' Used to go to Northern Inrtermediate matches. In those days our juniors were up there with the best. Remember Sunderland being pretty useful.

It seemed an age before I went to a first team match. But the first time I went through the turnstile on Bramall Lane (about where the hotel is now) and walked up those steps and saw the full Shoreham end. OMG. That was it. Never wanted to be anywhere else.

 

[Darren]

Remember going to all the Central League matches in the early to mid 1960's. I think the team that won the Central League in the mid 1960's was made up of a number of players that had grown too old for the first team. Cec Coldwell is one name mentioned. There is a book about the Blades that devotes a whole chapter to a chap called Roy Ridge who I think it's fair to say never appeared for the first team but was quite happy to be a reserve team player season after season. My dad always called Denis Shields 'the world's worst footballer.' Used to go to Northern Inrtermediate matches. In those days our juniors were up there with the best. Remember Sunderland being pretty useful.

It seemed an age before I went to a first team match. But the first time I went through the turnstile on Bramall Lane (about where the hotel is now) and walked up those steps and saw the full Shoreham end. OMG. That was it. Never wanted to be anywhere else.

Ridge play around 10-15 times for the first team over an 11 year period.

 

[brownie4583]

Cheers for the reminder - I thought Beckham's goal was even further out than that from memory ??

Yeah could have been,it was from near enough the right side touchline and i might be wrong but i think a young Giggs was playing that night also.

 

[Large Mendonca]

Yeah could have been,it was from near enough the right side touchline and i might be wrong but i think a young Giggs was playing that night also.

Yeah it was from the right touch line, if my jaded memory serves me correctly !

 

[brownie4583]

Yeah it was from the right touch line, if my jaded memory serves me correctly !

I also seem to remember Bobby Davison playing for us,must have been around the time he scored 2 at the sty in our 3-1 win!

 

[Eskimo]

This is very interesting indeed because I am in the same boat. I regularly attendeed reserve matches with my Grandfather before graduating to County Cup and then League games. So I don't know when my first gane was.

I clearly remember the first team games in the 64/ 65 season but have no clear earlier memories except for reserve games and I clearly remember Kettleborough Allchurch, Summers Coldwell, Joe Shaw, Graham Shaw (i think) Finnegan playing in the reserves. So would this be 63/64 I wonder ???