Sabella

[Sothall_Blade]

Interesting article:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28069978

 

[Shalalalafenoughty]

I like the quote from Kenworthy: "We would fit in with him when he picked up the ball because he was very skilful and wanted to take people on."

Unfortunately, "we" were several seconds behind him.

 

[Silent Blade]

Keith Edwards' face didnt fit when Haslam was our manager so Haslam brought in the injury prone Steve Finnieston and sold Edwards to Hull. This was a big mistake cos Edwards would have read a lot of Sabella's quick thinking through balls and banged in the goals. Sabella's performance in the 2-2 draw at Preston in August 1978 is one of the four 10 out of 10 performances I have seen by a Blade player. He also scored a marvellous goal in that match out witting 4 defenders before putting the ball through the legs of Preston's keeper, Roy Tunks, and then running up to the delirious Blades fans behind the goal. A Daily Express reporter wrote of Sabella in the match report "He sells more dummies than Mothercare"

 

[Grecian2000]

Thanks Silent.

The ONLY game that Sabella played in United colours that I missed (coincided with the "Punk Wars" Reading festival I'm afraid), and a goal my mate who didn't miss the game never tires of telling me about.
He scored an amazing goal at Blackpool the following season from on the bye line near the corner flag, and my mate missed this game with it being a night match (the game before the Tivoli Wall collapse if I remember correctly). We argue, to this day, who missed the best Sabella goal.

 

[Shalalalafenoughty]

I went to both games. The goal at PNE was definitely the better one. Silent describes it as "marvellous" and he's right.

The Blackpool game was memorable for United playing some blinding stuff early on and going 3-0 up in about half an hour. Then, typically, doing their best to throw it away and clinging on 3-2 in the end. Tom McAlister was in the Blackpool goal that night.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

I went to both games. The goal at PNE was definitely the better one. Silent describes it as "marvellous" and he's right.

The Blackpool game was memorable for United playing some blinding stuff early on and going 3-0 up in about half an hour. Then, typically, doing their best to throw it away and clinging on 3-2 in the end. Tom McAlister was in the Blackpool goal that night.

I saw both games and the Preston one was a blinder. Blackpool was good though, and I thought we were going to get 5 or 6...typical Blades.

And I was at Milmoor for the tivoli wall collapse, but the opposite end. Didn't the snortbeasts turn up a few weeks later armed with chisels and hammers to replicate it?

 

[TonyAgana]

 

[Grecian2000]

Don't remember him wearing a mask.

 

[Rufus Smalls]

Went to Blackpool for the night match straight from EITB (a few will remember the training centre).

Stood behind the goal near the corrugated fence down the middle of the home/away end.

 

[Shalalalafenoughty]

I'm not sure the ballboy behind the net appreciated Steve Finnieston's goal as much as the rest of us..

 

[Tynemouth Blade]

I can't remember the game (at Bramall Lane) but I will never forget Sabella (while running) stepping over the ball and flicking it over his head for the ball to land at his feet and continuing to run with the ball all in one movement - amazing skill back then!

Me and my mate just looked at each other, thinking, did we just see that?

 

[Dkc]

Wasn't there some piggy graffiti on John St that read "Sabella dances to Curran's tune" or something like that? Or was that another player I'm thinking of.