Vital games

[programmechap]

Pondering that McBurnie winner, it struck me how things like that never happens to us. In my supporting life time going back to 1980, we've had losses in 10 play offs, 5 FA Cup semi finals, 2 league semi finals and 3 relegation deciders when we were hot favourites to stay up (81, 94, 07).

On the plus side of "games we had to win and did win" (as opposed to games where we gor promotion/avoided relegation, a failure to win wouldn't have been.fatal in that we had games to follow), I can.only think of the win at Leicester in 1990. But even then, it wouldn't have mattered if we had lost as out nearest challengers lost anyway.

The only "vital game" in that period which actually was decisive for United didnt even involve them 1984. Hull only winning 2-0 at Burnley sending United up whilst a 3-0 win would have sent Hull up.

We're cursed, I tell you...

 

[Houston_Blade]

There’s a huge element of “you make your own luck”.

As a club and set of supporters I think we subscribe far too much to ‘the world is against us’ and just accept that it’s so.

 

[JohnDenver]

Pondering that McBurnie winner, it struck me how things like that never happens to us. In my supporting life time going back to 1980, we've had losses in 10 play offs, 5 FA Cup semi finals, 2 league semi finals and 3 relegation deciders when we were hot favourites to stay up (81, 94, 07).

On the plus side of "games we had to win and did win" (as opposed to games where we gor promotion/avoided relegation, a failure to win wouldn't have been.fatal in that we had games to follow), I can.only think of the win at Leicester in 1990. But even then, it wouldn't have mattered if we had lost as out nearest challengers lost anyway.

The only "vital game" in that period which actually was decisive for United didnt even involve them 1984. Hull only winning 2-0 at Burnley sending United up whilst a 3-0 win would have sent Hull up.

We're cursed, I tell you...

Our most egregious “one kick wins it” moments:

Beattie versus Stevenage with a chance that he used to score blindfolded.

Webber hitting the post against Wigan.

Tommy Mooney inexplicably taking that free kick against Liverpool when Brown was scoring them for fun.

Brooks missing in the last playoff final.

Little Louis versus Spurs.

 

[DifferentClass]

Our most egregious “one kick wins it” moments:

Beattie versus Stevenage with a chance that he used to score blindfolded.

Webber hitting the post against Wigan.

Tommy Mooney inexplicably taking that free kick against Liverpool when Brown was scoring them for fun.

Brooks missing in the last playoff final.

Little Louis versus Spurs.

Tommy Mooney... there's a name I repressed.

 

[JohnDenver]

Tommy Mooney... there's a name I repressed.

Apparently he’s now a coach at Villa.

“Lads, this is how to take a free kick”.

 

[Gimli]

Our most egregious “one kick wins it” moments:

Beattie versus Stevenage with a chance that he used to score blindfolded.

Webber hitting the post against Wigan.

Tommy Mooney inexplicably taking that free kick against Liverpool when Brown was scoring them for fun.

Brooks missing in the last playoff final.

Little Louis versus Spurs.

If you asked 100 Blades to name the one thing that comes to mind when you say ‘Tommy Mooney’ I genuinely think at least 98 of them would say ‘why the fuck did he take that free kick against Liverpool?!’

 

[programmechap]

Our most egregious “one kick wins it” moments:

Beattie versus Stevenage with a chance that he used to score blindfolded.

Webber hitting the post against Wigan.

Tommy Mooney inexplicably taking that free kick against Liverpool when Brown was scoring them for fun.

Brooks missing in the last playoff final.

Little Louis versus Spurs.

Don Givens 1981 has to top the list.

 

[Sheffsteel]

Our most egregious “one kick wins it” moments:

Beattie versus Stevenage with a chance that he used to score blindfolded.

Webber hitting the post against Wigan.

Tommy Mooney inexplicably taking that free kick against Liverpool when Brown was scoring them for fun.

Brooks missing in the last playoff final.

Little Louis versus Spurs.

I remember that game…over 30K….sold out home end….didn’t we need to win to return back to the top 2.
Typical really….we conceded an early goal from their 1st shot….0-1 down quietened the early atmosphere from the crowd.
Then not long after we were 0-2 down….they had the very impressive Luke Freeman pulling the strings.

Remember thinking we needed 3 goals but there was still plenty of time left. We pulled it back to 1-2, then late on pulled it back to 2-2.
Now deep into injury time and we had a corner had the Kop end with our crowd making loads of noise.
Bit of a goal mouth scramble…falls to Beattie (think it came to him on the volley) who blasts it straight at goal from very close sense.

They had a player stood on the goal line, it hit his knee and bounced over the cross bar for another corner.
Beattie had his head in his hands and couldn’t believe he hadn't scored.
It rub salt in the wounds that we landed in the play-offs and our opposition in the semis was……yes you’ve guessed it…Stevenage again.
Our fans were so depressed with the name “Stevenage” bringing back bad memories….
that many fans boycotted the play-off semi, hence an incredibly low 15K for a play-off semi.

Also remember the Danny Webber late chance against Wigan…..again another packed stadium, our all seater record of 32,500 ish.
We were losing 1-2 but only needed to draw. Webber was put clean through with just the keeper to best.
Expected him to try and round the keeper but he dinked it over the on rushing keeper.
It was like something out of a film….the ball was slowly creeping towards goal….Blades fans were cheering
But it hit the inside of the post and rolled along the goal line.

Now there was a sprint towards the ball between Webber and their defender.
They were neck and neck….our crowd were cheering expecting a goal but their defender stretched out a long leg and scooped it off the goal line.
The mood in BL went totally flat as most Blades knew we were just fated to lose.

Didn’t help that Wigans second goal was a really weird situation.
Wigan had a corner and when it was crossed in…. Phil Jagielka jumped for the ball with an arm pointing directly skyward
And it really looked like he deliberately tried to touch the ball with his hand….obvious penalty for handball but still no idea what Jags was doing.

 

[nopigfansintown]

It felt like there were a lot of these moments in the Forest play off defeat.Conversely we had the Peschisolido moment in the other play off against them.

I used to say law of averages etc etc and that one day it'll drop for us but apparently not.The really unusual thing is how close a lot of the games are with some of them won by the only bit of quality in the game. When Huddersfield missed their first three pens I thought that was our moment. That's the only shootout I've seen where someone missed their first three pens and still won the shootout .

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Pondering that McBurnie winner, it struck me how things like that never happens to us. In my supporting life time going back to 1980, we've had losses in 10 play offs, 5 FA Cup semi finals, 2 league semi finals and 3 relegation deciders when we were hot favourites to stay up (81, 94, 07).

On the plus side of "games we had to win and did win" (as opposed to games where we gor promotion/avoided relegation, a failure to win wouldn't have been.fatal in that we had games to follow), I can.only think of the win at Leicester in 1990. But even then, it wouldn't have mattered if we had lost as out nearest challengers lost anyway.

The only "vital game" in that period which actually was decisive for United didnt even involve them 1984. Hull only winning 2-0 at Burnley sending United up whilst a 3-0 win would have sent Hull up.

We're cursed, I tell you...

Yes, we’re definitely on the Boro/Southampton side of the equation. What has happened to both these clubs this season is SO Sheffield United.

 

[John Street West Terrace]

Pondering that McBurnie winner, it struck me how things like that never happens to us. In my supporting life time going back to 1980, we've had losses in 10 play offs, 5 FA Cup semi finals, 2 league semi finals and 3 relegation deciders when we were hot favourites to stay up (81, 94, 07).

On the plus side of "games we had to win and did win" (as opposed to games where we gor promotion/avoided relegation, a failure to win wouldn't have been.fatal in that we had games to follow), I can.only think of the win at Leicester in 1990. But even then, it wouldn't have mattered if we had lost as out nearest challengers lost anyway.

The only "vital game" in that period which actually was decisive for United didnt even involve them 1984. Hull only winning 2-0 at Burnley sending United up whilst a 3-0 win would have sent Hull up.

We're cursed, I tell you...

Pretty much the same era as me for those games , my first match was Sept 77 so I get exactly where you’re at and Leicester been the only notable exception !!!
But to be fair it’s never been ‘boring’ as my Blades CV reads

7 Promotions
7 Relagations
10 Unsuccessful PlayOff Campaigns inc 5 x Finals
5 FA Cup Semis
2 League Cup Semis

Got a mate who supports Bristol City & apart from one play off final it’s been a fallow field , so maybe things aren’t that bad

 

[mattbianco1]

Pondering that McBurnie winner, it struck me how things like that never happens to us. In my supporting life time going back to 1980, we've had losses in 10 play offs, 5 FA Cup semi finals, 2 league semi finals and 3 relegation deciders when we were hot favourites to stay up (81, 94, 07).

On the plus side of "games we had to win and did win" (as opposed to games where we gor promotion/avoided relegation, a failure to win wouldn't have been.fatal in that we had games to follow), I can.only think of the win at Leicester in 1990. But even then, it wouldn't have mattered if we had lost as out nearest challengers lost anyway.

The only "vital game" in that period which actually was decisive for United didnt even involve them 1984. Hull only winning 2-0 at Burnley sending United up whilst a 3-0 win would have sent Hull up.

We're cursed, I tell you...

Leeds away in 2019 was a vital win. As was the Forest win at Easter the same season

 

[UddersBlade]

Leeds away in 2019 was a vital win. As was the Forest win at Easter the same season

Not decisive as in last match of the season defining our whole season……as per the original post…..

1980/81 - Walsall (H) had to avoid defeat to stay up. Lost 1-0 after missing a last minute penalty…

1993/94 - Chelsea (A) had to avoid defeat to stay up. Lost 3-2 after leading 2-1 - to a last minute goal.

2006/7 - Wigan (H) had to avoid defeat to stay up. Lost 2-1.

Think that is what the OP is getting at - along with all the Play Off failures / Semi Final failures - this club has never given the fans that season defining moment of ecstasy at the end. For example I saw Bradford City score a 95th minute winner in their last game of the season to win & get promoted - the place went absolutely mental. Sadly, much as Darlington & Leicester were great days out ….. I’ve never seen us have just one moment like that.