The match that made me become a committed Blade

[Silent Blade]

The programme for the Wednesday game in 1970 depicts a local derby from, I'd say, the early sixties. Brian Richardson is the Blade to the left and I'd be fairly confident it's Cec Coldwell on the floor, face slightly obscured.

The front cover of the Leeds programme shows the aftermath of TC's goal - the only goal of the game - in our 1-0 win over them in the previous season's League Cup on September 8, 1970. A brilliant goal, a great game and I remember Alan Hodgkinson making an incredible save, tipping one over at the Kop end late on as Leeds - a top side back then - pressed for an equaliser. Mick Jones played for Leeds that night and he was typically generous after the match in his praise for United in general and Hodgy in particular. From left to right, it's Dearden, Sprake, Tudor, Hunter and (I think) Woody.

Yes it is Cec Coldwell on the right. The Wendy player on the far left is Billy Griffin. I am unable to identify the other Wendy player between Richardson and Coldwell. I think it is someone who hasnt played many games for them. As for the match against L**ds, we hammered them in the 1st half straight from the 1st minute when Tudor had an effort that hit the woodwork. Don Revie admitted after the game that we deserved to win the game. Peter Howard wrote in the Green Un 4 days later saying that Revie feared Woody and told his players that they should make sure that he doesnt get the ball much and instructed Terry Cooper to "forget" about his usual over-lapping style. TC exploited the space in the middle (thanks to L**ds "watching" Woody) and that is how he used his brain to make that great solo run before firing in the goal

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

Glory Hunter!

Look at the packed terraces - what a noise we made

 

[Silent Blade]

Glory Hunter!

Look at the packed terraces - what a noise we made

The next 5 years were great......

 

[grafikhaus]

I was at that match and it was fantastic - Woody, TC, et all...........great players, great manager and good days to be a Blade.

UTB

I was at school (King Ted's, natch) on the Monday when the draw was made at lunchtime. We were all crowded round a radio and most of the other lads were whoopin' and 'hollerin' when it came out '...will play Everton.' That's 'cos most of them claimed to be piggies but never went (bit like now) and thought we'd get thrashed.

An excellent Everton team were well beaten.

 

[Revolution]

An excellent Everton team were well beaten.

United of course went on to get stuffed 3-0 by Derby in the 4th round.

We won 3 more FA Cup ties last year than we won from 1969-70 to 1978-79...

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

For all the people who remember this era (and others I guess), there are two good books written by a guy called Dave Roberts - The Bromley Boys and 32 Programmes. Well worth a read. (Apologies if these have been mentioned before).

Both great books that will resonate for Blades of a certain age. Talking of which, The World Cup sticker thread on here a few weeks ago reminded me of another fantastic book, 'Got, not got' by Derek Hammond. Not just about the sticker collecting, but football culture generally in the 60s, 70s and 80s. Have a look at his other books on a similar theme, 'What a shot' faded colour snaps of football, grounds and supporters in the same era and 'The Lost World of Football' remembering rosettes, pin badges, medals given away with petrol and the like.

 

[Hugh Nitedite]

I was there and it is still one of my most vivid memories from my youthful days at the Lane, its right up there in my all time best games ever seen and the noise was beyond belief , not sure I have ever heard it as loud since.
Wasn`t the match that sealed my support though, that happened when I got picked to play for United v Wendy on the Nether Green school playground.

 

[Silent Blade]

Reece's goal is from 2.32 in the below video

 

[Greenwich Blade]

Not allowed now, classed as ungentlemanly conducted (changed as a result of Saunders goal)

Are you sure about this?

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Are you sure about this?

According to the FIFA Interpretation for referees of Law 15 (throw-in) it is still allowable


134

Procedures – infringements

Referees are reminded that opponents may be no closer than 2 m from the
point at which the throw-in is taken. Where necessary, the referee must warn
any player within this distance before the throw-in is taken and caution the
player if he subsequently fails to retreat to the correct distance. Play is restarted
with a throw-in.
If a player, while correctly taking a throw-in, intentionally throws the ball at an
opponent in order to play the ball again but neither in a careless nor a reckless
manner nor using excessive force, the referee must allow play to continue.
If the ball enters the opponents’ goal directly from a throw-in, the referee must
award a goal kick. If the ball enters the thrower’s own goal directly from a
throw-in, the referee must award a corner kick.
If the ball touches the ground before entering the
fi eld of play, the throw-in is

retaken by the same team from the same position provided that it was taken
in line with the correct procedure. If the throw-in is not taken in line with the
correct procedure, it is retaken by the opposing team.

 

[Shalalalafenoughty]

Look at the packed terraces - what a noise we made

Standing on packed terraces with fellow Unitedites, swaying from side to side, surfing unexpected and unpredictable surges of hundreds of people, a baying Kop sucking the ball towards it as we attacked at the Shoreham End second half on a crisp autumn Saturday or a winter's night under floodlights - I'm not one of those who believes that the old days were better in all areas of life but in terms of supporting Sheffield United those days were brilliant.

 

[BladeFisher]

That Leeds game was my first trip to BDTBL too and it changed the course of my life for ever

That was the first game I went on my own. Was stood in the John Street paddock. Remember the Leeds 'firm' tried to take the Kop and this big hole opening up and then rapidly refilled. Weren't there something like 49,000 there that night or am I grossly over exagerating?

 

[Silent Blade]

That was the first game I went on my own. Was stood in the John Street paddock. Remember the Leeds 'firm' tried to take the Kop and this big hole opening up and then rapidly refilled. Weren't there something like 49,000 there that night or am I grossly over exagerating?

40,725. The highest since the 1936 FA Cup match against L**ds was (I think) against Man U in April 1972 when 45,045 attended

 

[Darren]

40,725. The highest since the 1936 FA Cup match against L**ds was (I think) against Man U in April 1972 when 45,045 attended

Didn't we get 59,000ish for the cup tie against Wednesday in 1960?

 

[Silent Blade]

Didn't we get 59,000ish for the cup tie against Wednesday in 1960?

Yes you are right... also 57,000 against Burnley in 1962

 

[Chezzy Blades]

According to the FIFA Interpretation for referees of Law 15 (throw-in) it is still allowable

134

Procedures – infringements

Referees are reminded that opponents may be no closer than 2 m from the
point at which the throw-in is taken. Where necessary, the referee must warn
any player within this distance before the throw-in is taken and caution the
player if he subsequently fails to retreat to the correct distance. Play is restarted
with a throw-in.
If a player, while correctly taking a throw-in, intentionally throws the ball at an
opponent in order to play the ball again but neither in a careless nor a reckless
manner nor using excessive force, the referee must allow play to continue.
If the ball enters the opponents’ goal directly from a throw-in, the referee must
award a goal kick. If the ball enters the thrower’s own goal directly from a
throw-in, the referee must award a corner kick.
If the ball touches the ground before entering the
fi eld of play, the throw-in is

retaken by the same team from the same position provided that it was taken
in line with the correct procedure. If the throw-in is not taken in line with the
correct procedure, it is retaken by the opposing team.

Good job too, every throw in we have we throw it straight to the opposition!

 

[dublin 10 blade]

Having already learned that supporting us was going to be a lifetime of disappointment, the one that bucked the trend and cemented the relationship was the Liverpool league cup match, 1978.

Hamson!!!!!!!!

UTB

Thank fuck it wasn't the Weeds game , in the following round .

 

[alcoblade]

Thank fuck it wasn't the Weeds game , in the following round .

Yes, back to earth and all that

UTB

 

[wardlowwanderer]

The programme for the Wednesday game in 1970 depicts a local derby from, I'd say, the early sixties. Brian Richardson is the Blade to the left and I'd be fairly confident it's Cec Coldwell on the floor, face slightly obscured.

The front cover of the Leeds programme shows the aftermath of TC's goal - the only goal of the game - in our 1-0 win over them in the previous season's League Cup on September 8, 1970. A brilliant goal, a great game and I remember Alan Hodgkinson making an incredible save, tipping one over at the Kop end late on as Leeds - a top side back then - pressed for an equaliser. Mick Jones played for Leeds that night and he was typically generous after the match in his praise for United in general and Hodgy in particular. From left to right, it's Dearden, Sprake, Tudor, Hunter and (I think) Woody.

I did wonder which match was on the cover of the Utd Weds programme. Thanks for that.

 

[wardlowwanderer]

Both great books that will resonate for Blades of a certain age. Talking of which, The World Cup sticker thread on here a few weeks ago reminded me of another fantastic book, 'Got, not got' by Derek Hammond. Not just about the sticker collecting, but football culture generally in the 60s, 70s and 80s. Have a look at his other books on a similar theme, 'What a shot' faded colour snaps of football, grounds and supporters in the same era and 'The Lost World of Football' remembering rosettes, pin badges, medals given away with petrol and the like.

Talking of medals from petrol stations

 

[Mad Mick]

Yeh at one time you could squeeze around 60,000 in the ground.

 

[Wapping Blade]

Talking of medals from petrol stations
View attachment 9220

Were they the Esso ones - funny I can remember something like that being from Esso but not what they were!

 

[wardlowwanderer]

Were they the Esso ones - funny I can remember something like that being from Esso but not what they were!

I think they were from Esso. I remember that the guy that owned the petrol station used to let us buy them rather than wait for some family member to fill up. I guess he made a few bob extra out of us.

 

[Silent Blade]

Were they the Esso ones - funny I can remember something like that being from Esso but not what they were!

Esso did World Cup 1970 coins too. I had a Bobby Moore coin

 

[Silent Blade]

Talking of medals from petrol stations
View attachment 9220

Our club crest in that collection wasnt the coat of arms or the current one. It was the same one in Rothmans Yearbooks too. Can anyone explain the history of this crest?

 

[Wapping Blade]

Esso did World Cup 1970 coins too. I had a Bobby Moore coin

Thanks Pete - it's the World Cup 1970 ones that I (sort of) remember. They *might* be at my mum's somewhere unless Our Kid has flogged them.

 

[Silent Blade]

 

[JJ Sefton]

 

[wizadry]

Standing on packed terraces with fellow Unitedites, swaying from side to side, surfing unexpected and unpredictable surges of hundreds of people, a baying Kop sucking the ball towards it as we attacked at the Shoreham End second half on a crisp autumn Saturday or a winter's night under floodlights - I'm not one of those who believes that the old days were better in all areas of life but in terms of supporting Sheffield United those days were brilliant.

I'm 31 and you're making me jealous,i bet it was great.My uncles tell me all sorts the jammy old twatsI'd love for it to be like that now because unless you go to the away matches, and i go to quite a few,the atmosphere to be quite frank,is absolutely shite.

 

[Shalalalafenoughty]

40,725. The highest since the 1936 FA Cup match against L**ds was (I think) against Man U in April 1972 when 45,045 attended

My dad - 15 at the time - was at the Leeds game in 1936 which drew our record crowd of 68287.