Wanted - Memries of Alan Woodward

[Bedrock Blade]

Wanted - Memories of Alan Woodward

View attachment 11930

Memries surely...

 

[JJ Sefton]

The goal at Leicester direct from a corner.......a youthful Bert was in that crowd behind the goal.

You can see my dad and cousin behind the goal in the video.

 

[HighfieldBlade]

I was a bit too young to be allowed to go and watch SUFC on my own, but Woodward was my hero.

[Cue Hovis bread theme music...]

On match days, I used to knock a ball about in the grounds of a church (long-since demolished) on the top end of Bramall Lane where it meets Rowland Rd, approx. opposite what was the Lavers warehouse. Trawling the web, it was this one - maybe older Blades can confirm:

Anyway, without getting too nostalgic, I would pretend to be Woodward, scoring goals and timing my celebrations with the crowds' chants and cheers at Bramall Lane. UTB.

 

[pommpey]

Met Woody twice. Once was when I wrote (aged nine) to United and asked to come to watch a training session. They wrote back and said yes so me and a couple of neighbours turned up at the Ball Inn but they weren't there so we walked down to the Lane and caught the last three quarters of an hour (they were training behind the cricket pavillion) We all got autographs. I remember standing next to Woody - his barrel chest and big, silvery sidies and seventies hair and it was like standing next to Jesus Christ himself. I was fucking awestruck. I recall seeing him tear up and down the wing, cut inside, deliver brilliant crosses with the old Mitre Multiplex footballs aon a muddy or sandy Bramall Lane pitch and use those massive legs to hit a ball that would beat a keeper with speed and direction and for him to stand with his arm up, no histrionics, no hugging and kissing or double back somersaults whist the Shoreham end cascaded down with scarves and arms aloft in utter joy. He was (and remains) my Sheffield United hero and someone I aspired to. Like above, I would practice and practice striking a football from distance as he used to, aiming for those areas of the goal where you knew the keeper would struggle to get to, because I'd seen him do it. When they talk of playing role models, that's who they mean. Modest, gentlemanly, committed, strong and above all else, ours.

I also met him at an awards ceremony (pic elsewhere on S24SU) where he dished out trophies to us Sheffield and Hallamshire Sunday League unworthies. Again I felt on cloud nine to have him pass me my small, cheap wood and plastic trophy, shake my hand and say 'Well done, lad ... you have earned this." Woody said that to me. He said that to me. (and every one else, but big deal)

Then of course, there is every game you saw and missed that he played for us and the number 7 you wore on your shirt because of him. I have two shirts from a couple of seasons ago, on has 10 on it (obv) and the other has 7. There are no other numbers, really.

pommpey

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

 

[Barney Rubble]

I remember seeing one particular way we had of scoring happening time and time again in those years.
Regaining possession from the opposition in our half we got the ball out quickly to Woody on the right who bombed on down the wing whilst Billly Dearden hared down the middle. Woody delivered a great cross and Billy stuck it way. Seemed to work every time.

 

[MiserableBlader]

Great player, great entertainer, great club servant.
Great proper, winger. Could run full pace straight down the right wing and cross a brilliant bending cross at right angles.
His only rival at the time was Dave Wagstaffe who could do the same down the left wing for Wolves.
Great at running with the ball at defences and striking great, unstoppable shots. A la Francis Lee and later Dennis Tueart.
Often on the end of 60 yard passes from TC ripping through defences.
Later played in midfield because he was a hard worker and a great passer. Hence his kicking career in American football.
Malcolm Allison said he and TC should be the first names on the England team sheet as they were true quality.
At the time he was with Man City as coach and later manager when they were the top team and supplying such as Francis Lee.
He WAS world class - but as a Blade never got a cap
Back then we were young and thought it would always be like that - but we'll probably never see their like again
If only it was all on film like now
God Bless Woody.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Jan 1978, FA cup tie v Newcastle at the Lane. Our main hope of progress, as usual by that time, was,Alan Woodward. The Geordies launched a crippling foul on Alan, the crowd responded for what seemed ages, with chants of "Come on Woody!Come on Woody!"
Sadly he went off, the game ending nil nil. Several weeks elapsed before the replay, which itself got postponed five times I think, due to a bad winter. Can Silent confirm, did Alan get a left footed goal v Orient, as one of his two on Boxing day 1976?

 

[Silent Blade]

Jan 1978, FA cup tie v Newcastle at the Lane. Our main hope of progress, as usual by that time, was,Alan Woodward. The Geordies launched a crippling foul on Alan, the crowd responded for what seemed ages, with chants of "Come on Woody!Come on Woody!"
Sadly he went off, the game ending nil nil. Several weeks elapsed before the replay, which itself got postponed five times I think, due to a bad winter. Can Silent confirm, did Alan get a left footed goal v Orient, as one of his two on Boxing day 1976?

Newcastle game was in Jan 1977.

I do not remember Woody's first goal against Orient (scored at Lane End) but remember his 2nd at the Kop End (I was in the Kop) and it was definitely right footed. Reading the below, looks like you are thinking of his first goal

GOAL - v Orient (h) 26.12.77. Woodward got his first goal in the 25th minute after hard running by young Hamson, who beat two men to feed his skipper with a slide-rule pass. Woodward advanced, beat Grealish and Roeder and curled it in.
GOAL - v Orient (h) 26.12.77. The second came in the 49th minute - one of those Woodward' specials. Stainrod and Hamilton did the spadework and when the ball came loose on the edge of the penalty area, Woody had it in the back of the net before Jackson could move.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Great player, great entertainer, great club servant.
Great proper, winger. Could run full pace straight down the right wing and cross a brilliant bending cross at right angles.
His only rival at the time was Dave Wagstaffe who could do the same down the left wing for Wolves.
Great at running with the ball at defences and striking great, unstoppable shots. A la Francis Lee and later Dennis Tueart.
Often on the end of 60 yard passes from TC ripping through defences.
Later played in midfield because he was a hard worker and a great passer. Hence his kicking career in American football.
Malcolm Allison said he and TC should be the first names on the England team sheet as they were true quality.
At the time he was with Man City as coach and later manager when they were the top team and supplying such as Francis Lee.
He WAS world class - but as a Blade never got a cap
Back then we were young and thought it would always be like that - but we'll probably never see their like again
If only it was all on film like now
God Bless Woody.

...And we had agreed to buy Francis Lee, but the board baulked at paying that fee for an ageing forward and instead spent the money on Chris Guthrie!

 

[JJ Sefton]

From Walth Snr...

"When Alan Woodward came into the first team he had a rival for the right wing in John Docherty. Both had a phenomenally powerful shot.

Woody was more popular with the crowd and eventually won out.

He had the ability to go down the wing or cut inside, and could make a scoring chance out of either. His shooting was extremely powerful, but scoring from a corner against Shilton (twice) proved that he could finesse the ball also.

He had a very good rapport with Tony Currie, each could place the ball square in front of the other for them to run on to.

Woody was a great servant of the club. He was at his peak when England were “wingless wonders”, which meant he never got the recovery he deserved."

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Was it at the Orient match this last season, that Woody was around? Anyway, I was there telling my fifteen year old nephew " now there's a real player", but it is not easy for a kid to know what a good, let alone a great, player would look like. Never will we see his like again.
One of his goals away at Derby, Dec 75, was a world beater, a piledriver after a pass from Currie.

 

[Silent Blade]

From Walth Snr...

but scoring from a corner against Shilton (twice) proved that he could finesse the ball also.

Twice against Shilton? He did score direct from a corner against Shilton in Sept 1971 but when was the other time? I know that Woody has scored direct from a corner at least 4 times, the other three being against Iam McFaul of Newcastle in the League Cup in Sept 1969, against Bill Glazier of Coventry in Nov 1971 and against Kevin Keelan of Norwich in January 1973. Looking in my thread below, Woody has scored 6 times against Shilton (and once in John Harris Testimonial match) and only one was direct from a corner

http://www.s24su.com/forum/index.php?threads/alan-woodwards-goals-and-assists.40133/

 

[JJ Sefton]

Twice against Shilton? He did score direct from a corner against Shilton in Sept 1971 but when was the other time? I know that Woody has scored direct from a corner at least 4 times, the other three being against Iam McFaul of Newcastle in the League Cup in Sept 1969, against Bill Glazier of Coventry in Nov 1971 and against Kevin Keelan of Norwich in January 1973. Looking in my thread below, Woody has scored 6 times against Shilton (and once in John Harris Testimonial match) and only one was direct from a corner

http://www.s24su.com/forum/index.php?threads/alan-woodwards-goals-and-assists.40133/

Walth Snr spent much of the 1970s pissed so I'd focus on the mood rather than the details.

 

[Silent Blade]

Walth Snr spent much of the 1970s pissed so I'd focus on the mood rather than the details.

Oh right

 

[Barney Rubble]

I think he did almost score twice against Keelan in the Norwich match. As I recall the other goal was put in by one of our players almost on the goal line when it looked to be going in anyway. I think Keelan got booked after one of the goals for punching one of our player (possibly Flynn). Keelan stood outside the 6 yard box when the corners were delivered so was ripe for being done by the Woody special.

 

[Silent Blade]

I think he did almost score twice against Keelan in the Norwich match. As I recall the other goal was put in by one of our players almost on the goal line when it looked to be going in anyway. I think Keelan got booked after one of the goals for punching one of our player (possibly Flynn). Keelan stood outside the 6 yard box when the corners were delivered so was ripe for being done by the Woody special.

Woody's goal was our 2nd and I remember during HT in the BLUT many were asking who had scored the 2nd goal. Most thought it was Woody, a few thought Flynn had got the last touch. I remember after the goal Keelan ran up to the ref protesting about something and, yes, I seem to remember he got booked. Green Un and all the other papers credited the goal to Woody

 

[Pedro Verde]

I remember the 2 goals against Derby at the Baseball ground great to see them again on You Tube

Woody is my all time favourite player that I have seen in a Blades shirt
Should have been capped by England the Woodward v Lorimer debate at the time had only one winner
not only did Woodward have the best most powerful shot I have ever seen he had so much more to his game Lorimer only had a mention in the same breath as Woody because he played for L666s
Just imagine what he would have been able to do with the balls we play with today with the way they move around

A true Blades Legend

 

[ken shabby]

I remember dear old Alan in many ways, the supersonic howitzers that shot from his feet, the swirling vicious crosses at pace, his passing, his corners, his wing play and the fact he gave me Mam half a crown to give me when Mum told him he were me favourite player.

I were there the day he scored v york and if it weren`t for the net stopping the ball, it woulda skittled half the Kop behind the goal, Peter Lorimer was a pea shooter compared to Woody`s Big Bertha.
I recall Shilton was worried when facing a woody pen that he`d get the worlds first face transplant, ie: transplanted onto the ball.... he needn`t have worried , he never saw it.

I saw the 4 v. ipswich, one an absolute scorcher wi` his left foot from a super pass from our Trevor, Woody never broke stride, but the timing was perfect and ferocious.

A fine natural skilful player who scored world class thunderbolts for fun, what a shame he was at his best while Ramsey and co. had a winger affliction. Woody & TC should`ve graced the England colours for years.

thanks our Alan, tha were a gem!

 

[Silent Blade]

Arsenal's keeper Bob Wilson was asked in an interview
So in terms of power who’s shots were the hardest you faced?
Bob replied with "Bobby Charlton, Martin Chivers, Alan Woodward"

I remember reading somewhere that Celtic legend, Jimmy Johnstone (played 11 games for us in 1975 and 1976) saying that Woody was the cleanest striker of the ball he had ever seen.

Peter Howard wrote in the Green ‘Un on February 19th 1972; “Malcolm Allison, extrovert, talkative boss of Manchester City knows who is to blame for City's loss of a point at Bramall Lane last Saturday. Allison blames ...himself! He said, ‘It's my fault. I take full responsibility. I boobed. I should have told Joe Corrigan to stand in the middle of the line for Alan Woodward's corner kicks. Woodward is the best in Britain in these situations. He hits the ball with the outside of his foot and although he can get tremendous accuracy this way, the power is lessened. So it was pointless Corrigan standing at the far post. He wasn't to know this. This is my job and I should have covered it. I watched Sheffield United just before the game and Woodward did not have a right wing corner. I meant to come to the Dynamo Kiev match but I was ill and missed it. If I had been there, I would have spotted Woodward's trick and it could have saved a point.’”


Bobby Robson said after the Blades’ scoreless draw against Ipswich at the Lane in August 1972, "We came here with a little trepidation after losing 7-0 last season and we knew we mustn't lose an early goal. But in the end our worst problems were created by corners. That fellow Woodward is the best taker of corners I've ever known.”

Rodney Marsh said after the 1-1 draw against Fulham in October 1976, "Nobody hits 'em better than Woody."
.

 

[MobileBlade]

So with special thanks to WalthamstowBlade for providing the original idea and much of the footage, and to Silent Blade for his superb assessment of Woody's career, get the pop corn at the ready (its nearly 40 mins long so you will need it!), here is the extended version of our tribute to Woody. Some of you get a mention so you may with to view in full screen or on you tube site for the last bit. Enjoy! This is the result of the project he was working on - this thread!



We realise there are some other games that were televised but we have not managed to find the footage for. It anyone does have anything and can assist we would appreciate.

 

[Silent Blade]

So with special thanks to WalthamstowBlade for providing the original idea and much of the footage, and to Silent Blade for his superb assessment of Woody's career, get the pop corn at the ready (its nearly 40 mins long so you will need it!), here is the extended version of our tribute to Woody. Some of you get a mention so you may with to view in full screen or on you tube site for the last bit. Enjoy! This is the result of the project he was working on - this thread!



We realise there are some other games that were televised but we have not managed to find the footage for. It anyone does have anything and can assist we would appreciate.

Superb video, many thanks!

 

[coolhandluke]

...... it looks very much like this was created by someone on here and im absolutely certain the link has been posted on here before ..... but . I actually only discovered this link and watched it all last night and ill make no excuses for posting it again .

Sadly , i only ever saw Woody play once against Fulham at home way back in 76 and like many more ive been regaled by tales from " ar old man " and many other Blades of a certain vintage . Throughout all of this , i never realised just how good he was untill i discovered this tribute .

To all Blades who , like me , never really saw Woody play i strongly urge you to take the time to view this tribute in its entirety . This guy epitomises exactly what the term " legend " engenders . Over 500 appearances and over 150 goals for us ( Billy Sharp has just got 50 goals for us if you really need Woodys stats putting into perspective ! ) demonstrate what this guy did for us .

But its not the stats that tell the full story , its just how good a footballer this guy was . Any discussion of the best player to ever play for us is simply incomplete without Alan Woodwards name being right up there .

 

[coolhandluke]

For summat I'm working on, I wanted to ask Blades who saw the great man play if they could write a few short words, two or three sentences, about his play, his style, him generally, his role in the team(s) he played in, whatever really.

Thanks in advance.

If the tribute is your work you deserve a medal as big as a dustbin lid !

 

[Shalalalafenoughty]

If the tribute is your work you deserve a medal as big as a dustbin lid !

I totally disagree.

Walth's failure to rejig the whole thing in order to incorporate the two seconds of grainy footage from that advert for The Star which has recently come to light showing Woody's goal in the 1973 defeat of Arsenal amounts to a gross dereliction of duty.

Medal? Pah!

 

[Maidenhead]

If the tribute is your work you deserve a medal as big as a dustbin lid !

He's only a little lad, he'd never see over the top of it

 

[Sean Thornton]

The goal at Leicester direct from a corner.......a youthful Bert was in that crowd behind the goal.

Late on as well.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

For summat I'm working on, I wanted to ask Blades who saw the great man play if they could write a few short words, two or three sentences, about his play, his style, him generally, his role in the team(s) he played in, whatever really.

Thanks in advance.

OK - first saw United about 1967.

Always my 2nd favourite player after TC.

His timing of a ball was impeccable.
At corners, he had an uncanny knack of cutting across a ball so it sort of went in a straight line instead of curl.
His penalties were nearly always to the goal keepers left and it hit the side netting. I modeled my penalties on him and only ever missed 3, as I put them every time in the same place - for me, practice made perfect.
He could hit a ball with perfect timing very hard.
Precision with shots and crossing.
Think it was a game v Coventry away - TC said to Woody " see that gap - put one through there and we're in business" - Woody did just that.
Quiet and unassuming - never seemed to go bonkers when scoring.

Anyway, that's how I remember him.

UTB

 

[RammyBlade]

What can any real Blade say about Legend "Woody" The word legend is often used frivolously these days b certainly was.
I first saw him in 1965 and knew he was special.
It was power and pace that were superb that amazed people. His ability to pass a ball with pinpoint accuracy was excellent.

It was awesome to see how he took corners which as someone has already said he could cross the ball with such pace at head height from either post it was no wonder we scored so may goals from corners with tall players attacking the ball like Eddie Coloqouhn and John Flynn. I remember the season in 1971 which was our 4th away match at Leicester and late in the match we got a corner. All Blades fans knew it was an opportunity but it was even better as the ball went straight in and the Blades end went into ecstacy as were top of the league. The feat of scoring direct from a corner was no fluke and I am sure I remember him doing it at least 4 times including a great one at BDTBL against Southampton.

How he was never capped for England is one of the mysteries of all foootball as his partnership with TC was telepathic.
I know he was revered when he went to the USA - cant remember the club -think it was Tampa ?
Saw him in person at the 125 celebration dinner and gor speaking to him and what a really nice guy and had a selfie taken with the great man.

One funny anecdote was when we played an away match in London around the 71 season and our coach stopped off at a service station Leicester Forest East I think and saw that the Blades team had stopped off for some food. As the players made their way to the coach one of the lads from our coach nipped into the vacated restaurant and nicked the fork which Woody had been using to eat his meal. As the Blades coach was getting ready to leave the lad with the fork rushed over to the team coach to where Woody was sat,banged on the window shouting "Alan, I've got your fork !!" Not sure if Woody was amused or not but he smiled anyway . A true LEGEND !

 

[Silent Blade]

I know he was revered when he went to the USA - cant remember the club -think it was Tampa ?

Tulsa Roughnecks