"I don't know if I'm blessed, or what?"

[longinthe toothblade]

Had a beer with my bro at lunchtime today and reminisced a bit. Talked about our first match together at 'the lane'. It was (we think) the 9th September, 1964. An evening game against Fulham - Mick Jones was playing for us.

Got me thinking and when I got home I sat down with a coffee, a chocolate hob nob, a couple of sheets of paper and a pen. Tried to figure out what my life's been like, supporting the Blades.

This is what I came up with more or less:

51 years a supporter during which we have spent 14 years in the top league [old 1st Division or Prem]; 26 years in the second tier [old 2nd Division or Championship]; 10 years in the third tier [equivalent to the current shit we are in now] and one year in what was then, the Football League, Division 4 [didn't miss a game that season it was fantastic. We swept all aside and whilst the opposition we were playing every week were mostly shite, it was great - they all needed beating and we were like Real Madrid].

Overall I've seen 6 promotions and 8 relegation's.

Two favorite teams. The class of 71 were magnificent and the 88/89 & 89/90 lot took some beating too. Great times.

Two low points. The 74/75 season when we only won 6 games all season. Only missed a handful of games all season home and away - it was absolute purgatory, and 'life threatening' at some of the grounds! [made worse because we'd finished 6th in Division 1 the year before?]. Second low point for me was our most recent exit from the Premiership - sad days and a lot of bad blood at the club. Not our finest hour although it wasn't helped by those cheating bastards at Upton Park.

Anyways, sorry to bore you stupid but there you go. I do have one question, however, that someone out there can answer. Since 1964 when I started my Blades career, how many clubs have spent longer than us in the second tier?

Up the Blades x

 

[BushBlade]

I understand the only reason Meadowhell was successful was because of the number of Harris era Blades that stopped going to the Lane during the Bassett era and went shopping with their wives instead.

Nice to hear from someone who appreciates both periods.

 

[HighfieldBlade]

Had a beer with my bro at lunchtime today and reminisced a bit. Talked about our first match together at 'the lane'. It was (we think) the 9th September, 1964. An evening game against Fulham - Mick Jones was playing for us.

Got me thinking and when I got home I sat down with a coffee, a chocolate hob nob, a couple of sheets of paper and a pen. Tried to figure out what my life's been like, supporting the Blades.

This is what I came up with more or less:

51 years a supporter during which we have spent 14 years in the top league [old 1st Division or Prem]; 26 years in the second tier [old 2nd Division or Championship]; 10 years in the third tier [equivalent to the current shit we are in now] and one year in what was then, the Football League, Division 4 [didn't miss a game that season it was fantastic. We swept all aside and whilst the opposition we were playing every week were mostly shite, it was great - they all needed beating and we were like Real Madrid].

Overall I've seen 6 promotions and 8 relegation's.

Two favorite teams. The class of 71 were magnificent and the 88/89 & 89/90 lot took some beating too. Great times.

Two low points. The 74/75 season when we only won 6 games all season. Only missed a handful of games all season home and away - it was absolute purgatory, and 'life threatening' at some of the grounds! [made worse because we'd finished 6th in Division 1 the year before?]. Second low point for me was our most recent exit from the Premiership - sad days and a lot of bad blood at the club. Not our finest hour although it wasn't helped by those cheating bastards at Upton Park.

Anyways, sorry to bore you stupid but there you go. I do have one question, however, that someone out there can answer. Since 1964 when I started my Blades career, how many clubs have spent longer than us in the second tier?

Up the Blades x

Not boring at all, longinthetooth. I enjoyed that read. Good to reminisce now and again, but always have one eye on the future.

 

[Worksop II]

There is more than one Programme for that match on eBay



and at that time the Fulham Team included George Cohen, Jonny Haynes, and Bobby Robson

You can still get Green Un Match Reports

 

[coaxingstar71]

I'm sadly not enough to remember the halcyon days of Woodward, Currie et al. My first proper season that I can remember was the 81/82 in Div.4 where as you say it was like watching Real Madrid smash everybody almost every week. Unfortunately, in my young mind (10), I thought it was always going to be like that! A hard lesson to learn ever since! I think the only time we've come close to that since was the first promotion under Bassett with Deane and Agana scoring 30 a piece.

Question for you Longinthetooth (and any others that remember) - what do you think are the reasons we never actually won anything in that golden age? I mean we never even got near in the cups apart from 1961 and there was so much talent in the side.

 

[coaxingstar71]

Just looked it up and we drew with Fulham 1-1 with Jones scoring. Interestingly it was the midweek game following us beating the pigs at swillsboro 2-0 with Birchenall scoring both in only his 2nd game for the club - instant hero!

 

[coaxingstar71]

Another question : Whilst looking that up I noticed the attendance for that game was 20,379 and the previous 2 home games were 13,831 v Burnley and 17,368 v Stoke. This was in Division 1 with the likes of Jones, Birchenall and Woody playing. Yet we consistently manage to get around 20,000 watching this tripe in Division 3 - is it down to the ground being effectively 3 sided then, economic climate or what?

 

[longinthe toothblade]

There is more than one Programme for that match on eBay

View attachment 13985

and at that time the Fulham Team included George Cohen, Jonny Haynes, and Bobby Robson

You can still get Green Un Match Reports

Fantastic. Look excellent mounted on the wall of the office. That's one Christmas prezzy sorted. Many thanks for the heads up.

 

[longinthe toothblade]

Another question : Whilst looking that up I noticed the attendance for that game was 20,379 and the previous 2 home games were 13,831 v Burnley and 17,368 v Stoke. This was in Division 1 with the likes of Jones, Birchenall and Woody playing. Yet we consistently manage to get around 20,000 watching this tripe in Division 3 - is it down to the ground being effectively 3 sided then, economic climate or what?

It was a totally different atmosphere - no New South Stand just a cricket square and a shagged out, white Cricket pavilion 100/150 yds behind it. Actually stood on the cricket terracing the last game of the 71 season when we got promoted. Think we beat Ipswich town 7-1, 53,000 that game I think.

 

[longinthe toothblade]

It was a totally different atmosphere - no New South Stand just a cricket square and a shagged out, white Cricket pavilion 100/150 yds behind it. Actually stood on the cricket terracing the last game of the 71 season when we got promoted. Think we beat Ipswich town 7-1, 53,000 that game I think.

......or was it 35,000? It's my age!

 

[Woodwardfan]

I'm sadly not enough to remember the halcyon days of Woodward, Currie et al. My first proper season that I can remember was the 81/82 in Div.4 where as you say it was like watching Real Madrid smash everybody almost every week. Unfortunately, in my young mind (10), I thought it was always going to be like that! A hard lesson to learn ever since! I think the only time we've come close to that since was the first promotion under Bassett with Deane and Agana scoring 30 a piece.

Question for you Longinthetooth (and any others that remember) - what do you think are the reasons we never actually won anything in that golden age? I mean we never even got near in the cups apart from 1961 and there was so much talent in the side.

My view on that has to be that since Mick Jones went we have generally sold our best players and nothing much changes does it.

 

[Woodwardfan]

Why are all the relegations so hard to bear and far more distressing than the promotions are enjoyable - apart from that day in Leicester!!

 

[William Henry Foulkes]

Why are all the relegations so hard to bear and far more distressing than the promotions are enjoyable - apart from that day in Leicester!!

Darlington

 

[Silent Blade]

Two low points. The 75/76 season when we only won 6 games all season. Only missed a handful of games all season home and away - it was absolute purgatory, and 'life threatening' at some of the grounds! [made worse because we'd finished 6th in Division 1 the year before?].

Fixed for you

 

[UnitedBlade]

I'm sadly not enough to remember the halcyon days of Woodward, Currie et al. My first proper season that I can remember was the 81/82 in Div.4 where as you say it was like watching Real Madrid smash everybody almost every week. Unfortunately, in my young mind (10), I thought it was always going to be like that! A hard lesson to learn ever since! I think the only time we've come close to that since was the first promotion under Bassett with Deane and Agana scoring 30 a piece.

Question for you Longinthetooth (and any others that remember) - what do you think are the reasons we never actually won anything in that golden age? I mean we never even got near in the cups apart from 1961 and there was so much talent in the side.

Simple, the Board sold Mick Jones behind John Harris's back then followed it up by selling Sherman Birchenall.

All a few months before TC turned up.

It's in the Blades DNA - clusterfucks of the highest order. It could have been so different.

Still here though - hope springs eternal.

 

[UnitedBlade]

Just looked it up and we drew with Fulham 1-1 with Jones scoring. Interestingly it was the midweek game following us beating the pigs at swillsboro 2-0 with Birchenall scoring both in only his 2nd game for the club - instant hero!

Oh yes, this makes me very happy.

It must have been my first away game and another hero was born.

Sherman sinking the pigs in their own back yard.

Happy, happy days.

 

[Silent Blade]

Another question : Whilst looking that up I noticed the attendance for that game was 20,379 and the previous 2 home games were 13,831 v Burnley and 17,368 v Stoke. This was in Division 1 with the likes of Jones, Birchenall and Woody playing. Yet we consistently manage to get around 20,000 watching this tripe in Division 3 - is it down to the ground being effectively 3 sided then, economic climate or what?

The attendances at Wendy were down too. It must have been because the footy fans in Sheffield were disgusted with the bribery scandal and vowed not to go to another game.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1964_British_betting_scandal


Another reason could be that the Blades fans were fed up of Harris having faith in the youth policy rather than go out to buy a player. We didnt buy a player from another league club between March 1961 and summer 1965

 

[Silent Blade]

Simple, the Board sold Mick Jones behind John Harris's back then followed it up by selling Sherman Birchenall.

.

that was in 1967, the attendances were better after the World Cup win in 1966

 

[UnitedBlade]

that was in 1967, the attendances were better after the World Cup win in 1966

Silent, I was responding to the question about why we never got close to winning anything - not the one regarding crowds.

I still can't forgive them for selling Mick. Just about 50 top tier goals before he was 21 and selling him without consulting John Harris.