Twenty years ago today

[1danewhitehouse]

I’m a bit too young to properly remember some of Bassett’s greatest games (though I’ve seen them back and heard all the stories etc.) but here are a few that stand out for me that I don’t think have been mentioned yet.


3-1 win v Swindon on opening day in 93. Think we were 3rd in the Prem. Flo had been presented on the pitch as the Deano replacement.


3-2 win against West Ham from 2-0 down. Night game on Sky. Whitehouse scored a belter then Brian Gayle made his presence felt in their box for him and Rogers to score.


2-2 at home to Leeds- We’d come from 2-0 down. Roger Nilsen made a heroic goal-line clearance to keep us in it. Blake came on and turned the game although it was Flo and Gayle that got the goals.


1-2 win at Anfield- Flo got both our goals but it was Carr and Littlejohn who stole the show as they tore the Liverpool defence a new one with their pace and trickery.


2-0 win at home at home to Newcastle with Blake scoring 2. The whole ground was on it’s feet in celebration as we were so sure we were staying up and Newcastle qualified for Europe by virtue of Arsenal losing (I think to West Ham).


3-0 win over Watford on the opening day of the 94/95 season. I couldn’t remember the standard of the 2nd tier such was my age and after that game I thought we were going to destroy all that came before us.


1-0 win over Arsenal at the lane after we’d held them at their place to earn a replay. Carl Veart diving header.



And last but not least, the original battle of brammall lane when we lost to Udienese in the Ango-Italian cup with 3 players and manager all sent off. Not a good night for us but memorable nonetheless.


Thanks for the memories “Arry”

 

[Darren]

I’m a bit too young to properly remember some of Bassett’s greatest games (though I’ve seen them back and heard all the stories etc.) but here are a few that stand out for me that I don’t think have been mentioned yet.


3-1 win v Swindon on opening day in 93. Think we were 3rd in the Prem. Flo had been presented on the pitch as the Deano replacement.


3-2 win against West Ham from 2-0 down. Night game on Sky. Whitehouse scored a belter then Brian Gayle made his presence felt in their box for him and Rogers to score.


2-2 at home to Leeds- We’d come from 2-0 down. Roger Nilsen made a heroic goal-line clearance to keep us in it. Blake came on and turned the game although it was Flo and Gayle that got the goals.


1-2 win at Anfield- Flo got both our goals but it was Carr and Littlejohn who stole the show as they tore the Liverpool defence a new one with their pace and trickery.


2-0 win at home at home to Newcastle with Blake scoring 2. The whole ground was on it’s feet in celebration as we were so sure we were staying up and Newcastle qualified for Europe by virtue of Arsenal losing (I think to West Ham).


3-0 win over Watford on the opening day of the 94/95 season. I couldn’t remember the standard of the 2nd tier such was my age and after that game I thought we were going to destroy all that came before us.


1-0 win over Arsenal at the lane after we’d held them at their place to earn a replay. Carl Veart diving header.



And last but not least, the original battle of brammall lane when we lost to Udienese in the Ango-Italian cup with 3 players and manager all sent off. Not a good night for us but memorable nonetheless.


Thanks for the memories “Arry”

Kendall was manager for the Arsenal game.

 

[JJ Sefton]

I remember some fans saying it was probably time for a change but I don’t think he was getting the venom managers of today do and his past achievements weren’t forgotten as they so often are these days…. Well, maybe by a few but they didn’t have the platform to voice their nonsense like they do.

I don't know. I remember an away match at Southend where pro and anti Bassett fans were scrapping.

 

[JJ Sefton]

Brilliant. As well as the others added above, I would include destroying then Division 1 Newcastle in the League Cup 3 - 0, coming back from 2 - 0 down to beat West Ham 3 - 2 and probably in the top 5 for me, beating Oldham 2 - 0 on their plastic pitch when they were virtually invincible on it. Deane lobbed their 'keeper I'm sure, unless my mind is playing tricks with me, and it was a night match - brilliant result.

Didn't Luton have a plastic pitch too? I remember Deane lobbing their keeper.

 

[Darren]

No, but it's not like you can erase it from your mind either. And I wasn't even alive at the time.

I know what you mean, whenever I saw Ian Bryson play, I thought of Ian Brady. I mean look how similar the names are. It's amazing we didn't make him change his name (Bryson, not Brady).

 

[Deaneandagana]

Can't remember if it was No.7 or No.8, but I can remember Fergie screaming at Dennis Irwin

"Dennis, DENNIS, keep playing football"

One of the best days, the best being No.1

It was kanchelskis - and it went "Kanny, Kanny keep playing fo'baa"

 

[Darren]

Didn't Luton have a plastic pitch too? I remember Deane lobbing their keeper.

Yep, we won on it on Boxing Day 1990. Deane got the goal in a 1-0 win.

 

[Bladepicker]

Didn't Luton have a plastic pitch too? I remember Deane lobbing their keeper.

Yes that was another great win, immediately after the 3 2 against Forest, wins like London buses. Boxing day I think, back when away fans were banned from Luton and they had ID cards.

 

[Sean Thornton]

I’m a bit too young to properly remember some of Bassett’s greatest games (though I’ve seen them back and heard all the stories etc.) but here are a few that stand out for me that I don’t think have been mentioned yet.


3-1 win v Swindon on opening day in 93. Think we were 3rd in the Prem. Flo had been presented on the pitch as the Deano replacement.


3-2 win against West Ham from 2-0 down. Night game on Sky. Whitehouse scored a belter then Brian Gayle made his presence felt in their box for him and Rogers to score.


2-2 at home to Leeds- We’d come from 2-0 down. Roger Nilsen made a heroic goal-line clearance to keep us in it. Blake came on and turned the game although it was Flo and Gayle that got the goals.


1-2 win at Anfield- Flo got both our goals but it was Carr and Littlejohn who stole the show as they tore the Liverpool defence a new one with their pace and trickery.


2-0 win at home at home to Newcastle with Blake scoring 2. The whole ground was on it’s feet in celebration as we were so sure we were staying up and Newcastle qualified for Europe by virtue of Arsenal losing (I think to West Ham).


3-0 win over Watford on the opening day of the 94/95 season. I couldn’t remember the standard of the 2nd tier such was my age and after that game I thought we were going to destroy all that came before us.


1-0 win over Arsenal at the lane after we’d held them at their place to earn a replay. Carl Veart diving header.



And last but not least, the original battle of brammall lane when we lost to Udienese in the Ango-Italian cup with 3 players and manager all sent off. Not a good night for us but memorable nonetheless.


Thanks for the memories “Arry”

I’m a bit too young to properly remember some of Bassett’s greatest games (though I’ve seen them back and heard all the stories etc.) but here are a few that stand out for me that I don’t think have been mentioned yet.


3-1 win v Swindon on opening day in 93. Think we were 3rd in the Prem. Flo had been presented on the pitch as the Deano replacement.


3-2 win against West Ham from 2-0 down. Night game on Sky. Whitehouse scored a belter then Brian Gayle made his presence felt in their box for him and Rogers to score.


2-2 at home to Leeds- We’d come from 2-0 down. Roger Nilsen made a heroic goal-line clearance to keep us in it. Blake came on and turned the game although it was Flo and Gayle that got the goals.


1-2 win at Anfield- Flo got both our goals but it was Carr and Littlejohn who stole the show as they tore the Liverpool defence a new one with their pace and trickery.


2-0 win at home at home to Newcastle with Blake scoring 2. The whole ground was on it’s feet in celebration as we were so sure we were staying up and Newcastle qualified for Europe by virtue of Arsenal losing (I think to West Ham).


3-0 win over Watford on the opening day of the 94/95 season. I couldn’t remember the standard of the 2nd tier such was my age and after that game I thought we were going to destroy all that came before us.


1-0 win over Arsenal at the lane after we’d held them at their place to earn a replay. Carl Veart diving header.



And last but not least, the original battle of brammall lane when we lost to Udienese in the Ango-Italian cup with 3 players and manager all sent off. Not a good night for us but memorable nonetheless.


Thanks for the memories “Arry”

Brammall ????

I'm calling pig fan.

 

[Sean Thornton]

Yep, we won on it on Boxing Day 1990. Deane got the goal in a 1-0 win.

Both games tempered by a trip to Highbury in the pissing rain.

 

[judge]

It was kanchelskis - and it went "Kanny, Kanny keep playing fo'baa"

It was dennis iriwin

 

[Sean Thornton]

Brilliant. As well as the others added above, I would include destroying then Division 1 Newcastle in the League Cup 3 - 0, coming back from 2 - 0 down to beat West Ham 3 - 2 and probably in the top 5 for me, beating Oldham 2 - 0 on their plastic pitch when they were virtually invincible on it. Deane lobbed their 'keeper I'm sure, unless my mind is playing tricks with me, and it was a night match - brilliant result.

He did, from distance. It seemed to take ages for the ball to hit the net.

Joe Royle has had a face like a slapped arse ever since.

Simon Websters best ever game for us if the memory isn't playing tricks.

 

[Deaneandagana]

It was dennis iriwin

Will have to disagree

 

[JJ Sefton]

Yes that was another great win, immediately after the 3 2 against Forest, wins like London buses. Boxing day I think, back when away fans were banned from Luton and they had ID cards.

I remember reading that if the season had started on New Year's Day 1991, we'd have finished second after Arsenal, who won the league losing only one match. That run of win was incredible and I remember the draw at Plough Lane that ended it, John Fashanu leaping around slapping the ball. After the second one, which wasn't given, my dad said "What the fuck is he up to?" Cheating, we now know.

 

[Sean Thornton]

I know what you mean, whenever I saw Ian Bryson play, I thought of Ian Brady. I mean look how similar the names are. It's amazing we didn't make him change his name (Bryson, not Brady).

We called him "Bill" after the author whom we'd never heard of although a better name would have been "Jock" after the liquorice all sorts front man of a local sweetie firm.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Brammall ????

I'm calling pig fan.

OK I made a typo. You didn't have to double quote it for effect.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Kendall was manager for the Arsenal game.

OOPS

 

[1danewhitehouse]

I don't know. I remember an away match at Southend where pro and anti Bassett fans were scrapping.

Ah well I was only a nipper at the time so your recollection probably better than mine. Just that in the social media age, you can't turn your head without finding a numpty wanting to sack the manager of any club.

 

[Jehovah]

No, but it's not like you can erase it from your mind either. And I wasn't even alive at the time.

Ah it was a simpler time.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

I remember some fans saying it was probably time for a change but I don’t think he was getting the venom managers of today do and his past achievements weren’t forgotten as they so often are these days…. Well, maybe by a few but they didn’t have the platform to voice their nonsense like they do.

After years spent achieving miracles on an absolute shoestring, Bassett was shown the door and United immediately started lavishing funds on his big name successor.
Record transfer fees and huge wages for the Second Division (Unsustainable as it turns out).
The most Bassett ever spent was about £700K on Brian Gayle and he chipped in some of that himself!

If the new investment had come while we were a top nine side, I'm convinced we would have won a trophy and established ourselves.
As it was, the "big money" came too late to support a successful manager and was ultimately squandered for little return. Sound familiar?

 

[oldblade]

Before my time, but I thought it was quite ironic to have chosen a nickname that dually acts as a reminder of a certain first name in a relegation season 10 or so years prior.

Well it's United we're talking about, so you would obviously think of something negative, wouldn't you. Couldn't possibly remind you of something positive in our history, another Harry, Harry Johnson, our record goal scoring striker, who scored 201 league goals for us in 313 appearances. All of them in the first division.

No, with you if United are involved it has to be a negative.

 

[Silent Blade]

Didn't Luton have a plastic pitch too? I remember Deane lobbing their keeper.

The lob was in the 2-0 win at Oldham. His goal at Luton was a firm ground shot after beating the offside trap

 

[oldblade]

No, but it's not like you can erase it from your mind either. And I wasn't even alive at the time.

In that case I hope we never sign anyone called John. After all, there were three Johns in the side that lost to Walsall on 2nd May 1981.

 

[Bladepicker]

I remember reading that if the season had started on New Year's Day 1991, we'd have finished second after Arsenal, who won the league losing only one match. That run of win was incredible and I remember the draw at Plough Lane that ended it, John Fashanu leaping around slapping the ball. After the second one, which wasn't given, my dad said "What the fuck is he up to?" Cheating, we now know.

It was a remarkable turnaround. In that run of victories you had the late winner from Glyn Hodges v Derby and on my first visit to Goodison Park on my birthday we pinched a 2 1 win with a Brian Marwood injury time winner. Then beat Man Utd 3 days later - what a season that was.

I'm sure we confirmed we were staying up by beating QPR at Loftus Road. Booker scored a bullet header.

 

[judge]

It was a remarkable turnaround. In that run of victories you had the late winner from Glyn Hodges v Derby and on my first visit to Goodison Park on my birthday we pinched a 2 1 win with a Brian Marwood injury time winner. Then beat Man Utd 3 days later - what a season that was.

I'm sure we confirmed we were staying up by beating QPR at Loftus Road. Booker scored a bullet header.

I was at hoodison park for that game the away end was rocking

 

[BushBlade]

Bassett (or someone at SUFC) clearly had a self-deprecatory sense of humour. If I'm not mistaken, at half-time, they played Yazz - The Only Way Is Up.

I'd been out clubbing the night before and was still feeling the effects. I don't know if they played it or not but if they did, I was the bloke on the kop dancing.

 

[JJ Sefton]

It was a remarkable turnaround. In that run of victories you had the late winner from Glyn Hodges v Derby and on my first visit to Goodison Park on my birthday we pinched a 2 1 win with a Brian Marwood injury time winner. Then beat Man Utd 3 days later - what a season that was.

I'm sure we confirmed we were staying up by beating QPR at Loftus Road. Booker scored a bullet header.

For me it was the best season I've had watching them. We actually did better the following year, but there was something about 1990/1991.

 

[Woodwardfan]

I didn't want him here because I hated Wimbledon's "professionalism", they were disgusting at times on their way up. However Bassett soon became my No.1 United manager and still is, by a country mile.

His biggest assets? Knowing a player and bargain transfer signings. Organisation and motivation allied to a playing style which became ingrained in the mentality of the players. How exciting that playing style was!!
Wonderful years when the manager signed players with character without spending a fortune and not one of them left anything out on the pitch.

 

[BushBlade]

For me it was the best season I've had watching them. We actually did better the following year, but there was something about 1990/1991.

It was the 'Great Escape'. We spent half a season struggling to win a game and the other half as one of the form teams. For a brief period we were in the top league playing the top sides and we still expected to win.
And the shock of the pigs when we beat them was priceless.

 

[JonnyRed(WCFC)]

when he came to Forest im pretty sure there was hardly any Forest fan who liked him let alone thought he was going to be any good....how he proved us all wrong...I loved his uncomplicated simple up and at em style, round pegs in round holes, good incisive direct football that had a purpose, I wish there were more managers like him around (Billy Davies is similar but a complete twonk behind the scenes and rubs too many up the wrong way hence no one else has employed him lol)