1963-64 (60 years ago) match reports and photos

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Silent Blade

Silent Blade

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The BBC had been showing brief highlights of matches (with a maximum of five minutes) on its Saturday-night Sports Special programme from 10 September 1955, until its cancellation in 1963 because of BBC's refusal to show Football League games (only Anglia and Tyne Tees bothered to have regular weekly shows). Thus, mostly FA Cup games and some internationals. To my knowledge there was no tv footage of any Blades matches during the 1963-64 season.

I dont remember my dad telling me of any matches he went to during that season. I asked my Uncle Ronnie a few days ago if he could remember my dad going to any of the games during the season. He said he could remember my Dad taking me to Bury and Peterborough in the cup in 1962 and Port Vale in the cup in 1963 couldnt remember any after that.

The below squad photo was given to me by Poppafruitshoot 's dad about 10 years ago. He explained to me that Allenby was just having a one day trial and it happened on the day of the club photocall, was allowed to appear in the photo but never returned to the club since then!

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Glad to see the 60 Years Ago material is in safe hands - the large group photo is one I have not seen before. I am puzzled by one thing: are you saying that you went to several United matches when you were a babe in arms? I am enjoying a nice glass of Laphraoig as I write this, so I may have misunderstood something basic here…
 
HodgysBrokenThumb said:
Glad to see the 60 Years Ago material is in safe hands - the large group photo is one I have not seen before. I am puzzled by one thing: are you saying that you went to several United matches when you were a babe in arms? I am enjoying a nice glass of Laphraoig as I write this, so I may have misunderstood something basic here…
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I meant my Uncle Ronnie not me!
 
Our players set off for the pre season tour of Holland. Due to play matches at DOS (Utrecht) on 14th August and ADO (The Hague) on 18th August
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31/8/1963

Blades 1 (Richardson) Chelsea 1 (Murray)

The match was the last time we had Alan Hodgkinson, Cec Coldwell, Graham Shaw, Brian Richardson, Joe Shaw and Gerry Summers in the same line up. The first time it happened was at home to Bristol Rovers on 7th September 1957. During the 6 years it was rare that one of 6 players would be absent from the team. In the Chelsea game Graham Shaw picked up an injury that kept him out of the team until January 1964 and when he returned, Gerry Summers had already played his last first team game for us.

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It was the last game for Billy Hodgson (below)

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Scores, scorers, line ups and league tables in below link
 
Silent Blade said:
24/8/1963

Blackpool 2 (Quinn, Parry) Blades 2 (Pace,Simpson)

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Scores, scorers and line ups in below link

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Didn’t make it to the away match, but it appears that I did go to watch the Reserves, who also drew with Blackpool. United’s lineup was quite a strong one; Blackpool’s number 8 was a World Cup winner less than 3 years later. I remember predicting at half-time that that would happen🤣
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Silent Blade said:
31/8/1963

Blades 1 (Richardson) Chelsea 1 (Murray)

The match was the last time we had Alan Hodgkinson, Cec Coldwell, Graham Shaw, Brian Richardson, Joe Shaw and Gerry Summers in the same line up. The first time it happened was at home to Bristol Rovers on 7th September 1957. During the 6 years it was rare that one of 6 players would be absent from the team. In the Chelsea game Graham Shaw picked up an injury that kept him out of the team until January 1964 and when he returned, Gerry Summers had already played his last first team game for us.

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It was the last game for Billy Hodgson (below)

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Scores, scorers, line ups and league tables in below link
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The sense of identity and continuity was very much associated with that back 6. But it was also reinforced by the injury to Graham Shaw - who stepped into his boots but younger brother Bernard Shaw…
 
It's strange but I didn't start going to the Lane until later that season and yet I felt sure I had witnessed that famous defensive 5 plus Hodgy.

It may well be I saw all of them but never on the pitch at the same time.

Looking at that Central league programme against Blackpool and the fixture list. My dad started taking me to reserve matches before letting me go to first team matches. In my programme collection I have a copy of the Boxing Day fixture against Bury reserves and I think this Christmas fixture was my first one.

This season was the start of it all for me.
 
Silent Blade said:
28/8/1963

Blades 0 Blackburn 1 (England)

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As the report makes clear, this was an eminently forgettable match, and I remember nothing of it. The programme notes have interesting points, which show that in many respects, football does not change: other clubs are spending much more money than us, we are relying on the tried and tested, and the development of a good crop of youngsters; development of the ground is under active consideration; the manager is not making rash promises. On a more personal note: reserve goalkeeper Des Thomson had moved on (but would return to haunt us when Hodgy broke his thumb); Gerry Summers (along with Hodgy) did about 6 sessions of coaching with our school first and second XI that autumn as part of their acquiring qualifications, something I really enjoyed; and the team-changes in the programme are written in my Dad’s illegible handwriting (We usually succeeded in keeping it away from him!)
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Silent Blade said:
31/8/1963

Blades 1 (Richardson) Chelsea 1 (Murray)

The match was the last time we had Alan Hodgkinson, Cec Coldwell, Graham Shaw, Brian Richardson, Joe Shaw and Gerry Summers in the same line up. The first time it happened was at home to Bristol Rovers on 7th September 1957. During the 6 years it was rare that one of 6 players would be absent from the team. In the Chelsea game Graham Shaw picked up an injury that kept him out of the team until January 1964 and when he returned, Gerry Summers had already played his last first team game for us.

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It was the last game for Billy Hodgson (below)

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Scores, scorers, line ups and league tables in below link
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Again, I remember little of this game, despite the fact that it clearly had some drama. One is the goal by Richardson, which sounds a cracker. Indeed he only scored 9 goals in his almost 300 appearances, and now I come to think of it, I don’t think I have a direct memory of any of his goals. Equally memorable should have been the flying header by Simpson in the second half; Berge is not the worst header of a ball that we have ever had, but perhaps I do Simpson an injustice. I never remember him doing a proper header at all, though. And I don’t remember the significant injuries to Graham Shaw and Hodgson; Graham Shaw playing on with an injury was the type of occurrence which eventually led to the introduction of substitutes. The one incident I do remember was the altercation between Kettleborough and ‘Chopper’ Harris; or at least the aftermath, and the assumption in my eyes that Harris must have been to blame. What a hatchet man he was!
The programme notes are again interesting, on the encouragement of young supporters via special season ticket prices, and how to get a better balance between seating and standing areas. Different details, nowadays, but the same issues. And more about the Juniors, in particular, Woodward and Birchenall. Wonder what became of them…
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Silent Blade said:
4/9/1963

Blackburn 2 (Harrison, Pickering) Blades 2 (Allchurch, Pace)



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Scores, scorers, line ups and league tables in below link

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Thanks again for taking this on. For some reason I appear to have no away programmes for 63-64; I know I went to few away matches that year, but my brother went to most of them. As custodian of the family programme collection, I appear to have failed on this! I will have another search.
Interesting comment on Bernard Shaw - at the time it was worthy of comment that a full-back went on the attack and had a shot. Tell that to Baldock or Bogle…
 
HodgysBrokenThumb said:
Thanks again for taking this on. For some reason I appear to have no away programmes for 63-64; I know I went to few away matches that year, but my brother went to most of them. As custodian of the family programme collection, I appear to have failed on this! I will have another search.
Interesting comment on Bernard Shaw - at the time it was worthy of comment that a full-back went on the attack and had a shot. Tell that to Baldock or Bogle…
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I could never imagine Cec Coldwell venturing over the halfway line.
 
7/9/1963

West Ham 2 (Byrne, Boyce) Blades 3 (Wagstaff, Allchurch 2)

Hammers number 4, Martin Peters, on the attack, Geoff Hurst is number 10, Tony Scott number 11. Blades players from the left are Gerry Summers, Cec Coldwell, Joe Shaw, Bernard Shaw and Ronnie Simpson. Hodgy often wore white collar round his neck from 1962 to 1965

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Scores, scorers, line ups and league tables in below link
 
A couple of weeks too late to be fully topical, and a few months too late to be exactly 60 years ago, but I came across the following in Hodgy’s autobiography today. It captures the characters of 2 fine Yorkshiremen, sadly no longer with us:
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Silent Blade said:
24/8/1963

Blackpool 2 (Quinn, Parry) Blades 2 (Pace,Simpson)

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Scores, scorers and line ups in below link

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I finally found a couple of away match programmes (but only 2). The first one is from the opening game at Blackpool, and includes details of a large number of United players, as well as an advert which is a reminder that professional footballers had to earn a living after retirement:
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Silent Blade said:
11/9/1963

Blades 4 (Kettleborough, Pace 2, Allchurch) Stoke 1 (McIlroy)

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Score, scorers, line ups and league tables are in below link

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The thing I remember about this game is comparing United and Stoke in terms of their approach to squad-building; probably these thoughts came from my brother, and I went along with them as it created a sense of optimism for the new season. United were relying on the established squad, with the gradual introduction of youngsters from an increasingly successful youth scheme: Bernard Shaw, Mick Jones and Tony Wagstaff were all looking good, and we were aware that the Juniors were having great success. Stoke, on the other hand were going for big name signings - McIlroy, Viollett, Dobing, Mudie, Clamp, were just a few of their big signings, but they were creating an ageing squad, when added to the elder statesman Matthews, and as our results were improving, it was tempting to think that our blend of youth and experience was the right way to go. Optimism was growing.
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HodgysBrokenThumb said:
The thing I remember about this game is comparing United and Stoke in terms of their approach to squad-building; probably these thoughts came from my brother, and I went along with them as it created a sense of optimism for the new season. United were relying on the established squad, with the gradual introduction of youngsters from an increasingly successful youth scheme: Bernard Shaw, Mick Jones and Tony Wagstaff were all looking good, and we were aware that the Juniors were having great success. Stoke, on the other hand were going for big name signings - McIlroy, Viollett, Dobing, Mudie, Clamp, were just a few of their big signings, but they were creating an ageing squad, when added to the elder statesman Matthews, and as our results were improving, it was tempting to think that our blend of youth and experience was the right way to go. Optimism was growing.
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Matthews played only nine league games during the 1963-64 season and just one (on his 50th birthday) in the following season
 
Silent Blade said:
Matthews played only nine league games during the 1963-64 season and just one (on his 50th birthday) in the following season
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It is ironical that although he did not play much, he was still such a dominant figure - almost half of the page on Stoke in the programme is given over to Matthews.
 
HodgysBrokenThumb said:
I finally found a couple of away match programmes (but only 2). The first one is from the opening game at Blackpool, and includes details of a large number of United players, as well as an advert which is a reminder that professional footballers had to earn a living after retirement:
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Thanks for this HBT, this was my first away match, which coincided with our annual family weekend in Blackpool.
I have little recollection of the match, except the strange looks I got when I used my “rattle” when the Blades scored.
For some bizarre reason I seem to remember an arial photo of Bloomfield Rd surrounded by a maze of railway lines. Funny the things that stick in your mind.
 
Silent Blade said:
7/9/1963

West Ham 2 (Byrne, Boyce) Blades 3 (Wagstaff, Allchurch 2)

Hammers number 4, Martin Peters, on the attack, Geoff Hurst is number 10, Tony Scott number 11. Blades players from the left are Gerry Summers, Cec Coldwell, Joe Shaw, Bernard Shaw and Ronnie Simpson. Hodgy often wore white collar round his neck from 1962 to 1965

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Scores, scorers, line ups and league tables in below link
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That picture has to be one of my all-time favourites. It says a lot about football in general (the eyes of all the players and spectators - and the ref, St John’s ambulance men and pitch side photographer - focussed on the ball and that moment in time), and about the period - standing spectators, no gloves for the keeper, no shirt sponsors, a half-time scoreboard, a classic goal frame… And in addition, a classic catch by Hodgy with a trio of footballing greats looking on - Hurst, Moore, and Joe Shaw. Thanks for posting, Silent Blade
 

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