1967-68 (55 years ago) match reports and photos

[Silent Blade]

We became the only 9th club to enter the 50th season (some might say 51 because we started the 1939-40 season as a top flight club!) in the top division of the league.
The table for number of seasons in the top flight up to and including 1967-68 season looked like this

1= Aston Villa , Everton 65 seasons
3. Sunderland 61
4. Bolton Wanderers 58
5. Blackburn Rovers 54
6 = Liverpool, WBA 53
8. Arsenal 51
9. Sheffield United 50
10. Wendy 49
11 = Newcastle United, Manchester City 48
13. Preston North End 46
14 = Burnley, Wolves 45
16. Manchester United 44
17. Derby County 43
18. Chelsea 41

For Spurs it was their only 34th season in top flight!



We decided to bring back the white shorts that had brought us luck in the home games between September and December 1966 ( 6 league - won 4 drew 1 and lost 1, 4 League Cup - won 3 and lost 1)

I have never seen a more glossy, bright and colourful squad photo as the one below in our history!


Back row; Barry Wagstaff, Reg Matthewson, David Munks, Alan Hodgkinson, Ken Mallender, Bob Widdowson, Alan Birchenall, Frank Barlow, Bernard Shaw
Front row; Mick Hill, Alan Woodward, Tony Wagstaff, Mick Jones, Len Badger, Gil Reece, Phil Cliff, Tom Fenoughty

We had another squad photo during the summer too but not sure if the below was the first or second one, Willie Smith is in it but not in the other one!



Bill Punton was still with the club but I think he was still living in Norwich, trained with Norwich City and travelled to our matches, if selected.

Our manager, John Harris looking ready for the new season




We had finished in 10th place in the previous season, 9th place in the season before. No new signings during the summer, Cec Coldwell and Graham Shaw (left for Doncaster Rovers) had played their last 1st team game for us. With the young players in our squad being a year older and more mature, would our fans be more optimistic for the coming season?



My dad probably did take me to a few games because I wanted to be with him when he says "I am off to the match". On each occasion my antics/lack of concentration/ demands for refreshment would irritate him so when we return home, he would say to my mum "he isnt ready yet!". I welcome your memories of the matches and I would be interested in your recollections.

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

We became the only 9th club to enter the 50th season (some might say 51 because we started the 1939-40 season as a top flight club!) in the top division of the league.
The table for number of seasons in the top flight up to and including 1967-68 season looked like this

1= Aston Villa , Everton 65 seasons
3. Sunderland 61
4. Bolton Wanderers 58
5. Blackburn Rovers 54
6 = Liverpool, WBA 53
8. Arsenal 51
9. Sheffield United 50
10. Wendy 49
11 = Newcastle United, Manchester City 48
13. Preston North End 46
14 = Burnley, Wolves 45
16. Manchester United 44
17. Derby County 43
18. Chelsea 41

For Spurs it was their only 34th season in top flight!

View attachment 140300

We decided to bring back the white shorts that had brought us luck in the home games between September and December 1966 ( 6 league - won 4 drew 1 and lost 1, 4 League Cup - won 3 and lost 1)

I have never seen a more glossy, bright and colourful squad photo as the one below in our history!

View attachment 140301
Back row; Barry Wagstaff, Reg Matthewson, David Munks, Alan Hodgkinson, Ken Mallender, Bob Widdowson, Alan Birchenall, Frank Barlow, Bernard Shaw
Front row; Mick Hill, Alan Woodward, Tony Wagstaff, Mick Jones, Len Badger, Gil Reece, Phil Cliff, Tom Fenoughty

We had another squad photo during the summer too but not sure if the below was the first or second one, Willie Smith is in it but not in the other one!

View attachment 140305

Bill Punton was still with the club but I think he was still living in Norwich, trained with Norwich City and travelled to our matches, if selected.

Our manager, John Harris looking ready for the new season

View attachment 140306


We had finished in 10th place in the previous season, 9th place in the season before. No new signings during the summer, Cec Coldwell and Graham Shaw (left for Doncaster Rovers) had played their last 1st team game for us. With the young players in our squad being a year older and more mature, would our fans be more optimistic for the coming season?



My dad probably did take me to a few games because I wanted to be with him when he says "I am off to the match". On each occasion my antics/lack of concentration/ demands for refreshment would irritate him so when we return home, he would say to my mum "he isnt ready yet!". I welcome your memories of the matches and I would be interested in your recollections.

Not many memories from me, I’m afraid. I was away from Sheffield 1965-69, so only got to occasional matches around Xmas and Easter.

 

[Silent Blade]

Not many memories from me, I’m afraid. I was away from Sheffield 1965-69, so only got to occasional matches around Xmas and Easter.

University? And where?

Was away from Dronfield for most of the time between August 1973 and June 1979

 

[finlaytheblade]

University? And where?

Was away from Dronfield for most of the time between August 1973 and June 1979

Loved them white shorts,remember going to pigs land when Jones and Sherman were really making there Mark. Match ended 2-2 we really should have won ( a double by Birch for us).
That squad had real potential with the 2 blond bombers looking the part.
Sadly they were sold and we ended up getting relegated.
The board hadn't any ambition apart from keeping cricket going and trying to survive in the 1st division while selling the crown jewels,that really was a shame as a bit of ambition at that point would have seen us join the alive,
I don't believe I am over the top with that statement.

 

[Alan Birchenall's hair]

Loved them white shorts,remember going to pigs land when Jones and Sherman were really making there Mark. Match ended 2-2 we really should have won ( a double by Birch for us).
That squad had real potential with the 2 blond bombers looking the part.
Sadly they were sold and we ended up getting relegated.
The board hadn't any ambition apart from keeping cricket going and trying to survive in the 1st division while selling the crown jewels,that really was a shame as a bit of ambition at that point would have seen us join the alive,
I don't believe I am over the top with that statement.

That 2-2 at Hillsborough was my first ever match. And seeing Birch that day was the reason I became a Blade rather than an Owl like the rest of my family. Scored a double, and, well.... just look at that hair on the first glossy image! I just wanted to be him as a kid.
Mind you, on that first image, it's strange they made Mick Hill attempt a Cossack dance rather than find a bench big enough.....

 

[finlaytheblade]

Loved them white shorts,remember going to pigs land when Jones and Sherman were really making there Mark. Match ended 2-2 we really should have won ( a double by Birch for us).
That squad had real potential with the 2 blond bombers looking the part.
Sadly they were sold and we ended up getting relegated.
The board hadn't any ambition apart from keeping cricket going and trying to survive in the 1st division while selling the crown jewels,that really was a shame as a bit of ambition at that point would have seen us join the alive,
I don't believe I am over the top with that statement.

Should gave read elite.
Young squad qith real potential.
Ironically 5 years later a board shift meant we kicked cricket out and built the south Stand , shame that wasn't done before qe broke the team up which was full of local talent.
Yes we recovered our top division status and had a really good team again.
It all fell apart again with relegation ( lack of ambition) been up and down eversince.

Potential has always been there just lack of ambition at the top . There is a time to be ambitious we seem to miss it
At least the Prince did try and I think he still is ambitious,! So easy nowadays to go over the top and regret it.
Pigs Derby and others have done that.
The prince seems to be a cool guy and dunt go over the top.

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

University? And where?

Was away from Dronfield for most of the time between August 1973 and June 1979

Durham, followed by a year based in Newcastle. I learned a lot, especially that draft Newcastle Brown was a wonderful pint.

 

[Silent Blade]

Durham, followed by a year based in Newcastle. I learned a lot, especially that draft Newcastle Brown was a wonderful pint.

My dad posted the Green Un to me every week during the football season, my Norwich supporting mate had the Pink Un posted to him by his dad, also my Hibs supporting mate had his posted to him too!

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

My dad posted the Green Un to me every week during the football season, my Norwich supporting mate had the Pink Un posted to him by his dad, also my Hibs supporting mate had his posted to him too!

I have to confess to losing contact with United for much of my time away. I made it to the occasional game at Newcastle (including Hodgy’s 500th appearance), and soon got into it again when home for Xmas and Easter. But the match I best remember was a Wednesday match. I watched the Cup Final v Everton, with a load of rugger-playing ex-public schoolboys, who did not ‘get’ football, but would do anything for a drinking session. As Wednesday’s 2-0 lead disappeared faster than the Newcastle Brown, they were all mocking me because I was from Sheffield. They just couldn’t grasp the idea that I could be from Sheffield and hate ‘one of my teams’. If there was one thing worse than than posh public schoolboys who went to Oxbridge, it was posh public schoolboys who had to slum it in Durham. (Apologies if that offends anyone on here - there were exceptions!)

 

[Dnblade]

I've still got the 50 seasons magazine, although slightly defaced by my 7/8 year old self.
Some random memories.. Man City, my Dad said we never do owt against them, and got done 3-0.. Colin Bell scored one of the goals for a good City side. Southampton was the only time I ever sat down as we usually went on the Kop or Lane terrace, but for some reason went up in the upper tier and we won 4-1 on a sunny day..We were sat near a bloke who seemed to have half his face missing, and some sort of plastic cover around his jaw area, and a speaking device which sounded a bit dalek like... a bit random but it's just one of those memories that sticks with you.. I assumed he'd been injured in the war... Fulham,gutted.. 2-0 up and threw it away and we were all but down,Alan Clarke played a blinder in the 2nd half.. Remember my Dad saying some Wendy fans were supposed to be coming to the Lane, as they wanted us to stay up to play us next season...not sure if that happened though.
I'm sure I went to at least half the home games but certain games stick out...oh yeah,nearly forgot... T.C's debut v Spurs..stood on John Street West terrace.. Jimmy Greaves played and scored for them like he always seemed to do back then.. Great striker, but we walked off down John Street talking about a future great player in the red and white.. Tony Currie and a 3-2 win.

 

[steve peace]

I've still got the 50 seasons magazine, although slightly defaced by my 7/8 year old self.
Some random memories.. Man City, my Dad said we never do owt against them, and got done 3-0.. Colin Bell scored one of the goals for a good City side. Southampton was the only time I ever sat down as we usually went on the Kop or Lane terrace, but for some reason went up in the upper tier and we won 4-1 on a sunny day..We were sat near a bloke who seemed to have half his face missing, and some sort of plastic cover around his jaw area, and a speaking device which sounded a bit dalek like... a bit random but it's just one of those memories that sticks with you.. I assumed he'd been injured in the war... Fulham,gutted.. 2-0 up and threw it away and we were all but down,Alan Clarke played a blinder in the 2nd half.. Remember my Dad saying some Wendy fans were supposed to be coming to the Lane, as they wanted us to stay up to play us next season...not sure if that happened though.
I'm sure I went to at least half the home games but certain games stick out...oh yeah,nearly forgot... T.C's debut v Spurs..stood on John Street West terrace.. Jimmy Greaves played and scored for them like he always seemed to do back then.. Great striker, but we walked off down John Street talking about a future great player in the red and white.. Tony Currie and a 3-2 win.

I have been a Blades supporter for a long time and I remember going to the Lane and some away matches

 

[metalblade]

Should gave read elite.
Young squad qith real potential.
Ironically 5 years later a board shift meant we kicked cricket out and built the south Stand , shame that wasn't done before qe broke the team up which was full of local talent.
Yes we recovered our top division status and had a really good team again.
It all fell apart again with relegation ( lack of ambition) been up and down eversince.

Potential has always been there just lack of ambition at the top . There is a time to be ambitious we seem to miss it
At least the Prince did try and I think he still is ambitious,! So easy nowadays to go over the top and regret it.
Pigs Derby and others have done that.
The prince seems to be a cool guy and dunt go over the top.

This could be a summary of my time following United time and time again we get a good group together and the fans think yes invest in a few more players and we become established as a top team, the board on the other hand always thought sell the jewels and make do with industrial diamonds. It never did work and relegation usually followed. Sold Jones and Birchenal relegated, sold Currie relegated, sold Deane relegated to name a few and there are a host of other opportunities where a bit of ambition and investment would have pushed us to a higher level. We always have been the nearly men or plucky underdogs while I've been going to watch em.

 

[finlaytheblade]

This could be a summary of my time following United time and time again we get a good group together and the fans think yes invest in a few more players and we become established as a top team, the board on the other hand always thought sell the jewels and make do with industrial diamonds. It never did work and relegation usually followed. Sold Jones and Birchenal relegated, sold Currie relegated, sold Deane relegated to name a few and there are a host of other opportunities where a bit of ambition and investment would have pushed us to a higher level. We always have been the nearly men or plucky underdogs while I've been going to watch em.

I wasn't around ( beleave it or not )at the turn of the 1900,s,we were a top club at that time .
As the big city clubs got stronger ( of which we were one ) unfprtunately we gradually lost it due to the fact we were a cricket and football club.

Our directors were driven by the cricket side of the club and football was a sport to fill in during winter months.
How wrong they were not until the late 60,s did we gradually shake off the sha kles! by then lots of clubs were focused on football driven by boards who were football fans ( we had been held back having a stadium housing football and cricket.
Yes that's 50 odd years ago ! Unfortunately we never made up the ground lost during the period after the first World War to the 1960,s.
We have tried but the owners hadn't the ambition or money to sustain the effort.
Not picking on any particular owner just a fact of life.
The prince is the latest and considering everything is doing a good job albeit as usual a shortage of money.

 

[Jon B]

The home game against Coventry City in December was my first sight of United and Bramall Lane.

A well deserved 2-0 win and people around me saying Coventry were the worst Division One team they'd ever seen.

Come the end of the season you can guess which team just avoided relegation instead of us.

 

[Silent Blade]

5/8/1967

Friendly match

Dundee United 0 Blades 1 (Jones)

 

[Silent Blade]

8/8/1967

Friendly

Carlisle 2 (Rudge, Carlin) Blades 0

 

[BlairBlade]

That 2-2 at Hillsborough was my first ever match. And seeing Birch that day was the reason I became a Blade rather than an Owl like the rest of my family. Scored a double, and, well.... just look at that hair on the first glossy image! I just wanted to be him as a kid.
Mind you, on that first image, it's strange they made Mick Hill attempt a Cossack dance rather than find a bench big enough.....

I think it was my first ever “away” match - but must have been a very early one for me.
Obviously, I am not counting when our reserves thrashed Chesterfield 7-0 at the Lane a little earlier on - maybe that one was even the season before!

 

[Willie Carlin]

I've still got the 50 seasons magazine, although slightly defaced by my 7/8 year old self.
Some random memories.. Man City, my Dad said we never do owt against them, and got done 3-0.. Colin Bell scored one of the goals for a good City side. Southampton was the only time I ever sat down as we usually went on the Kop or Lane terrace, but for some reason went up in the upper tier and we won 4-1 on a sunny day..We were sat near a bloke who seemed to have half his face missing, and some sort of plastic cover around his jaw area, and a speaking device which sounded a bit dalek like... a bit random but it's just one of those memories that sticks with you.. I assumed he'd been injured in the war... Fulham,gutted.. 2-0 up and threw it away and we were all but down,Alan Clarke played a blinder in the 2nd half.. Remember my Dad saying some Wendy fans were supposed to be coming to the Lane, as they wanted us to stay up to play us next season...not sure if that happened though.
I'm sure I went to at least half the home games but certain games stick out...oh yeah,nearly forgot... T.C's debut v Spurs..stood on John Street West terrace.. Jimmy Greaves played and scored for them like he always seemed to do back then.. Great striker, but we walked off down John Street talking about a future great player in the red and white.. Tony Currie and a 3-2 win.

That Fulham game was one of the cruelest days for me. 2 0 up and well deserved. Then Sniffier Clarke happened.

 

[247Blade]

Willy Carlin great memories when he signed

 

[Silent Blade]

12/8/1967

Friendly

Norwich 3 (Bryceland, Lucas, Curran) Blades 1 (Woodward)

 

[Willie Carlin]

Willy Carlin great memories when he signed

Brian Clough knew Willies worth. He nicked him from us. Fiery little player heart like a lion

 

[Silent Blade]

15/8/1967

Friendly

Chester 2 (Loyden, L. Jones) Blades 2 (Badger 2)

 

[Willie Carlin]

15/8/1967

Friendly

Chester 2 (Loyden, L. Jones) Blades 2 (Badger 2)

View attachment 141725
View attachment 141726

I remember going to a county cup game at Barnsley. United were cruising going 2-0 up in the first half. The same Eddie Loyden who scored for Chester got a second half hatrick for Barnsley to win the game. There was 20,000 at Barnsley that night.

 

[Silent Blade]

19/8/1967

Blades 1 (Jones) Nottingham Forest 3 (Wignall, Storey-Moore, Baker)





Photos from Summers & Pace








Scores and scorers on the day are in below link

1967-08-19

I have vague memories of seeing the 1967-68 front cover of the programme, probably my Uncle Ronnie often left these programmes on the table at my grandmother's

 

[Silent Blade]

23/8/1967

Stoke 1 (Bloor) Blades 1 (Reece)





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

1967-08-23

 

[Blade1959]

23/8/1967

Stoke 1 (Bloor) Blades 1 (Reece)


View attachment 142199
View attachment 142200

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

1967-08-23

So Gil Reece scored for United on the same date at the same ground five years later see 1972/73

 

[Silent Blade]

So Gil Reece scored for United on the same date at the same ground five years later see 1972/73

Yes, I hadn't realised the coincence until last night!

 

[Silent Blade]

26/8/1967

Coventry 2 (Key, Bruck) Blades 2 (Reece, Cliff)

John Key scoring Coventry's first equaliser













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

1967-08-26

 

[Silent Blade]

29/8/1967

Blades 1 (Jones) Stoke 0





From the programme




Scores, scorers, line ups and league tables that evening are in the below link

1967-08-29

 

[Silent Blade]

2/9/1967

Blades 0 Wendy 1 (Ritchie)

The Morning Telegraph page that contained match reports and photos of the above game was missing from the microfilm reel at the archives so I had to get the reports from the Star which isnt as good.

Thanks to spongebobblade for the below photo

















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

1967-09-02