1971-72 (55 years ago today) match reports and photos

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No.

There were a few other players who also wore glasses when playing.

Joop Van Daele of Feyenoord who scored the winning goal against Estudiantes in the 1970 Intercontinental Cup. During the goal celebrations his glasses were ripped off by the Argentinians and allegedly smashed to pieces on the pitch

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Jef Jurion
 



6/8/1971

Tour match

FC Twente 2 ( Achterberg 2) Blades 0

I think it was TC who said it seemed that Twente had 15 players on the pitch that night and Ted Hemsley said we were outplayed by Twente who made it hard for us to get the ball off them. When the players returned to the dressing room they had a discussion wondering if it was going to be the same when facing the English 1st division teams in the coming season.

At the end of the 1971-72 season FC Twente finished 3rd in the Eredivisie behind Ajax and Feyenoord.

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Maurice Maurice used to play in Snorkel and flippers - FACT

I played on a pitch somewhere in Tideswell once that was next to a cow pasture. One of the goalmouths was next to the gate and the farmer used to walk his cows across it on their way to milking. As a result, the mud, sludge and cow shit filled the entire goal area so deep that it swallowed your feet. The stench was terrible. Happy days 👍
 
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Bloody Andy Burnham will do owt to get his fizzog on social media.
 
6/8/1971

Tour match

FC Twente 2 ( Achterberg 2) Blades 0

I think it was TC who said it seemed that Twente had 15 players on the pitch that night and Ted Hemsley said we were outplayed by Twente who made it hard for us to get the ball off them. When the players returned to the dressing room they had a discussion wondering if it was going to be the same when facing the English 1st division teams in the coming season.

At the end of the 1971-72 season FC Twente finished 3rd in the Eredivisie behind Ajax and Feyenoord.

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Just looking at those press cuttings.

A future pub question - 'Why did Leicester City compete for the Charity Shield in 1971?'
 
Just looking at those press cuttings.

A future pub question - 'Why did Leicester City compete for the Charity Shield in 1971?'
Arsenal declined to play in the 1971 Charity Shield because of a pre season tour so the 1970-71 2nd division champions were invited to play against the FA Cup runners up. 1972 Charity Shield was between Man City (4th place in league) and Aston Villa (3rd division champions) as Derby (champions) and Leeds (FA Cup) declined to play. 1973 Charity shield was between Burnley (2nd division champions) and Man City.
 
9/8/1971

Pre season Friendly

Blades 2 (Currie, Woodward) Wendy 2 (Downes, Prendergast)

Before setting off for the match from home, I couldnt find my woolly red and white scarf which caused my dad to get angry and told me that we are not setting off until I find the scarf. He was fed up of me losing things. I think the last time I had the scarf was when we won the promotion clincher against Watford more than three months earlier. I kept on searching for the scarf all over my house for ages and I burst into tears thinking that I wont be able to watch the match. My dad gave up and then said "Alright, we will go but next time if you lose something, we will not go to a football match".

We missed the kick off also TC's opening goal. I dont remember the rest of the goals but remember that we were two up but Wendy scored two late goals. I remember Hockey scything a Wendy player near the halfway line and got spoken to by the ref, my dad and I looked at each other and laughed! Another memory is that one of the Wendy subs coming on the pitch without a number on his back which made be think that Wendy are a tinpot club!

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9/8/1971

Pre season Friendly

Blades 2 (Currie, Woodward) Wendy 2 (Downes, Prendergast)

Before setting off for the match from home, I couldnt find my woolly red and white scarf which caused my dad to get angry and told me that we are not setting off until I find the scarf. He was fed up of me losing things. I think the last time I had the scarf was when we won the promotion clincher against Watford more than three months earlier. I kept on searching for the scarf all over my house for ages and I burst into tears thinking that I wont be able to watch the match. My dad gave up and then said "Alright, we will go but next time if you lose something, we will not go to a football match".

We missed the kick off also TC's opening goal. I dont remember the rest of the goals but remember that we were two up but Wendy scored two late goals. I remember Hockey scything a Wendy player near the halfway line and got spoken to by the ref, my dad and I looked at each other and laughed! Another memory is that one of the Wendy subs coming on the pitch without a number on his back which made be think that Wendy are a tinpot club!

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Both managers on the night went on to work for the other team
 



14/8/1971

Blades 3 (Woodward pen, Salmons, Flynn) Southampton 1 (O'Neil)

Not sure how many 1st division games I went to before the Blades got relegated in May 1968, maybe a handful and each time my dad and I got home my dad would say to my mum "he isnt ready for football matches". So 55 years ago today was my first clear memory of watching the Blades in the 1st division and it didnt take long for us to score! Early in the game, Jimmy Gabriel had handled the ball in the penalty area at the Kop End and the ref pointed to the penalty spot. Woodward cooly put away the spot kick sending Eric Martin the wrong way. At the time I thought players had the skill to fool the keeper to dive the other way when taking penalties and I thought Woody had this skill.

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After that our new signing Stewart Scullion twice had the ball but instead of passing it to a team mate, he chose to try and beat Saints defenders and then shoot high into the Kop. Early days to judge our new signing but I remember my dad describing him "greedy"

Geoff Salmons made it two heading in from close range, late in the 1st half. He had impressed the crowd showing a lot of pace on the left wing.

Brian O'Neil reduced the arrears for the Saints not long after half time. John Flynn made it 3-1 heading in a Salmons free kick from the left.

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There was heavy rain during the match with some lightning and thunder during the 2nd half which was a bit scary. Not sure if it was before or after that day when my dad told me the story about John White of Spurs being killed by lightning at a golf course in 1964.

A good win for the Blades and it did look like we would be "comfortable" for the season.

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From the programme

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Looking at the goal scorers in all the fixtures there were a lot of household names on the list. Big players scoring goals in the big league 👍
 
14/8/1971

Blades 3 (Woodward pen, Salmons, Flynn) Southampton 1 (O'Neil)

Not sure how many 1st division games I went to before the Blades got relegated in May 1968, maybe a handful and each time my dad and I got home my dad would say to my mum "he isnt ready for football matches". So 55 years ago today was my first clear memory of watching the Blades in the 1st division and it didnt take long for us to score! Early in the game, Jimmy Gabriel had handled the ball in the penalty area at the Kop End and the ref pointed to the penalty spot. Woodward cooly put away the spot kick sending Eric Martin the wrong way. At the time I thought players had the skill to fool the keeper to dive the other way when taking penalties and I thought Woody had this skill.

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After that our new signing Stewart Scullion twice had the ball but instead of passing it to a team mate, he chose to try and beat Saints defenders and then shoot high into the Kop. Early days to judge our new signing but I remember my dad describing him "greedy"

Geoff Salmons made it two heading in from close range, late in the 1st half. He had impressed the crowd showing a lot of pace on the left wing.

Brian O'Neil reduced the arrears for the Saints not long after half time. John Flynn made it 3-1 heading in a Salmons free kick from the left.

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There was heavy rain during the match with some lightning and thunder during the 2nd half which was a bit scary. Not sure if it was before or after that day when my dad told me the story about John White of Spurs being killed by lightning at a golf course in 1964.

A good win for the Blades and it did look like we would be "comfortable" for the season.

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From the programme

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great memories silent cheers 👏👏
 
17/8/1971

Blades 3 (Flynn, Dearden, Colquhoun) Leeds 0

What a night even though I do not remember much of the goalless first half like I did against the same opposition in the League Cup in the previous year. We attacked the Kop end first which what we did often with success in the early 1970s. Tom Fenoughty (ex-Blade now Chesterfield) was sat next to me and my dad. My dad and Tom exchanged their thoughts throughout the match and it was obvious he was rooting for us to win.

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Not long after the half time break, Flynn headed in the first goal at the far post from a Woody corner.

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I know I have already seen us beat Leeds the season before but I thought Leeds would be much tougher to beat in the first division fixture (it did seem we didnt really dominate like the last time). I was on a high and was in the BLUT front row talking loudly to my dad about my disbelief, then my dad told me to turn round and look at Gary Sprake. I turned round and was surprised he was looking straight at me not looking amused and probably didnt like the tone of my excitement. Tom Fenoughty and the fans near our seats noticed this too and they all burst out laughing at Sprake. There was a lovely sight of red and white scarves being held aloft all over the Kop and the Blades fans all around the ground sang in unison.

Leeds threatened to equalise at times and then in the last 10 minutes, Peter Lorimer got tripped inside our penalty box, the ref waved away appeals from the Leeds players, and then there were many Leeds players hassling the ref, one of our players then played a long pass to Stewart Scullion on the left and there was only Paul Reaney and Paul Madeley defending, Scullion then found Bill Dearden running unmarked on the right, passed the ball to him , Sprake was all at sea. It did seem that the pass had made it a tight angle for Dearden to shoot with Madeley closing him down but Dearden did it to put us two up.

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Near the end Colquhoun made it three heading in a head back from Flynn from another Woody corner.
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Results that night

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Results the next night

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the trouble on the shoreham that night was caused by leeds fans trying to get on the kop for the 2nd half but as the league cup the season before.came off 2nd best
 
21/8/1971

Everton 0 Blades 1 (Woodward)

My family travelled throughout the night on route to the Butlin's holiday camp at Ayr for a week's holiday. It included a sleep on a layby not too far from the Scotland border. It was our first time in Scotland. Luckily on the Saturday Ayr United were playing at home to Celtic in a League Cup group match. After spending a few hours and settling in the holiday camp, my dad and I set off for the match at Somerset Park. It was a lovely sunny day and Celtic easily beat Ayr 3-0. The only goal I could remember was the 3rd one. Kenny Dalglish took the penalty but the Ayr keeper had saved it and Dalglish scored from the rebound. I cant remember how my dad and I found out that the Blades had won at Everton but I can remember my dad laying down on the bed later in the evening saying "Wonder who scored for us?"

The photo below is of my family at the holiday camp later that week. Little did I know that my future wife would be from Scotland!

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Woody receiving the congratulations after scoring
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Below are the match report (there is a mention of us winning at Everton) and photos of the Ayr v Celtic match I went to. John Hughes played in the match. He then moved to Palace and destroyed us in front of the MOTD cameras in December.

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Ayr's keeper saves Dalglish's penalty

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Dalglish showing his disappointment
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But recovers quickly to score from the rebound

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