1974-75 match reports and photos (50 years ago today)

[Silent Blade]

For me, this is probably going to be the last of the "50 years ago today" threads.

9/7/1974

Two days after being disappointed seeing Holland lose to West Germany in the 1974 World Cup final on tv, I was shocked to hear the news that Geoff Salmons had moved to Stoke for a record fee of £180,000. My dad was disappointed too but he explained that the reason we accepted Stoke's offer was because of our rising debt caused by the expenses on building the new stand. I remember thinking "what's the point of spending on a new stand if it meant that we would sell a key player?"














Fans reaction to the sale in the Green Un postbag the following Saturday

 

[Silent Blade]

We signed David Bradford from Blackburn Rovers for £10,000. Third time in 5 months Ken Furphy signed a player from his previous club!

 

[Silent Blade]

 

[Zero dark thirty]

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Great post.

 

[Hanauer]

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In todays money = £380 highest price ticket. Not seen Puppy Walker's name for a long time.

 

[Hanauer]

For me, this is probably going to be the last of the "50 years ago today" threads.

9/7/1974

Two days after being disappointed seeing Holland lose to West Germany in the 1974 World Cup final on tv, I was shocked to hear the news that Geoff Salmons had moved to Stoke for a record fee of £180,000. My dad was disappointed too but he explained that the reason we accepted Stoke's offer was because of our rising debt caused by the expenses on building the new stand. I remember thinking "what's the point of spending on a new stand if it meant that we would sell a key player?"

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Fans reaction to the sale in the Green Un postbag the following Saturday
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So many regular posters. Missing is Fred Hall, Little Norton Lane, Sheffield 8. Always brilliant items from him.

 

[Big Hitter]

Great player for us was Geoff. None of the other names mentioned above, Nichols, Bradford, Barnwell did anything to fill that gap that he left. To see him coming down that left wing in 70 - 71 with Woody on the other wing was sheer delight.

 

[Maidenhead]

Bloody hell Silent Blade this is going to make me feel old.

50 bloody years ago and feels like yesterday.

 

[Maidenhead]

Great player for us was Geoff. None of the other names mentioned above, Nichols, Bradford, Barnwell did anything to fill that gap that he left. To see him coming down that left wing in 70 - 71 with Woody on the other wing was sheer delight.

Agreed,

The 74-75 season may have been our best finishing place in my memory but in reality it was the start of a lengthy and sustained decline.

I'm hoping that our 9th place finish in 2020 doesn't signal the start of a similar decline.

Hopefully we will have a takeover to reverse our current fortunes, which are not looking good.

 

[ancientblade]

the south stand was definetly needed but yes it was the start of our decline we played some fantastic attacking football in the second half of the 74/75 season and with 2 or 3 quality signings we could have been challenging for the title 75/76 instead we bought cheap changed our playing style to accomadate chris guthrie and were as good as down by christmas it was the beginning of the end

 

[BudockBlade]

Great player for us was Geoff. None of the other names mentioned above, Nichols, Bradford, Barnwell did anything to fill that gap that he left. To see him coming down that left wing in 70 - 71 with Woody on the other wing was sheer delight.

Happy memories of him speeding down the wing and he could shoot. Along with Woody two touchline wingers, loved that style of football

 

[ancientblade]

Happy memories of him speeding down the wing and he could shoot. Along with Woody two touchline wingers, loved that style of football

yeah 442 defending 424 when we were attacking keith eddy was brilliant that season taking over hockeys role of feeding tc but scored some vital goals as well but woody on one side and salmons on the other terrorised full backs great wingers

 

[Hanauer]

Great player for us was Geoff. None of the other names mentioned above, Nichols, Bradford, Barnwell did anything to fill that gap that he left. To see him coming down that left wing in 70 - 71 with Woody on the other wing was sheer delight.

Saw Barnwell make his debut first game of 70/71 promotion season against Leyton Orient. Just turned nearly 18 and went down on the midnight train and back on midnight train. Saw Barry Gibb crowned best dressed man of year in Carnaby St and then we got hammered.

 

[Silent Blade]

Wont be ready for the start of the season!

 

[spongebobblade]

 

[MagnifiqueShorehamStreet]

Happy memories of him speeding down the wing and he could shoot. Along with Woody two touchline wingers, loved that style of football

Yep, what a player for us.
Makes you wonder if we’d have got into Europe, if we’d have kept hold of him for the 74/75 season.
Had some great times watching him dance down the wing, and more great times, chatting to him about the Blades, in the pubs he later run

 

[Silent Blade]

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Whereabouts in BLUT? My seat was A85

 

[Silent Blade]

Looks like the below photo was taken before the squad travelled to Poland for the pre season tour because the transfer listed players werent included.


Top: Steve Goulding, Ted Hemsley, Steve Faulkner, Steve Conroy, Jim Brown, Tom McAlister, Len Badger, Terry Garbett, Colin Franks, Alan Ogden.
Bottom: Alan Woodward, David Bradford, Tony Field, Keith Eddy, Tony Currie, Eddie Colquhoun, Billy Dearden, Terry Nicholl, Mick Speight, Gary France.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

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Looks like the below photo was taken before the squad travelled to Poland for the pre season tour because the transfer listed players werent included.

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Top: Steve Goulding, Ted Hemsley, Steve Faulkner, Steve Conroy, Jim Brown, Tom McAlister, Len Badger, Terry Garbett, Colin Franks, Alan Ogden.
Bottom: Alan Woodward, David Bradford, Tony Field, Keith Eddy, Tony Currie, Eddie Colquhoun, Billy Dearden, Terry Nicholl, Mick Speight, Gary France.

At this time of year, when mattbianco1 is offering up various kit designs, let's just pause and admire Blades kit perfection, and I know Bianca agrees with me.

 

[raul]

Faulkner's hair is nice.

 

[mattbianco1]

At this time of year, when mattbianco1 is offering up various kit designs, let's just pause and admire Blades kit perfection, and I know Bianca agrees with me.

Yep.

That and the Avec shirt in 1997 are the best 2

 

[originaltrueblade]

Great player for us was Geoff. None of the other names mentioned above, Nichols, Bradford, Barnwell did anything to fill that gap that he left. To see him coming down that left wing in 70 - 71 with Woody on the other wing was sheer delight.

Should never have sold Geoff cost us dearly in the long run

 

[Silent Blade]

17/7/1974

Pre season friendly in Poland.

Lechia 0 Blades 0

 

[Silent Blade]

20/7/1974

Pre season friendly in Poland.

Pogon 3 (Wawrowski, Colquhoun og, ?) Blades 1 (Dearden)

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Yep, what a player for us.
Makes you wonder if we’d have got into Europe, if we’d have kept hold of him for the 74/75 season.
Had some great times watching him dance down the wing, and more great times, chatting to him about the Blades, in the pubs he later run

Have a look at the final league table for that season, we were two more wins from being champions. I'm sure Salmons would've been the difference to get those two wins.

 

[ancientblade]

Have a look at the final league table for that season, we were two more wins from being champions. I'm sure Salmons would've been the difference to get those two wins.

maybe in any case the south stand put paid to any chance of further success and led us to our slippery slope to division 4 we needed it yes but boy did it set us back years 3 quality players and we could have been champions of england 75/76

 

[Paul1963]

The comments in the letters page for the Salmons transfer could have been taken from this site in the past few days,” why can’t we compete”, “good bit of business”, “ I feel deflated”, nothings changed in 50 years being a blade has it !

 

[MiserableBlader]

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Christ. They were expensive.
I remember when adults went up from half a crown to four shillings (same every ground) and my dad said it was too much and had to work too hard to earn four shillings.
We still went to Hillsborough though as there was a fiddle on complimentary tickets.
Kids tickets remained a shilling and even I could afford to pay at United to get in there as well.
On the occassions I went alone re family.

 

[MiserableBlader]

The comments in the letters page for the Salmons transfer could have been taken from this site in the past few days,” why can’t we compete”, “good bit of business”, “ I feel deflated”, nothings changed in 50 years being a blade has it !

Bang on mate.
Plus ca change.
All the best players were own developed or cheap.
Big signings (Guthrie) were generally disasters.
All financed by star sales.
Rot had already set in with managers but still could have won the league the following season I think it was.
Sadly it has got infitnitely worse.
We had had managers who recognized a player.
We sold at 25/26 re Jones Salmons Currie - destroying club rather than 18-20 year olds at rock bottom prices.
With good leadership we could have remained a top club not bargain basement selling mediocrity
A joke club with joke 'in Wilder we trust' fans settling for betrayal and mediocrity,

 

[MiserableBlader]

Bang on mate.
Plus ca change.
All the best players were own developed or cheap.
Big signings (Guthrie) were generally disasters.
All financed by star sales.
Rot had already set in with managers but still could have won the league the following season I think it was.
Sadly it has got infitnitely worse.
We had had managers who recognized a player.
We sold at 25/26 re Jones Salmons Currie - destroying club rather than 18-20 year olds at rock bottom prices.
With good leadership we could have remained a top club not bargain basement selling mediocrity
A joke club with joke 'in Wilder we trust' fans settling for betrayal and mediocrity,

ps. Our lowest EVER finishing position at this stage was 10th in the second division.
And we were of course put in the second division to start with.