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

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John Aston appearing for Luton Town. He was MOTM in the 1968 European Cup Final when Man Utd. beat Benfica 4-1 at Wembley. Just checked and surprised he only won one Under 23 England cap.

Reading through the newspaper reports and programme notes the one attribute the Blades didn't possess was Consistency.

If we could have added that to our game who knows we could have won something.
 
3/2/1975

Garry Jones of Bolton joins us on a month's loan. I think it was the first time we had a player on loan to us. I think the first time we agreed on a loan deal was Mick Harmston to Southend for a month during the 1970/71 season.

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14/2/1975

Open Day at my school, most of the pupils went home with their parents for a long weekend as it was half term

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15/2/1975

Blades 2 (Woodward, Badger) Chelsea 1 (Garner)

I was home for a long weekend and went to the match but dont remember any of the goals and Jim Brown's penalty save from John Hollins. It all happened at the Lane End and my usual seat was in the BLUT! One evening years later after I got the First 100 years book by Denis Clareborough I was trying to remember the matches from the 1974/75 season and I was thinking "What was the score against Chelsea at home?" I reached for the book and the score and scorers of the match remained a blank to me despite that I was home from school for the half term. I do remember Garry Jones being our player, the match was the only time I saw him play for us but I do not remember seeing him although I do remember seeing him with the first team players at the Ball Inn training ground the following Tuesday. I do remember one occasion when we were about to take a goal kick at the Lane End in the 2nd half, Len Badger asked a photographer behind the goal "How long left?" and the reply was "20 mins left". This amused me, my dad and the spectators near us as we could tell that Len looked disappointed that the time left was longer than he thought! I think this happened in this match but not 100% sure

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

From the programme
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15/2/1975

Blades 2 (Woodward, Badger) Chelsea 1 (Garner)

I was home for a long weekend and went to the match but dont remember any of the goals and Jim Brown's penalty save from John Hollins. It all happened at the Lane End and my usual seat was in the BLUT! One evening years later after I got the First 100 years book by Denis Clareborough I was trying to remember the matches from the 1974/75 season and I was thinking "What was the score against Chelsea at home?" I reached for the book and the score and scorers of the match remained a blank to me despite that I was home from school for the half term. I do remember Garry Jones being our player, the match was the only time I saw him play for us but I do not remember seeing him although I do remember seeing him with the first team players at the Ball Inn training ground the following Tuesday. I do remember one occasion when we were about to take a goal kick at the Lane End in the 2nd half, Len Badger asked a photographer behind the goal "How long left?" and the reply was "20 mins left". This amused me, my dad and the spectators near us as we could tell that Len looked disappointed that the time left was longer than he thought! I think this happened in this match but not 100% sure

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

From the programme
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Not enough love for Jim Brown's penalty save, here! Tony Pritchett missed it altogether!
 
Not enough love for Jim Brown's penalty save, here! Tony Pritchett missed it altogether!
Walking back to Bridge Street afterwards a random bloke asked us what the score was. ‘ 2-1 to us and Jim Brown saved a penalty’ I replied. ‘ Steady on lad, he didn’t ask for a match report’ commented my older brother’s very cool mate.
9 year old me suitably chastised 😆
 
Speedy McGeedy - what happened to him in the end - went to Leicester the year we went down and he ran them ragged . Actually , was that the game he got badly injured?
 
Speedy McGeedy - what happened to him in the end - went to Leicester the year we went down and he ran the ragged . Actually , was that the game he got badly injured
 

18/2/1975

My dad and I went over to the Ball Inn Ground in the morning to watch the first team having a training session. It was the first time I saw us train. Jim Brown was the most talkative character of the squad, he liked to play up front during the kickabout and would throw his arms up in the air celebrating a goal he had scored. Garry Jones seemed to be the quietest squad player but smiled a lot at the players' high jinks. During the kickabout on the court the ball went stray and was rolling downhill in Myrtle Road. Ken Furphy ordered Woody to retrieve the ball. Woody disappeared for about 10 to 15 minutes and came back frustrated throwing his arms in the air shouting "I bloody couldnt find the ball!".

Saw our junior squad doing training too also there was a match involving triallists, saw coach John Short making notes on his pad.

In the afternoon my dad took me on a three and half hour journey back to my school in Berkshire.
 
18/2/1975

My dad and I went over to the Ball Inn Ground in the morning to watch the first team having a training session. It was the first time I saw us train. Jim Brown was the most talkative character of the squad, he liked to play up front during the kickabout and would throw his arms up in the air celebrating a goal he had scored. Garry Jones seemed to be the quietest squad player but smiled a lot at the players' high jinks. During the kickabout on the court the ball went stray and was rolling downhill in Myrtle Road. Ken Furphy ordered Woody to retrieve the ball. Woody disappeared for about 10 to 15 minutes and came back frustrated throwing his arms in the air shouting "I bloody couldnt find the ball!".

Saw our junior squad doing training too also there was a match involving triallists, saw coach John Short making notes on his pad.

In the afternoon my dad took me on a three and half hour journey back to my school in Berkshire.
I saw Woody looking for the ball and it was stuck under a Vauxhall Viva
 
18/2/1975

My dad and I went over to the Ball Inn Ground in the morning to watch the first team having a training session. It was the first time I saw us train. Jim Brown was the most talkative character of the squad, he liked to play up front during the kickabout and would throw his arms up in the air celebrating a goal he had scored. Garry Jones seemed to be the quietest squad player but smiled a lot at the players' high jinks. During the kickabout on the court the ball went stray and was rolling downhill in Myrtle Road. Ken Furphy ordered Woody to retrieve the ball. Woody disappeared for about 10 to 15 minutes and came back frustrated throwing his arms in the air shouting "I bloody couldnt find the ball!".

Saw our junior squad doing training too also there was a match involving triallists, saw coach John Short making notes on his pad.

In the afternoon my dad took me on a three and half hour journey back to my school in Berkshire.
I lived on Erskine Crescent. I once got a free football walking down Myrtle Road one day as a ball came over from the Ball. Would have been 1983 ish, so not the time you were there :-)
 
22/2/1975

Burnley 2 (Noble, Fletcher) Blades 1 (Woodward)

Highlights starts at 42 mins in below footage. The match officials were wrong to disallow Field's goal in the 1st half as you can see a Burnley defender playing him onside

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You can see Woody volleying a TC corner in the below footage but a defender on the line stopped the ball from going in.



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I believe it was the same day when Mary Hare school u13s beat Kennylands u13s by 2-0 and this is me the goalkeeper in the below photo

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

 
1/3/1975

Ipswich 0 Blades 1 (Woodward)

Our league record against Bobby Robson's Ipswich at the time was played 8, won 4, drew 3 and lost 1

My only memories of the weekend was that I was feeling sorry for my Norwich schoolmate because Norwich had lost in the League Cup final to Aston Villa also there was the school Talent Contest competition on the Sunday night and my team of 6 boys won it!

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

 
1/3/1975

Ipswich 0 Blades 1 (Woodward)

Our league record against Bobby Robson's Ipswich at the time was played 8, won 4, drew 3 and lost 1

My only memories of the weekend was that I was feeling sorry for my Norwich schoolmate because Norwich had lost in the League Cup final to Aston Villa also there was the school Talent Contest competition on the Sunday night and my team of 6 boys won it!

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


To go to Ipswich in those days and get a win was no mean feat . It comes as no surprise that this was achieved in the end by the Currie / Woodward combination which was one which was the best I ever saw between two Blades players and which at times had almost mystical qualities .

There have been others , but none which matched the outstanding understanding and effectiveness of that between these two players and which was an absolute joy to behold .

I particularly liked the reporter’s description of TC’s performance, saying that “ He remains one of the few players in British football who can leave you stricken in awe and wonder “ which is exactly how I remember him .

Glory Days .
 
1/3/1975

Ipswich 0 Blades 1 (Woodward)

Our league record against Bobby Robson's Ipswich at the time was played 8, won 4, drew 3 and lost 1

My only memories of the weekend was that I was feeling sorry for my Norwich schoolmate because Norwich had lost in the League Cup final to Aston Villa also there was the school Talent Contest competition on the Sunday night and my team of 6 boys won it!

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

"Barry" Jones must have been gutted, Garry Jones even more so as he never even got a mention!
 
8/3/1975

Blades 1 (Colquhoun) Wolves 0

My dad took me home for the weekend and we invited my Hibs supporting schoolmate, Martin, to stay at my house for the weekend. Hibs are still my favourite Scottish team like wise for Martin, the Blades are still his favourite English team.

On the way to Bramall Lane before the match, we stopped at a florist in Woodseats to buy some flowers for Mothers Day. A pretty young woman served me and she was very friendly and had a lovely smile. As soon as we got into the car Martin was saying that he fancied the woman who had served me. Over the next few years I got into that shop to see if the pretty woman was still working there but she wasnt!

Early in the game we were awarded an indirect free kick inside the penalty box at the Lane End . All the Wolves players set up a wall on the goal line. The indirect free kick was played short to Woody who blasted his effort against the wall.

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The ball rebounded straight to Colquhoun's feet, he side stepped a tackle by a Wolves player and then fired the ball into the top of the net.

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In the second half Jim Brown made a brilliant save from a point blank header by Frank Munro and then collided against the post. Brown needed a long treatment from Cec Coldwell (our bucket and sponge man) as blood was streaming out of the keeper's nose. Late in the game a young Wolves defender got the marching orders from Clive "The book" Thomas.

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


From the programme

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8/3/1975

Blades 1 (Colquhoun) Wolves 0

My dad took me home for the weekend and we invited my Hibs supporting schoolmate, Martin, to stay at my house for the weekend. Hibs are still my favourite Scottish team like wise for Martin, the Blades are still his favourite English team.

On the way to Bramall Lane before the match, we stopped at a florist in Woodseats to buy some flowers for Mothers Day. A pretty young woman served me and she was very friendly and had a lovely smile. As soon as we got into the car Martin was saying that he fancied the woman who had served me. Over the next few years I got into that shop to see if the pretty woman was still working there but she wasnt!

Early in the game we were awarded an indirect free kick inside the penalty box at the Lane End . All the Wolves players set up a wall on the goal line. The indirect free kick was played short to Woody who blasted his effort against the wall.

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The ball rebounded straight to Colquhoun's feet, he side stepped a tackle by a Wolves player and then fired the ball into the top of the net.

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In the second half Jim Brown made a brilliant save from a point blank header by Frank Munro and then collided against the post. Brown needed a long treatment from Cec Coldwell (our bucket and sponge man) as blood was streaming out of the keeper's nose. Late in the game a young Wolves defender got the marching orders from Clive "The book" Thomas.

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


From the programme

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RE: Tony Pritchett's column in the programme - the checking of Stewart Kennedy's "international calibre" by Scotland's U23s certainly went well. For England. It is ridiculous that Jim Brown only ever got one full cap for Scotland.

 

7/9/1974

West Ham 1 (Jennings) Blades 2 (Woodward, Dearden)

My parents travelled down to my school near Newbury by car and picking me and my three friends up. Norwich fan David, Hibs fan Martin and Arsenal fan Rupert (although he occasionally watched his local team Watford with his dad). The route to Upton Park was on the M4 and then on reaching London, my dad decided to park his car near Gloucester Road tube station . This week I messaged my three friends asking for their memories of that day. Martin remembered David wearing a red and white scarf until we got off the Upton Park tube station. David felt uncomfortable at getting stares from the Hammers fans so he decided to hide his scarf inside his coat! I couldnt remember that and asked David about it. He said he had bought the scarf just before the Texaco Cup match between the Blades and Man City the previous month. I couldnt remember that too!

My dad got six tickets for our seats when we arrived at the ground. It was a very windy day and one of the tickets blew away from my dad's hand so he chased after the ticket for about 20 yards before retrieving it! This had us in stitches!

Rupert was telling me how a good player Billy Jennings is as he had just signed for West Ham from Watford. He was delighted that Jennings had scored to give West Ham the lead.

In the second half we found it hard playing against the strong wind and then out of blue Woody retrieved the ball in the centre circle, raced away to just outside the penalty box before hitting a powerful shot that stunned keeper Mervyn Day. My dad rose from his seat applauding at the goal "that defied science". We were worried how the Hammers fans around us would react but all we got was "looks" from them! To this day, David still remembers Woody's tremendous equaliser. Lovely tributes about Woody from Benny Hill (the reporter) and Hammers manager, John Lyall in the below Morning Telegraph report! Not long after that, Dearden got the winner with a shot that flew over Day's head after receiving a pass. If it wasnt for the wind it would probably have gone high over the bar.

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Scores, scorers, line ups and league tables from below link.
Got this photo from Facebook
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