2nd October 1971

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My Dad chose to go with his mates, rather than take me.

Oh how I smirked when he came home and said he did not get in, if he had taken me we would have been in the ground early doors, on the Scoreboard end was the plan.

He had a good day on the ale though to make up for missing the match.

And we were undone by a genius that day.
 
Man Utd away.
That goal.
51000 attendance.

Wasn't there myself. Too young. Heard lots about it We were top of league.

So who was there? And how many blades were in the Stretford End?
 
Jolly Buffer said:
Man Utd away.
That goal.
51000 attendance.

Wasn't there myself. Too young. Heard lots about it We were top of league.

So who was there? And how many blades were in the Stretford End?
Click to expand...
Part of Stretford End was closed as a punishment to Man U cos a knife was thrown at Newcastle's keeper Iam McFaul in February 1971. Man U's first two "home" games of the 1971-72 season were played at Anfield and at Victoria ground
 
I was in the Scoreboard end. Got there at 2.45 and seem to remember they closed the gates soon after that. Incredible atmosphere, great Blades performance. My parents lived in a Man U area at the time and in the pub that night everyone was praising our players and fans. And we were still top!
Jolly Buffer said:
Man Utd away.
That goal.
51000 attendance.

Wasn't there myself. Too young. Heard lots about it We were top of league.

So who was there? And how many blades were in the Stretford End?
Click to expand...
 
Jolly Buffer said:
Man Utd away.
That goal.
51000 attendance.

Wasn't there myself. Too young. Heard lots about it We were top of league.

So who was there? And how many blades were in the Stretford End?
Click to expand...

I was there. Behind the goal where “that goal” was scored. Blades fans were saying “spozzy goal” because it appeared to hit the post and go in. To describe that goal as “spozzy” is to describe Gordon Banks save from Pele in the World Cup as “a fluke”.

It was a great day out. Dozens of SUT buses in the gravel car park outside.

Stretford End singing “Hockey is a werewolf” and Hockey conducting them!

Glad I got there early!
 
Cerberus Blade said:
I was there. Behind the goal where “that goal” was scored. Blades fans were saying “spozzy goal” because it appeared to hit the post and go in. To describe that goal as “spozzy” is to describe Gordon Banks save from Pele in the World Cup as “a fluke”.

It was a great day out. Dozens of SUT buses in the gravel car park outside.

Stretford End singing “Hockey is a werewolf” and Hockey conducting them!

Glad I got there early!
Click to expand...

Î wasn't saying " spozzy goal" I was trying to not get sussed out.
 
Jolly Buffer said:
Man Utd away.
That goal.
51000 attendance.

Wasn't there myself. Too young. Heard lots about it We were top of league.

So who was there? And how many blades were in the Stretford End?
Click to expand...

Went with Booth and Fisher from Halfway with some Beighton Blades. Decided to go by coach as Man U had a reputation with knives. Some Blades were set upon on their way from the train station. It didn't help we were young skinheads and the Yorkshire badge on our crombie was easily recognisable. Coach went over the Snake, took forever, Blades jumping off the coach in Manchester as we crawled towards the ground.

The picture Silent posted was at the other end from the Stretford End. It was a temporary wall due to ground alterations and it began to sway because of the crowd pressure hence the police horses trying to keep the crowds back. The majority of Blades inside the ground were too the left of that picture but they had closed the turnstiles for this section when we got there due to the number of away fans.

Blades got into the end in the picture but there was a load of fighting. We were just about to go in and mate got whacked while he was paying to get in. That led to the Police closing these turnstiles as well. They said there were 20,000 locked out most of them seemed to be from Sheffield.

We went back to the coaches and listened to the game on the radio. Then with 30 minutes to go we made our way back to the ground as it was customary in those days for the gates to be opened early to let fans out. Hundreds of Blades tried to get in the end where the Blades were but the Police thought we were Man U fans so turned the dogs on us. We made our way to the Stretford End and got in to the left of the goal high up.

We were singing but no-one bothered us, that was until Best scored that goal. They noticed we weren't jumping up and moved towards us but soon moved back when mate pulled out a tizer bottle, unbelievable what you could take into the ground in those days. We didn't move but then Gowling got the second and the sheer weight of numbers pushed us back towards the steps. We left at this point. So yes some Blades did get on the Stretford End that day albiet for around 20 minutes.

They turned up at the coaches after the game with their stupid MU, MUF, MUFC ok chant. Yes it was that bad. They got a surprise as all the coaches emptied.

That was probably the highest number of away fans the Blades ever took to an away game outside of the Pigs. It was the only time I ever went to Old Trafford for a league game and I still can't get that useless chant out of my head even after all these years.
 
I managed to get a seat for this match ,getting in must have been a nightmare for our fans who had to pay thousands milling around outside.
It was well worth it although we lost the match to Best and Dowling goals.A very close game which we had started to dominate when Bestie stepped in . A great goal maybe but we had lost our left back and Gil Reece came on and was put in that left back spot! defending wasn't his strong point and when Best went on this jinking run the central defence did its job pushing him wide right Reece wasn't able to continue the strategie to push him wider and he got a weak shot in which deceived Hope and went in.In my opinion losing I think it was Ted Hemsley cost us at least a point as Reece wasn't able to shut Bestie out.
That goal changed the game and Gowling got a 2nd.
We were going great guns until that defeat we probably wernt strong enough to maintain the impetus of that great start to the season but I've always wondered where we would have finished if we had got the result we deserved on the day .
Really it was another instance of United not showing the ambition to push on as that squad with the right strengthening could have took the 1st division by storm.
Missed opportunity !!
 
We got there about 12.30 the queue for the scoreboard end went right down to the Stretford end and back so when the turnstiles opened at 1.00pm we were propelled by the crush straight into the turnstiles and ended up being one of the first in on the corner of the matt Busby stand and scoreboard end. Pre match entertainment was watching the coppers chasing fans who had climbed up the scaffolding making their way in over the building works. I seem to remember the gates being locked up about 2.00pm. We could hear loud Sheffield United chants from fans outside the ground, it got a bit tasty when the exits opened 15mins before the end hundreds tried getting in both from Sheffield and Manchester. I have never seen so many go away for a normal league game must have been 20,000 it took us hours to get home only time I have seen anything like it was when we played Newcastle and Arsenal in semi-finals
 
My dad & my uncle, both big Blades, were part of the many thousands locked out that day, they couldn't take me as I had a school match that day, but they told me it was bedlam yet many hung around outside the gates listening to the crowd react to what was happening on the pitch. Sadly both now gone, my uncle three years ago & my dad just three weeks ago, they will be getting excited now waiting to see the Blades from way up high back in the Premier League.
 
Bert's crew saw the massive queues and took the only option, push in to the front of the queue.
Got in just before the gates closed which was just after 2pm.
Unitedites didn't really congregate together as was normal but if you look at the video when Best scores hardly anybody behind that goal celebrated.
 
When I was a kid around 74, Some older blades that went in 71 told stories about how the Man U fans had told them they had tough job trying to get the blades off the Stretford that day.

This match must go down in history as our biggest away following for a league match.

Who went to Old Trafford a few years later for their opening home game of season? I did. This was their first home game back in the first division after being promoted with Villa I think.

It was packed. We were on Stretford end in seats at the back. Well I say seats, they we're wooden benches. I think the gates were closed at 2pm. I remember it like yedterday.. I've never experienced an atmosphere like that day or since. Must have been 57000 cramped in there and the noise was something else. The scoreboard end and Stretford were at times a sea of scarves like I've never seen since, not even Anfield in its prime. We got battered on the pitch and the home crowd sensed something special was going on with that team they had. They'd won their first 2 away games at wolves and Brum and were playing well. Did they win the league or cup that season? They scored nine goals against us that season I think and we went down.
 
finlaytheblade said:
I managed to get a seat for this match ,getting in must have been a nightmare for our fans who had to pay thousands milling around outside.
It was well worth it although we lost the match to Best and Dowling goals.A very close game which we had started to dominate when Bestie stepped in . A great goal maybe but we had lost our left back and Gil Reece came on and was put in that left back spot! defending wasn't his strong point and when Best went on this jinking run the central defence did its job pushing him wide right Reece wasn't able to continue the strategie to push him wider and he got a weak shot in which deceived Hope and went in.In my opinion losing I think it was Ted Hemsley cost us at least a point as Reece wasn't able to shut Bestie out.
That goal changed the game and Gowling got a 2nd.
We were going great guns until that defeat we probably wernt strong enough to maintain the impetus of that great start to the season but I've always wondered where we would have finished if we had got the result we deserved on the day .
Really it was another instance of United not showing the ambition to push on as that squad with the right strengthening could have took the 1st division by storm.
Missed opportunity !!
Click to expand...
Missed Opportunity's: if there was a Premier League for listless Boards/Directors/Chairmen missing the boat, we would be Champions every Decade. In reply to another thread, Blades finished in the Top 10 for 2 years running. The board answered success on the pitch by selling Jones & Birchenall within a couple of months ffs. After finishing 6th in 1975 the board brought everybody crashing down with the 'stella' signing of Chris Guthrie.

At the end of 19th Century we were THE side ... Champions + FA Cup winners. Nobody has ever had the courage to go for it. Englands 4th largest City we COULD have been M A S S I V E !!!!!!
 

Jolly Buffer said:
When I was a kid around 74, Some older blades that went in 71 told stories about how the Man U fans had told them they had tough job trying to get the blades off the Stretford that day.

This match must go down in history as our biggest away following for a league match.

Who went to Old Trafford a few years later for their opening home game of season? I did. This was their first home game back in the first division after being promoted with Villa I think.

It was packed. We were on Stretford end in seats at the back. Well I say seats, they we're wooden benches. I think the gates were closed at 2pm. I remember it like yedterday.. I've never experienced an atmosphere like that day or since. Must have been 57000 cramped in there and the noise was something else. The scoreboard end and Stretford were at times a sea of scarves like I've never seen since, not even Anfield in its prime. We got battered on the pitch and the home crowd sensed something special was going on with that team they had. They'd won their first 2 away games at wolves and Brum and were playing well. Did they win the league or cup that season? They scored nine goals against us that season I think and we went down.
Click to expand...
Was that the year we had the away shirts with two diagonal stripes? Think we got hammered 5 - 1 could be wrong.
 
Definitely the biggest ever turnout for any away game. 8 wins and 2 draws from the first 10 matches and 40000 crowds packed on to 3 sides at Bramall Lane. Arrived at 2 o clock for this game but never had a chance of getting in spent the afternoon at Belle Vue.
 
We went there top of the 1st Division - this was the game where we got knocked off.

Maybe this coming season, when we go there top of the Premiership - there'll be a similar situation - only this time we won't lose?
 
Jolly Buffer said:
When I was a kid around 74, Some older blades that went in 71 told stories about how the Man U fans had told them they had tough job trying to get the blades off the Stretford that day.

This match must go down in history as our biggest away following for a league match.

Who went to Old Trafford a few years later for their opening home game of season? I did. This was their first home game back in the first division after being promoted with Villa I think.

It was packed. We were on Stretford end in seats at the back. Well I say seats, they we're wooden benches. I think the gates were closed at 2pm. I remember it like yedterday.. I've never experienced an atmosphere like that day or since. Must have been 57000 cramped in there and the noise was something else. The scoreboard end and Stretford were at times a sea of scarves like I've never seen since, not even Anfield in its prime. We got battered on the pitch and the home crowd sensed something special was going on with that team they had. They'd won their first 2 away games at wolves and Brum and were playing well. Did they win the league or cup that season? They scored nine goals against us that season I think and we went down.
Click to expand...
They finished 3rd in the league behind Liverpool and QPR. Lost in the FA Cup semi final against 2nd division Southampton. The fans loved Tommy Docherty's attacking style.

 
Cerberus Blade said:
We went there top of the 1st Division - this was the game where we got knocked off.

Maybe this coming season, when we go there top of the Premiership - there'll be a similar situation - only this time we won't lose?
Click to expand...
We were still top by a point after the Man U game. The 3-2 home defeat against Stoke a week later knocked us off from the top spot
 
Cerberus Blade said:
We went there top of the 1st Division - this was the game where we got knocked off.

Maybe this coming season, when we go there top of the Premiership - there'll be a similar situation - only this time we won't lose?
Click to expand...
Are you sure that that defeat knocked us off the top?
 
I was at the ground at 1-30 in the queue to get in the away end, the gates were literally closed in our face as we got to the front & we were gutted. We decided to stay outside the ground where there were hundreds of Blades fans milling around. We knew that there was no score with 15 mins left as the gates were opened , so my mate & me jumped in at the nearest one among the home fans , just in time to see Best score that legendary goal that would be shown on TV & come back to haunt us for years to come!
 
Paisley Blade said:
First defeat I had witnessed , didn't eat my tea.
Click to expand...
We scored in the early minutes with a Woody penalty. Ex Wendy Ritchie equalised midway in the 1st half. After half time Smith headed Stoke into the lead. TC equalised with a beautiful curling shot that stunned Banks. Shortly after TC thought he had scored again but the linesman ruled the goal out indicating that the ball had gone of of play just before TC's angled shot. Conroy seemed to be in an offside position when he broke away to score the winner
 

Silent Blade said:
We scored in the early minutes with a Woody penalty. Ex Wendy Ritchie equalised midway in the 1st half. After half time Smith headed Stoke into the lead. TC equalised with a beautiful curling shot that stunned Banks. Shortly after TC thought he had scored again but the linesman ruled the goal out indicating that the ball had gone of of play just before TC's angled shot. Conroy seemed to be in an offside position when he broke away to score the winner
Click to expand...
Remember the Currie disallowed goal and the Terry Conroy goal like yesterday and I was only six !

The first cut is clearly the deepest .....
 
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