47 years ago today

[Silent Blade]

It was indeed. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Billy Dearden, Len Badger, Frank Barlow and Ted Hemsley from that team. All of them true gents. All down to earth lads who were humble with it. No “Superstar” status about them.

I remember going “on business” to Chesterfield FC when Billy was manager (and Frank was his assistant). I was talking to a guy called Pepper, he was the club secretary. I mentioned I was a Blade and used to be a big fan of Billy Dearden as a kid. 5 minutes later Billy was there. Pepper had phoned him and he came in the office to meet me.

I was only a kid then, in my 20’s. I was awestruck tbh. Here’s a bloke that I had cuttings out of “SHOOT” magazine on my bedroom wall since I was 12.

He came in smiling and shook my hand. “ Heyup” he said, “ he’s told me you used to come and watch me”. I was speechless! “ Come on down to changing rooms I’ll show you round”.

I was treated like Royalty! He got one of the CFC footballers to make me a cup of tea and we chatted about the Blades for a good half hour. What a lovely bloke he was. I’ll never forget it. And neither will I forget what he did for United. That lad was on painkillers for years and had the heart of a lion. He ran through brick walls for that team. Not bad for a £30k signing from Chester eh?

Things like that endear you to the club forever. He was one of the best and bravest centre forwards I’ve ever seen in a United shirt.

Billy never was the manager of Chesterfield so you must mean that Frank Barlow was the manager (1980-83) and Billy was his assistant.

 

[Deaneandagana]

Went to all those games, Everton was the worse - we were in that small terrace on the side and when we came out the Everton fans were outside and also waiting for us at the station it was the game where Alan Ball called us a 'glorified 3rd division team'
Arsenal was great no problem and beating Leeds that night, well fantastic

Great team, great memories shame the directors sold us out by not investing when the time was right

There’s a poignant phrase if ever there was one....”shame the directors sold us out by not investing when the time was right”

 

[YouFUMS]

Nostalgia’s not what it used to be, eh?

 

[Dnblade]

It was indeed. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Billy Dearden, Len Badger, Frank Barlow and Ted Hemsley from that team. All of them true gents. All down to earth lads who were humble with it. No “Superstar” status about them.

I remember going “on business” to Chesterfield FC when Billy was manager (and Frank was his assistant). I was talking to a guy called Pepper, he was the club secretary. I mentioned I was a Blade and used to be a big fan of Billy Dearden as a kid. 5 minutes later Billy was there. Pepper had phoned him and he came in the office to meet me.

I was only a kid then, in my 20’s. I was awestruck tbh. Here’s a bloke that I had cuttings out of “SHOOT” magazine on my bedroom wall since I was 12.

He came in smiling and shook my hand. “ Heyup” he said, “ he’s told me you used to come and watch me”. I was speechless! “ Come on down to changing rooms I’ll show you round”.

I was treated like Royalty! He got one of the CFC footballers to make me a cup of tea and we chatted about the Blades for a good half hour. What a lovely bloke he was. I’ll never forget it. And neither will I forget what he did for United. That lad was on painkillers for years and had the heart of a lion. He ran through brick walls for that team. Not bad for a £30k signing from Chester eh?

Things like that endear you to the club forever. He was one of the best and bravest centre forwards I’ve ever seen in a United shirt.

Was it as much as 30k CB?...I always thought it was 10k we paid for him...great signing though.
On the O/P.. remember outplaying Leeds,it was my Brother's first game,and what a night that was..i was at the home games mainly as an 11 year old..
I wasn't at Highbury but remember us going top and it felt like we could beat anybody...shame our bubble burst a bit on that trip to Manchester with thousands locked outside,but great days...we weren't far off a title winning side in that era...best time supporting the Blades for me.

 

[Blade56]

Those photos are like my memories, in black and white. My memories only started to be in colour around 1980 when we got a colour tv

 

[Silent Blade]

Was it as much as 30k CB?...I always thought it was 10k we paid for him...great signing though.
On the O/P.. remember outplaying Leeds,it was my Brother's first game,and what a night that was..i was at the home games mainly as an 11 year old..
I wasn't at Highbury but remember us going top and it felt like we could beat anybody...shame our bubble burst a bit on that trip to Manchester with thousands locked outside,but great days...we weren't far off a title winning side in that era...best time supporting the Blades for me.

Yes, we signed Dearden for £10K

 

[Dnblade]

Yes, we signed Dearden for £10K

Thought that was the fee SB...10k from Chester...Bargain.

 

[Paisley Blade]

After beating Southampton 3-1, L**ds (1969 League winners) 3-0 and Everton (1970 League winners) 1-0 we win with a Stewart Scullion goal at Arsenal (1971 double winners).

Top of the League!

 

[Paisley Blade]

After beating Southampton 3-1, L**ds (1969 League winners) 3-0 and Everton (1970 League winners) 1-0 we win with a Stewart Scullion goal at Arsenal (1971 double winners).

Top of the League!

Was on holiday as a 6 year old in Blackpool.

The one and only time I've learned about a Blades result from a newspaper the following morning. Can still remember the all round family glee that day.

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

I remember that , shortly after beating Arsenal , the Sunday Times published a half page article by Brian Glanville under the headline ' The Best Team I've Seen This Season '.

This is easily the most flattering article about a Blades team I ever read and one in which he heaped praise on our team and waxed lyrical about the ability of a number of players including Badger , Woody , Salmons , Currie etc. Reading it was one of my proudest ever moments as a Blade , particularly since it came from a journalist of his stature .

Remarkably , he still writes for them today at almost 88 years old .!

 

[cahill]

Cheers Silent, I was 17 at the time and about to join the RAF, wish I had savouréd the moments more. Thing is we had no idea it would be our high water mark. All the shit we’ve experienced over the decades

 

[Willie Carlin]

After beating Southampton 3-1, L**ds (1969 League winners) 3-0 and Everton (1970 League winners) 1-0 we win with a Stewart Scullion goal at Arsenal (1971 double winners).

Top of the League!

They got off to a brilliant start in that Arsenal game

 

[bladesfan]

All payed for with my paper round money, and saving my school dinner money.

 

[Rawnblade]

Great memories of a brilliant time to be a blade. I was a Junior Engineer working in Southend at the time, just starting my career, and had some good banter with the Arsenal fans I was working with.

 

[grafikhaus]

Could not agree more, as a club over the last 50 years the only thing SUFC have consistently done is punch well below their weight. Personally, I lay most of the blame on successive boards and chairmen, but certain sections of our fanbase, the ones who always fudge the issue and make excuses for the Blades hierarchy, club apologists let's call them, also have to put their hands up and take their share of the blame too.

Nonsense. As you can see from many posts on here, a lot of us were around back then and still are. Boards and chairmen come and go but us fans carry the club through thick and thin.

Those photos are like my memories, in black and white. My memories only started to be in colour around 1980 when we got a colour tv

Mine are still in sepia!