50 Years Ago

[wardonia_blade]

On 4 February 1967 we once again put one over on our self-important local rivals, 1-0 thanks to Bill Punton’s only league goal for United.

Punton had been bought for a small fee from Norwich in the previous November to cover for Gil Reece on the left wing, Reece having broken his leg the week before against Blackpool. I believe Bill Punton is still alive, aged 82, living in Norwich and still in touch with City for reunions etc. He will never be forgotten by Blades of a certain age.

The goal was a tap in at the Kop end, apparently. I say apparently because the 11 year old Wardonia was not allowed to go to this game as his dad said there would be too many people there. He was right – over 43,000, more than double the home crowd for routine league games around this time.

This derby-day win helped us to finish above Wednesday in the (top) league that season, us 10th and them 11th.

Our team that day was potentially a very good team, a nice blend of youth and experience, but critical sales the following year saw us avoidably relegated. Same old story.

Team was Hodgy, Badger, Bernard Shaw, Mallender, Matthewson, Barry Wagstaff, Woody, Tony Wagstaff, Jones, Birchenall and, last but not least, Bill Punton.

I would be interested to read any other memories of this day or, even better, any film as I have still never seen the goal.

 

[finlaytheblade]

On 4 February 1967 we once again put one over on our self-important local rivals, 1-0 thanks to Bill Punton’s only league goal for United.

Punton had been bought for a small fee from Norwich in the previous November to cover for Gil Reece on the left wing, Reece having broken his leg the week before against Blackpool. I believe Bill Punton is still alive, aged 82, living in Norwich and still in touch with City for reunions etc. He will never be forgotten by Blades of a certain age.

The goal was a tap in at the Kop end, apparently. I say apparently because the 11 year old Wardonia was not allowed to go to this game as his dad said there would be too many people there. He was right – over 43,000, more than double the home crowd for routine league games around this time.

This derby-day win helped us to finish above Wednesday in the (top) league that season, us 10th and them 11th.

Our team that day was potentially a very good team, a nice blend of youth and experience, but critical sales the following year saw us avoidably relegated. Same old story.

Team was Hodgy, Badger, Bernard Shaw, Mallender, Matthewson, Barry Wagstaff, Woody, Tony Wagstaff, Jones, Birchenall and, last but not least, Bill Punton.

I would be interested to read any other memories of this day or, even better, any film as I have still never seen the goal.

Apart from Purton the entire team was home grown,by that I mean came through our youth system which was overseen by Archive Clarke,we never replaced him when he died suddenly.

 

[georgebernardshaw]

Was never a tap in, a lot shorter than that

 

[JordoBlade]

How many of you we there?

 

[derfblade.3]

Me and our bruv.

 

[finlaytheblade]

How many of you we there?

I was there Jordo, apart from scoring the goal he was given off side when we had the ball in the net again,not sure now who scored it but the ref disallowed it for offside, Punton was well wide on the left not interfering with play. I

 

[Silent Blade]

 

[dublin 10 blade]

I was 4 so don't remember much about the game , believe it or not I was in the Star around that time ,
Ding Dong Darren , with a photo of me and mum , have the photo in a frame at home , a copper wrote a book about his time down Attercliffe, he's holding a boys hand taking him home , I wonder if that was me .

 

[Cerberus Blade]

I wish I'd started watching earlier - I'd have been 10 years old in 1967 but I hadn't got the Blades bug then. It was only when I started secondary school that I realised I had to be Owl or Blade to fit in. I've heard of Bill Punton though. Bit of a baldy wasn't he?