70 years a Blade

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broomhillblade said:
Today marks exactly 70 years since my dad took me - as an 8-year-old - to Bramall Lane to see Jimmy Hagan & co. for the first time.

From that day I was hooked, and relegation at the end of that 1948/49 season did nothing to dampen my ardour.

It's been a roller-coaster ride, but one with so many good memories - and many more to come, I hope!
Click to expand...

Well done young man - you've nearly caught me up !
 



Sheffsteel said:
Agree, I’ve also been watching United just under 45 years.

The final game of the Adkins season at home to Scunthorpe is probably the lowest I’ve ever felt.
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I've just served over 56 years (with no time off for bad behaviour). That Scunthorpe defeat was bad (as was that entire season), but we didn't go down and CW was just about to appear on the horizon. Far worse surely was the final game in 1968 where we lost to Chelsea at home and went out of the top tier. 1981 last game relegation at home to Walsall where we sank into Division 4 after we missed a last-minute penalty, 2007 where a Tevez-inspired Wigan dumped us out of the PL on the last day or 1994 where we lost at Chelsea and - again - went out of the PL on the last day. We lost 3-2 that day. Chelsea scorers: Fashanu, Grobbelaar and Segers.

Fuck me. Anybody got the number for The Samaritans?
 
broomhillblade said:
Today marks exactly 70 years since my dad took me - as an 8-year-old - to Bramall Lane to see Jimmy Hagan & co. for the first time.

From that day I was hooked, and relegation at the end of that 1948/49 season did nothing to dampen my ardour.

It's been a roller-coaster ride, but one with so many good memories - and many more to come, I hope!
Click to expand...
Congratulations Sir!

And who are the top 3 United players you’ve seen in all that time?

And what about the top 3 non-United players?

Be interested in your opinion?
 
Isaw Joeshaw said:
Well done young man - you've nearly caught me up !
Click to expand...
I've either forgotten or never seen you say when you started at the Lane, and would be interested to know. I've always been nosey.
That's a very young-looking Joe Shaw in the photo in post 27. Amazing to think he was still playing for us in the mid-60s.
 


that's the kit.. Adidas? we'll fucking have that one next time. stripes 'in' the collar. that's bad ass. Sack the designer.[/QUOTE]
 
super_pig said:


that's the kit.. Adidas? we'll fucking have that one next time. stripes 'in' the collar. that's bad ass. Sack the designer.
Click to expand...
[/QUOTE]

Proper kit, proper boots and I like the summer turned up sleeves (provided they were done neatly). Thompson and Latham well done.. Ross and Hagan please try harder next time.. as for the socks a big no...
 
broomhillblade said:
Today marks exactly 70 years since my dad took me - as an 8-year-old - to Bramall Lane to see Jimmy Hagan & co. for the first time.

From that day I was hooked, and relegation at the end of that 1948/49 season did nothing to dampen my ardour.

It's been a roller-coaster ride, but one with so many good memories - and many more to come, I hope!
Click to expand...

How much cash? How many hours? How many miles? How many tears? One player you wish we hadnt sold and why?

Best memory? Best player? One game you wished you’d gone to? Best Manager? Best ground visited? Best kit?

Come on Broomhill don’t be a Bladestease now you’ve got us interested!
 
My 1st game was around 1962-63 so served about 55-56 years but wouldn't change a thing. At school if you were in the football team we sometimes got tickets for games at the lane or the sty. I went to a few games at the rust bucket in 1966 but I found it a miserable place and very depressing, it just never felt right maybe because my dad only ever took me to the lane unless United were playing that lot at the sty. Only one team worth following in Sheffield and they play in red n white stripes.
 
broomhillblade said:
Today marks exactly 70 years since my dad took me - as an 8-year-old - to Bramall Lane to see Jimmy Hagan & co. for the first time.

From that day I was hooked, and relegation at the end of that 1948/49 season did nothing to dampen my ardour.

It's been a roller-coaster ride, but one with so many good memories - and many more to come, I hope!
Click to expand...

Source? Link?







Only kidding :)
Massive respect to you young man. This era must be the most attractive and exciting football up to now ? :D
 
Canterbury Blade said:
How much cash? How many hours? How many miles? How many tears? One player you wish we hadnt sold and why?

Best memory? Best player? One game you wished you’d gone to? Best Manager? Best ground visited? Best kit?

Come on Broomhill don’t be a Bladestease now you’ve got us interested!
Click to expand...

Admission prices were very cheap when I was a youngster. I was an absent Blade for nearly 19 years when I was working abroad in Kenya (1966 - 84). I didn't go to a lot of away games though I've probably been to around 20+ grounds over the years . For me, Hagan was the best player, but I never saw Tony Currie since I was abroad at that time. As an 8-year-old I thought Colin Collindridge was great, and I couldn't understand why they let him go. One game I wished I'd gone to? That's a difficult one, but there were plenty of games I wished I hadn't gone to! Best manager? Hard to judge since I was away for those 19 years, but I loved the Harry Bassett era. Best ground visited? Old Trafford. Best kit? I'll take the promotion year of 1951.

It was very different to be a Blade watcher in the late 1940s and early 50s. No local radio, so you had to glean whatever news you could from the Star or the Green 'Un. On Saturday, if you hadn't been to the match, it was Sports Report on the BBC Light Programme at 5 pm to listen to the scores, or wait for the Green Un to come out. There was one live radio commentary each Saturday afternoon, but we were rarely covered since they favoured the London teams, probably for technical reasons. No television at that time either. There was no public address system at the ground when I first went., but we did have a live brass band to keep us amused. Any team changes were chalked on a blackboard and carried round the ground by one of the ball boys. Half-time and full-time scores were put up on racks next to the cricket pavilion. No floodlights in those days either. No substitutes, so the players had to pace themselves for 90 minutes, and injured players would stay on the pitch if at all possible, often hobbling up and down the wing. The reserve team played at the same time as the first team. The state of the pitch was poor and most of the grass would have disappeared by November. If it was wet, it would be a mud-bath, or it could be rock-hard in the middle of winter. Smog could be a problem; there were times when you could hardly see one end of the pitch from the other, but we could walk around the three-sided ground. I used to start at the Bramall Lane end and then move to the Kop at half time, unless the ground was really packed.

There was keen rivalry between the two Sheffield clubs but fans didn't call each other "pigs". Neither did we "hate" Wednesday; some people actually supported both teams, though I wasn't one of them. (During the summer, there used to be a United v Wednesday cricket match at Parkhead, and many of the footballers proved themselves to be quite decent cricketers).

And they used to play on Christmas Day. That was special!
 
broomhillblade do you remember those cushions you could get if you were in the seats, think they were a couple of pence extra about the size of a small suitcase with a handle to carry them stitched into the leather? When the home team was playing bad these heavy things would be lobbed from the back of the stands onto the pitch, how no one was killed by one of those cushions was a mystery to me. I guess it was all in the handles which must have made them the perfect object to throw at the nearest linesman :D:D:D
 
metalblade said:
broomhillblade do you remember those cushions you could get if you were in the seats, think they were a couple of pence extra about the size of a small suitcase with a handle to carry them stitched into the leather? When the home team was playing bad these heavy things would be lobbed from the back of the stands onto the pitch, how no one was killed by one of those cushions was a mystery to me. I guess it was all in the handles which must have made them the perfect object to throw at the nearest linesman :D:D:D
Click to expand...
Bert can remember them at Hillsborough, they stopped it after the fans kept chucking them on the pitch once too often.
 



Congratulations BB - Not sure about them socks in the team photo up thread.
 
broomhillblade said:
Admission prices were very cheap when I was a youngster. I was an absent Blade for nearly 19 years when I was working abroad in Kenya (1966 - 84). I didn't go to a lot of away games though I've probably been to around 20+ grounds over the years . For me, Hagan was the best player, but I never saw Tony Currie since I was abroad at that time. As an 8-year-old I thought Colin Collindridge was great, and I couldn't understand why they let him go. One game I wished I'd gone to? That's a difficult one, but there were plenty of games I wished I hadn't gone to! Best manager? Hard to judge since I was away for those 19 years, but I loved the Harry Bassett era. Best ground visited? Old Trafford. Best kit? I'll take the promotion year of 1951.

It was very different to be a Blade watcher in the late 1940s and early 50s. No local radio, so you had to glean whatever news you could from the Star or the Green 'Un. On Saturday, if you hadn't been to the match, it was Sports Report on the BBC Light Programme at 5 pm to listen to the scores, or wait for the Green Un to come out. There was one live radio commentary each Saturday afternoon, but we were rarely covered since they favoured the London teams, probably for technical reasons. No television at that time either. There was no public address system at the ground when I first went., but we did have a live brass band to keep us amused. Any team changes were chalked on a blackboard and carried round the ground by one of the ball boys. Half-time and full-time scores were put up on racks next to the cricket pavilion. No floodlights in those days either. No substitutes, so the players had to pace themselves for 90 minutes, and injured players would stay on the pitch if at all possible, often hobbling up and down the wing. The reserve team played at the same time as the first team. The state of the pitch was poor and most of the grass would have disappeared by November. If it was wet, it would be a mud-bath, or it could be rock-hard in the middle of winter. Smog could be a problem; there were times when you could hardly see one end of the pitch from the other, but we could walk around the three-sided ground. I used to start at the Bramall Lane end and then move to the Kop at half time, unless the ground was really packed.

There was keen rivalry between the two Sheffield clubs but fans didn't call each other "pigs". Neither did we "hate" Wednesday; some people actually supported both teams, though I wasn't one of them. (During the summer, there used to be a United v Wednesday cricket match at Parkhead, and many of the footballers proved themselves to be quite decent cricketers).

And they used to play on Christmas Day. That was special!
Click to expand...

An excellent summary of the experience of being a football supporter in that era which highlights the biggest difference between then and now , which is that if you weren't at the match , there was simply no way of knowing how things had gone for your team . Compare that to now when you can get a minute by minute report of what's happening or even watch it live .

The tension, therefore, in waiting to hear the results on the radio or via the Green 'Un was sometimes unbearable and would often result in my old man being either in a foul mood for the rest of the weekend or the nicest bloke you ever met - the latter being the case when the Blades won and Wednesday got stuffed .!

Happy days .
 
broomhillblade said:
Today marks exactly 70 years since my dad took me - as an 8-year-old - to Bramall Lane to see Jimmy Hagan & co. for the first time.

From that day I was hooked, and relegation at the end of that 1948/49 season did nothing to dampen my ardour.

It's been a roller-coaster ride, but one with so many good memories - and many more to come, I hope!
Click to expand...
Well done old man !!
I am envious,i never got to see Jimmy Hagan,probably our best post war player.I have experienced some of your memories as my first game was in 1958 and i'm sure United have been as big a part of your life as they have mine.We are the 'lifeblood' of the club,players,managers,owners etc.. come and go,but supporters go on for ever,all the best,good luck and good health.
 

Proper kit, proper boots and I like the summer turned up sleeves (provided they were done neatly). Thompson and Latham well done.. Ross and Hagan please try harder next time.. as for the socks a big no...[/QUOTE]
It's just a badly hand coloured magazine photo, seen it in black and white looks OK. Socks were coloured wrongly black/white really red/white. 2nd Oct 1948 Villa Park lost 4-3, 3-0 HT, Collindridge 2 Thompson
 
Bert said:
Bert can remember them at Hillsborough, they stopped it after the fans kept chucking them on the pitch once too often.
Click to expand...
Quite right. regular occurrence over there when they lost. They are the original Mardy Bums.
 
broomhillblade said:
Today marks exactly 70 years since my dad took me - as an 8-year-old - to Bramall Lane to see Jimmy Hagan & co. for the first time.

From that day I was hooked, and relegation at the end of that 1948/49 season did nothing to dampen my ardour.

It's been a roller-coaster ride, but one with so many good memories - and many more to come, I hope!
Click to expand...
Congratulations Broomhill, that’s some achievement, but did he take you to a reserve game or is your mind playing tricks? I was going to post a picture of the programme for you but the first team were away at Portsmouth that day! The reserves however were at home to the filth!
 
Bert said:
Bert can remember them at Hillsborough, they stopped it after the fans kept chucking them on the pitch once too often.
Click to expand...
I remember seeing it happen after the Stoke v West Ham League Cup semi final replay in 1972. Match ended 0-0 and yes there was extra time too!
 
broomhillblade said:
Admission prices were very cheap when I was a youngster. I was an absent Blade for nearly 19 years when I was working abroad in Kenya (1966 - 84). I didn't go to a lot of away games though I've probably been to around 20+ grounds over the years . For me, Hagan was the best player, but I never saw Tony Currie since I was abroad at that time. As an 8-year-old I thought Colin Collindridge was great, and I couldn't understand why they let him go. One game I wished I'd gone to? That's a difficult one, but there were plenty of games I wished I hadn't gone to! Best manager? Hard to judge since I was away for those 19 years, but I loved the Harry Bassett era. Best ground visited? Old Trafford. Best kit? I'll take the promotion year of 1951.

It was very different to be a Blade watcher in the late 1940s and early 50s. No local radio, so you had to glean whatever news you could from the Star or the Green 'Un. On Saturday, if you hadn't been to the match, it was Sports Report on the BBC Light Programme at 5 pm to listen to the scores, or wait for the Green Un to come out. There was one live radio commentary each Saturday afternoon, but we were rarely covered since they favoured the London teams, probably for technical reasons. No television at that time either. There was no public address system at the ground when I first went., but we did have a live brass band to keep us amused. Any team changes were chalked on a blackboard and carried round the ground by one of the ball boys. Half-time and full-time scores were put up on racks next to the cricket pavilion. No floodlights in those days either. No substitutes, so the players had to pace themselves for 90 minutes, and injured players would stay on the pitch if at all possible, often hobbling up and down the wing. The reserve team played at the same time as the first team. The state of the pitch was poor and most of the grass would have disappeared by November. If it was wet, it would be a mud-bath, or it could be rock-hard in the middle of winter. Smog could be a problem; there were times when you could hardly see one end of the pitch from the other, but we could walk around the three-sided ground. I used to start at the Bramall Lane end and then move to the Kop at half time, unless the ground was really packed.

There was keen rivalry between the two Sheffield clubs but fans didn't call each other "pigs". Neither did we "hate" Wednesday; some people actually supported both teams, though I wasn't one of them. (During the summer, there used to be a United v Wednesday cricket match at Parkhead, and many of the footballers proved themselves to be quite decent cricketers).

And they used to play on Christmas Day. That was special!
Click to expand...

Excellent read about supporting United from another era ... do you have any specific recollections of the Div 2 Champion season 52-53 and promotion in 60-61, plus the run to the FA cup semi-final in that same season? My dad would have started watching United at a similar time, got bits of info about United in the 50s from him, but nowhere near enough, ditto my great uncle Bert, who would have remembered the Cup winning teams of 1915 and 1925!
 
broomhillblade said:
Admission prices were very cheap when I was a youngster. I was an absent Blade for nearly 19 years when I was working abroad in Kenya (1966 - 84). I didn't go to a lot of away games though I've probably been to around 20+ grounds over the years . For me, Hagan was the best player, but I never saw Tony Currie since I was abroad at that time. As an 8-year-old I thought Colin Collindridge was great, and I couldn't understand why they let him go. One game I wished I'd gone to? That's a difficult one, but there were plenty of games I wished I hadn't gone to! Best manager? Hard to judge since I was away for those 19 years, but I loved the Harry Bassett era. Best ground visited? Old Trafford. Best kit? I'll take the promotion year of 1951.

It was very different to be a Blade watcher in the late 1940s and early 50s. No local radio, so you had to glean whatever news you could from the Star or the Green 'Un. On Saturday, if you hadn't been to the match, it was Sports Report on the BBC Light Programme at 5 pm to listen to the scores, or wait for the Green Un to come out. There was one live radio commentary each Saturday afternoon, but we were rarely covered since they favoured the London teams, probably for technical reasons. No television at that time either. There was no public address system at the ground when I first went., but we did have a live brass band to keep us amused. Any team changes were chalked on a blackboard and carried round the ground by one of the ball boys. Half-time and full-time scores were put up on racks next to the cricket pavilion. No floodlights in those days either. No substitutes, so the players had to pace themselves for 90 minutes, and injured players would stay on the pitch if at all possible, often hobbling up and down the wing. The reserve team played at the same time as the first team. The state of the pitch was poor and most of the grass would have disappeared by November. If it was wet, it would be a mud-bath, or it could be rock-hard in the middle of winter. Smog could be a problem; there were times when you could hardly see one end of the pitch from the other, but we could walk around the three-sided ground. I used to start at the Bramall Lane end and then move to the Kop at half time, unless the ground was really packed.

There was keen rivalry between the two Sheffield clubs but fans didn't call each other "pigs". Neither did we "hate" Wednesday; some people actually supported both teams, though I wasn't one of them. (During the summer, there used to be a United v Wednesday cricket match at Parkhead, and many of the footballers proved themselves to be quite decent cricketers).

And they used to play on Christmas Day. That was special!
Click to expand...
Thanks for all that. Crowds at reserve matches were quite big, because that was the only way of getting updates on the first-team scores (every 15 minutes). Your recollections bring home to me one of the amazing things about the passage of time - changes are mainly very gradual, so you tend not to notice them as they occur, but then you list the differences over 50/60/70 years, or look at old film, and football is barely recognisable as the same game. I look upon the team of the late 50s/early 60s as 'my team', but if I could watch them now, it would feel like being in a foreign country. And fortunately, Wilder's team is well worth watching.
 
spongebobblade said:
Congratulations Broomhill, that’s some achievement, but did he take you to a reserve game or is your mind playing tricks? I was going to post a picture of the programme for you but the first team were away at Portsmouth that day! The reserves however were at home to the filth!
Click to expand...

Well spotted. My first game was a reserve match. My dad was feeling protective of his 8-year-old son, so this was a test to see if I was man enough to cope with the crowds at a first team game (of course I was!). What probably swung it was that Jimmy Hagan played in the reserves for that game. I've no idea why. He wasn't injured so maybe he'd rubbed the manager up the wrong way (he could be stubborn) - or maybe it was to boost the reserves for this game. Whatever the reason, he was back in the first team the following week for my second visit to Bramall Lane. The odd thing is that I'd completely forgotten that we were playing Wednesday Reserves on the 25th September!
 
metalblade said:
broomhillblade do you remember those cushions you could get if you were in the seats, think they were a couple of pence extra about the size of a small suitcase with a handle to carry them stitched into the leather? When the home team was playing bad these heavy things would be lobbed from the back of the stands onto the pitch, how no one was killed by one of those cushions was a mystery to me. I guess it was all in the handles which must have made them the perfect object to throw at the nearest linesman :D:D:D
Click to expand...

I had forgotten about them being used at football matches (I never sat in the seats). However, they were widely used for cricket matches and we could sit on them on the concrete steps. At the close of play we would throw them on to the pitch so that they could be collected. I think they were green (?).
 



bj of bawtry said:
Many congratulations.I am 84 and share your pain.My first match was in 1940 wartime teams gathered from local RAF and Army camps. Still a ST holder after78 years
Click to expand...
Would love to hear some of your recollections, as I know nothing about the war-time football, or about what it felt like to get back to proper football after 6 years of war.
 
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