Any idea who is the oldest and longest supporter of the blades

[Kentblade]

Love the old stories. Do you remember who against?

Unfortunately no but might have some programmes and cuttings from the early 50's, all boxed and kept in my daughters loft marked my life as a Blade.
UTB

 

[JonnyRed(WCFC)]

My dad (now deceased) started regular attendance in 1943 and more or less stopped in 2009ish. He wasn't the oldest or longest serving of those he chatted to by some way.
When he started work off Boston Street (in 1943) plenty of the old boys had been to the Lane since 1889 or so!!!

Before you think my maths is off.... The old fellows were self employed instrument makers, at a time when we needed quite a lot of surgical instruments so were quite happy to be working well into their 70s even 80s to get lots of £££.

love that!! proper lineage!

 

[Harry's Game]

All of us who sat through two seasons of Clough and one of Adkins,

That was about 3000 years wasn’t it?

 

[Rob86]

View attachment 36999

They certainly did, usually leading to a smaller attendance than usual and a smaller programme run, often a four pager. These can be difficult to get hold of. The one above I bought last week is particularly difficult and took me 10 years to get hold of

Good times. As much as I love the atmosphere of night matches, to have this Tuesday's game on at 3pm would be far better, employers would simply have to accept this as special leave ! Haha yeah right

 

[Silent Blade]

Ahhh that makes sense. So winter games kicked off earlier. What time was the Boxing Day fixture then, 1pm start I should imagine.

What happened with rearranged fixtures then ? Did they get played mid week in the afternoon ?

Yes. The picture below is our FA Cup 4th round replay against Wolves played on Wednesday afternoon 29th January 1947. Despite the heavy snow and the kick off being in early afternoon, the crowd was over 42,000

 

[spongebobblade]

Good times. As much as I love the atmosphere of night matches, to have this Tuesday's game on at 3pm would be far better, employers would simply have to accept this as special leave ! Haha yeah right

Must have been gut wrenching for the working die hard blade!

 

[spongebobblade]

Yes. The picture below is our FA Cup 4th round replay against Wolves played on Wednesday afternoon 29th January 1947. Despite the heavy snow and the kick off being in early afternoon, the crowd was over 42,000

The programme for this match is without doubt the most difficult Blades programme to get hold of. I and many other collectors have never seen one. I think it’s approaching 20 years since it was last at auction. It’s a single sheet and rumour has it that it was only handed out in the directors box. The value? Who knows but we are probably talking in excess of £3000

 

[spongebobblade]

A photocopy!!

 

[UnitedBlade]

View attachment 36989 View attachment 36990

John Harris playing for Chelsea!

 

[prince albert]

View attachment 36988

did you need them special glasses to read this programme

 

[XM657]

Yes. The picture below is our FA Cup 4th round replay against Wolves played on Wednesday afternoon 29th January 1947. Despite the heavy snow and the kick off being in early afternoon, the crowd was over 42,000

[/QUOTE Anyone identify the United player? Positional sense tells me Rickett left Forbes right, quite sure not Brook on left saw him quite a few times and too tall for Nightingale. Wolves players, Stan Cullis left, Bert Williams in goal both England internationals

 

[Silent Blade]

Think it is Colin Collindridge, presently the oldest Blade player still alive

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

Wow. You've been watching the Blades for 71 years this year. What are your personal highs/lows during that time? You must be in with a shout for longest period of support surely?!

Not quite the longest it seems as a couple of others went in 1946.

In terms of high points, the one that stands out for me and it seems many of my generation was the cup match away at Newcastle In the '50s when we beat them 3-1, not just for the result but also the atmosphere among the Blades fans which had to be experienced to be believed - absolutely fabulous.

Others include watching Jimmy Hagan tear Barnsley apart at their ground, watching Currie and co. tear Arsenal apart at the Lane and, in more recent times, the fabulous win against Forest to get us to the play off finals.

The low point has to be relegation to the old 4th. Division and twice being relegated from the Premiership when staying up seemed almost a foregone conclusion and, to rub salt in the wounds, we were fucking cheated on both occasions.

Thanks for asking and, oh, I've just remembered another high which was being told by the legendary Nat Lofthouse that Joe Shaw was easily the finest centre half he ever played against.

UTB

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

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Stop it ! That brought a big tear to my eye, but many many thanks and quite amazing !

PS - I'd completely forgotten that shorts were called knickers in those days ! Cross dressing ? Pah, old school.

 

[XM657]

Think it is Colin Collindridge, presently the oldest Blade player still alive

I was presuming, one of my many faults, he centred it. Kop goal, Cullis facing Utd's left wing Williams intercepting, yet I have to concede , balding, receding hairline but thought he had fairer hair. There is another photo from that match, the coin toss with Cullis, Mr Barrick and Jimmy AKA "God" where we stood on the Terrace. I'm sure you have seen it.

 

[3-GBlade]

love that!! proper lineage!

You may not like so much that my Granddad was a Gloucestershire boy lol

 

[JonnyRed(WCFC)]

You may not like so much that my Granddad was a Gloucestershire boy lol

hehe, the rivalry with teams from that neck o' the woods isnt what it used to be, gone soft now, games vs Cheltenham and Gloucester games used to be proper decent back in the 80s and 90s, and Forest Green hardly had any fans lol.

Did your grandad go to any games at all in the area much or was he at every Blades game? Be quite interesting if he went to games at Gloucesters long disappeared old ground at Horton Road it was called.

 

[Champagneblade]

Yes. The picture below is our FA Cup 4th round replay against Wolves played on Wednesday afternoon 29th January 1947. Despite the heavy snow and the kick off being in early afternoon, the crowd was over 42,000

My Dad wagged off school to see this one. He’s 80 next week and still a season ticket holder.

Hopefully his teacher isn’t reading this

 

[Dalelane01]

My Dad wagged off school to see this one. He’s 80 next week and still a season ticket holder.

Hopefully his teacher isn’t reading this

Bet you would be surprised then if you got a reply#

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

Not quite the longest it seems as a couple of others went in 1946.

In terms of high points, the one that stands out for me and it seems many of my generation was the cup match away at Newcastle In the '50s when we beat them 3-1, not just for the result but also the atmosphere among the Blades fans which had to be experienced to be believed - absolutely fabulous.

Others include watching Jimmy Hagan tear Barnsley apart at their ground, watching Currie and co. tear Arsenal apart at the Lane and, in more recent times, the fabulous win against Forest to get us to the play off finals.

The low point has to be relegation to the old 4th. Division and twice being relegated from the Premiership when staying up seemed almost a foregone conclusion and, to rub salt in the wounds, we were fucking cheated on both occasions.

Thanks for asking and, oh, I've just remembered another high which was being told by the legendary Nat Lofthouse that Joe Shaw was easily the finest centre half he ever played against.

UTB

A good selection. If Silent isn't going to do his job, I'll just point out that the Newcastle match was 1961. One hell of an atmosphere.

 

[maidmarion]

First away match my dad went to....drew 0-0 at Wolves....went down by coach with his dad.

 

[ForgeBlade]

Not quite the longest it seems as a couple of others went in 1946.

In terms of high points, the one that stands out for me and it seems many of my generation was the cup match away at Newcastle In the '50s when we beat them 3-1, not just for the result but also the atmosphere among the Blades fans which had to be experienced to be believed - absolutely fabulous.

Others include watching Jimmy Hagan tear Barnsley apart at their ground, watching Currie and co. tear Arsenal apart at the Lane and, in more recent times, the fabulous win against Forest to get us to the play off finals.

The low point has to be relegation to the old 4th. Division and twice being relegated from the Premiership when staying up seemed almost a foregone conclusion and, to rub salt in the wounds, we were fucking cheated on both occasions.

Thanks for asking and, oh, I've just remembered another high which was being told by the legendary Nat Lofthouse that Joe Shaw was easily the finest centre half he ever played against.

UTB

No problem! All of these (except forest and the most recent PL relegation) are before my time supporting the Blades. I do rate the Forest match very highly though, but for me it's just pipped by the promotion (almost) game at Cardiff in 2006, and the glory that was beating Leeds 4-0 at Elland Road.

It's fascinating to me to hear from much older (no offence) Blades, especially those that saw the really old-school legends like Hagan and Shaw play in the flesh. Many people have commented over the years that Hagan is the finest player to ever play for United, by some distance. Do you agree, or is there a clue in your username that you may favour a certain other player...?

Sneaky edit to add....does this mean you were at the original "massacre?" The 7-3 in (I think) 1953. That must give you ammo forever to chuck at wendies who carp on about BD1979.

 

[3-GBlade]

hehe, the rivalry with teams from that neck o' the woods isnt what it used to be, gone soft now, games vs Cheltenham and Gloucester games used to be proper decent back in the 80s and 90s, and Forest Green hardly had any fans lol.

Did your grandad go to any games at all in the area much or was he at every Blades game? Be quite interesting if he went to games at Gloucesters long disappeared old ground at Horton Road it was called.

Like a lot of modern Gloucestrians he had nominally been a Villa fan, and was something of an egg chaser in his youth - until he found the light shortly after the Titanic sank :O
Though to be fair, the family moved about the county quite a lot following the shilling as gardeners at Big Houses.

 

[Newbury Blade]

View attachment 37003

A photocopy!!

Fred Furniss (Blades right back) was an exact contemporary of my previously mentioned Uncle Fred and they played in the same school team.

 

[Dalelane01]

I know a bloke at work still takes his dad who is 91. Not asked when he first went but he's Sheffield through and through so likely to be in the 1940s when he started going

Those that been supporting blades for over 50 years ought to have a group photo together one day and a little regognition from the club.be a lovel gesture

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

No problem! All of these (except forest and the most recent PL relegation) are before my time supporting the Blades. I do rate the Forest match very highly though, but for me it's just pipped by the promotion (almost) game at Cardiff in 2006, and the glory that was beating Leeds 4-0 at Elland Road.

It's fascinating to me to hear from much older (no offence) Blades, especially those that saw the really old-school legends like Hagan and Shaw play in the flesh. Many people have commented over the years that Hagan is the finest player to ever play for United, by some distance. Do you agree, or is there a clue in your username that you may favour a certain other player...?

Sneaky edit to add....does this mean you were at the original "massacre?" The 7-3 in (I think) 1953. That must give you ammo forever to chuck at wendies who carp on about BD1979.

I take no offence to the use of the word older 'cos that's the way it is ! Now, if you'd said ancient old bastard that would be a different matter altogether and you might have got a knock on the door in the early hours !

As to the matches you mention, yes I was there at the 7-3 against the Grunters but, strangely, it didn't seem so special at the time because I knew that we were so much better than them and we had Jimmy Hagan and they didn't.

I like the other wins you mentioned and there are others, but, even as a Blades fan, there are too many to mention over a 70 years span.

As to the comparison between Jimmy, Joe and TC , I think I've made my position clear in previous posts which is that they were all truly wonderful players who were an absolute joy to watch and to select any one of them as being 'the best' is completely unnecessary and totally spurious.

I am absolutely content in the knowledge that I had the privilege of seeing three of the finest English players ever to grace a football field in my lifetime, playing for the club I fell in love with over 70 years ago.

 

[3-GBlade]

I take no offence to the use of the word older 'cos that's the way it is ! Now, if you'd said ancient old bastard that would be a different matter altogether and you might have got a knock on the door in the early hours !

As to the matches you mention, yes I was there at the 7-3 against the Grunters but, strangely, it didn't seem so special at the time because I knew that we were so much better than them and we had Jimmy Hagan and they didn't.

I like the other wins you mentioned and there are others, but, even as a Blades fan, there are too many to mention over a 70 years span.

As to the comparison between Jimmy, Joe and TC , I think I've made my position clear in previous posts which is that they were all truly wonderful players who were an absolute joy to watch and to select any one of them as being 'the best' is completely unnecessary and totally spurious.

I am absolutely content in the knowledge that I had the privilege of seeing three of the finest English players ever to grace a football field in my lifetime, playing for the club I fell in love with over 70 years ago.

father said the same thing, almost word for word

 

[Dalelane01]

I take no offence to the use of the word older 'cos that's the way it is ! Now, if you'd said ancient old bastard that would be a different matter altogether and you might have got a knock on the door in the early hours !

As to the matches you mention, yes I was there at the 7-3 against the Grunters but, strangely, it didn't seem so special at the time because I knew that we were so much better than them and we had Jimmy Hagan and they didn't.

I like the other wins you mentioned and there are others, but, even as a Blades fan, there are too many to mention over a 70 years span.

As to the comparison between Jimmy, Joe and TC , I think I've made my position clear in previous posts which is that they were all truly wonderful players who were an absolute joy to watch and to select any one of them as being 'the best' is completely unnecessary and totally spurious.

I am absolutely content in the knowledge that I had the privilege of seeing three of the finest English players ever to grace a football field in my lifetime, playing for the club I fell in love with over 70 years ago.

What a lovely comment enjoyed reading that

 

[bigbirdblade]

God surely is the answer to this question.

 

[Dalelane01]

Getting old is just an age thing.pity there's not a few more months in the years.