Article in today's Independent - Alan Woodward.

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as I was growing up he was my favourite player ( plus Trevor Hockey, who scared me to death as a young boy watching on John st) I watched in amazement at his wing play skill and so it has always been wingers that I enjoy watching most up until now.
 
Woodward was sensational. We had a decent side in those days, not quite as good as today's team, but still decent all the same. Woody could produce levels of consistency that showed other players up, top man in my book and together with Currie we were fortunate to have two exceptional players who wore the red and white stripes.
 
bornablade said:
The two goals against Everton FA Cup 3rd round, January 3rd 1970. Two brilliant crosses from Woody.
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One of the best memories I have of that era was of watching us demolish Arsenal 5-0 back in 1973. Woody scored and ran Arsenal ragged. This was the game in which TC sat on the ball just to rub in our superiority. Woody was an unfailingly fair competitor as well as a terrific player. I had 2 shirts in those days: 7 for Woody and 2 for Len Badger.
 
wavy-blade said:
I loved this man , best player I have ever seen , no fuss , hated any form of idolisation , but he deserved it , the club fucked up big style not naming a stand after him ( shameful ) . RIP Woody , never forgotten.
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In fairness, you could argue Billy Gillespie, Ernest Needham, Jimmy Hagan and Nick Montgomery could also have stands named after them.
 
My days as a youthful and optimistic Blade were littered with the exploits of our ‘wingers’.
My joy at watching Woodward and Reece live will always be special.
Does anyone play with proper full time wingers these days?
Maybe George Best was the big high profile example of the versatile winger?
 
MobileBlade said:
In fairness, you could argue Billy Gillespie, Ernest Needham, Jimmy Hagan and Nick Montgomery could also have stands named after them.
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Well u could argue but you would be wasting your time , Are all these a one club player for a start ? Some of these are before my time and I am getting on a bit !
 
wavy-blade said:
Well u could argue but you would be wasting your time , Are all these a one club player for a start ? Some of these are before my time and I am getting on a bit !
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Needham was. Gillespie and Hagan played a few games for other teams but essentially they were one club players.

Needham captained United to League Division 1 Championship and 2 FA Cups...and captained England.

554 appearances and 64 goals.

All things considered, in the history of our great club he must be our greatest ever player.
 
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In terms of all time greatest Blades players, I reckon you'd have to add, Foulke(s), Harry Johnson jr and Fred Tunstall to that list. Perhaps George Utley too, although we bought him from Barnsley.
 

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