Bassett

[oldblade]

Not as often as his crude, grotesque, alehouse ‘football’ insulted the beautiful game. He is a dinosaur, because he would play the same ‘style’ today. That’s why football terminated its relationship with him a long time ago.

I don’t respect him now. He talks utter bollocks about a game that, thank Pele, left him behind.

As usual, most of the reply comprises of meaningless platitudes.

 

[Inter_blade83]

When wilder arrived he tried the same shitty direct/long ball game he'd done lower down. Getting battered by Southend seemed to make him think twice.

Quite simply, the players we had at the time were suited to something different, and thankfully we found it. And praise to him for changing the way we played, and his outlook on what he wanted.

We're now reaping the benefits of a manager willing to adapt.

 

[Silent Blade]

Of course, that team ended up in 9th place in Division 1, 1 place higher than John Harris' team did in 1971-2.

We finished 5th in division 1 under John Harris in 1961-62, we also finished 9th in 1965-66.

From March 1961 until November 1966 we signed only one player from a different league club

 

[Nick Jansky]

I’m afraid the amount of qualities you lack that ensure you could never ever be me are legion, so there your hypothesis fails, epic or otherwise.

I know nothing of Google Translate. Is he an Italian international?

And there the shark is finally jumped. I’m afraid that post takes boorishness to a whole new level. You’ve been banging the pomposity drum for so many years now you have become the Dave Bassett of football forums. I note the time of day you tend to inflict this shite. Bore off, or maybe take a bit more water with it.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Not as often as his crude, grotesque, alehouse ‘football’ insulted the beautiful game. He is a dinosaur, because he would play the same ‘style’ today. That’s why football terminated its relationship with him a long time ago.

I don’t respect him now. He talks utter bollocks about a game that, thank Pele, left him behind.

You are no Blade. Disgusting words for one of our best managers (legend) that took us from nowhere to the top half of the top tier and thrilled thousands of true Blades along that remarkable journey.

Say hi to Bruce for me.

 

[Worksop II]

you have become the Dave Bassett of football forums

- Savage!!

 

[Revolution]

We finished 5th in division 1 under John Harris in 1961-62, we also finished 9th in 1965-66.

From March 1961 until November 1966 we signed only one player from a different league club

That was some youth production line we had.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

I wondered why this thread kept getting bumped.

I should have guessed.

 

[bornablade]

We finished 5th in division 1 under John Harris in 1961-62, we also finished 9th in 1965-66.

From March 1961 until November 1966 we signed only one player from a different league club

Gil Reece (?) I thought we'd arrived in the big time when we made that signing.

 

[Silent Blade]

Gil Reece (?) I thought we'd arrived in the big time when we made that signing.

Yes, in Summer 1965. Between March 1961 (when we signed Len Allchurch from Swansea) and November 1966 (we we signed Bill Punton from Norwich) we also signed Tom Fenoughty from Sheffield FC and re-signed keeper Des Thompson from Buxton United (Hodgy got injured in late 1963 and Bob Widdowson broke his arm in training).

Even the SUFC board told Harris that he could sign more players but Harris insisted on giving youth players a chance and that angered some Blades fans.

 

[BushBlade]

Yes, in Summer 1965. Between March 1961 (when we signed Len Allchurch from Swansea) and November 1966 (we we signed Bill Punton from Norwich) we also signed Tom Fenoughty from Sheffield FC and re-signed keeper Des Thompson from Buxton United (Hodgy got injured in late 1963 and Bob Widdowson broke his arm in training).

Even the SUFC board told Harris that he could sign more players but Harris insisted on giving youth players a chance and that angered some Blades fans.

Is there anything the club has done that hasn’t ‘angered some Blades fans’? I imagine some were even angry that we won the league and FA Cup, because the stripes on our kit were too thick or too thin and we had the wrong shorts and that’s it, I’m done wi’ em.

 

[oldblade]

So you actually did have some good times under Dave Bassett then. Up until the point when Brian Deane left, but he didn't leave did he?, we sold him, and by "we" I don't think it was Dave Bassett's choice. We sold him for just shy of 3 million pounds in 1993, a figure that is still "big" for Sheffield United. Our record signing, 26 years later, was John Egan for just over 4 million. So yes, the footballing world has moved on, in more ways than one.

And just a thought, but don't you think that one of the reasons that we don't talk as much about John Harris is that there are less of us that remember that era, than those who were around during the Basset era, on this forum? I wasn't even born when Harris first came here and was still in Junior School when he gave up the role. I remember watching the players, TC, Woody, but as a young kid I had no interest in who the manager was, it was only as I got older that I took an interest in that side of the game.

I will agree that Harris was working on a shoe string, but it's hard to think of a Sheffield United manager who didn't, including Dave Bassett. It's the one thing that seems to be constant in my life time (early 60's onwards).

Absolutely right.

Derek Dooley speaks about this transfer in some detail in his autobiography.

To quote him, (speaking to Reg Brealey) "I don't want to sell Deane, others sitting here don't want to sell him, and the manager doesn't want to sell him, so we have a problem".

He goes on to say that the boardroom vote went: Dooley, Procter and Laver against the sale. Reg Brealey, Len Brealey and John Plant for the sale. Reg Brealey had the casting vote so the sale was decided. Again, quoting from Dooley's book, Reg Brealey stated "Unfortunately, I have the casting vote and, as we need the money to square the bills we owe, the vote goes for the sale of Deane".