Best Blades' Debuts

[Guesty]

Thanks.

We were rubbish that day. The scoreline flattered us. Rodney Marsh tore us apart.

Yes he liked doing that to United. All too literally on occasion.

 

[Silent Blade]

He didn't leap as high as Reece, either, but very few did.

Another TC headed goal came in a 3-2 defeat at Man City in the mid-seventies. I'm at work so I can't look up the exact date but I went with three lads from my year at school and we managed to get served in a pub near Maine Road beforehand so I'd guess 1974 or 1975 when I was 16/17.

Agree about Reece.

When I was doing "Woody's goals and assists" for Flashing Blade about 12 years ago by looking at the Star and Green Un archives at the Central Library, I couldnt find match reports of that 3-2 defeat at Man City (I think The Star workers were on strike in Dec 74) so I do not know if Woody assisted our two goals in that Man City game

 

[Shalalalafenoughty]

Agree about Reece.

When I was doing "Woody's goals and assists" for Flashing Blade about 12 years ago by looking at the Star and Green Un archives at the Central Library, I couldnt find match reports of that 3-2 defeat at Man City (I think The Star workers were on strike in Dec 74) so I do not know if Woody assisted our two goals in that Man City game

I'm struggling to help, SB. I've no recollection at all of Field's goal. As far as Currie's is concerned, I've got a mental picture of the ball being played in from the right wing - so, obviously, Woody could well have been involved - and then taking some sort of deflection and TC just nodding it in unchallenged from close range at the near post. But I could be wrong (although it was definitely a header).

For a little man, Reece had a great spring and was terrific in the air. I always thought the same applied to Tom Cowan who won many headers he had no business winning.

 

[Gavlar]

As debuts go David Weir's managerial debut was superb as we played Notts c off the park with almost 80% possession, we looked a team that day for sure. It was about as false a dawn as you can get......

 

[Shalalalafenoughty]

John Tudor has been mentioned in passing on this thread but his own debut deserves a mention of its own. In fact, that applies to his first two games for United. Signed from Coventry for £65k in November, 1968, he scored both goals in the 2-0 win at Bury on Nov 16 and another two, both headers, in a 4-0 home defeat of Preston the following Saturday. He was a good centre forward and a particularly fine header of a ball and is particularly fondly remembered for scoring the winner against Wednesday through Peter Grummitt's legs - a la Brian Deane/Chris Woods - in our 3-2 win at the Lane in the promotion season.

Arthur Rowley was regarded as a failure in his one season as manager - and he gets really slated by Hodgy in his book for being obsessively interested in horse racing - but he had a good eye for a player. In addition to Tudor, he also signed Ted Hemsley, Dave Powell and Eddie Colquhoun while he was here. We know all about Ted and Eddie but Powell would have been a huge success if it hadn't been for his injury problems.

 

[jezzablade]

Kyle Walker's was superb he got Man of the match but Bobby Davison has it for me.

 

[Silent Blade]

Powell would have been a huge success if it hadn't been for his injury problems.

Fully agree, many seem to think Flynn was a regular in our promotion season and he wasnt. Powell was much better. He had class, his anticipation when it came to jockeying or tackling was spot on and was confident in playing the ball out of defence

 

[stateonstainrod]

Dave Powell would have murdered it in the First Division had he not been terminally injured in the run in to promotion at QPR. Up there with TC at the time as the star of the team.

 

[Hague Blade]

Can the stattos help me ? Bit of an obscure one, but I can vividly remember standing on John Street as a youth and thinking that David Frain (I know....) looked like a world beater in midfield on his debut. When would that have been ?

 

[Revolution]

Can the stattos help me ? Bit of an obscure one, but I can vividly remember standing on John Street as a youth and thinking that David Frain (I know....) looked like a world beater in midfield on his debut. When would that have been ?

that was the 1-0 win against Sunderland at the back end of 1985-6. Frain did indeed have a great game.

He also scored that superb late winning goal against Sunderland the following season. He had good days against them!

 

[Darren]

that was the 1-0 win against Sunderland at the back end of 1985-6. Frain did indeed have a great game.

He also scored that superb late winning goal against Sunderland the following season. He had good days against them!

I remember that Sunderland game as being the only one where I was quite certain that we were going to win when we were only 1-0 up. Sunderland were just not interested. They were mid table at the time and were clearly already on that metaphorical beach even with a month of the season still to go.

Not surprisingly they were relegated the following season.

By the way the game was on 31/3/86 and Foley scored. It was McEwan's first home game in charge. The programme was notable as still having Porterfield's managerial column even though he had been sacked a few days before.

 

[Darren]

Kyle Walker's was superb he got Man of the match but Bobby Davison has it for me.

Walker's debut was in the cup game at Orient on 13/1/09. We won 4-1, but even against 4th (I believe) division opposition he didn't look anything special and was dropped for the next league game.

He made his league debut against Swansea on 25/4/09 after Naysmith was injured and did indeed play very well.

 

[bornablade]

John Tudor has been mentioned in passing on this thread but his own debut deserves a mention of its own. In fact, that applies to his first two games for United. Signed from Coventry for £65k in November, 1968, he scored both goals in the 2-0 win at Bury on Nov 16 and another two, both headers, in a 4-0 home defeat of Preston the following Saturday. He was a good centre forward and a particularly fine header of a ball and is particularly fondly remembered for scoring the winner against Wednesday through Peter Grummitt's legs - a la Brian Deane/Chris Woods - in our 3-2 win at the Lane in the promotion season.

Arthur Rowley was regarded as a failure in his one season as manager - and he gets really slated by Hodgy in his book for being obsessively interested in horse racing - but he had a good eye for a player. In addition to Tudor, he also signed Ted Hemsley, Dave Powell and Eddie Colquhoun while he was here. We know all about Ted and Eddie but Powell would have been a huge success if it hadn't been for his injury problems.

A couple of really obscure memories. I recall being asked (why and by whom I have no idea) to stand on the kop on an afternoon in the middle of the week with about 12 other Blades and sing 'Ch..Ch..Ch..Ch..Tudor score another goal for me'. (It was the song from a Tudor crisps TV advert) I presume it was Radio Sheffield did a recording of it but I cannot remember the reason why and if it ever got aired.
As a song I realise it's not stood the test of time like 'Barrel of Money..' but we thought it was good.

The second memory was being asked to clear all the Yorkshire cricket seats (they were like long forms) after a cricket match in order for the terraces to be ready for the start of the football season. While we were down at BDTBL word filtered through that Rowley had been sacked and John Harris had taken back team manager duties.

Any Blade with a better memory than me remember any of this?

 

[jezzablade]

Walker's debut was in the cup game at Orient on 13/1/09. We won 4-1, but even against 4th (I believe) division opposition he didn't look anything special and was dropped for the next league game.

He made his league debut against Swansea on 25/4/09 after Naysmith was injured and did indeed play very well.

I stand corrected I was talking about the Swansea game.

 

[Billyblade]

John Burridge was one of the most memorable for me. For those who don't remember he was a keeper we had in the mid 80's and was an absolute barmpot! Check out his warm-up routine here:-


<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/BRulE9858eE?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I remember him having a really good game and doing backflips in front of the Kop at the end.

I heard once, and I hope to God it was true, that he was at Wolves before us and was locked in a room and told to sign another contract or he wouldn't be let out. Story goes that he climbed out of a window and came to sign for us.

 

[bornablade]

Fully agree, many seem to think Flynn was a regular in our promotion season and he wasnt. Powell was much better. He had class, his anticipation when it came to jockeying or tackling was spot on and was confident in playing the ball out of defence

Used to always take a keen interest in Wales result when Powell and Reece played for them.

 

[Darren]

John Burridge was one of the most memorable for me. For those who don't remember he was a keeper we had in the mid 80's and was an absolute barmpot! Check out his warm-up routine here:-


<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/BRulE9858eE?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I remember him having a really good game and doing backflips in front of the Kop at the end.

I heard once, and I hope to God it was true, that he was at Wolves before us and was locked in a room and told to sign another contract or he wouldn't be let out. Story goes that he climbed out of a window and came to sign for us.

The debut was on 27/10/84 v Wimbedon . We won 3-0 (Arnott, Edwards, Cockerill). He was on loan at Derby before joining us and the window story relates to that club.

 

[Billyblade]

The debut was on 27/10/84 v Wimbedon . We won 3-0 (Arnott, Edwards, Cockerill). He was on loan at Derby before joining us and the window story relates to that club.

So it's true then Darren?

Cool.

 

[Darren]

So it's true then Darren?

Cool.

Burridge related the story and he also mentions it in his autobiography. I am sceptical as to its veracity

 

[Billyblade]

Burridge related the story and he also mentions it in his autobiography. I am sceptical as to its veracity

Could be a bit of bravado then.

But then again, I wouldn't put it past him. He only had 3 chairs round the table

 

[Silent Blade]

A couple of really obscure memories. I recall being asked (why and by whom I have no idea) to stand on the kop on an afternoon in the middle of the week with about 12 other Blades and sing 'Ch..Ch..Ch..Ch..Tudor score another goal for me'. (It was the song from a Tudor crisps TV advert) I presume it was Radio Sheffield did a recording of it but I cannot remember the reason why and if it ever got aired.
As a song I realise it's not stood the test of time like 'Barrel of Money..' but we thought it was good.

The second memory was being asked to clear all the Yorkshire cricket seats (they were like long forms) after a cricket match in order for the terraces to be ready for the start of the football season. While we were down at BDTBL word filtered through that Rowley had been sacked and John Harris had taken back team manager duties.

Any Blade with a better memory than me remember any of this?

My grandmother lived in Hartley Brook Road so when I caught the number 47 or 48 bus from town with my mum in the early 1970s and when the bus was going up in Rock Street in Pitsmoor I would see a big graffiti of "KING TUDOR" on a wall near the block of flats

 

[Eskimo]

I remember David Ford signing and queuing up into the John Street while hearing the crowd singing 'David Ford' on the inside.
I didn't realise it was the Luton game..i remember Luton coming with Malcolm MacDonald,but my memory seemed to think they were 2 separate games for some reason.

Do you know I remember that as well. Didn't Woody score from a corner in that game? It was the first time United had done anything radical in the tranfer market other than selling players. As it turned out Ford was a flop. Hope, who displaced Hodgy was great for a (short) while. But Hockey transformed the team, providing the sort of grit, drive and personality that had been missing since Carlin was nicked by Clough snr. It's just a pity we had to lose Tudor.

 

[Silent Blade]

John Burridge was one of the most memorable for me. For those who don't remember he was a keeper we had in the mid 80's and was an absolute barmpot! Check out his warm-up routine here:-


<iframe width="640" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/BRulE9858eE?feature=player_detailpage" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I remember him having a really good game and doing backflips in front of the Kop at the end.

I heard once, and I hope to God it was true, that he was at Wolves before us and was locked in a room and told to sign another contract or he wouldn't be let out. Story goes that he climbed out of a window and came to sign for us.

He was a Wolves player at the time but after the last game he was on loan at Derby when manager Arthur Cox pleaded with him to sign for Derby but he climbed out of the window to sign for us! I remember reading about it on the next day after he signed for us

 

[Silent Blade]

Do you know I remember that as well. Didn't Woody score from a corner in that game? It was the first time United had done anything radical in the tranfer market other than selling players. As it turned out Ford was a flop. Hope, who displaced Hodgy was great for a (short) while. But Hockey transformed the team, providing the sort of grit, drive and personality that had been missing since Carlin was nicked by Clough snr. It's just a pity we had to lose Tudor.

Woody's first goal was placing a cross past keeper Tony Read, the second was Woody took a corner (Lane End/John Street) and I was sat in the old JSS just behind the corner, the corner was half cleared but Woody raced to the 6 yard box and fired the ball to the roof of the net. It was a good thinking with great anticipation goal

 

[Darren]

Woody's first goal was placing a cross past keeper Tony Read, the second was Woody took a corner (Lane End/John Street) and I was sat in the old JSS just behind the corner, the corner was half cleared but Woody raced to the 6 yard box and fired the ball to the roof of the net. It was a good thinking with great anticipation goal

The goals are on the YTV video, which I have. If anyone can convert it to DVD, let me know!

 

[Foxy]

The goals are on the YTV video, which I have. If anyone can convert it to DVD, let me know!

Yup. Could do with actually organising to borrow the ones missing from my collection at some stage... I know we half discussed it before.

 

[Darren]

Yup. Could do with actually organising to borrow the ones missing from my collection at some stage... I know we half discussed it before.

If we fail to beat Fulham, you will be down my way for the Gillingham game on the 15th. We could meet up then.

 

[Foxy]

If we fail to beat Fulham, you will be down my way for the Gillingham game on the 15th. We could meet up then.

I'll also most likely be driving to that one, so sounds like a plan.

 

[Selly]

I'll also most likely be driving to that one, so sounds like a plan.

Just be careful where he wants to meet up.
If it has the word "Club" in the name of the venue, it might be an idea to bring some leather trousers...

 

[stannyblade]

Careful Foxy we heve all heard about Darren 's video collection