Best match of the season

[Bruce Wayne]

Bristol City at home. Something changed after that game that would define our season.

 

[S64 Blade]

Apart from the ones already mentioned, the two home games after Christmas were both enjoyable and for me, give me real belief we could push on and get an automatic spot.

 

[Cappy]

Villa home game for me. First game in 11 years (was abroad for that period). It was also the first game my son had ever attended. Such personal emotions that game. And what a game!

 

[boo radley]

Hull away.
The dream like first half and oh the atmosphere! it really was like MK dons a couple of years ago but better with the number of songs being around twenty.

 

[grafikhaus]

As others have said, Villa at home was the perfect performance. But do we have to win a game for it to be 'the best'? Villa away, although ultimately disappointing, showed how far we've come. How many teams would be 3-0 up at Villa in this - or any - season? Ditto the significant 2-2 away at Norwich.

I'd point to 'routine' wins that showed CW/AK/MP's tactical nous. Middlesbrough at home on Feb. 13. Bash and Jack were both missing and - at 0-0 at half-time - we needed to break down the usual obdurate Pulis side. When United come out for the second-half at home, the ten outfield players split into two groups and 'jink' around plastic markers just to the left (BL) side of the tunnel. In this game, there were only nine outfield players performing this manoeuvre - Duffy was missing. As the teams were lined up and ready to kick off for the second half, Madine was brought on as sub. giving 'boro no time to adjust. We won 1-0. (I think this was the game where a 'boro sub. came on clutching a piece of paper - no doubt the latest tactical masterplan from Pulis. Defending a United corner at the kop end, Billy snatched this paper and threw it into the back of the net!)

Brentford at home on March 12. After Norwood had fired home a first-half penalty, Gary Madine was given a straight red card, leaving United with 55 minutes to play with ten-men. The game was on a knife-edge when - on the hour - full-back Baldock was replaced by Billy Sharp. Where most teams would have tried to hang on to a 1-0 lead CW, realising that having just one striker (McGoldrick) offered us too little outlet, introduced Sharp to 'share the load' and we went on to win 2-0. What chutzpah!

The Ipswich game last week and we needed a second goal to ease the pressure. Around 70 minutes and we won a corner at the kop end and Fleck prepared to take it. Meanwhile, O'Connell was over near the dugouts having a drink and (glucose bar?) thrown to him. I thought 'Why the fuck is he over here when he should have been getting ready to attack the corner?' As ever, CW knew best. 'Pit stop' over, Jack trotted into the Ipswich box - therefore upsetting the Ipswich defences balance - and nodded our second goal.

Little things, but all vital in our fantastic season.

 

[Blade56]

the bast football weve played was the first 82 minutes away at Villa
but for a game the 2-2 draw at norwich was 90 minutes of quality

2 draws but fabulous entertainment

Not for entertainment or drama but how the game should be played, Birmingham at home both sides played excellent attacking football.

 

[blade too long]

Not for entertainment or drama but how the game should be played, Birmingham at home both sides played excellent attacking football.

Yes I thought Birmingham played the best of any visiting side this season too. But I also like how Brentford play the game . They are just a couple of better defenders short of top 6

 

[Willglynning]

I really enjoyed Derby at home. Not as emphatic as the Villa game, but had enough twists and turns to keep it exciting.

 

[wizadry]

Best match for me was Villa by far, that’s the best football we’ve played for a very long time.

Most important was everyone where we picked up points otherwise we wouldn’t be automatically promoted already.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

That period when we had a few players missing at the back, and players like Crainie and Stears came in, culminating in the West Brom game. The lack of depth that cost us last season, was shown to have been fully addressed and we could sustain the results to the end of the season.

 

[JPBrods]

Millwall away was fucking quality.

 

[DaveBassettsgoneonholiday]

Leeds away, just so I can leave this here...



........ it actually was though.

 

[siblade]

Got to be villa at home for quality, Brentford was torture but we put everything into it and when the second went in pure elation round the ground.

 

[IOM Blade]

Not the game of the season, but the last 20mins of Blackburn at home was pretty special.

 

[Wards]

Hull

 

[sheffielder]

The first game we learnt to win ugly was Blackburn at home

 

[N20 Blade]

Yes I thought Birmingham played the best of any visiting side this season too. But I also like how Brentford play the game . They are just a couple of better defenders short of top 6

Egan and joc for starters! Selling club extraordinarie, even worse than us.

 

[LondonBlade89]

There have been so, so many. Here's a top ten:

1. Leeds away
2. Ipswich at home
3. Hull away
4. Villa at home
5. West Brom away
6. Derby at home
7. Brentford at home
8. M'boro at home
9. Norwich away
10: Millwall away

 

[Maidenhead]

Hull for me.

Leeds away for the drama and importance as if we had lost that we would have been 8 points behind them !

I missed the Villa game at home as I was on holiday, I really enjoyed the last minute winner against Norwich and the Brentford performance was magnificent but the best two have to be the ones above as they were right at the business end of the season.

Living within walking distance of Elland Road a win there is always important to me, but had we not won this year we would all be discussing the play offs now so it really did take on extra significance.

It was real battling performance and to keep them to no shots on target was a real achievement.

Basham went from the ridiculous first half to the sublime for the second and the lung busting run he made to score the goal summed him, and the whole team up in one moment.

However, on to Hull.

I went over 2 days before the game, had a good evening out in Hull on the Saturday and a fabulous day in a scorching hot Brid on the Sunday followed by a long chat with Len Badger and his friends and family in the hotel afterwards. Fair to say that Len was a lot more confident than me about the following day's game.

Come game day and the sun continued to shine both literally and metaphorically.

I met up with 4 or 5 Blades mates and my son on Hull Marina prior to the game and enjoyed a couple of pints of very good ale sat outside in a great location, with a lovely family bank holiday atmosphere.

We then went to a brewery tap in Humber Street that was fairly quiet but had an immense range of beers and a friendly atmosphere.

From there it was a taxi to the ground where we had cut it just a bit too fine and missed the first few minutes of the game.

What we saw when we got in was nothing short of incredible.

3-0 up by half time and they had hardly had a kick.

We strolled through the second half with great backing from the fans and saw the game out with no real alarms or calamities.

A walk back to town took us to a pub near the station where the beer wasn't so good but they had Brentford v Leeds on the tv and it was rammed with a mixture of Blades and locals (mainly Blades) and once again had a very friendly atmosphere.

Brentford did the business to the delight of all present and such was the general joy that my wife commented that she had never seen so many big kids in one place at the same time.

Back to the hotel, well pissed and knowing that the weekend was going to be a pivotal date in our history.

For me, that day at Hull is up there with Leicester and Darlington in the memory banks because although we didn't seal the deal I travelled home the following morning after a brilliant three nights away knowing that we would be promoted.

I enjoyed atmosphere and after party following the Ipswich game too but it was the two games above that laid the platform for that.

 

[sitwell]

I missed the Villa game at home as I was on holiday, I really enjoyed the last minute winner against Norwich and the Brentford performance was magnificent but the best two have to be the ones above as they were right at the business end of the season.

Living within walking distance of Elland Road a win there is always important to me, but had we not won this year we would all be discussing the play offs now so it really did take on extra significance.

It was real battling performance and to keep them to no shots on target was a real achievement.

Basham went from the ridiculous first half to the sublime for the second and the lung busting run he made to score the goal summed him, and the whole team up in one moment.

However, on to Hull.

I went over 2 days before the game, had a good evening out in Hull on the Saturday and a fabulous day in a scorching hot Brid on the Sunday followed by a long chat with Len Badger and his friends and family in the hotel afterwards. Fair to say that Len was a lot more confident than me about the following day's game.

Come game day and the sun continued to shine both literally and metaphorically.

I met up with 4 or 5 Blades mates and my son on Hull Marina prior to the game and enjoyed a couple of pints of very good ale sat outside in a great location, with a lovely family bank holiday atmosphere.

We then went to a brewery tap in Humber Street that was fairly quiet but had an immense range of beers and a friendly atmosphere.

From there it was a taxi to the ground where we had cut it just a bit too fine and missed the first few minutes of the game.

What we saw when we got in was nothing short of incredible.

3-0 up by half time and they had hardly had a kick.

We strolled through the second half with great backing from the fans and saw the game out with no real alarms or calamities.

A walk back to town took us to a pub near the station where the beer wasn't so good but they had Brentford v Leeds on the tv and it was rammed with a mixture of Blades and locals (mainly Blades) and once again had a very friendly atmosphere.

Brentford did the business to the delight of all present and such was the general joy that my wife commented that she had never seen so many big kids in one place at the same time.

Back to the hotel, well pissed and knowing that the weekend was going to be a pivotal date in our history.

For me, that day at Hull is up there with Leicester and Darlington in the memory banks because although we didn't seal the deal I travelled home the following morning after a brilliant three nights away knowing that we would be promoted.

I enjoyed atmosphere and after party following the Ipswich game too but it was the two games above that laid the platform for that.

If we are doing the whole experience not just the game ,Brentford away was a good one for me too a gang of us always have a London midweeker away for a couple of days every season and this years Brentford was better than Fulham the year before. Bring on Spurs .....

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

I'll go against the grain.

Best match of the season - Leeds 1 vs 2 Wigan.

 

[Liverpool blade]

Ipswich for me!!. The noise we made after magic hat nodded in the 2nd was unreal. Tears ran down my face as it slowly dawned on me that we’d done it!!!. A very proud day to be a blade which will live long in my memory. UTB

 

[coaxingstar71]

Like many others, I think we played the best we've played in about 40 years against Villa at home, considering the supposed quality of the opposition.

I can give no greater accolade than that I didn't know Glenn Whelan was even on the pitch until around 65 minutes after we'd declared at 4 goals and Fleck went off. Fleck and Norwood were superb that day, totally dominated McGinn and Whelan.

For importance, it has to be the Leeds game. We'll never know now but if we had lost that game we would have been 5 points behind them rather than 1 in front - a HUGE difference, even just psychologically.

From the ones I've seen, Derby at home where I thought we were playing well to half-time and showed great character to up our game even more after they equalised and go on to win. Only seen a few away games but Blackburn away after they hadn't lost at home for about a year was a perfect away performance and a difficult trip to Preston that was also a really professional performance. I always think a successful side is really good at nicking 1-0 away wins and we've done that a few times this season.

 

[Bladesman]

 

[blade67]

So many good games to choose from, even when we have lost. Wilder walks the walk, always on the front foot. I've enjoyed his 3 seasons more than any others as a blade, including the Bassett years.

Top 2 games (given I bloody missed Villa)

1 Brentford home
2 Leeds away
I was going to pick a top 3 but started to write one and couldn't decide between about 6 or 7 other games

 

[JackSUFC]

Millwall away was fucking quality.

Been some top away days this season but that was definitely up there.

The first game we learnt to win ugly was Blackburn at home

That was the game I started to think we’ve actually got a proper chance of going up.

Already been mentioned but special shoutouts to West Brom away, Brentford at home and of course, Leeds away.

 

[biggey blade]

There is a couple for me to choose between but I think villa at home and hull away are the finalists for me with villa just winning. Villa at home was a total master class we played so well and showed villa how to play football. But hull away was brilliant as well first half totally blew them away and the atmosphere was unreal never stopped singing all match. Such a close call but going for villa at home just.

 

[biggey blade]

I forgot just how good Norwood freekick was total class to curl it in at near post like that and still beat the keeper. He tried it again at weekend but hit the post this time went far post but similar idea where the keeper isnt expecting a shot. We really have some class players at the min and long may it continue.

 

[fireblade]

Wigan away was pretty good. 4000 Blades on New Years Day, completing an excellent run over the Christmas period that established us as genuine contenders.
Also set us up nicely for the FA cup tie with Barnet

 

[Rangoon blade]

Just throw in Blackburn away. To do such a clinical and efficient job on a team who were undefeated at home for such a long period really brought belief