Down memory Lane.....this day

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I was interested to see you mentioned a former school mate, however the programme states M Parkin (Maurice), they were twin brothers and both signed schoolboy forms with Leeds United, but as far as I know neither signed professional.

Yes, I think you're right 2nd Tenor, my copy isn't that clear given the initial. I'm sure Norman used to tell the story of how he played in the European Cup for Valetta.
 

Two programmes from today, one United and one with a local interest.

1975. Away to Birmingham City. A 0-0 draw meant that United missed out on goal difference to qualify for the Uefa Cup.
We're still waiting :(

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And here's the programme from April 29th 1979 and the Sheffield and District Sunday League Final.

Hoyland Town Jags v Olive Grove or Earl United.

Some familiar names for those who frequented those times. Former Blades Paddy Buckley and Steve Totty And other well known local players such as Harry Strutt, Norman Parkin, Carl Phelan and Micky Fitzpatrick
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Great turn out at Brum that night bollocks all the way.

Still gets talked about even now.
 
A couple of County cup games for today's offering, 1958 and 1973

The first all Sheffield final since 1950.

Three goals in the last eight minutes give United a 3-0 win in front of over 21,000.

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And if you've got this 4 pager in your collection, April 30th 1973, a match that never was, then good for you.

It was postponed due to the shocking state of the Hillsborough pitch. Only ever seen one of these.

Can't remember how much it went for, but it was a bit tasty.
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Two programmes from today, one United and one with a local interest.

1975. Away to Birmingham City. A 0-0 draw meant that United missed out on goal difference to qualify for the Uefa Cup.
We're still waiting :(

View attachment 8329

And here's the programme from April 29th 1979 and the Sheffield and District Sunday League Final.

Hoyland Town Jags v Olive Grove or Earl United.

Some familiar names for those who frequented those times. Former Blades Paddy Buckley and Steve Totty And other well known local players such as Harry Strutt, Norman Parkin, Carl Phelan and Micky Fitzpatrick
View attachment 8330
remember nearly getting jumped on by birmingham fans under a rail tunnel near the ground luckily the police had spotted them and all we heard was the scuffle behind us as they apprehended the lads just behind
 
I was interested to see you mentioned a former school mate, however the programme states M Parkin (Maurice), they were twin brothers and both signed schoolboy forms with Leeds United, but as far as I know neither signed professional.

I lived on the same road as the Parkins on Lowedges estate in the 1960's. (I always thought only one of them was signed by Leeds).
There was loads of us on the estate who played football from dawn till night. Like most kids I desperately wanted to be a footballer. It was always drummed into me 'keep practicing and your chance will come'. The Parkins were older than us and yet I never saw either of them play football on the streets. I couldn't understand how a club like Leeds could be interested in someone who in my opinion never played.

Aside from that. Is the image on the Brum programme a young looking Bob Hatton?
 
I lived on the same road as the Parkins on Lowedges estate in the 1960's. (I always thought only one of them was signed by Leeds).
There was loads of us on the estate who played football from dawn till night. Like most kids I desperately wanted to be a footballer. It was always drummed into me 'keep practicing and your chance will come'. The Parkins were older than us and yet I never saw either of them play football on the streets. I couldn't understand how a club like Leeds could be interested in someone who in my opinion never played.

Aside from that. Is the image on the Brum programme a young looking Bob Hatton?
I was in the same year as them, pretty sure they both signed for Leeds. They both played lower league stuff, like Goole town etc. I think Maurice went to play in Australia. I occasionally saw Norman on the bus and we always had a chat. I think he did play in Malta.

I think they were noticed by Leeds while playing for the school team and Sheffield boys.
 
May 1st 1971 Blades 3 (Woodward pen, Reece 2) Watford 0
A marvellous day despite Watford's Stewart Scullion nearly opening the scoring with a shot that hit the woodwork. Not long after that Gil Reece was tripped in the penalty box, referee Roger Kirkpatrick pointed to the penalty spot. We all were wondering who would take the penalty because Dave Powell, TC (twice) and Ted Hemsley had missed their penalties that season. Up stepped Alan Woodward (I wasnt to know he was our penalty taker in the mid 1960s and that the last time he took a penalty which Man City's Ken Mulhearn saved in our 3-0 home defeat in January 1968) so I had assumed that it was his first time to take a penalty. He made no mistake firing the ball to the top corner of the net. About 5 minutes later, Woody sent in a right wing cross that Gil Reece struck with a lovely volley to put us 2 up. Early in the 2nd half Reece made it 3 with a second attempt at heading in a chance (he fluffed his first attempt) into an empty net that was created by Bill Dearden on the right (the keeper came out to challenge Dearden). In the last stages of the match, the fans were singing "We are going up, we are going up!" and Eddie Colquhoun joined in the chanting and clapping even though he was still playing. There was a massive pitch invasion after the final whistle and some of the Blades players were chaired.

Brilliant day!
 
Remember that game well - as an 8 year old !

My dad stood me on the white railings behind the Kop goal. A lovely sunny day and a Blades victory with a pitch invasion at the end. I was too scared to jump on the pitch back then as there used to be a line of coppers in front of the railings.

I had started going to the Lane the previous season but can,t remember many matches at all - apart from losing to Bolton 1-0 I think.

We probably didn't, realise how great that side was at the time. I certainly didn't realise it as a nipper.

And as for the late great Gill Reece, is he the most underrated Blade of all time ? (Suppose that debate is for another thread)

UTB.
 
Remember that game well - as an 8 year old !


I had started going to the Lane the previous season but can,t remember many matches at all - apart from losing to Bolton 1-0 I think.

Yes the 1-0 defeat at home to Bolton (goalscorer was John Manning) was in 21st March 1970. I was there too and it was the first time I saw a World Cup winner play in a match. Who was he?

Two weeks later Alan Ball was the second World Cup winner I saw when I watched Everton win 1-0 at Wendy
 
Me and my brother went so must have been, though brother had to transfer to Rolo for sixth form. Just wondered if you knew the Parkin twins we might be same age.
May 1st 1971 Blades 3 (Woodward pen, Reece 2) Watford 0
A marvellous day despite Watford's Stewart Scullion nearly opening the scoring with a shot that hit the woodwork. Not long after that Gil Reece was tripped in the penalty box, referee Roger Kirkpatrick pointed to the penalty spot. We all were wondering who would take the penalty because Dave Powell, TC (twice) and Ted Hemsley had missed their penalties that season. Up stepped Alan Woodward (I wasnt to know he was our penalty taker in the mid 1960s and that the last time he took a penalty which Man City's Ken Mulhearn saved in our 3-0 home defeat in January 1968) so I had assumed that it was his first time to take a penalty. He made no mistake firing the ball to the top corner of the net. About 5 minutes later, Woody sent in a right wing cross that Gil Reece struck with a lovely volley to put us 2 up. Early in the 2nd half Reece made it 3 with a second attempt at heading in a chance (he fluffed his first attempt) into an empty net that was created by Bill Dearden on the right (the keeper came out to challenge Dearden). In the last stages of the match, the fans were singing "We are going up, we are going up!" and Eddie Colquhoun joined in the chanting and clapping even though he was still playing. There was a massive pitch invasion after the final whistle and some of the Blades players were chaired.

Brilliant day!
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I'm going for Something from my era for a change, 1st May 1982, and a game that will be forever remembered for Jeff King's late winner
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I'm going for Something from my era for a change, and a game
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I like it :D:D:D:D

As I recall, Crewe were pretty much rock bottom at the time, so it was a bit of a shock when they took a first minute lead. However by the 2nd half, Edwards and King had given United a 2-1 lead only for Crewe to equalise in the last minute.

Cometh the hour.... In injury time, Jeff King chased a ball down the left wing, the Crewe goalie came out, King just got there first a looped a shot which dropped slowly into the goal, cueing a pitch invasion by the United fans who made up about 3/4 of the crowd.

Edit: Yep, Crewe were 12 points adrift at the bottom and we were top

http://www.statto.com/football/stats/england/division-four-old/1981-1982/table/1982-04-27
 
I read in Blades Tales (think the article was by Matthew Bell) that an elderly Crewe lady fan had brought her stool (probably does that for every game) to the game so that she could sit down on the stool in the terraces thinking there would be plenty of space but the large Blade following surprised her and there was no room for her to sit on her stool so she decided to go home before the kick off!
 
I read in Blades Tales (think the article was by Matthew Bell) that an elderly Crewe lady fan had brought her stool (probably does that for every game) to the game so that she could sit down on the stool in the terraces thinking there would be plenty of space but the large Blade following surprised her and there was no room for her to sit on her stool so she decided to go home before the kick off!

Brings to mind a story of when I was a kid. I always used to go to the games with my Dad and although my Mum kept an eye out for the scores etc. for me (she used to send me the Green Un every week when I was at University), she didn't go to the games. One week my Dad was working abroad and so as he left on the Sunday he said I couldn't go to the game on the Tuesday on my own. I wanted to go, but was a bit young. I pestered my Mum from the Sunday night until the Tuesday and she finally relented and agreed to take me.

We pulled up in a parking spot near Ponsfords. I grabbed my usual mints and my season ticket and got out of the car. Next thing, my Mum was going in the boot of the car. I asked what she was doing. Turns out she was getting a deck chair to take onto the old John St terrace. Luckily after a bit of persuasion, she backed down and still agreed to take me into the Lane.

:)
 
Great thread, this.

The Cardiff and Watford games remain two of my greatest United memories, even after all this time.

The tension in the days leading up to the Cardiff match was tremendous. I was 13 at the time and went to St Paul's school on Granville Road. There were loads of Unitedites there and the talk was of little else. On the night the place was packed. I was on the John Street terrace, about level with the penalty spot. I can remember Bill Dearden's opening goal in that he was played in behind the Cardiff back four and slotted it home but I'd forgotten until I read it on here on another thread that somehow Len Badger was right next to him as he did so. I reckon that picture on the front of the Watford programme is the two of them in the immediate aftermath of that goal.

Gil Reece's goal was the best of the night. He hit an absolutely tremendous vein of form in the promotion run-in and I remember the sense of disappointment when he got quite a bad injury in a pre-season friendly against Wednesday just before the start of the following season which kept him out for some time and he never quite got his best form back. The other player who really showed improved form during the promotion push was Geoff Salmons whose strong-running style gave us an extra dimension down the left.

The Watford game was just a terrific occasion. I remember Scullion hitting the bar and it was significant even then as we'd been linked with him for some time in the papers. Nerves were soon settled and we won well in the end. We simply had loads of good players on top of their game at the time. My only regret was that Dave Powell was out injured. John Flynn was good but he wasn't in Powell's league. I watched that game from the Bramall Lane stand as my dad took us. It meant we couldn't get on the pitch at the end but I'm not sure he'd have let us anyway.
 
The Cardiff and Watford games remain two of my greatest United memories, even after all this time.

Me too.

I seem to remember the Watford first half was pretty nervy.

That Cardiff game will stay with me for ever - what we needed was a good start and we got it. The Lane absolutely erupted.

I think you are right with the photo, my thoughts as well, it must be the reaction following Bill's goal.

What a night.
 
My only regret was that Dave Powell was out injured. John Flynn was good but he wasn't in Powell's league.

Fully agree. Many Blades fans seem to remember Flynn better than Powell (Denis Clareborough included Flynn, not Powell in his 100 greatest Blades book). Flynn was good in the air but he wasnt confident in playing the ball out of defence and often chose the safety of passing the ball back to our keeper which often irritated the Lane crowd. Powell was a classy defender, comfortable on the ball, his timing and anticipation was very good. Many Blades fans said we were two class players short of having a team challenging for honours. Had Powell not been injured then we probably would be just be one class player short.
 
Great thread, this.

The Cardiff and Watford games remain two of my greatest United memories, even after all this time.

The tension in the days leading up to the Cardiff match was tremendous. I was 13 at the time and went to St Paul's school on Granville Road. There were loads of Unitedites there and the talk was of little else. On the night the place was packed. I was on the John Street terrace, about level with the penalty spot. I can remember Bill Dearden's opening goal in that he was played in behind the Cardiff back four and slotted it home but I'd forgotten until I read it on here on another thread that somehow Len Badger was right next to him as he did so. I reckon that picture on the front of the Watford programme is the two of them in the immediate aftermath of that goal.

Gil Reece's goal was the best of the night. He hit an absolutely tremendous vein of form in the promotion run-in and I remember the sense of disappointment when he got quite a bad injury in a pre-season friendly against Wednesday just before the start of the following season which kept him out for some time and he never quite got his best form back. The other player who really showed improved form during the promotion push was Geoff Salmons whose strong-running style gave us an extra dimension down the left.

The Watford game was just a terrific occasion. I remember Scullion hitting the bar and it was significant even then as we'd been linked with him for some time in the papers. Nerves were soon settled and we won well in the end. We simply had loads of good players on top of their game at the time. My only regret was that Dave Powell was out injured. John Flynn was good but he wasn't in Powell's league. I watched that game from the Bramall Lane stand as my dad took us. It meant we couldn't get on the pitch at the end but I'm not sure he'd have let us anyway.

Watford game remember being on the open steps at the side of the Kop and feeling like we were not part of the crowd some how.

Strange that watching Yorkshire sat on the steps in roughly the same position felt so right.
Must have been the sun shining down on me?
 
Remember that game well - as an 8 year old !

My dad stood me on the white railings behind the Kop goal. A lovely sunny day and a Blades victory with a pitch invasion at the end. I was too scared to jump on the pitch back then as there used to be a line of coppers in front of the railings.

I had started going to the Lane the previous season but can,t remember many matches at all - apart from losing to Bolton 1-0 I think.

We probably didn't, realise how great that side was at the time. I certainly didn't realise it as a nipper.

And as for the late great Gill Reece, is he the most underrated Blade of all time ? (Suppose that debate is for another thread)

UTB.

I was 8 too but on the opposite end ,3 lads I know invaded the pitch after the first goal and got chased to the cricket pavilion.
My favourite United player ever ,he was unreal in the run up to promotion ,my daughters middle name is Reece in memory of my first icon.
 
I was 8 too but on the opposite end ,3 lads I know invaded the pitch after the first goal and got chased to the cricket pavilion.
My favourite United player ever ,he was unreal in the run up to promotion ,my daughters middle name is Reece in memory of my first icon.
At the 1971 promotion season reunion three years ago they were showing a film of that match (a fan filmed it from the back of the BLUT) and I am sure it showed the police chasing after the 3 young men to the cricket pavilion
 
With reference to that away game at Birmingham in 1975, I went down on a Sheffield United Tours coach from Pond Street. There were loads of United fans there and we ended up herded into a big group on Birmingham's Kop which was on one side of the pitch rather than behind a goal. We spent the entire game trying to avoid copious amounts of phlegm which City supporters were gobbing towards us from behind the police cordon. A brick was thrown through one of the coach windows as we set off back which made the journey home a cold one.

As for the match itself, the only thing I can remember is TC missing that sitter near the end. It's funny how people recall these things differently. Len Badger, in Currie's biography by Elliott Huntley, says this: "He went round three people and side-footed the ball past the post." My recollection is completely different. In my mind's eye, the ball drops at his feet possibly after there's been a challenge on their keeper. He's about six yards out and nobody near him but he scoops it over the bar. Anybody else care to give their version?
 
2nd May 1979

United 0 Blackburn 1

In late April 1979, we were locked in a struggle for the last relegation place from Division 2 with Charlton. Blackburn were already down and Millwall as good as down. We played Charlton at the Lane on 28/4/79 and got a nervy 2-1 win. That left United and Charlton level on points. Charlton had the better GD would be had 3 games left and Charlton only 1. Moreover our 3 games were against the already relegated Blackburn at home and lower mid table and nothing to play for Cambridge (A) and Leicester (H). After the Charlton match, their manager more or less gave up saying it would now take a "miracle" to keep his lot up.

So, we played Blackburn at the Lane on the following Wednesday night. A win would have seen us about 90% surre of safety. As it happens, around the half hour mark, Kenworthy sent a dodgy back pass to Conroy which went out for a needless corner. Blackburn scored from the corner and, despite them having a man sent off, United could not get a goal back.

Come Saturday the 5th, we lost at Cambridge, Charlton won and our draw at home to Leicester on Tuesday the 8th merely confirmed our first ever spell in the 3rd tier.
 

Roger Hunt?
Correct and it was on March 28th 1970 (not March 21st as I said earlier). I have seen all of the 1966 World Cup winners play in a match except for George Cohen and Ray Wilson. I have seen Pele (1970 winner) at S6 in 1972, saw Paul Breitner (1974 winner) for Real Madrid at Derby in 1975, saw Ubaldo Fillol, Daniel Passarella, Leoplodo Luque and Oscar Ortiz (all 1978) for River Plate at BDTBL in August 1978. Materazzi (2006) at BDTBL in Oct 2007. Will have to think of more World Cup winners
 

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