After a discussion with Revolution, Swiss and SC Blade I have decided to include this one. I have already put down my favourite game changer as Dane Whitehouse against West Ham in 1994, but this is a rival. This is actauly more of a
tie changer.
Roll back to 1997. Howard Kendall took the Blades into the play offs and we drew up against the highly fancied Ipswich. They came to Bramall Lane and did a job. We were the better team at the Lane, but the result finished 1-1. Fjortoft gave us the the lead, but depsite all the possession we let Ipwich back in*.
That was the Saturday afternoon.
Everyone wrote us off. That includes around 20,000 Blades. We only sold half our allocated tickets. The attendance at BDTBL was almost 27k, but we could only muster up 2000 for the trip to Portman Road. Roll on the Wednesday evening. I was 15 and my dad and uncle picked me and my mate up from the top gates at school. My unlce had a Vauxhall Calibra and we pushed 90 all the way down. We arrived in Ipswich at 6ish, managed a couple of pints of Green King and wnet into the ground.
Not a single person had given us a chance. We could not beat them at Bramall Lane, so what chance did we have at their patch. They had a damn good team and I thought we'd struggle. The game changing (or tie changing) moment happened early on. Carl Tiler lumped the ball up field and it bounced and fell to Katchouro. The Kat held off Swailes and smashed the ball past Rcihard Wright. It hit the bar and bounced down on the line. We were directly in line with the goal past and all the ball clearly crossed all the line. The linesman was well placed and gave the goal straight away. The Ipswich fans were furious. They stopped their partying, singing and were shell shocked. They compained, but it didn't matter. 1-0 United and game on.
That was a tie changing moment, because without that we'd have lost. Ipswich battered us. They equlaised and then took the lead before half time. They had all the possession, all the chances and tbh thoroughtly outclasssed us. Then nearing the end of the game Andy Walker came on. Super sub. We all looked at each other and prayed. My uncle said straight away, 'he'll score'. He sat back in his seat and folded his arms and look all relaxed. Sure enough, Walker popoped up and netted late on. Equaliser and extra time**!
The extra time was the longest 30 minues in my life. We knew we would win on away goals and put our backs to the wall. Nick Hnery got send off and left us a man down and fighting for our lives for the last ten minutes. Ipswich came at us like a tidal wave. They bomarded us, but somehow we kept them out. All the time the whole 2000 United fans sanf their hearts out. We smashed the Ipswich fans. 'Howard Kendall's Red and White Army .... S U F C' could have been heard in Norwich as we really got behind the team. None of us could speak going home because our throats were so sore. Ipswich hit the post in injury time (Scowcroft I think) with Kelly beaten. Still the game (somehow) finished 2-2 and United were on the way to Wembeley.
Writing this has had the hairs standing up on the back of my neck. Cracking night to be a Blade. Will always stick out in my memory.
* Match report:
http://www.tmwmtt.com/sql/match_rep...ame=First&day=10&month=5&year=1997&sequence=0
**
http://www.tmwmtt.com/sql/match_rep...ame=First&day=14&month=5&year=1997&sequence=0
