How we used to live

[Silent Blade]

Bit before my time Silent, but I always wonder why we let Hockey go? I know he went in an exchange deal with Jim Bone but seems strange to me to let such an important player go, bearing in mind there wasn't a huge fee involved. I can't work out who really fulfilled that role when he left, Keith Eddy?

I was told that he had fallen out with some of the players after a training incident in late 1972. He then put in a transfer request

 

[Grappler]

Mr Morgan the mighty i'm guessing?!

Sheff Utd wouldve played Wolves and West Brom a fair bit around the back end of the 70s and into the 80s wouldnt they? They had a couple of 'hard as nails' no 5s, Ally Robertson and Martyn Bennett...both ended up playing for Worcester after theyd finished their league career but by god they still played as if every game was a matter of life or death.

I miss the proper old fashioned number 5..the modern game has killed them off with its namby pamby airy fairy hogwash!

If they had played us a few years later, they could have had a nice cup of tea and a slice of cake with this gentleman......

 

[Silent Blade]

Bit before my time Silent, but I always wonder why we let Hockey go? I know he went in an exchange deal with Jim Bone but seems strange to me to let such an important player go, bearing in mind there wasn't a huge fee involved. I can't work out who really fulfilled that role when he left, Keith Eddy?

To answer your second question, Mick Speight was our ball winner after Hockey but for a few years he wasnt popular with our fans so he was in and out of the team. Eddy was more of of a organiser in the middle (and letting TC do his stuff) than a ball winner

 

[Grappler]

To answer your second question, Mick Speight was our ball winner after Hockey but for a few years he wasnt popular with our fans so he was in and out of the team. Eddy was more of of a organiser in the middle (and letting TC do his stuff) than a ball winner

And he had great footy boots! As I keep saying......

 

[Silent Blade]

Bit before my time Silent, but I always wonder why we let Hockey go? I know he went in an exchange deal with Jim Bone but seems strange to me to let such an important player go, bearing in mind there wasn't a huge fee involved. I can't work out who really fulfilled that role when he left, Keith Eddy?

TC was our playmaker but he liked to get stuck in too and was one of our best tacklers. He had a strong backside which was handy in knocking over his challengers

 

[coaxingstar71]

How long, precisely, have you been watching United?

First game aged 9 v Hull, January 19th 1980.
I've read a number of books and like to try and understand what happened 'before my time'.

 

[coaxingstar71]

TC was our playmaker but he liked to get stuck in too and was one of our best tacklers. He had a strong backside which was handy in knocking over his challengers

That's interesting when he's always portrayed as a lazy flamboyant luxury type of player who could land a ball on a sixpence. I know that's not true but I didn't know he was a REALLY good tackler. I remember hearing him talk about THAT goal he scored against West Ham and he was at pains to point out that he won the ball that started the move.

 

[grafikhaus]

First game aged 9 v Hull, January 19th 1980.
I've read a number of books and like to try and understand what happened 'before my time'.

Long enough to know that we've always sold our best players? Jimmy Hagan (widely thought of as the best United player ever, and even before my time...) was lined up to be transferred. Only Hagan put the block on it. The intended buying team? Wednesday.

We've all heard of the sales of Currie, Birchenall, Deane etc. etc. On the pitch in that photo was one the great unheralded players of that time. Geoff Salmons. Sold, naturally.[/QUOTE]

 

[super_pig]

Long enough to know that we've always sold our best players? Jimmy Hagan (widely thought of as the best United player ever, and even before my time...) was lined up to be transferred. Only Hagan put the block on it. The intended buying team? Wednesday.

We've all heard of the sales of Currie, Birchenall, Deane etc. etc. On the pitch in that photo was one the great unheralded players of that time. Geoff Salmons. Sold, naturally.

to Stoke if i remember correctly
this stuff about TC being lazy is a total myth btw

 

[sitwell]

I think it's Man. U. 2 v 0 Blades on Oct. 2 1971. The 'stand under construction' in the background is the Warwick Road end (the stand behind the right-hand goal on telly.) The crowd was a piffling 51,338.

No adverts on shirts - and no badge either for some reason.

Looks like we borrowed them from he Chantry or The Fighting cock.

 

[coaxingstar71]

Long enough to know that we've always sold our best players? Jimmy Hagan (widely thought of as the best United player ever, and even before my time...) was lined up to be transferred. Only Hagan put the block on it. The intended buying team? Wednesday.

We've all heard of the sales of Currie, Birchenall, Deane etc. etc. On the pitch in that photo was one the great unheralded players of that time. Geoff Salmons. Sold, naturally.

[/QUOTE]

Well yes I know that, which is why I said "bearing in mind there was no huge fee involved". I think it was a straight swap for Bone - anyway I think Silent has cleared it up by explaining there may have been some falling out with other players.

 

[UnitedBlade]

TC was our playmaker but he liked to get stuck in too and was one of our best tacklers. He had a strong backside which was handy in knocking over his challengers

He had great upper body strength as well which is why he was superb at shielding the ball. I assume he got that genetically because his old man was a boxer, wasn't he ?

 

[super_pig]

heh.. jim bone.. the next big thing. nothing changes eh?

 

[Silent Blade]

He had great upper body strength as well which is why he was superb at shielding the ball. I assume he got that genetically because his old man was a boxer, wasn't he ?

Dont know about his dad. He left the family when TC was very young. His three uncles (I assume they were his mum's brothers) took him to watch Hendon FC and they were big influences in his path to become a professional footballer. Ken Furphy remembers TC's uncles coming to watch Watford youth and reserves matches as well as the 1st team and they were present when TC signed the professional forms

 

[TonyAgana]

I'd have loved a ride in his blue suede Triumph Herald*.

*Is that honestly a true story?!

 

[Keen Blade]

And RED and white at home.

Red , white and BLACK !

"Oh we are the Sheffield United !"
"We play in the red white and BLACK"
something something something
"Division One , we're coming BACK !"

 

[Keen Blade]

Another classic photo keep them coming they bring a huge smile to my face then I show them my piggy work mate

Eddie Colquhoun versus Billy Bonds of Wet Sham.

You see , we have never been very enamoured with those fuckers from the football academy !

 

[JonnyRed(WCFC)]

If they had played us a few years later, they could have had a nice cup of tea and a slice of cake with this gentleman......

Billy Whitehurst...a Blades legend and a name i remember from when i was growing up but i'm sure you can put the flesh on the bones (or did he like taking flesh off bones?) for me with some stories!?

 

[JonnyRed(WCFC)]

heh.. jim bone.. the next big thing. nothing changes eh?

I dunno...He did Bullseye didnt he?? Cant beat a bit of Bully

 

[Worksop II]

Billy Whitehurst...a Blades legend and a name i remember from when i was growing up but i'm sure you can put the flesh on the bones (or did he like taking flesh off bones?) for me with some stories!?

My favourite Billy story is the one with the Blades hosting Livepool, in the first half, a young Brian Deane was being roughed up by Neil Ruddock

Billy wern't playing, not even a sub

As the players were comming off the pitch at halftime, they heading off down the Tunnel, Dave Bassett gave Billy the nod to get off down the Tunnel and have a word with with Ruddock

A bit of commotion ensued

Ruddock stayed away from Deano in the 2nd half

 

[JonnyRed(WCFC)]

Ha..love it..Collective team spirit, stick up for yer mates...Ruddock was/is a bellend!

 

[Cyprus Blade]

Bit before my time Silent, but I always wonder why we let Hockey go?

Also he never looked the same player after the broken leg v Man City.

 

[Grappler]

My favourite Billy story is the one with the Blades hosting Livepool, in the first half, a young Brian Deane was being roughed up by Neil Ruddock

Billy wern't playing, not even a sub

As the players were comming off the pitch at halftime, they heading off down the Tunnel, Dave Bassett gave Billy the nod to get off down the Tunnel and have a word with with Ruddock

A bit of commotion ensued

Ruddock stayed away from Deano in the 2nd half

Last week on Twitter, someone asked Neil Ruddock who was the hardest man he had ever met, in or out of football, and he said "Billy Whitehurst", someone else said something like, "What about Vinnie Jones?, surely he is up there?", Ruddock just answered "Billy Whitehurst"

 

[Gibbo89]

Also he never looked the same player after the broken leg v Man City.

Too true. His sliding tackles were getting later and later because he'd slowed down. Hockey was a very underestimated player though in my
view. Yes he was a great ball winner but he could play a bit as well. Bit like Mick Jones really when he moved to Leeds and was just known
as a provider for Allan Clarke.

 

[Grappler]

Some stuff here about Billy

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2009/may/18/seven-deadly-sins-hard-man-billy-whitehurst


More stuff here

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...d-love-fighting-spirit-relegation-battle.html

 

[Sean Thornton]

Red , white and BLACK !

"Oh we are the Sheffield United !"
"We play in the red white and BLACK"
something something something
"Division One , we're coming BACK !"

We are so proud and shout it loud

 

[Partaloablade]

Trevor Hockey, another of my all time favourite Blades.
Brilliant ball winner and bossed the midfield, never flinched a tackle.
How we could use someone like him now.

 

[Bert]

I think it's Man. U. 2 v 0 Blades on Oct. 2 1971. The 'stand under construction' in the background is the Warwick Road end (the stand behind the right-hand goal on telly.) The crowd was a piffling 51,338.

No adverts on shirts - and no badge either for some reason.

There were 51,000 inside (including Bert) but there were 10,000 Unitedites locked outside. They shut the gates just after 2 o'clock.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Bit before my time Silent, but I always wonder why we let Hockey go? I know he went in an exchange deal with Jim Bone but seems strange to me to let such an important player go, bearing in mind there wasn't a huge fee involved. I can't work out who really fulfilled that role when he left, Keith Eddy?

No one replaced Hockey until Monty came along.

Colquhoun was finally replaced by Holdsworth or Murphy.

This lot we've got now aren't even replacing old corner flags.

 

[pommpey]

OP pics was the game with 'the' Best goal, which to be honest, ranks with Michael Owen's vs Argentina as one of the best goals I have ever seen. To be able to pick the ball up, see the route and just accelerate through the gears (and he passed Hockey so deftly that you could almost see Trev's face going 'shit!') and then cross-chip-shoot across an advancing John Hope (no small bloke) and find the far corner in front of the defenders is still something I am amazed at. Best was an incredible player ... and I think only Lionel Messi is even close to that skill and ability.

Couple of other points - the 'standard' team as I remember was (ish)

------------------ Hope --------------
-- Badger --------------- Hemsley --
-------------- Colquohn ---------------
------- Flynn ------------ Hockey ----
Woodward --- Currie --- Scullion --
---------------- Dearden ----------------

Which, to me, seems like one superb setup. The engines of the team, Flynn and Hockey working with the marauding Eddie C who would basically break up any advance and drop between the two full backs to sweep.

And Jim Bone was a good wing attacker for Norwich, but Arthur Shitpipe for us. I can't remember such an underwhelming transfer, after the anticipation.

pommpey