If the internet had existed in 1984

[Darren]

It's 5.00 PM on bank holiday Monday 7th May. United had just lost 3-1 at Bolton, their second loss in 3 days. This has seen them go from hot favourite for the last promotion place to rank outsiders. There were three automatic promotion places in those days and the 3rd and 4th positions were thus:

3. United P45 Gf 84 GA 53 GD + 31 pts 80
4. Hull P43 GF 69 GA 37 GD +32 pts 79

Hull had 3 games left to play, away to already relegated Port Vale that evening, home to Bristol Rovers on Saturday and away to Burnley on the next Tuesday. We had Newport at home on the Saturday. Any sensible person would have said that United had no hope of promotion and if the internet had been around then, I bet this board would have been awash with

"Porterfield has taken us as far as he can, he needs to go"
"Typical United, yes, we can walk the 4th division, but the 3rd is a step too far"
"What is Porterfield doing, playing McHale, too old too slow. NGE"
"That was our last chance to go up. Edwards and Morris will be off in the summer and we will struggle next season"
"Why did we get rid of Trusson at Christmas, he would have made the difference?"
"When we lost at Wigan in Feb, I knew we weren't good enough"

What happened? Hull had a shock 1-0 defeat that night. On the Saturday we beat Newport 2-0, whilst Hull only managed to draw and, as everyone knows, Hull - needing to win by 3- only won by 2 at Burnley and we were up.

The morals? (a) whilst there is life, there is hope; and (b) United don't always fuck up.

 

[Highbury_Blade]

The internet did exist in 1984. You must be thinking of the world wide web.

 

[BladeFisher]

Darren, I'll send you me glasses. Utd have fucked up more times than most 1979, 1981, 2007 just for a few. Play offs - we dont turn up in finals. I do believe your statometer showed since 1976 we and Derby are the biggest bottlers.

 

[Darren]

The internet did exist in 1984. You must be thinking of the world wide web.

And I thought I was pedant in chief on here...

 

[BladeFisher]

Darren, I don't know if you have access to the data but do you have anything on teams that have won play off finals regarding the stats leading up to the play offs?

Perhaps Burnley comes to mind and Wolves but I seem to remember both had strong runs that powered them into the play-offs but there are many other play off competitions and it would be interesting to see if the winners came from the teams that had the strongest finishes say over the last 6 games or so.

 

[oldblade]

Darren, I'll send you me glasses. Utd have fucked up more times than most 1979, 1981, 2007 just for a few. Play offs - we dont turn up in finals. I do believe your statometer showed since 1976 we and Derby are the biggest bottlers.

Those were all relegations, not promotions. Up to now we've generally had quite a lot of success when the pressure has been on at the promotion end of the table. When we blow automatic promotion, we've usually done it before this stage of the season.

 

[BladeFisher]

I forgot to add 1980, but we had blown that a tad earlier probably after the BDM - a parallel perhaps.

The serious point is that United do seem to find it difficult to rescue a difficult situation. Warnock did it just with the last promotion to the Prem, but I can't remember a time before that. Darren's 1984 example was just as much a Hull blow up as a United one. I do remember when Utd lost to Wimbledon at home, on the IoW at the time and I thought here we go again.

If Megson was still at Wednesday I don't think they would fare any better than us, but Jones I think may end up doing a Norwich with a double promotion. He is a manager I rate highly and he has a lot of built up determination.

 

[oldblade]

I forgot to add 1980, but we had blown that a tad earlier probably after the BDM - a parallel perhaps.

The serious point is that United do seem to find it difficult to rescue a difficult situation. Warnock did it just with the last promotion to the Prem, but I can't remember a time before that. Darren's 1984 example was just as much a Hull blow up as a United one. I do remember when Utd lost to Wimbledon at home, on the IoW at the time and I thought here we go again.

If Megson was still at Wednesday I don't think they would fare any better than us, but Jones I think may end up doing a Norwich with a double promotion. He is a manager I rate highly and he has a lot of built up determination.

In 1984 whether it was a Hull blow up or not, we still rescued the situation by winning when we really had to do so, namely in the last game of the season at home to Newport.

In 1980 we blew up long before the run in. It was still 2 points for a win then, and I think we only ended up with 46 points (one per game) which in those days put you where we ended up - smack in the middle of the table.

In 1990 we looked as though we were blowing it when we lost to Leeds 4-0 and with only a few games to go dropped out of the top two. But, again we rescued it by winning when we really had to do so.

In the previous season there were also times when we could easily have slid out of the race. At one point we were several points behaind Port Vale. But in the end we got a good 2-2 draw at Wolves in the last but one game of the season to all but secure our automatic place.

Of course none of this means we will go up this season, but I don't think it is fare to say we usually blow promotions. If anything, the opposite is true.

 

[Darren]

In 1984 whether it was a Hull blow up or not, we still rescued the situation by winning when we really had to do so, namely in the last game of the season at home to Newport.

In 1980 we blew up long before the run in. It was still 2 points for a win then, and I think we only ended up with 46 points (one per game) which in those days put you where we ended up - smack in the middle of the table.

In 1990 we looked as though we were blowing it when we lost to Leeds 4-0 and with only a few games to go dropped out of the top two. But, again we rescued it by winning when we really had to do so.

In the previous season there were also times when we could easily have slid out of the race. At one point we were several points behaind Port Vale. But in the end we got a good 2-2 draw at Wolves in the last but one game of the season to all but secure our automatic place.

Of course none of this means we will go up this season, but I don't think it is fare to say we usually blow promotions. If anything, the opposite is true.

Absolutely. The last time we can be said to have blown automatic promotion was in 1970, when we were second in mid March, but then lost four on the trot (and 5 out of the last 7) to ultimately finish 6th. Since then the only years when there looked a serious chance of automatic promotion at this stage of the season was in 1982, 1984, 1989, 1990 and 2006. We went up each time.

2009 is a debateable case. We looked to have only a faint chance of automatic in mid March, but a run of 5 consecutive wins and nervousness from Birmingham, saw us with a chance going into that last game at Palace. However, at no point was automatic ever in our hands.

1980 is also debateable. In 1980, with 9 of our games to go the table looked like this:

1. Wednesay p37 pts 48
2. Grimsby P37 pts 48
3. Blackburn P36 pts 45
4. Chesterfield P36 pts 43
5. Colchester P37 pts 43
6. United P37 pts 42.

Remember 2 points for a win then. Three points behind third having played a game more, we were certainly not out of it, but pretty much the oustsiders. Optimists would have said we still had Wed and Blackburn to play and if we won those..... Needless to say we didn't and we lost 6 of those last 9 to, as you say, finish in 12th.

 

[oldblade]

I also find it odd that so many people blame our slide down the table in 1979-80 on Boxing Day, when we actually got a couple of good results in the two matches following it. We drew against Grimsby and beat Blackburn. Those two sides finished first and second. So I think it is a myth to say that the Boxing Day result broke our confidence.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

Just think how many times Wednesday have fucked up.

But according to some on here they are now probably going to catch Charlton and win the league.

 

[yorkshirecoast]

Just think how many times Wednesday have fucked up.

But according to some on here they are now probably going to catch Charlton and win the league.

In your dreams

 

[cooperblade]

I forgot to add 1980, but we had blown that a tad earlier probably after the BDM - a parallel perhaps.

The serious point is that United do seem to find it difficult to rescue a difficult situation. Warnock did it just with the last promotion to the Prem, but I can't remember a time before that. Darren's 1984 example was just as much a Hull blow up as a United one. I do remember when Utd lost to Wimbledon at home, on the IoW at the time and I thought here we go again.

If Megson was still at Wednesday I don't think they would fare any better than us, but Jones I think may end up doing a Norwich with a double promotion. He is a manager I rate highly and he has a lot of built up determination.

I know what you mean about Dave Jones. OK he fucked up with Craig Bellamy, Joy Bothroyd et al but I think he could romp through the Championship with Ryan Lowe and Gary Madine

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

In your dreams

You're just making yourself look stupid now.

 

[shorehamview]

If the internet had existed in 1984 then the porn would have been far below the quality it is now. Lots of Germans with mullets and moustaches. The Rudi Voller Lookalike Club.

 

[JJ Sefton]

And I thought I was pedant in chief on here...

Shouldnt the P in pedant and the C in chief be capitalised?

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

If the internet had existed in 1984 then the porn would have been far below the quality it is now. Lots of Germans with mullets and moustaches. The Rudi Voller Lookalike Club.

You'd have been a star then. Pumping the grannie out of the walnut drinks cabinet that is Christa A.

 

[bladesfan]

Why not look to the future we ARE still second and what happend in Ferking 1569, 1798, 1820, 1977, 2010 is history.

 

[oldblade]

Why not look to the future we ARE still second and what happend in Ferking 1569, 1798, 1820, 1977, 2010 is history.

True, but it's past events that are responsible for us being where we are now.

 

[Ballinpigpubs13]

Can remember being on the old kop for the Newport game in 1984 and at the final whistle looking across towards John street and seeing people doing a sort of "Conga" balancing on the partician between the standing/sitting bit.
Great day. Finger nails took a right hammering listening to the Burnley v Hull game on the tuesday. Apparentley a fair few Blades actually went to the game at Burnley.

 

[Revolution]

The morals? (a) whilst there is life, there is hope; and (b) United don't always fuck up.

Or, more accurately, sometimes you f*** up and get away with it because someone else f**** up even more, as Bladefisher says.

It's happening this year, actually. Huddersfield, like us, have lost it. Unfortunately, there is another team to worry about as well...

I do remember when Utd lost to Wimbledon at home, on the IoW at the time and I thought here we go again.

I well remember leaving the Wimbledon game 2 days earlier and the mood of the crowd filing out. It seemed like nobody thought we would still get promoted. I naively suggested we could still do it to my Dad and some guy interrupted me and told me not to get my hopes up (I was 11).

 

[Darren]

The morals? (a) whilst there is life, there is hope; and (b) United don't always fuck up.

Or, more accurately, sometimes you f*** up and get away with it because someone else f**** up even more, as Bladefisher says.

It's happening this year, actually. Huddersfield, like us, have lost it. Unfortunately, there is another team to worry about as well...

I do remember when Utd lost to Wimbledon at home, on the IoW at the time and I thought here we go again.

I well remember leaving the Wimbledon game 2 days earlier and the mood of the crowd filing out. It seemed like nobody thought we would still get promoted. I naively suggested we could still do it to my Dad and some guy interrupted me and told me not to get my hopes up (I was 11).

True, but when we had to win that game v Newport we didn't fuck up...

I was 17 at the time and going to the Newport game was supremely confident we would go up, which was probably naive given our one point lead over Hull and them having one game more left. I based my reasoning on the fact that they had to play Bristol Rovers (who were 5th and could themselves get promoted if they beat Hull and us and Hull lost the other two games) and Burnley, who had spent a lot of money under John Bond and were a decent side widely thought to have under acheived that season

Mind you, United very nearly did fuck Newport up, as, having been two-nil up early in the second half and with mid table Newport already on the proverbial beach, we should have gone on to win 4 or 5 nil which would have made the Burnley game pretty much academic.

 

[oldblade]

I well remember leaving the Wimbledon game 2 days earlier and the mood of the crowd filing out. It seemed like nobody thought we would still get promoted. I naively suggested we could still do it to my Dad and some guy interrupted me and told me not to get my hopes up (I was 11).

And to rub salt into the wound, wasn't one of the Wimbledon goalscorers (or did he score both?) an ex United youth who we let go as we didn't think he was good enough?

During the evening following that game I remember being at the pub when someone (not a United supporter) who was looking at the league tables in the Green 'Un said to me that we still looked as though we had a very good chance of going up. I thought he was bonkers. And that was before we lost to Bolton 3-1 the following Monday. As Darren has stated, at that point promotion seemed impossible.

 

[Darren]

And to rub salt into the wound, wasn't one of the Wimbledon goalscorers (or did he score both?) an ex United youth who we let go as we didn't think he was good enough?

During the evening following that game I remember being at the pub when someone (not a United supporter) who was looking at the league tables in the Green 'Un said to me that we still looked as though we had a very good chance of going up. I thought he was bonkers. And that was before we lost to Bolton 3-1 the following Monday. As Darren has stated, at that point promotion seemed impossible.

Stewart Evans. He had been a youth at Rotherham. Released by them, he went non-league with Gainsborough. We then signed him in October 1980, but he never made the first team apart from a County Cup game in 80-81 and the first Group Cup game in 81-82. We gave him a free in March 1982 and Bassett picked him up at Wimbledon. As he was about 6'5, he was the perfect Dons foward and was a usual player for them as they rose through the divisions in the mid 80's (though I think he left before they got to the First).

I am pretty sure Alan Cork got the other Wimbledon goal.

Scroll down here and there's a pic of Evans celebrating his goal with Cork coming to congratulate him.

http://www.historicaldons.com/1980.htm

 

[Revolution]

Stewart Evans. Scored in that game plus scored winners in later seasons against us for West Brom and Plymouth.

I think Alan Cork got the other for Wimbledon.

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

Beggar the internet - it were bad enough listening to it on the radio.....

 

[axel smeets]

Never mind the football in 1984, can you imagine what Darren and Walthy would have been like, having a ding dong over the miners strike? The first thread to reach 500 000 posts perhaps?

 

[Darren]

Never mind the football in 1984, can you imagine what Darren and Walthy would have been like, having a ding dong over the miners strike? The first thread to reach 500 000 posts perhaps?

Random fact connecting the miners' strike with that promotion drive and one of the weird things that you remember almost 30 years on: that spring the striking miners' chant of choice was "'ere we go, 'ere we go, 'ere we go [repeat 756 times]" and, in his article on the star on Friday 4th May, Tony Pritchett headlined his optimistic preview article for the Wimledon game "here we go", likening United's momentum (they had won their last 4) to the miners' momentum....