Leicester '61 semi final - questions for older Blades

[chipsncake]

Elland Road looking towards the old "Scratching Shed" end which was where their noisy supporters congregated. In 1968 we had the open bank at the other end and I think we took 13,000 to that match.

Can remember the old Tannoy speakers belting out "No don't stop de carnival" by Alan Price

Amazing, I too can recall the Alan Price song being played at Elland Road. Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't we play them away twice in two weeks, one in the cup and the other in the league? Lost them both.

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

Amazing, I too can recall the Alan Price song being played at Elland Road. Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't we play them away twice in two weeks, one in the cup and the other in the league? Lost them both.

I remember as well that there was a narrow band of home fans at the bottom of that bank in a special section for some reason.

As for the question, you'll have to ask Darren or Silent Blade for that info

 

[Darren]

I remember as well that there was a narrow band of home fans at the bottom of that bank in a special section for some reason.

As for the question, you'll have to ask Darren or Silent Blade for that info

We did: 30/3/68 FAC L0-1
6/4/68 D1 L0-3

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

Elland Road looking towards the old "Scratching Shed" end which was where their noisy supporters congregated. In 1968 we had the open bank at the other end and I think we took 13,000 to that match.

Can remember the old Tannoy speakers belting out "No don't stop de carnival" by Alan Price

Here's a pic of Elland Road in 1974 showing that big bank end

 

[JJ Sefton]

 

[Benny and the Blades]

Remember going to the Newcastle game on a S.U.T. (Sheffield United tours ) coach in 1961 and on the street where we parked there was a row of these coaches.
As I was getting off the coach I had to smile when I heard one of the Newcastle supporters telling his young son that they must all belonged to the club. .
Mind you I was more than just smiling when I got back on after the 3-1 victory .......

 

[Silent Blade]

2. Did trains for the games arrive in Leeds and Nottingham at the same stations as they do today?

If you go to the Central library and look in the Morning Telegraph/Star archives you probably will see details of "Football special" train services for the semis advertised in the paper. I asked a Blade (in the train to work) this morning about how he travelled for the 1961 semis. He travelled to L**ds in the Sheffield United Tours coach from Pond Street but doesnt really remember the travelling as he was very young then

 

[bornablade]

Elland Road looking towards the old "Scratching Shed" end which was where their noisy supporters congregated. In 1968 we had the open bank at the other end and I think we took 13,000 to that match.

Can remember the old Tannoy speakers belting out "No don't stop de carnival" by Alan Price

This was my first away game apart from games in S6. Catching a Law brothers coach. That 5th round victory at WHU led us all to believe that this was our year.

Leeds always had loads of straw on the side of the pitch - their way of keeping the pitch ice free I think.

 

[Benny and the Blades]

Off subject I know but how many remember those queues in Pond street for the SUT coaches on Sheffield works weeks.....

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

Some brilliant stories and memories there, thanks to all.

 

[cahill]

We did: 30/3/68 FAC L0-1
6/4/68 D1 L0-3

I was at both games. At the Lane that season against the Dirtys, Hodgy went off injured, Woody went in goal and we won 1-0. Mick Hill scored the winner. Mick Jones had signed for Leeds from United earlier in the season, and the crowd at the Lane sang "You bought the wrong one"

Great day for me as I was born in Leeds and all my family supported them.

 

[Shalalalafenoughty]

Here's a pic of Elland Road in 1974 showing that big bank end

View attachment 11416

I went to the Leeds FA Cup quarter-final on March 30, 1968. It was my tenth birthday. I went in a car with three others but we all had tickets for different parts of the ground. I stood on that big bank of terracing on the far side on this picture. I just remember it being absolutely jampacked and struggling to see the action at the Scratching Shed end which was well away to my left.

When we won at West Ham in the previous round there was an FA Youth Cup game on the same day at Bramall Lane which attracted a decent crowd so it must have been in the later stages of the competition. I am pretty sure we lost the youth game but that was forgotten when the Upton Park details went up on the pavilion scoreboard. I have a vivid recollection of realising we must have taken the lead when I saw some young kids jumping for joy before the actual numbers were put up by the old bloke.

It's a long shot but does anyone have any details of that Youth Cup game? I'd be interested to know if any future first team players were on display that day.

 

[Shalalalafenoughty]

From left to right; Keith Kettleborough, Frank McLintock, Richie Norman, Ken Keyworth, Ian King and Colin Appleton

Very disappointing that you fail to identify the other United players shown, Silent.

Must do better.

 

[Silent Blade]

When we won at West Ham in the previous round there was an FA Youth Cup game on the same day at Bramall Lane which attracted a decent crowd so it must have been in the later stages of the competition. I am pretty sure we lost the youth game but that was forgotten when the Upton Park details went up on the pavilion scoreboard. I have a vivid recollection of realising we must have taken the lead when I saw some young kids jumping for joy before the actual numbers were put up by the old bloke.

It's a long shot but does anyone have any details of that Youth Cup game? I'd be interested to know if any future first team players were on display that day.

The Green Un will probably have a match report of that Youth Cup you went to. You should see it if you go to the Central Library and ask for the microfilm of "Green Un 1968"

 

[super_pig]

Anyone who was aged 16 at that game would be 71 now and have endured a lifetime supporting the Blades. Thanks for your memories

and you all deserve a medal

 

[cahill]

I went to the Leeds FA Cup quarter-final on March 30, 1968. It was my tenth birthday. I went in a car with three others but we all had tickets for different parts of the ground. I stood on that big bank of terracing on the far side on this picture. I just remember it being absolutely jampacked and struggling to see the action at the Scratching Shed end which was well away to my left.

When we won at West Ham in the previous round there was an FA Youth Cup game on the same day at Bramall Lane which attracted a decent crowd so it must have been in the later stages of the competition. I am pretty sure we lost the youth game but that was forgotten when the Upton Park details went up on the pavilion scoreboard. I have a vivid recollection of realising we must have taken the lead when I saw some young kids jumping for joy before the actual numbers were put up by the old bloke.

It's a long shot but does anyone have any details of that Youth Cup game? I'd be interested to know if any future first team players were on display that day.

I was on the open end behind the goal for the 1968 Cup match. I went with a load of Leeds fans. Tight game that one and I'm certain Addison had the ball over the line, unfortunately not given. Following week we were there again for a League game, capitulated 3-0. Weren't many Blades at that game AND I got a crack on the bonce for my troubles

 

[Lampiao]

Off topic a bit. I have clearer memories of the 1967 Cup run, reaching the quarter final against dirty Leeds (Christ were they dirty players) and unluckily losing 1-0, Addison had the ball in their net but it was disallowed. The above writer is correct you went to Leeds via A roads, pre Motorway days

I seem to remember Reece hitting the bar as well

 

[JJBlade]

Older fans said Doc Pace scored a good goal in the dying minutes of the 1st match but the ref ruled that he handled the ball. My dad only went to the replay in Nottingham as he was busy for preparations with his wedding (25th March)

I'm not old enough to remember this game but I just knew it would have involved United being robbed

 

[finlaytheblade]

Queued on John Street and the queues wound round on to Shoreham Street. Tickets served at Kop turnstiles. I was 12 years old.

I can still see Pace chesting the ball down and firing it home. Ref disallowed it and Pace pointed to a mark on his chest. I can still see the whole incident in my mind and yet I hear Pace admitted he handled it !

My memory is that all supporters were mixed together.

Went to a packed St James Park for the sixth round game. Sat on my Dad's knee in the stand. 3-0 up after 20 minutes - Billy Russell hat-trick. 2nd division team away at the mighty Toon from the First Division. Crowds were crowds in those days, mostly standing and the Geordies were massed ranks of swaying singing black and white - until the game started!!

Week after the semi-final, in between the two replays we were back at Elland Road in the league. In those days Leeds were not a succesful club ( much like now) and the ground seemed very empty; Jack Charlton was a journeyman player yet to make his mark, we won at a canter. Len Allchurch played a blinder.

Journey to Leeds in those days was by the two A Roads, no M1. Imagine twenty odd thousand highly decorated cars and coaches slowly winding their way.

Replays evenings on school days. My Dad went to both replays. Tears in his eyes reporting back next day after Birmingham; well beaten I think, but what an achievement, what a season with promotion too.

I was there for both matches at elland rd Allchurch was a strange unorthodox right winger who got some vital match winning goals in the run in to promotion he had no real pace but seemed to get away from markers very cleverly.
We was robbed in the semi at leeds as the ball struck Doc on the shoulder he even had the mark on his shirt to prove it a good goal,wagged it off school for the 1st reply at forest 0-0 again but you could sense leicester were getting our measure.
couldnt go to st andrews as i had run out of money(school boy).
For me that defence of hodgy,ces,g shaw richardson and j shaw was the best in my lifetime,there was no 10 men behind the ball they were very clever and well organised.the tallest player in that defence was ces coldwell 5ft 10ins ,can you imagine a defence so short in stature being able to cope with the giraffes we have playing the game today.
once a blade always a blade BRING IT ON

 

[JJ Sefton]

For me that defence of hodgy,ces,g shaw richardson and j shaw was the best in my lifetime,there was no 10 men behind the ball they were very clever and well organised.the tallest player in that defence was ces coldwell 5ft 10ins ,can you imagine a defence so short in stature being able to cope with the giraffes we have playing the game today.
once a blade always a blade BRING IT ON

Apparently Jack Charlton was once stuck up front by Revie against us to take advantage of Joe Shaw's height. I'm told that in his book Charlton said it failed utterly and Shaw had him wrapped up all night. Might have been a game on Bonfire Night one year. I was talking to Walth Snr about it at the weekend and he says he went home afterwards to watch The Strange World of Gurney Slade.

 

[finlaytheblade]

I was there for both matches at elland rd Allchurch was a strange unorthodox right winger who got some vital match winning goals in the run in to promotion he had no real pace but seemed to get away from markers very cleverly.
We was robbed in the semi at leeds as the ball struck Doc on the shoulder he even had the mark on his shirt to prove it a good goal,wagged it off school for the 1st reply at forest 0-0 again but you could sense leicester were getting our measure.
couldnt go to st andrews as i had run out of money(school boy).
For me that defence of hodgy,ces,g shaw richardson and j shaw was the best in my lifetime,there was no 10 men behind the ball they were very clever and well organised.the tallest player in that defence was ces coldwell 5ft 10ins ,can you imagine a defence so short in stature being able to cope with the giraffes we have playing the game today.
once a blade always a blade BRING IT ON

Just as a matter of interest Len Allchurch was cup tied (played for Swansea) and obviously didnt play in the semi,s signed by john harris before the deadline for transfers a shrewd move by harris he had a knack of doing that as he brought in hockey and john hope in the new year (1971) and they played a big part in the promotion push.he also signed david Ford(ex-owl) but in my opinion didnt really hit it off..

 

[Silent Blade]

Apparently Jack Charlton was once stuck up front by Revie against us to take advantage of Joe Shaw's height. I'm told that in his book Charlton said it failed utterly and Shaw had him wrapped up all night. Might have been a game on Bonfire Night one year. I was talking to Walth Snr about it at the weekend and he says he went home afterwards to watch The Strange World of Gurney Slade.

Just found the below link, it was in Don Revie's first match as L**ds manager (also on the day my parents got married). 25th March 1961. Revie's idea was that Charlton would win everything in the air against Joe Shaw (I think he was onlt 5 foot 8 inches tall). Joe's positioning and anticipation was too good for Jack

The link is a long reading and I have copied the relevant paragraph.

"The first year with Revie was an interesting one. The day after he took over, he moved me up to centre forward. I tried my best, but the No 9 shirt didn't feel right to me. I didn't know what to do, and nobody showed me. I remember Joe Shaw of Sheffield United laughing at me, I was making such a mess of it. After I protested Don switched me back to centre half."

http://www.mightyleeds.co.uk/players/charlton1.htm

 

[Woodwardfan]

I was there for both matches at elland rd Allchurch was a strange unorthodox right winger who got some vital match winning goals in the run in to promotion he had no real pace but seemed to get away from markers very cleverly.
We was robbed in the semi at leeds as the ball struck Doc on the shoulder he even had the mark on his shirt to prove it a good goal,wagged it off school for the 1st reply at forest 0-0 again but you could sense leicester were getting our measure.
couldnt go to st andrews as i had run out of money(school boy).
For me that defence of hodgy,ces,g shaw richardson and j shaw was the best in my lifetime,there was no 10 men behind the ball they were very clever and well organised.the tallest player in that defence was ces coldwell 5ft 10ins ,can you imagine a defence so short in stature being able to cope with the giraffes we have playing the game today.
once a blade always a blade BRING IT ON

Hodgkinson, Coldwell, Shaw, Richardson, Shaw, Summers. What a footballing diet to be brought up on.

Hodgy and Graham Shaw England Internationals. Joe Shaw the best uncapped centre half ever and still in my top 10 best ever players - 5'8" and played against big, big centre forwards who in those days who were given licence to terrorise centre halves and keepers. Joe only rarely went up with them for the ball, he simply anticipated where they were going to head it. In the box that was not as effective and Hodgy was only small and yet lo and behold, almost by magic, our defence never got a hammering from crosses, mainly we used to snuff out the crosses. Richardson was the hard man ball winner and Gerry Summers the intellectual player gently scheming and probing.

In those days teams all played the "W" formation. so the defence had two full backs and one centre half in the back line, with two wing halves in front of them. They played together year after year and knew each others game inside out.

If Coldwell was only 5'10" he stood a lot taller and was an upright captain and leader. His game was simple and so was Richardson's but the others were pure footballers and it was poetry in motion at times.

In those days players were not prima-donnas contaminated by money and they had loyalty to their football clubs. All six of those above were gentlemen footballers too. Richardson was hard in the tackle but not what you would call dirty. The others were rarely in bother with referees, to them defending was an art and they were intelligent and skilled artists. In those days SUFC had enormous respect everywhere we travelled and played a marvellous brand of passing football with full integrity and respect for the game.