Memory Lane Podcast

[coaxingstar71]

I'd already forgotten Ben Godfrey when you were throwing out names of potential soon-to-be-forgotten Blades from this season.

Some great suggestions in this episode. My personal nomination would be Adam Burley who I'm only posting because, after looking him up to confirm whether I'd imagined this, he did in fact score a goal for us in one of his very few appearances - a 2-2 draw with Swindon on the final day of 1999/2000. He's so forgotten that he doesn't even have a Wikipedia page.

Anyone who has played the patched 3.9.68 database version of Championship Manager 2001/02 will remember Burley, but it's still a great shout.

There are quite a number from that database starting squad who I think would be contenders and Benoit Croissant is also in it :-

Wilko de Vogt. Dutch keeper who played just six league games for us.
Ben Doane. Right back who actually played 23 games for us and scored 1 goal.
Steve Yates. Centre half who played 12 games for us.
Jean-Phillipe Javary. French midfielder who played 13 games for us and scored 1 goal.
Adam Burley as you mentioned.
Grant Smith. Scottish midfielder who played 10 games for us.
Laurens ten Heuvel. Dutch striker who played 5 games for us.

There are also a few youngsters who maybe got a few minutes in cup games but clearly weren't good enough such as Tyrone Thompson (played in a League Cup game), Ryan Mallon (came on as a sub for 2 minutes for Ndlovu in his only league appearance), Colin Cryan who actually played 10 games for us, Lewis Killeen (played 1 league game).

We also had Steve Lovell, an on loan striker from Portsmouth, who played 5 games for us that season, scoring once against Watford.

 

[Beans]

Anyone who has played the patched 3.9.68 database version of Championship Manager 2001/02 will remember Burley, but it's still a great shout.

There are quite a number from that database starting squad who I think would be contenders and Benoit Croissant is also in it :-

Wilko de Vogt. Dutch keeper who played just six league games for us.
Ben Doane. Right back who actually played 23 games for us and scored 1 goal.
Steve Yates. Centre half who played 12 games for us.
Jean-Phillipe Javary. French midfielder who played 13 games for us and scored 1 goal.
Adam Burley as you mentioned.
Grant Smith. Scottish midfielder who played 10 games for us.
Laurens ten Heuvel. Dutch striker who played 5 games for us.

There are also a few youngsters who maybe got a few minutes in cup games but clearly weren't good enough such as Tyrone Thompson (played in a League Cup game), Ryan Mallon (came on as a sub for 2 minutes for Ndlovu in his only league appearance), Colin Cryan who actually played 10 games for us, Lewis Killeen (played 1 league game).

We also had Steve Lovell, an on loan striker from Portsmouth, who played 5 games for us that season, scoring once against Watford.

I'd like to think I'm one of the very few Blades who saw both Doane and Burley score their only league goals in-person. Sadly couldn't complete the trifecta with Javary.

Steve Yates I remember as he scored an own goal against Leeds in the Jagielka/Ndlovu league cup game. I think at least one of those youngsters shares an alma mater with Roy himself actually.

 

[Silent Blade]

Steve Yates. Centre half who played 12 games for us.

He would celebrate a goal by taking off his false teeth and waving it at the fans!

 

[Revolution]

I'd like to think I'm one of the very few Blades who saw both Doane and Burley score their only league goals in-person. Sadly couldn't complete the trifecta with Javary.

Steve Yates I remember as he scored an own goal against Leeds in the Jagielka/Ndlovu league cup game. I think at least one of those youngsters shares an alma mater with Roy himself actually.

I saw Doane’s goal - from distance at Crewe in a 2-2 draw the day the Queen Mother died. Clayton Ince should have saved it.

About a year later I saw Doane’s last game when he got badly injured in that 1-0 defeat against zombie Wimbledon in the week before the cup semi. We played at Selhurst on the Saturday and the Monday. The Wimbledon game was watched by about 1300, the smallest crowd to have seen a United league game since 1900 if memory serves.

I saw Javary’s only goal in a 3-0 win against a pathetic Watford team a few weeks after the Crewe game. As coaxingstar71 says Steve Lovell scored the 3rd, a late one on one of which caused most of the home crowd to stand up and leave. Jags got the other goal. Javary was quality but apparently a very opinionated clubhouse lawyer and he wore out his welcome fast: not a Warnock type.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

That's a great shout. A lot of those end of season dead rubbers in there.

Like that dire home match v Chesterfield just before our playoffs appearance under Clough. Lifeless.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

The game against Walsall at the end of 2001-02 really stands out to me. We lost 0-1, but nobody cared one bit. We were as midtable as it gets, and a Walsall win put Wednesday in danger of relegation, so it made for a comical atmosphere.

Guuuuuuussssssssssssss.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Enjoyed the podcast and look forward to new episodes.

As I get older and less obsessed about United I forget players who actually played for us. I could tell you Marcel Cas played like 4 games in 2003 for us but I forget players like Matthew Spring (?) Played for us for a year?

Point I'm making is, Bad Memory Lane?, players you totally forgot that played for us.

I would love that.

Anthony Stokes goalless loan spell in 2008/09? All of those random Warnock signings? Luke Beckett for example, goal machine for Stockport in league 1 but 5 games no goals for us in 2005. Dean Sturridge?, David Johnson?, yep, played for us

Also similar in that old greats like Mike Phelan, Phil Thompson and Ian Rush had crap spells here.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Why did certain players suddenly leave for no apparent reason, it’d be good to know if it’s down to money or the player or even the manager

Onuora .

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Enjoyed the first episode thanks.

How about an episode going through / rating every striker that Warnock signed chronologically?

Also opposition players that we have always hated and get stick when they come to the Lane.

Robbie Savage. Alan Smith ( Leeds one.)

 

[Silent Blade]

Also similar in that old greats like Mike Phelan, Phil Thompson and Ian Rush had crap spells here.

Terry Phelan you meant

 

[programmechap]

Tommy Mooney is not forgettable simply by virtue of the fact that, in a season where Brownie scored several direct free kicks, we allowed him to take the free kick at the end of normal time at Anfield in the LC Semi.

A decision that still riles me to this day, 23 years later...

Yep. Not to mention back the Liverpool goalie should have been sent off for handling outside the box and denying Wayne Allison a clear goal scoring opportunity.

 

[programmechap]

On obscure players, what about players who only made one appearance as sub. Mallon and Killeen are mentioned above.

We also have
Nigel Steane 1980
Paul Wood (not the ex Brighton one) 1988
Nathan Peel 1991
Brian Launders 1999
Jordan Amissah 2022
Manu Thetis 2001

There's probably many others

 

[Roygbiv]

On obscure players, what about players who only made one appearance as sub. Mallon and Killeen are mentioned above.

We also have
Nigel Steane 1980
Paul Wood (not the ex Brighton one) 1988
Nathan Peel 1991
Brian Launders 1999
Jordan Amissah 2022
Manu Thetis 2001

There's probably many others

I went to school with Ryan Mallon and Mark Ward so they aren't forgettable to me!

 

[programmechap]

I went to school with Ryan Mallon and Mark Ward so they aren't forgettable to me!

Ward managed a couple of sub appearances if I recall correctly. One in the last game of the season at Bolton in 2001 , the other early following season.

Its funny to think that "up and coming youngster" will be in his mid 40s...

 

[programmechap]

Richard Edgehill 2003 another one

 

[Silent Blade]

Ward managed a couple of sub appearances if I recall correctly. One in the last game of the season at Bolton in 2001 , the other early following season.

Its funny to think that "up and coming youngster" will be in his mid 40s...

Gary France's debut was the 1-1 draw at home to QPR in last home game of the 1973-74 season, came on as sub in the 3-1 against Ipswich in August 1974. Then disappeared!

 

[programmechap]

Gary France's debut was the 1-1 draw at home to QPR in last home game of the 1973-74 season, came on as sub in the 3-1 against Ipswich in August 1974. Then disappeared!

Yes. He never played another football league game I believe. You'd think someone who played in the first division in his teens would have at least a lower league career.

Maybe he decided football wasnt for him.

 

[programmechap]

He'd be 70 now. Be an intern podcast if he could be tracked down.

Edit. I believe he was from Whitwell and on YouTube theres an interview with 4 ex Whitwell Cricket Club players from 2020. One of whom is a Gary France. The United Gary would have been 65 ish then and this Gary looks the right age.

Its under "Whitwell Cricket Club Memories"]

 

[Sithblade]

When they were celebrating the 30 years of the Premier League, the full Sheffield United v Man United game was available to watch and had no recollection of Alan McCleary starting for us.

Also regarding Garry Flitcroft and the Leverson inquiry, in the lead up to the weekend of 30 March 2002 the News of the World was teasing their major "exclusive" headline story for that Sunday. Some Bimbo having an affair with a married Premier League footballer.
Luckily for that Premier League footballer, Garry Flitcroft, the Queen Mother died on the Saturday. So the story was either dropped, or completely forgotten on page 20.

 

[Roygbiv]

When they were celebrating the 30 years of the Premier League, the full Sheffield United v Man United game was available to watch and had no recollection of Alan McCleary starting for us.

Also regarding Garry Flitcroft and the Leverson inquiry, in the lead up to the weekend of 30 March 2002 the News of the World was teasing their major "exclusive" headline story for that Sunday. Some Bimbo having an affair with a married Premier League footballer.
Luckily for that Premier League footballer, Garry Flitcroft, the Queen Mother died on the Saturday. So the story was either dropped, or completely forgotten on page 20.

I can't believe anybody at all would be interested in that story. And as for the Flitcroft one....

 

[Swannyblade]

How about Jean Calve, David McAllister & Lee Evans as a "would have been forgotten if they hadn't scored screamers" niche category.

Any others?

* Trai Dellas doesn't count as he'd still have been memorable because of his post Blades career.

 

[Gimli]

Great episode this!

My contributions (apologies if already posted)…

Tommy Black - thought he was quite good
Alan Fettis - remembered for not being Lee Baxter I suppose
Ashley Sestanovich - Thierry Henry’s body double
Barry Hayles - arguably memorably bad
Laurens Ten Heuvel - meh
Jean Philippe Javaray
Billy Paynter

 

[Bath Blade]

New episode out where try to compile the most forgotten United 11 of all time. Be interesting to hear other people's "shit, I forgot all about them" teams

Memory Lane #006 | "LET'S (FOR)GET IT STARTED, IN HEEEEEERE" – Creating a Blades-You'd-Forgotten-Played-For-Us XI

An ocean of Sheffield United players you may have forgotten ever played for the club. Come on in, the water is lovely.

www.thepinch.uk

That was an enjoyable listen. I remembered all of them with the exception of John Halls, who I have no recollection of whatsoever!

Think Jody Craddock was signed by Adrian Heath. Remember thinking Heath had signed some good players, Craddock, Martin Smith, Marcus Bent, he just couldn’t motivate the team.

I’d have had Gary Kelly as the goalkeeper, think he was Alan’s brother, played one match for us at the end of the 2002-03 season when Warnock rested the whole team for the last game of the season before the playoffs.

Would have also had Kingsley Black (early 90s midfielder more famous from his time at Forest).

 

[Roygbiv]

Great episode this!

My contributions (apologies if already posted)…

Tommy Black - thought he was quite good
Alan Fettis - remembered for not being Lee Baxter I suppose
Ashley Sestanovich - Thierry Henry’s body double
Barry Hayles - arguably memorably bad
Laurens Ten Heuvel - meh
Jean Philippe Javaray
Billy Paynter

I had Tommy and Kingsley Black in my original teams but they lost out to Andy Parkinson who I remember being brilliant at Tranmere

 

[Roygbiv]

That was an enjoyable listen. I remembered all of them with the exception of John Halls, who I have no recollection of whatsoever!

Think Jody Craddock was signed by Adrian Heath. Remember thinking Heath had signed some good players, Craddock, Martin Smith, Marcus Bent, he just couldn’t motivate the team.

I’d have had Gary Kelly as the goalkeeper, think he was Alan’s brother, played one match for us at the end of the 2002-03 season when Warnock rested the whole team for the last game of the season before the playoffs.

Would have also had Kingsley Black (early 90s midfielder more famous from his time at Forest).

That makes much sense with Heath signing Craddock. I remember him being part of a non descript team

 

[Gimli]

I had Tommy and Kingsley Black in my original teams but they lost out to Andy Parkinson who I remember being brilliant at Tranmere

Parkinson was a fantastic inclusion tbf

 

[Revolution]

On obscure players, what about players who only made one appearance as sub. Mallon and Killeen are mentioned above.

We also have
Nigel Steane 1980
Paul Wood (not the ex Brighton one) 1988
Nathan Peel 1991
Brian Launders 1999
Jordan Amissah 2022
Manu Thetis 2001

There's probably many others

Players who made a single league appearance for United, 1991-2 to 2019-20

Nathan Peel 1991-2 v Tottenham (sub)
Mervyn Day 1991-2 v Wimbledon
Carl Muggleton 1995-6 v Reading (sub)
John Ebbrell 1996-7 v Reading
Chris Bettney 1996-7 v Tranmere (sub)
Brian Launders 1999-2000 v Stockport
Manu Thetis 2000-1 v Gillingham (sub)
Ryan Mallon 2001-2 v Grimsby (sub)
Lewis Killeen 2001-2 v Walsall (sub)
Richard Edghill 2002-3 v Ipswich (sub)
Gary Kelly 2002-3 v Watford
Lee Baxter 2003-4 v Burnley
Phil Barnes 2004-5 v Rotherham
Tommy Johnson 2004-5 v Rotherham
Emmanuel Gabrieli 2004-5 v Gillingham (sub)
Danny Batth 2010-11 v Swansea (sub)
Graham Kelly 2015-16 v Coventry (sub)
Nathan Thomas 2017-18 v Norwich (sub)
Regan Slater 2017-18 v Preston (sub)
Jake Eastwood 2017-18 v Wolves (sub)
Ravel Morrison 2019-20 v Leicester (sub)
Jack Rodwell 2019-20 v Burnley (sub)

The bolded players also featured in at least one cup game.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

I went to school with Ryan Mallon and Mark Ward so they aren't forgettable to me!

Pure Gym PT Ryan is.

 

[Silent Blade]

Players who made a single league appearance for United, 1991-2 to 2019-20


Graham Kelly 2015-16 v Coventry (sub)

I have no recollection of Graham Kelly the footballer, just the one below

 

[Bath Blade]

I have no recollection of Graham Kelly the footballer, just the one below

View attachment 234317

I had exactly the same thought!