Memries of Manchester United

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I think I've seen most of those games, if not all of them. The one that stands out though was the 1971 game at Old Trafford when we arrived as top of the league following that amazing start. Man United were just behind us in 2nd place.

I remember arriving at Old Trafford a good hour and a half before the game and heading straight for the turnstiles. The queues were already building up and behind us, in the large, rough gravel car park, there were loads of Sheffield United Tours coaches starting to arrive and park up. Coaches like these:
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I'd never seen so many Blades away coaches at a game, but then again, I hadn't been to that many games at that age, I was only 13. I didn't know until afterwards that thousands were locked out - I'm glad I wasn't one of them.

The game wasn't too old when the Stretford End singled out Blades Trevor Hockey for some stick. "Hockey is a werewolf" they sang. And this is how he reacted:

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He stood in front of their kop and conducted them! :D

I was stood behind the goal where George Best scored that wonder goal, as you look at it from the pitch, I was just to the left of the left hand post and maybe half way up from the front. We'd played well up until that point and looked like holding our own, but that goal from Best changed the game. He was probably the best footballer I've ever seen play. You get some players who are really good at one or two aspects of the game, but he was good at all of them. I think above all, his dribbling skills were amazing and if you watch that clip of his goal again you'll see what I mean! But look closely and you'll see that it's not just about close control that made him a good dribbler, but it's his ability to rapidly change pace and catch defenders unaware. It was like he switched a turbo on and just left them for dead.

When that goal went in the Blades stood behind the goal with me were not so complimentary. The consensus was that it was a "spozzy" goal. I thought at the time that it was quite brilliant - but I think I was the only one! And as a young schoolboy, having been brought up to appreciate values of honesty, fairness and sportsmanship, I remember being amazed at how angry, unreasonable and downright horrible my fellow Blades fans were towards George Best when that one went in. I've since learned of course, that all goals scored against us are lucky and undeserved. :)

When Alan Gowling, netted the second we knew that was that.

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I vaguely remember the coach journey back over the Snake. The driver put the radio on as we all listened to "Sports Report" on the way back - it was painful given the coverage and love for Manchester United. We stopped off at this pub in Stocksbridge on the way back into Sheffield.
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It's called "The Friendship", but we didn't get much of a warm welcome from the locals. Methinks it was a bit too "Wednesdayish" a part of town for that. The coach driver allowed us an hour to drown our sorrows. As a 13 year old kid, a couple of weeks away from my 14th birthday, I wasn't able to get served any beer, but one of the blokes off the coach sorted me out with a pint. In fact, I may have had a couple. All I remember is, leaving there feeling happier than when I walked in.

(I have been back in that pub once since then - and the welcome hasn't got any warmer).

I arrived home, eventually, having enjoyed the day out, even though we hadn't won. It had been a great experience for me as a young lad, and one I've never forgotten. I'm still like that now. I can go to a football match and enjoy the day out, without letting the result spoil it.

Finally, I think there are some parallels with today's Sheffield United team. That 1971 team had just been promoted from the second tier of English football. Folks had been very complimentary about our bright, attacking football style, but, we'd spent very little on strengthening the team during the summer (compared to other clubs) and the received wisdom was that we would struggle in the top tier of football. This game, v Man United, was 10 games into the season and we were sitting proudly on top of the league. The pundits were wrong about us again! Just like they are today!

If you've ever wondered why pundits, or anyone really, gets it so wrong, so often, it's because they don't learn from history. It's said that "history repeats itself" - if this is true then it's probably for the benefit of people who weren't listening first time. There's nothing surprising about a good set of football players, moulded into a good football team, with good team spirit and a good manager, doing well at the top levels of football. It happened then. It's happening again now. Yet it still catches people out!

Let's hope it will catch Manchester United out this weekend and that they don't score any "spozzy" goals against us this time!;)
I always wondered why I never liked you, now I know it's because you were inside Old Trafford and I was one of the thousands locked out! ;) My dad, my brother and me got our revenge though - while you were enjoying United's dominance, we were huddled round a transistor radio listening, until they opened the gates, and we got in just in time see Best's goal. It always felt like it was our fault we lost...
 

I always wondered why I never liked you, now I know it's because you were inside Old Trafford and I was one of the thousands locked out! ;) My dad, my brother and me got our revenge though - while you were enjoying United's dominance, we were huddled round a transistor radio listening, until they opened the gates, and we got in just in time see Best's goal. It always felt like it was our fault we lost...
My dad made the wise decision in ordering tickets through the post. Still remember the heartbreak caused by George Best.

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i remember only 2 games v man utd. 2006/07 that was witnessing man utd & sir alex at the relentless best. 1 of the only times i was delighted the opposition scored because i couldn't take the relentless pressure

then only good performance in adkins era at old trafford. when i still think the real mceveley & collins had been handcuffed & taken hostage on the team bus. because they were so unusually defensively solid it mustve been 2 imposters. as we all know what the 2 real defenders could or should we say couldnt do.

also entering old Trafford i got more searched more in that 1 fa cup game than all that season. searched in the pre-queue, again in the queue, again after through turnstiles & finally as i was going up the gangway to my seat
 

Maybe the memory’s a bit fuzzy from that night, but it seemed like half the penalties SB took hit the cross bar, maybe 5 or 6. It was the sort of thing you couldn‘t do if you were trying.
 
I always wondered why I never liked you, now I know it's because you were inside Old Trafford and I was one of the thousands locked out! ;) My dad, my brother and me got our revenge though - while you were enjoying United's dominance, we were huddled round a transistor radio listening, until they opened the gates, and we got in just in time see Best's goal. It always felt like it was our fault we lost...

At least you've got a valid reason to dislike me - rather than it being based on an impression formed from the shit I write on here at times! ;)

Wow! that must have been a real low followed by a high. The agony of that. Being outside a ground for a top of table clash, involving your own team, and hearing all the noises but not being able to be part of the action. Reminds me of a recent stay in a hotel room with thin walls. 💋👅🦴👠👗🍆🍒🔨🛏👀
 
Ahh! I remember the good old days when these things used to happen....

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A player is blatantly fouled. The ref misses it. The crowd go bonkers and show their disapproval by booing. The ref knowing he's probably got it wrong, evens things up for us later! :)

No VAR needed. No delays to the game. Lots of opportunity to vent your spleen at the bloke in black. In the pub earlier after the game.

Them were the days!
 
Via Colvins for some bags and a star jumper....
Can you bastards leave him alone for once?

Everyone knows he stayed in Manchester for some fine Dining. Wimpy's on Fargate might have done for the likes of you two, but .....
 

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