Memries - When the Cup Was Magic - 1993 Cup Run

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Bladepicker

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It's F.A. Cup time and as I pointed out on shoutbox, I always get a little bit sad that it just doesn't get me excited in the slightest anymore. The third round is akin to a pre-season friendly to me now and that is really sad. I remember a time pre-Sky, pre-Premier League when the cup had a mystical, magical feel to it and everything leading up to it was excitement; from the anticipation of the draw to the grounds being much fuller than for a league game with a party style atmosphere, toilet rolls, balloons and ripped up Argos order slips flung from all corners. I think as the need for promotion to and staying in the Premier League has become paramount due to the financials involved, coupled with the over saturation of top level football on out TV screens, the lure of a cup run over the league and the chance to draw one of the big teams has lost it's lure somewhat if you support a team in the top two leagues.

There was a time however when that wasn't the case and I'm sure, if we get to the 5th round or beyond we may start getting some cup tart fever symptoms this season but, until then I thought I'd try and drum up a bit of nostalgic cup interest with a look back at one of my favourite cup runs, the 1993 campaign (a year along with the one previous where we really could have won it).

Round 3 - Burnley (H) D 2-2 (Hodges, Beesley)

Much like I have stated above, this tie had a real air of magic about it. We'd been fairly average in the league up until this point but we were hoping for another 'kick-on' after Christmas that Harry Bassett's sides had become famed for. The cup gave us a much needed break from the league and a chance to get some confidence in the team. We of course were a Premier League team then while Burnley were struggling in the third tier but were in the midst of a mini resurgence having been stuck in Division 4 for several season's (being one kick away from dropping out of the football league altogether at one point). I remember it being absolutely freezing and the pitch was like an ice rink which proved to be somewhat of a leveller. Burnley also had a certain Adrian Heath playing up front and, while at the end of his career he was certainly better than a third tier striker - proved when he sent the entire Bramall Lane away end that was packed to the brim wild with a long range strike. They soon went 2 nil up after defensive mix up and I remember thinking we we're being humiliated. We brought Deane on for the second half and the game turned. I remember I think Glyn Hodges missing a near open goal before scoring with a much harder chance with time running out. Bees then powered in a left foot drive in the last minute, the Kop went wild and we had rescued a replay from nowhere.

I remember it being a highly charged, bad tempered affair - Heath having little big man syndrome and winding us and the ref up at every possible opportunity. I've included a clip below from the game which shows him and Adrian Littlejohn getting sent off. Presumably Heath got sent off for being a cocky little shit, while Littlejohn got sent off for finally having enough of him and belting seven bells of shit out of him. The best thing about the clip by far though are Pembo's two tackles. One a definite red and one a possible red today - not even a free kick or mentioned as such back then!



Round 3 Replay - Burnley (A) W 4-2 (Deane 3, Littlejohn)

This was my first ever trip to Turf Moor and it proved to be a great one - our superiority showing that we'd not been able to in the first game. Burnley took the lead again and we thought oh no - here we go, but the packed away end was soon going crazy as Deano scored one, two, three headers before half-time to put us in complete control. Littlejohn (who had been booed and was subject to some vile racism during the game after his spat with Heath at the Lane) then scored a fourth and gave their fans some stick back which caused them to surge forwards and I think this injured some of their own fans. I remember being happy to get out and get home that night as a young teenager with my head down and we were onto the fourth round....
 

Bladepicker said:
It's F.A. Cup time and as I pointed out on shoutbox, I always get a little bit sad that it just doesn't get me excited in the slightest anymore. The third round is akin to a pre-season friendly to me now and that is really sad. I remember a time pre-Sky, pre-Premier League when the cup had a mystical, magical feel to it and everything leading up to it was excitement; from the anticipation of the draw to the grounds being much fuller than for a league game with a party style atmosphere, toilet rolls, balloons and ripped up Argos order slips flung from all corners. I think as the need for promotion to and staying in the Premier League has become paramount due to the financials involved, coupled with the over saturation of top level football on out TV screens, the lure of a cup run over the league and the chance to draw one of the big teams has lost it's lure somewhat if you support a team in the top two leagues.

There was a time however when that wasn't the case and I'm sure, if we get to the 5th round or beyond we may start getting some cup tart fever symptoms this season but, until then I thought I'd try and drum up a bit of nostalgic cup interest with a look back at one of my favourite cup runs, the 1993 campaign (a year along with the one previous where we really could have won it).

Round 3 - Burnley (H) D 2-2 (Hodges, Beesley)

Much like I have stated above, this tie had a real air of magic about it. We'd been fairly average in the league up until this point but we were hoping for another 'kick-on' after Christmas that Harry Bassett's sides had become famed for. The cup gave us a much needed break from the league and a chance to get some confidence in the team. We of course were a Premier League team then while Burnley were struggling in the third tier but were in the midst of a mini resurgence having been stuck in Division 4 for several season's (being one kick away from dropping out of the football league altogether at one point). I remember it being absolutely freezing and the pitch was like an ice rink which proved to be somewhat of a leveller. Burnley also had a certain Adrian Heath playing up front and, while at the end of his career he was certainly better than a third tier striker - proved when he sent the entire Bramall Lane away end that was packed to the brim wild with a long range strike. They soon went 2 nil up after defensive mix up and I remember thinking we we're being humiliated. We brought Deane on for the second half and the game turned. I remember I think Glyn Hodges missing a near open goal before scoring with a much harder chance with time running out. Bees then powered in a left foot drive in the last minute, the Kop went wild and we had rescued a replay from nowhere.

I remember it being a highly charged, bad tempered affair - Heath having little big man syndrome and winding us and the ref up at every possible opportunity. I've included a clip below from the game which shows him and Adrian Littlejohn getting sent off. Presumably Heath got sent off for being a cocky little shit, while Littlejohn got sent off for finally having enough of him and belting seven bells of shit out of him. The best thing about the clip by far though are Pembo's two tackles. One a definite red and one a possible red today - not even a free kick or mentioned as such back then!



Round 3 Replay - Burnley (A) W 4-2 (Deane 3, Littlejohn)

This was my first ever trip to Turf Moor and it proved to be a great one - our superiority showing that we'd not been able to in the first game. Burnley took the lead again and we thought oh no - here we go, but the packed away end was soon going crazy as Deano scored one, two, three headers before half-time to put us in complete control. Littlejohn (who had been booed and was subject to some vile racism during the game after his spat with Heath at the Lane) then scored a fourth and gave their fans some stick back which caused them to surge forwards and I think this injured some of their own fans. I remember being happy to get out and get home that night as a young teenager with my head down and we were onto the fourth round....
Click to expand...

Don't see many tackles like that anymore!
 
Round 4 - Hartlepool (H) W 1-0 (Cork)

I actually do not remember this game at all. Talk about magic of the cup! To be fair my diary notes I have kept from back then tell me I was poorly and didn't go to the game so had to listen to the scores coming in on the radio (it may have been Hallam FM then and Steve Banyard rather than Bob Jackson on the BBC) - my programmes tell me Alan Cork scored and the roots of his beard were taking shape - he wasn't going to shave it off until we were out of the cup. Presumably had we won it he'd still be growing it now like some Hindu Grand Guru. Anyway win we did against lower league opposition and we were into the 5th round and a home tie to soon to be Champions elect, Manchester United.


Round 5 - Manchester United (H) W 2-1 (Hoyland, Hodges)

Finally, finally the BBC had chosen us for a live game! We had been on Sky that season as it was the inaugural Premier League season with Sky coverage but literally no one apart from pubs had Sky back then. My posh mate Jonathan had it but his parents were not football fans, so the opportunity to see us live on telly was rare. I was obviously going to the game but VCR's were set on the timer to record with specific instructions to my mum to not change the channel, in fact don't go near the tv AT ALL!!

We had obviously already beaten Man United at home that season in the very first game, featuring the very first Premier League goal but this was a very different Man Utd. They now had Cantona, this young lad called Giggs was flying and they were playing some sublime football. That said we had played them at Old Trafford the week before and really should have won the game and at the very least got a point so we were certainly able to give them a game.

I remember it started and they just seemed fitter and faster than us, first to every ball and soon Giggs scored a quite sublime goal and I thought it was going the same way as the quarter final against them a few years back. But then that fighting spirit that epitomised Harry's Blades back then kicked in and we really got in their faces. First from a free kick Jamie Hoylnd was in and really should have scored but only got a glancing foot on it, luckily for him that was enough to make Schmeichel spill it and it bounced in off his head/chest/bits of his upper body! Then from the ridiculous to the sublime, more aerial bombardment and the ball fell to Glyn Hodges in the box who used his magic left foot to make one of the greatest goalies of all time look foolish. Bedlem.

There was then what I think seemed to be the longest second half in history. We had chances on the break, they had all the possession but created very little until Paul Ince went full ballet dancer in the box and the ref couldn't wait to give them a penalty. Up stepped Steve Bruce, penalty taker extraordinaire who almost never missed for Man U. Well, a long run up, that low smash, keeper the wrong way but the net didn't bulge as it struck the outside of the post and went wide. The Mancs couldn't believe it, some in the south stand got some right stick and after we whistled for about 10 minutes straight the ref finally blew and we were in the Quarters. Home to get the tape and watch it all again - still have that in the loft somewhere with the tab broken off so no one could record over it!
 
Bladepicker - great thread. I was ill for the Burnley game and wasn't allowed to go (there are some drawbacks to being 13...). I remember, even now, watching in horror on Ceefax at my Nan's (close to the Lane - kept looking wistfully out of the window) as we looked destined for defeat.
And then the Hartlepool game...the discussions before and after with my art teacher at High Storrs, Mr. Jones (good teacher!), who had a United season ticket but was from Hartlepool and was on their end for this game.
 

It's worth remembering we were pretty dreadful in the cup until Harry Bassett arrived. I think the 1989-90 run to the Quarters was more memorable in some ways as it was the first time we'd got that far in over 20 years, Leeds in 1968 to be precise. The marathon 3 games in the 5th Round against the dingles won with a penalty in extra time in the 3rd game will always stick out. We were unlucky to lose to a quality Man Utd team in the quarter final. Held our own in a game of very few chances.
 
Quarter Final - Blackburn (A) D 0-0

The strangest game - we were drawn away to money bags Blackburn, one of the toughest ties left at that stage and demand for tickets was insane, they were literal gold dust. As we could have sold the allocation five times over and the game had not been selected for TV coverage (no such things as illegal streams back then kids) there was a clamour for the club to show the game on some sort of live feed beam back at the lane which gained traction and then was confirmed! So I didn't get to go to Ewood but I did get to watch it in the sunshine at the lane in one of the strangest atmospheres.

I remember the big screen was made up of several smaller screens and you could see the lines between them, one in the top corner kept flickering and the crowd was half chanting half thinking it was a bit silly because they couldn't hear us. all in all it was a very weird experience, a very drab game but a brilliant. hard fought result and we'd get them back to the Lane.

Quarter Final Replay - Blackburn (H) D 2-2 (won 5-3 on penalties)

The semi final draw had happened by this point and we knew we'd be playing them lot if we got through. A semi final, against the Pigs, possibly at Wembley, it just had to happen didn't it? Well it very nearly didn't. A highly charged, tense but brilliant game of football ensued. I remember it ebbing and flowing, a real end to end battle and then Blackburn took the lead and we were deflated but I never felt we were out of it. We kept going and Mitch Ward scored a lovely equaliser with about 10 minutes left and we could have easily gone on to win it in normal time as Blackburn welcomed the final whistle.

Blackburn then seemed to get a second wind and took control of the match in the first half of extra time, Mike Newell (always bloody him) getting a goal that I thought would be the winner right at the end of the first period. This Bassett side really never said die though and we managed to pick ourselves back up and had a spell, Ward again getting a real poachers effort at the near post and running off like a man demented. Both teams seemed to settle for penalties at this point and my nerves were shot.

Ward took the first and scored his 'hat trick', Blackburn then missed, their normal taker Jason Wilcox hitting an awful pen. Both teams then scored them all leaving it to John Pemberton (who had never scored for us) to score the penalty to take us to a semi final... I must admit I could barely watch and, when it was Pembo and I saw the length of his run-up I really did fear the worst. He went for the 'twat it as hard as you possibly can' school of penalty taking and, if the net hadn't been there it would probably have damaged the Lane end he hit it that hard. But hit it he did, we had won an amazing game and we were through to the Semi Final for the first time in my life....

I may post about that game a bit later but then again I may not! What a bloody cup run though :)
 
Last edited:
Tickhill Blade said:
Don't see many tackles like that anymore!
Click to expand...
That's because too many people who have now't to do with football and know even less (h&s for one) get there way.
Nobody in the short video got hurt and even immediately got up to play on. kudos to the players.
Adrian Littlejohn 12 out of 10 for the left over the top.
Would have been 20/10 if he had laid him out.
Ref should have been sent off. The incident would never have ever occurred if he had blown, foul, when Heath first laid hands on Littlejohn.
 
Bladepicker said:
Round 5 - Manchester United (H) W 2-1 (Hoyland, Hodges)

Finally, finally the BBC had chosen us for a live game! We had been on Sky that season as it was the inaugural Premier League season with Sky coverage but literally no one apart from pubs had Sky back then. My posh mate Jonathan had it but his parents were not football fans, so the opportunity to see us live on telly was rare. I was obviously going to the game but VCR's were set on the timer to record with specific instructions to my mum to not change the channel, in fact don't go near the tv AT ALL!!

We had obviously already beaten Man United at home that season in the very first game, featuring the very first Premier League goal but this was a very different Man Utd. They now had Cantona, this young lad called Giggs was flying and they were playing some sublime football. That said we had played them at Old Trafford the week before and really should have won the game and at the very least got a point so we were certainly able to give them a game.

I remember it started and they just seemed fitter and faster than us, first to every ball and soon Giggs scored a quite sublime goal and I thought it was going the same way as the quarter final against them a few years back. But then that fighting spirit that epitomised Harry's Blades back then kicked in and we really got in their faces. First from a free kick Jamie Hoylnd was in and really should have scored but only got a glancing foot on it, luckily for him that was enough to make Schmeichel spill it and it bounced in off his head/chest/bits of his upper body! Then from the ridiculous to the sublime, more aerial bombardment and the ball fell to Glyn Hodges in the box who used his magic left foot to make one of the greatest goalies of all time look foolish. Bedlem.

There was then what I think seemed to be the longest second half in history. We had chances on the break, they had all the possession but created very little until Paul Ince went full ballet dancer in the box and the ref couldn't wait to give them a penalty. Up stepped Steve Bruce, penalty taker extraordinaire who almost never missed for Man U. Well, a long run up, that low smash, keeper the wrong way but the net didn't bulge as it struck the outside of the post and went wide. The Mancs couldn't believe it, some in the south stand got some right stick and after we whistled for about 10 minutes straight the ref finally blew and we were in the Quarters. Home to get the tape and watch it all again - still have that in the loft somewhere with the tab broken off so no one could record over it!
Click to expand...

The win against Man Utd in the cup is my favourite ever Blades game (I started going in 1983). In a game where our grit was pitched against their quality, it was brilliant that Hodges outdid any of their players for skill. I remember two bits of John Motson’s commentary:

“Hodges… oh, he went past Ince as though he wasn’t there!”

“This man’s left foot is magic.”
 
I remember at the first Burnley match, a Burnley fan coming in the Sheaf after the game shouting the odds about what they were going to do to us in the replay. And bizarrely, for some strange reason he was dressed as Jesus! Anyhow, a right hand came out of nowhere and laid him out. Someone shouted his mates in from outside to drag him out. For the replay, I was one of the few Blades who got in before half time, as gales had blown down lamp posts on the M62, and all the cross pennine routes were snarled up. Indeed, some of my mates gave up and went in a pub at Sowerby Bridge to have pints while listening on the radio.
 
Alan Birchenall's hair said:
I remember at the first Burnley match, a Burnley fan coming in the Sheaf after the game shouting the odds about what they were going to do to us in the replay. And bizarrely, for some strange reason he was dressed as Jesus! Anyhow, a right hand came out of nowhere and laid him out. Someone shouted his mates in from outside to drag him out. For the replay, I was one of the few Blades who got in before half time, as gales had blown down lamp posts on the M62, and all the cross pennine routes were snarled up. Indeed, some of my mates gave up and went in a pub at Sowerby Bridge to have pints while listening on the radio.
Click to expand...
I remember a Hartlepool fan in round 4 getting a good shoeing in the toilets at the bottom of the kop on Cherry Street side. Sneaked out for a piss midway through the first half , there he was blood all over his face and clothes , asked if he was OK.
" Oh I, love a good rumble at away games me" then went on his way.
30 years on and seems like last month.
 
coaxingstar71 said:
It's worth remembering we were pretty dreadful in the cup until Harry Bassett arrived. I think the 1989-90 run to the Quarters was more memorable in some ways as it was the first time we'd got that far in over 20 years, Leeds in 1968 to be precise. The marathon 3 games in the 5th Round against the dingles won with a penalty in extra time in the 3rd game will always stick out. We were unlucky to lose to a quality Man Utd team in the quarter final. Held our own in a game of very few chances.
Click to expand...
was at that leeds cup quarter final in 68 we murdered em on the day hit the bar 3 times and they only got home with a scruffy paul madeley goal a real travesty that day
 
Strange memory, but always remember that was the season Manchester United fans started singing Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.

Cue them singing it when Giggs scored to put them one up, then us giving it back to them for the last 10 minutes after Bruce had missed his penalty.
 
Aeres said:
Strange memory, but always remember that was the season Manchester United fans started singing Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.

Cue them singing it when Giggs scored to put them one up, then us giving it back to them for the last 10 minutes after Bruce had missed his penalty.
Click to expand...

I remember Gary played in over the tannoy the next time we had a great cup run after 1993, when we beat Coventry in the Quarter Final replay. Maybe this was why? (I was too young for the Manchester United match so I didn't know this until now}.
 
Aganarama said:
Bladepicker - great thread. I was ill for the Burnley game and wasn't allowed to go (there are some drawbacks to being 13...). I remember, even now, watching in horror on Ceefax at my Nan's (close to the Lane - kept looking wistfully out of the window) as we looked destined for defeat.
And then the Hartlepool game...the discussions before and after with my art teacher at High Storrs, Mr. Jones (good teacher!), who had a United season ticket but was from Hartlepool and was on their end for this game.
Click to expand...
I remember him, school was full of Wendy’s. Everyday was an argument, there wasnt many blades. Also a shoutout to Alan Corks beard “he wont shave it till the cup run is over”.
 
Glyn Hodges left foot said:
I remember him, school was full of Wendy’s. Everyday was an argument, there wasnt many blades. Also a shoutout to Alan Corks beard “he wont shave it till the cup run is over”.
Click to expand...
Yup - most of the teachers were from the darkside. All the PE department were. Trying to think of any other Blades? Always had banter with classics teacher Mr Everritt (Wolves - especially after Katchouro scored two at their place). And Mr Hayes (physics) would always ask whether I still went to that "palace of cricket vandalism"...
PS Did you ever see Mr Jones and Jason King in the same place? Didn't think so...
PPS Always good to have a High Storrs element to a thread :D
 

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