Old United stories wanted

[JJ Sefton]

Hopefully you can help...

Im after any stories you may have heard from parents or grandparents about the Blades, particularly from the pre World War 2 period. Not just stories but memories of particular games, impressions and opinions of players, how the club was run etc

If anyone could help with these please post here or PM me.

UTB

 

[Foxy]

They are all exactly the sort of things that we encourage posting here or blogging about

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

That was subtle hint to open a blog on the subject Walthy...about as subtle as a Woody free-kick!

 

[beightonblade]

Pre war post war ....its always been the same owd ....

 

[JJ Sefton]

They are all exactly the sort of things that we encourage posting here or blogging about

Then Im in the right place then.

 

[grafikhaus]

In 1971, the Blades had just won promotion back to the top flight with the legendary team that included Woodward, Currie, Hockey, Dearden, Salmons etc. On the front cover of The Star/Green 'Un (they used to cover us back then) was a huge picture of the captain - Eddie Colquhoun - in the directors box. The story referred to 'the normally reserved fans in that stand stamping their feet (!) in excitement. Colquohoun had a bottle of champagne in one hand and a fag in the other.

Not necessarily United but pre-war, related to the above and possibly of interest to our younger, namby-pamby fans, told to me by my grandad.

Did you know that until 1934, players were permitted to smoke throughout each game? Cigarette vending machines were fixed to both goalposts, with ashtrays placed at regular intervals along the touch line. But in 1956, the rules of the World Cup were amended, banning smoking during play (other than for goalkeepers), but allowing for a smoking break every 15 minutes. A total ban on smoking during a match came into force only in 1978, after spectators complained that the sound of players coughing was drowning out their chants.

Who'd have thought it?