Players you’ve bumped into

[GVBlade]

Billy Dearden, at a school fete

 

[djbaldken]

Frank Worthington a few years ago. In a newsagents in Huddersfield. Just said to him 'One Hump or Two' (the title of his autobiography. (Good read btw)). He smiled and asked if I was a town fan. I told him I was a Blade. His reply was 'Tony Currie'. He then went on to tell me he and Currie were room mates on England duty and what a genius of a player Currie was. Chatted for a couple of minutes. Really nice unassuming guy.

 

[alvblade]

Once on a stag do in magaluf the year swansea won play off we were watching game in a bar and Jason Koumas came in bought a drink and came to sit with us. Top bloke. Have seen Billy Sharp at Yorkshire wildlife park a couple of times recently he always has a chat.

 

[Stanthemanfan]

I know Sam Sears, as she was then, I’ll let her know you were a fan.

But more importantly, I’ll also let her son know, which will provide me with much more entertainment

View attachment 56847

That's the pic what was on my wall, from the middle of the programme, what a stunner she was!

 

[PC_1989]

I was fortunate to bump into most of the starting X1 after the 17/18 home demolition of Hull (4-1). Me and a couple of mates had booked a table in Kettle Black for the evening and they obviously had the same idea. I can honestly say that all of them were an absolute treat to spend time with. They would have been perfectly within their rights to tell me to f-off and leave them to it. They were completely the opposite, Couttsy even pushed our tables together. Some proper genuine blokes:

Dan Lafferty - great chap, spent ages talking to me and waxing lyrical about his teammates and the camaraderie around the place;
Paul Coutts - joker in the pack and more than happy to chat. I apologized again for interupting their night at one point and he said "Paul, you've just bought us a round of drinks man... you can do whatever the f**k you want - no complaints from us";
Billy Sharp: effervescent captain and the other players erupted when he turned up. Was genuinely interested in my (fan) perspective of the team;
John Fleck: one of the quietest chaps about. Very diminutive fella. He spent most of the night quietly sipping his Corona (genuinely). Said he loves playing for the club and he likes Sheffield as a city;
Leon Clarke: naturally the centre of attention after bagging four goals but was, again, relatively quiet. Clearly a hugely popular lad with his teammates though;
Richard Stearman: still quite new at this point and hadn't featured much. Was very forthcoming in his praise for the group he'd just joined. Made reference to it having a 'special' feeling.

Overall a top bunch of lads. Came away feeling even more positive about the club.

 

[Torrix1889]

Jostein Flo outside Currys on The Moor. Said "hello mate" to me and that was it......lovely hair.
Kissed Alan Corks bald head in Josephines, then was nearly knocked out by Carlton Palmer "helicoptering" his todger in the gents...
Phil Thompson was laid on the sunbed next to me in Tenerife 2 years ago, his conk blocked out the sun....didn't speak to him although I know he clocked by Blades tattoo...
Alan Hansen opened the shop I was working in at Retail World, had a good chat with him in the staff room beforehand, very down to earth, wanted to talk Golf more than football....

 

[Stu_Blade]

Craig Short in Faro airport, absolute top man.

He spoke highly of his time at United, Leeds had offered him more money, but he wanted to finish his career under Warnock.

He laughed when I compared him to Beckenbauer, for his part in Danny Webbers goal at Stoke.

I bumped into Craig Short at Newcastle Airport before our tour of NI/Ireland in around 2007. I was flying to Belfast to travel down to Newry.

Also bumped into Billy and James Beattie shopping in Sheffield Centre the same year

 

[cooperblade]

Morgan must be permanently out and about - I've seen him in the Potting Shed in Barnsley and at Chester Zoo.

When I worked in Ladbrokes on London Road, I served Simon Tracey, Charlie Hartfield, Billy Whitehurst, John Ebbrell and David Holdsworth. Holdsworth came into Baldwin's Omega one night where I had my second job as a barman - he came to the bar and greeted me like an old mate and bought me a drink. Made me feel a million dollars!

 

[napoliblade]

Not blades related, but about 20 years ago i was involved in coaching "our neighbors u18's" one of the tournament's we attended got talking to
Liam Brady nice person and Gary Shaw (ex Villa), Shaw can drink like a fish.

 

[BobblesBlade]

Sat on the table next to Morgs a few weeks ago at Ponti's Italian restaurant in the Fox Valley Shopping Centre at Stocksbridge.

And....

and nothing really.

He was there with his wife and kid - at least that's who I think they were. I don't know, I didn't speak to him. I don't know him. He doesn't know me. I've no more desire to introduce myself to him than any other complete stranger tbh. I mean, if there was some reason we got into a conversation then fine...but there wasn't.

I was in the Pointing Dog on Eccy Road about 3 years ago now, one saturday evening. It was jam packed in there and me and my trophy-wife missus were parked up next to a high table. Ex Blade, Stephen Quinn, was stood next to us. On this occasion we did get chatting. But that's only because some stupid bint spilled her drink right over the both of us! So, we had a bit of a laugh about it - my wife got out some tissues and offered them to him to wipe down his suit jacket - and that was that. Did I introduce myself? No. Did I start talking to him about football and Sheff Utd - no. Why should I?

To be perfectly honest, I think there is something very juvenile and not grown up at all about fans who are desperate to bump into, be seen with, or start up a conversation with a footballer. When I was 6 years old I wanted the Beatles to come to our house for tea. When I was 11 or 12 years old I used to go in Billy Dearden's chip shop on West Street hoping I might see him in there, so I could talk to him about Sheff Utd. I grew out of those things. I grew up. I became a man. An adult.

I'd be sociable to any footballer, but no more so than to any other human being. I see them as just being normal folks and not objects to admire and worship. But obviously that puts me in the minority of football fans - thank God!

No problems with that.

 

[Freeman]

George Santos coming back through passport control today at Manchester.

 

[PageHallBlade]

walked into my stepsons room when all his mates where in making a reyt noise see 2 lads in the room it was saw Kyles Norton and Walker just before they went "big"

 

[FatPaul]

Not a player, but I installed a telephone line at Craig Pawson's house a few year back.

 

[Demon Blade]

Back in the early 90"s Dane Whitehouse would occasionally frequent the bars of Rovrum on a weekend. He was a star on the pitch at the time and a star off it too such a polite likable young man. It breaks my heart to this day what that bastard at Port Vale got away with.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

Bumped into John Fleck a couple of times, all positive but only ever really said hello or the old head nod haha. See Paddy Kenny our and about all the time and also all positive.

Positive drugs tests, yeah?

 

[guancheblade]

I bumped into David Unsworth in his local Ormskirk Spar. Just me and him in there so had to introduce myself and talked about the run in, how we agreed that if we beat Hull at home in the next game that would effectively seal the deal for us, and about how I recall him clapping the away fans when taking corners at a freezing Tuesday night game in Derby.

Anyway not only did we beat Hull in the next game, it was a classic BL moment when Unsworth smashed in the winner. I take full credit of course.

Once saw Kyle Walker outside a restaurant in Manchester (during his Spurs era) - lost my shit and rudely interrupted his phone conversation. He was dead good about it and was polite enough to say hello.

Queued for fish and chips behind Tony Agana after an abject away defeat at Rochdale.

My parents once saw Brian Gayle at a private hospital, shared adjacent beds on a ward. I only found out about it when they gifted me a signed Brian Gayle photo for my birthday

The big one though was standing at a Turf Moor urinal in 2009 and none other than recent Stoke signing James Beattie pop up at the urinal next to me! Closely followed by Billy Sharp!! I was too shocked to speak. But it was cool that Beattie was still supporting his pals on a weekday night away at Burnley. Sharp looked annoyed (probably cos Blackwell never brought him off the bench).

 

[dblade56]

March 9th 1968 - coming back from West Ham United with my dad, 5th round of cup, won 2-1. Our bus stopped at the Leicester Forest services on M1, as we were walking back to the bus, who should pull in my the Blades bus, we didn't leave for quite a while. Lost to Leeds in the next round, still can't believe that Mick Jones hit Hodgy that hard!!!

 

[Eggy]

I work in a supermarket so i've seen quite a few players and other famous sportsmen and women come through the doors. Billy Sharp, Simon Moore, Jack Lester, Stephen Quinn, Jose Semedo, Carlos Carvalhal, Gary Megson, Jess Ennis, Nick Matthew (Badminton), Joe Root, Kell Brook to name a few. Bumped into Alan Quinn in Meadowhall once, he was busy faffing around with the kids. Also, i came out of Viper Rooms nighclub one night and found myself stood next to Darius Henderson and Mark Yeates. Yeates was ok but Henderson was questioning me about my loyalty and support of Utd. The prick!

 

[Cerberus Blade]

Billy Dearden, at a school fete

Now there's a nice chap.

I met him years ago through business. Very down to earth bloke, made me very welcome and was a very nice guy to talk to. I didn't tell him I used to have a picture of him on my bedroom wall though.

Len Badger used to take us for football training at Dronfield back in the 80's - again another very nice bloke. I've met a few others as well, I occasionally socialise with a couple of ex-Blades players. One from the Bassett era, who is more a friend of a friend really, and the other from the John Harris era, who is a guy I've known for years and worked with. Poor lad isn't so well these days and needs a walking frame to get around. He was always one of the fittest blokes I knew, so it's sad to see him like this.

Most of these guys are just normal, down to earth folk, and they are happy to be treated as that. It must get pretty boring for them when they can't go out for a quiet drink without someone interrupting their evening because they are desperate to be seen talking to them, for their benefit, not the player's benefit. So, I don't. Simple as that really. I treat them no different to any other person. That's where I'm coming from anyhow.

I used to work with this lad, a mad Man United fan. He was flying back from somewhere on business and couldn't believe his luck when Ryan Giggs occupied the seat next to him. This kid was very intense. I mean, he could bore the legs of a dining table. He got stuck into Giggsy immediately. I don't know how long the flight was but apparently Giggsy just turned round after a few minutes and said to him, "Why don't you just fuck off?" Unrequited love eh?

 

[Classof85]

Met Alan Kelly years ago in Focus do it all in chesterfield he was buying plywood. He was my childhood hero, i said hello and he took time to talk to me asked what i was doing there and told him was meeting my mum from work.

Also saw Petr Katchuro in chesterfield i was only young and wsa in town with my mum waiting for cash machine at Nationwide Building Society and he turned round and i whispered rather loudly "Mum thats Petr Katchuro" he obviously heard my had spoke to us in very very broken english.

Remember talking to a woman at a friendly against Baslow who was quite attractive turned out to be Paddy Kenny's wife, that worked out well for him, at the same game i nearly got run over by Nuddy in his Gold 306 cabriolet

Met Wayne Allison out in chesterfield on a night out whilst he played for them, He walked into bar i was in i shouted CHIEEEFFFFF as loud as i could he heard it came over asked if i was a town fan said no was a blade, he bought a few rounds of drinks for us and had a good laugh with us. a genuine top bloke is Chief.

The one that is really hard to say is Kevin Pressman. He used to come into Safeway\Morrisons in chesterfield where i worked in the petrol station and as much as it pains me to say it he was a genuinely nice bloke very humble and you could really have a laugh with him. I hate myself for it considering how he always had blinders against us too.

 

[Whiston Blade]

Bumped into Paul Beesley on the Shoreham St/Cherry street corner a few seasons ago, was a match day so not all surprising... Saw Lee Hendrie and his Mrs in Meadowhall the day before his first game with us. Dane Whitehouse on Wembley Way before the Burnley game and my dad introduced me to Jimmy Muir on Wembley Way before the Pig semi-final, had no idea who he was at the time as I was 8 years old.

 

[djbaldken]

Just got off the phone with my cousin. My other cousin, her brother, is currently in hospital. Our Trev is a football fanatic. I tried to convert him to the Blades some years ago in the 70's and took him all over country to watch the Blades. But he eventually gravitated back to his hometown club The Millers. As I said he is a football nut and can reel off stats about any club or player you'd care to name.
Anyway as I said he s currently in Rotherham general hospital. Apparently last night in his sleep hes calling out footballers names. So this morning the rest of the ward were testing him on footballers. They were asking him to name who he thought were the best players from our local clubs. He went through Rotherham first, then did Blades. The guy in the bed next to him then asked him to name who he thought were the best players of our neighbours in S6. He reeled off a few names.
The guy in the next bed then asked him who he thought was their best ever player so Our Trev said 'Roland Neilson, adding 'he barely made a mistake. His positional sense was spot-on, his tackling and heading were timed to perfection, and his distribution and passing was brilliant'.
The bloke in the next bed then said 'yeah but how did he compare to Dave Cusack?'
Our Trev just sniffled , huffed and said very dismissively, 'Dave Cusack!!!! he was nt fit enough to lace Neilsons boots!!!'
There was a pregnant pause, then the guy in the next bed said............'Im Dave Cusack'.............
The whole ward then split their sides laughing. Including Dave Cusack. And our Trev.
Sadly Cusack is suffering from neurocognitive brain disorder which results in severe short-term memory loss. A condition brought on by the heading of the heavy balls of those days.

 

[Trigger Blade]

Nick Matthew (Badminton)

He was world and British champion at a racquet sport, but it was squash, one of the best players this country has ever produced and an OBE. Sadly, he’s also an oinker.

He’s one of the very few grunters who I wish was a Blade, not just because he’s world class, but because he’s an all round good egg, not that I know him personally, but I know people who do and that’s their view.

 

[S64 Blade]

Bumped into Paul Beesley on the Shoreham St/Cherry street corner a few seasons ago, was a match day so not all surprising... Saw Lee Hendrie and his Mrs in Meadowhall the day before his first game with us. Dane Whitehouse on Wembley Way before the Burnley game and my dad introduced me to Jimmy Muir on Wembley Way before the Pig semi-final, had no idea who he was at the time as I was 8 years old.

That reminds me, I've see Whitehouse in the Roebuck before games, a few times in recent years.

 

[Aganarama]

He was world and British champion at a racquet sport, but it was squash, one of the best players this country has ever produced and an OBE. Sadly, he’s also an oinker.

He’s one of the very few grunters who I wish was a Blade, not just because he’s world class, but because he’s an all round good egg, not that I know him personally, but I know people who do and that’s their view.

He went to High Storrs, where his dad was a PE teacher. (At that time all the PE teachers there were wendies.)

 

[Aganarama]

I saw David Holdsworth in the Hilton at the ICC when he was at Blues. I suggested he should have never left United. He agreed, with a melancholy that I wasn’t expecting.

I used to go to Mark Stevenson’s barbers on City Road. In the early 90s it was a great place to Blade spot. Mark Morris, David Barnes, John Pemberton, Bob Booker et al. They were always happy to chat to a star struck youngster. Booker was great. I’d had a chat with him one time and left before him. On the walk home a car passed me and hooted. It was Sir Bob! Top man.

 

[Aganarama]

Sir Geoff Hurst asked me for directions not long back. He was looking for Finsbury Circus in the City. An autograph was a fair trade!

 

[Deleted member 1486]

Geoff Hurst at Finsbury Circus. He was a bit miffed. Got lost on the way. He said he asked for directions but someone lunatic gave him an autograph.

 

[Eggy]

He was world and British champion at a racquet sport, but it was squash, one of the best players this country has ever produced and an OBE. Sadly, he’s also an oinker.

He’s one of the very few grunters who I wish was a Blade, not just because he’s world class, but because he’s an all round good egg, not that I know him personally, but I know people who do and that’s their view.

I knew it was squash and not badminton, yet for some reason i still wrote badminton. Thanks for the correction though

 

[COME BACK CHED]

None of you will believe or be able to top it , this but i once bumped into the great Tony Currie in Dronfield , ..