RIP Billy McEwan

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Bearlie said:
Wow I was right then ,perhaps it may have been budgie ,I was about 14 at the time
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The BBC jumped off a coach and the police quickly rounded them up and any Blade in the vicinity was also chucked in with them (me included) and taken to the ground, can’t honestly remember how early but pretty sure it was something daft like 3 hours before kick off we were in the ground.

When the players arrived at the stadium and walked out to have a look at the pitch, there was about 100 Blades already there, Burridge came over asking what the crack was, then disappeared down the tunnel then came back with a big tray of teas.
 

Pretty sure it was Billy McEwan who first encouraged the players to go over and properly applaud the fans. I don't think it happened to the same extent before his tenure.
 
HarryHaslam said:
The BBC jumped off a coach and the police quickly rounded them up and any Blade in the vicinity was also chucked in with them (me included) and taken to the ground, can’t honestly remember how early but pretty sure it was something daft like 3 hours before kick off we were in the ground.

When the players arrived at the stadium and walked out to have a look at the pitch, there was about 100 Blades already there, Burridge came over asking what the crack was, then disappeared down the tunnel then came back with a big tray of teas.
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Well I saw it happen so I was in the ground with you ,Another story I can tell you about Billy was Millwall away in 1987 we lost 1-0 Terry hurlock I think
I tell no lies united took about 90/ 100 fans we were stood in a corner billy walked over to the fans and beckoned my mate down to the fence ...
He said can you get around all the lads and thank them personally from me for coming today.
This definitely happened and we definitely took about 100 if not less ...obviously a bleak period
But just shows the measure of the man
Rip Billy
 
My first Blades manager. Can't remember if he walked or was pushed after the infamous Oldham thrashing.
 
RIP Billy.

As a few have commented on this thread, not a vintage period for United on the pitch, but same for me, late teenager at the time and went to all games home and away.

Remember that Bradford game at Odsal, went on the football special (train) and remember Budgie dishing the drinks out before the match. The reason he was doing that? No refreshment kiosks, they'd been burnt down two weeks before by Leeds fans, this a year after the Bradford City fire disaster!

Also, remember that Millwall 1-0 defeat, thanks for putting that memory back in my head, Bearlie, I can recall it now being an abysmal performance, one long range shot all game! I seem to recall the buses getting bricked on the way back at London Bridge by West Ham. Remember it there the season after, I think we played Palace and Millwall in December and I'm sure both had daft kick off times, something like 11am or noon, went to both and we lost them both, the latter we got hammered 3-0ish.

Going back to Billy McEwan, I think he was the Youth coach prior to being manager, and did well in that position. If they didn't win the Northern Intermediate league they came close, with players such as Clive Mendonca, Chris Marsden, Paul Heald and maybe Brian Smith. I reckon at one point with the first team he came close to putting a good team together, he'd agreed a £60k with Swansea for Dean Saunders, due to sign on the Wednesday (the day not the abomination of a football club), they had a striker crisis the night before put Saunders in, he scored 2 and they then decided to keep him. I believe he also came close to signing Mark Bright around the same time for a similar fee but it didn't happen. I always felt a forward line of those two with Beagrie and Morris on the wings would have been excellent.

Not great football wise but some cracking memories from that era.
 
As an aside, managing Sheffield United doesn't seem to be conducive to a long life, Harry Haslam (65), Ian Porterfield (61), Billy McEwan (70), Howard Kendall (69), and tragically Gary Speed (42) - none of them lived to a ripe old age. Also coach Danny Bergara only lived to 65.
 
Figure from my formative years as a fan.

Started going to the Lane in 81/82 but it was during Billy's tenure that I got my first season ticket and started going away regularly.

RIP.
 
RIP, despite some poor results I have happy memories of seeing United during this period. Even the name Billy McEwan seems to be from a bygone era.
 

Cheets said:
As an aside, managing Sheffield United doesn't seem to be conducive to a long life, Harry Haslam (65), Ian Porterfield (61), Billy McEwan (70), Howard Kendall (69), and tragically Gary Speed (42) - none of them lived to a ripe old age. Also coach Danny Bergara only lived to 65.
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And Reg Freeman was only 61 when he died despite still our manager at the time, John Harris was 71 when he died. Archie Clark was in his 60s when he passed away. Only Teddy Davison, Ken Furphy and Jimmy Sirrel lived to be over 80. Bassett will be 80 in 2 years time
 
Can anyone remember the thing at the Top Rank where Billy rallied the troops? Was it the Top Rank? Memory going but I was there and didn't they launch the "player revival fund" ?

A long time ago and memory going. :)
 
SUFC v Cardiff city, 1970. Utd need to win to just about guarantee promotion to the first division.
bobby nutt comes on the Mike to GG the fans up and tells a few jokes finishing off with.
remember though that there are two teams in sheffield

Sheffield united and Sheffield united reserves.

funny the daft things you remember
 
bertieblade said:
SUFC v Cardiff city, 1970. Utd need to win to just about guarantee promotion to the first division.
bobby nutt comes on the Mike to GG the fans up and tells a few jokes finishing off with.
remember though that there are two teams in sheffield

Sheffield united and Sheffield united reserves.

funny the daft things you remember
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April 27th 1971
 
bertieblade said:
SUFC v Cardiff city, 1970. Utd need to win to just about guarantee promotion to the first division.
bobby nutt comes on the Mike to GG the fans up and tells a few jokes finishing off with.
remember though that there are two teams in sheffield

Sheffield united and Sheffield united reserves.

funny the daft things you remember
Click to expand...
Before my time that born in 71
 
I was at the Brighton match at the Old Goldstone ground when we beat them in a cup replay I think it was. Travelling with Shred we met Rotten at the ground who had just been evicted from a squat bar in Amsterdam and had got a rake of vodka with him. Doing the usual stop off for a beer on the way the back and the Blades team bus pulled up outside the pub we were in. In rushes Budgie and orders a job lot of ale for the players and off I pops to the bus to get the team to come in for a bevie and Billy Mac was sat at the front of the bus telling me to get off and the players were going nowhere. On jumps Budgie who handed me a can and told me politely to get off. Proper away days them ⚔️🍺⚔️ RIP Billy Mac
 

Remember being at the Lane to see the team off for (I think) a midweek defeat at Leeds in the Simod Cup (?). When the team were on the bus Billy came off and invited 2 older teenagers on to the team bus to go to the game with them. Top bloke.
 
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