RIP Francis Joseph

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Tarqs said:
That's one of my memories...
The other is deane's weird lobs from throwins where he somehow flicked it over his own head to the back stick and in.
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In fact if you watch the clip, he does it in the following game vs Bury.
 
Like a few others was there on the day he made his debut at Reading when you could immediately tell something had changed with United and we were in for a good season, though no idea just how good the next few years would be.
Also seem to remember film of the away end that day featured in the opening credits of The Manageress. (One for the oldies)
RIP.
 
Greenwich Blade said:
"Bloody brilliant, Sheffield!" Heard about four times throughout the 100 Years 100 Goals video.
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Isn’t there a phantom “they’re going through you Sheffield” in the same video twice ? Notts county away.

More seriously RIP - still my favourite team and season ever.
 
TomHeffernan said:
Remember that night well. Specifically the bloody fog on the drive down
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Brilliant atmosphere, we must have took over 4,000 for a night game.
Think both teams were near the top of the league at the time, so it was one of Vales biggest crowd in years.

Just checked and the attendance that night was 13,246, which at the time had been their biggest crowd for 16 years (since 1973). However this was beaten later in the season when they had 16,362 whilst playing top of the table Wolves.

The Port Vale average that season was 6,731, their highest average gate in the previous 20 years.

That season in 1989 the Champions were Wolves, we finished 2nd and Port Vale finished 3rd going into the play-offs which they won,
resulting in Vale being promoted to the 2nd tier for the 1st time in over 30 years.
 
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RIP Francis.

I too have fond memories of that 88/89 promotion season as had started going 3 years previously and let's be honest they were rubbish.

This was the first year I was able to go to school of predominantly pigs on a high.

The Reading game is my first memory of Joseph he scored in a 3-1 easy win when 4 months prior Reading had beat us 2-0 on our way down, that was to set the scene for an amazing season and a promotion season which isn't discussed half as much as it should be because of the following season. I loved the 88/89 season and sad that one of the players from that era is no longer with us RIP big man x
 
N20 Blade said:
Isn’t there a phantom “they’re going through you Sheffield” in the same video twice ? Notts county away.

More seriously RIP - still my favourite team and season ever.
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There is! I must have worn out that VHS tape counting his strange musings. And Deane and Agana's goals of course.
 
Shirecliffe sniper upping his game?

RIP Francis , once a Blade ....
 
RIP.

Francis Joseph:

- came on as a sub for Reading at the Lane the season before he joined us. The scoreboard named him as “Joseph Francis”

- only started 5 games out of his 13 league appearances, mainly when Bryson was injured or Deano suspended. That first game injury was costly.

- scored in his last game for us, in a 4-2 win v Gillingham in January. He was subbed at HT. there were rumours at the time that this was for non injury reasons and there was some sort of argument.

- signed for Gillingham soon afterwards and played 15 times, scoring once, as they were relegated that season.

- had a brother, Roger, who was the regular RB for Wimbledon in their top flight days for several seasons.

- played his final league game for Barnet in 1991-2, their first league season
 
Revolution said:
RIP.

Francis Joseph:

- came on as a sub for Reading at the Lane the season before he joined us. The scoreboard named him as “Joseph Francis”

- only started 5 games out of his 13 league appearances, mainly when Bryson was injured or Deano suspended. That first game injury was costly.

- scored in his last game for us, in a 4-2 win v Gillingham in January. He was subbed at HT. there were rumours at the time that this was for non injury reasons and there was some sort of argument.

- signed for Gillingham soon afterwards and played 15 times, scoring once, as they were relegated that season.

- had a brother, Roger, who was the regular RB for Wimbledon in their top flight days for several seasons.

- played his final league game for Barnet in 1991-2, their first league season
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I saw him on BBC FA cup highlights after leaving us, playing for Crewe Alexandra v Chelsea.
 

RIP Blade. My memory of the 3-3 Port Vale game are of it being really foggy, which it was, and none of the stands having a roof, which can't be right, maybe the fog was hiding them? Not watched the video back back yet.
 
Odd what trivia just sticks in the mind.
January 1989 away at Huddersfield in the Cup.
Stadium announcer said there's a change to the printed team.
'Sheffield United substitute is Francis Joseph, not John Francis as stated in the programme.'
 
he did score on his debut at Reading but picked up a knock that blighted his year with us
Bassett got him for free as hed worked with him before
scored 3 for us
so RIP once a blade etc

my memory of that Reading game was those bloody roundabouts in Reading , nightmare
 
Is that picture of the game at Valley Parade? And more importantly is that a picture of Paul Williams in the background? If so then his claim to fame is that he his the worst player bar none (and I have seen some total shite play for United in my time) to ever grace a Utd shirt imo. I still wake up in cold sweats sometime as I see him blaze over the bar from two yards out at the kop end as he stood unmarked in the middle of the net and the ball came to him with no pace on it. It was a great of almighty shiteness and almost defied gravity as he managed to miss it. Think it was in an important game too. Bristol City play off at the Lane rings a bell but that could be wrong. I know I just stood there laughing for a good 2 mins after he had missed and then proceeded to look bamboozled at himself like a village idiot. He was beyond dreadful.
 
Weasel said:
Is that picture of the game at Valley Parade? And more importantly is that a picture of Paul Williams in the background? If so then his claim to fame is that he his the worst player bar none (and I have seen some total shite play for United in my time) to ever grace a Utd shirt imo. I still wake up in cold sweats sometime as I see him blaze over the bar from two yards out at the kop end as he stood unmarked in the middle of the net and the ball came to him with no pace on it. It was a great of almighty shiteness and almost defied gravity as he managed to miss it. Think it was in an important game too. Bristol City play off at the Lane rings a bell but that could be wrong. I know I just stood there laughing for a good 2 mins after he had missed and then proceeded to look bamboozled at himself like a village idiot. He was beyond dreadful.
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Glad you got that 'off your chest', as was said long time ago, sure you feel much easier now.
I'm sure we all have one. :)
 
VM198 said:
Glad you got that 'off your chest', as was said long time ago, sure you feel much easier now.
I'm sure we all have one. :)
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I have learned to live with it now for many years and I'm comfortable with that miss now. But sometimes, when the demons come in those long dark nights and I think back to days gone by, I have been been known to recall that miss and reach for the bottle...

In truth, I just laughed at the ineptitude of it at the time. A truly ridiculous miss from an awful footballer. Might be decent chap for all I know in life though.
 
Weasel said:
I have learned to live with it now for many years and I'm comfortable with that miss now. But sometimes, when the demons come in those long dark nights and I think back to days gone by, I have been been known to recall that miss and reach for the bottle...

In truth, I just laughed at the ineptitude of it at the time. A truly ridiculous miss from an awful footballer. Might be decent chap for all I know in life though.
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Exactly, you've got to smile because after all's said it's only a game.
Mines Bobby Ford, not for an individual incident, generally.
 
United Aren't Back. said:
Was this the v 1 4 victory at Bradford, early 1990??
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No it would have been the Yorkshire and Humberside Cup match prior to the 88/89 season. We won that trophy by beating Scarborough. I think this game was a nil nil draw but Silent Blade or Revolution will be along soon to tell me I'm wrong 😀
 

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