Sheffield United 1985-1986

[Ballinpigpubs13]

Yes, he got us near the top with some of them. We had Ray Lewington, Ken McNaught aswell. Then I think many were coming to the end of their career. Thompson definitely and Burridge though would make great saves was very erratic (see goal chucked in v Blackburn in a 3-3 classic - Wigley's virtuoso effort).

Porterfield had done well to get us up the leagues but things had gone a bit stale but some of abuse he got was over the top. 'Porterfield Out' was sang at a lot of games in one season in the mid 80's.

McEwan came in and had to bring the age down and oversee a transtiion but some of the kids who went on to have solid careers, both with us and elsewhere (Todd, Duffield, Marsden, Mendonca) were not quite ready.

McEwan was worse than Porterfield really and was a cheap replacement - he had been on the coaching staff.

The Wigley goal you mention in the 3-3 draw was a gem and I remember it well. It's right up there with the Andy Kennedy solo which he virtually ran the length of the pitch and chipped the keeper from the edge of the box into the kop end (against Blackburn again I believe?)

 

[Deadbat]

Wigley's goal might be the best individual goal I have seen for SUFC in my time of watching Certainly that type of goal; inn terms of a one man dribble.....Jagielka v Leeds and Brown v Wednesday rival it in terms of just out and great goals with latter maybe shading it.

I think back of truly great goals and we have had a lot of pot shot goals (Dellas etc) but cant recall many one man goals where they have dribbled and dribbled to score beating man after man (I am too young for the Tony Field effort)?

Vaguely remember the Kennedy one; came in a 4-1 win against Blackburn I think (a club he went onto play for and score against us I believe in our 89/90 promotion season). He ran a long way and the chip was superb.

Great dribbled efforts though I am struggling to recall -- my mind has gone blank - recall Ndlovu scoring a belter at Stockport where he went past 3 men I think?

 

[Pollingtonblade]

Wigley's goal might be the best individual goal I have seen for SUFC in my time of watching Certainly that type of goal; inn terms of a one man dribble.....Jagielka v Leeds and Brown v Wednesday rival it in terms of just out and great goals with latter maybe shading it.

I think back of truly great goals and we have had a lot of pot shot goals (Dellas etc) but cant recall many one man goals where they have dribbled and dribbled to score beating man after man (I am too young for the Tony Field effort)?

Vaguely remember the Kennedy one; came in a 4-1 win against Blackburn I think (a club he went onto play for and score against us I believe in our 89/90 promotion season). He ran a long way and the chip was superb.

Great dribbled efforts though I am struggling to recall -- my mind has gone blank - recall Ndlovu scoring a belter at Stockport where he went past 3 men I think?

What about the one where Monty dribbled past the back post to stick one in at Leeds?

 

[Silent Blade]

Vaguely remember the Kennedy one; came in a 4-1 win against Blackburn I think (a club he went onto play for and score against us I believe in our 89/90 promotion season)

Yes scored the equaliser for Blackburn at the Lane end in our 1-2 home defeat in Dec 1989

 

[Cheets]

So arguably our greatest individual goal and our greatest goalkeeping howler came in the same game, not to mention Colin Morris' emotional response to being subbed (see my post on the Colin Morris thread).

 

[Silent Blade]

So arguably our greatest individual goal and our greatest goalkeeping howler came in the same game, not to mention Colin Morris' emotional response to being subbed (see my post on the Colin Morris thread).

Thought Morris emotional message in the Star was in the 1987-88 season?

 

[Cheets]

Thought Morris emotional message in the Star was in the 1987-88 season?

Colin Morris, perhaps knowing that his place was under threat, was having a blinder against Blackburn. In the second half, the board went up for Morris to come off and the substitute (only one sub in those days of course), the newly signed Steve Wigley to come on. Morris looked disconsolate as he slowly trooped off the pitch. The Kop chanted "COLIN MORRIS ON THE WING" repeatedly as he trudged off the pitch but he didn't wave. Shortly afterwards Wigley scored his wonder-goal. In Monday's Star Morris said something along the lines of "Nothing against Steve; he seems like a nice lad but everyone knows he's been brought in to replace me. I'm sorry I didn't wave to the fans but I was so upset". Of course, Morris ended up staying with us until our relegation in May 1988 whereas if memory serves Billy McEwan swapped Wigley for Martin Kuhl in 1987, who Bassett in turn swapped for Tony Agana.

 

[Silent Blade]

Colin Morris, perhaps knowing that his place was under threat, was having a blinder against Blackburn. In the second half, the board went up for Morris to come off and the substitute (only one sub in those days of course), the newly signed Steve Wigley to come on. Morris looked disconsolate as he slowly trooped off the pitch. The Kop chanted "COLIN MORRIS ON THE WING" repeatedly as he trudged off the pitch but he didn't wave. Shortly afterwards Wigley scored his wonder-goal. In Monday's Star Morris said something along the lines of "Nothing against Steve; he seems like a nice lad but everyone knows he's been brought in to replace me. I'm sorry I didn't wave to the fans but I was so upset". Of course, Morris ended up staying with us until our relegation in May 1988 whereas if memory serves Billy McEwan swapped Wigley for Martin Kuhl in 1987, who Bassett in turn swapped for Tony Agana.

I remember reading the article in the Star too, maybe he said similar in 1987-88 when he wasnt getting full games. Not sure if McEwan or Bassett was the manager at the time I read that article

 

[Cheets]

I remember reading the article in the Star too, maybe he said similar in 1987-88 when he wasnt getting full games. Not sure if McEwan or Bassett was the manager at the time I read that article

We'll have to wait until Walthy posts the 1987-88 season summary before we can discuss that!

 

[Silent Blade]

We'll have to wait until Walthy posts the 1987-88 season summary before we can discuss that!

I believe you. I do not remember the matches in the 1980s like I do for the 1970s and 1990s because I played football regularly on Saturdays from 1979 to 1985 but I do remember going to that 3-3 draw against Blackburn

 

[Silent Blade]

Just watched the whole Fulham match. I do not remember Edwards taking left footed corners

 

[oldblade]

I always thought the venom directed at Porterfield was OTT. Sure he made mistakes like signing way too many ageing players but to take us from Div 4 and the lowest point in our history to challenging for promotion to top flight in five years, albeit with financial backing, didn't warrant the abuse in my opinion.

In every single one of Porterfield's seasons in charge our league position improved. Even in the season that he left we were much higher up the league than we finished in the preceding season.

 

[oldblade]

Not watched these yet but will, 85/86 was my first season of attending the 'big matches' after been taken to loads of reserve games.

My first home match was Middlesboro -lost 1-0 - I was told that day pre match Cockerill was our best player, think we sold him within a month.

Happier memories for away trips though - my first away game was Oldham won 5-1.

Sure more memories will come flooding back when I watch.

That was a match we should never have lost. Completely dominated it, missed chance after chance and then they mugged us with a goal near the end.

 

[Silent Blade]

That was a match we should never have lost. Completely dominated it, missed chance after chance and then they mugged us with a goal near the end.

I think Beagrie was playing for Boro in that match

 

[Cheets]

In every single one of Porterfield's seasons in charge our league position improved. Even in the season that he left we were much higher up the league than we finished in the preceding season.

Yes, and the season before he joined us he won the division 3 title with Rotherham.

 

[Silent Blade]

Watched the last 15 minutes of the Brighton game. That weekend I was playing in a chess congress at Sheffield University. I had finished my round 3 match early and decided to go to the Lane and got in the ground for free as gates usually open with 15 mins left. Saw Withe scoring the 3rd goal before going back to the University (Octagon centre) to start my 4th round match.

Missed the Fulham match (playing in a chess congress in London) and the L**ds match (cant remember why).

I remember the Norwich match well., my Norwich mate cheered the 5th goal(scored by Wendy fan Wayne Biggins) in the Kop! Porterfield's last match

Just seen the whole of the Brighton video. Surprised Edwards making a rough tackle on Eric Young early in the game, Young got upset and refused to accept Edwards offer of shaking hands. Young was one of the hardest players then and Edwards wasnt well known for his tackling. Morris scored the first goal (41:00) from the rebound after his weak penalty was blocked by the keepers legs. A great cross by Paul Smith for Edwards to head in the 2nd goal

 

[Silent Blade]

Just seen the whole L**ds video. The Blades line up shown after the beginning of the video is incorrect.

The correct line up is

1. Burridge
2. Stancliffe
3. Bolton
4. Arnott
5. Eckhardt
6. McNaught
7. Morris
8. Edwards
9. Philliskirk
10. Walshaw
11. Frain
sub Paul Smith

Must have been the only time in his career that Stancliffe wore the number 2 shirt but he still played at CB for the match (and Eckhardt was RB)

Attendance was just over 9,000. It was over 68,000 against the same opponents 50 years earlier!

 

[JJ Sefton]

Just seen the whole L**ds video. The Blades line up shown after the beginning of the video is incorrect.

The correct line up is

1. Burridge
2. Stancliffe
3. Bolton
4. Arnott
5. Eckhardt
6. McNaught
7. Morris
8. Edwards
9. Philliskirk
10. Walshaw
11. Frain
sub Paul Smith

Must have been the only time in his career that Stancliffe wore the number 2 shirt but he still played at CB for the match (and Eckhardt was RB)

Attendance was just over 9,000. It was over 68,000 against the same opponents 50 years earlier!

I have the Fulham Cup match from that season still to post.

 

[Cheets]

I have the Fulham Cup match from that season still to post.

Was it the Fulham cup game where Edwards scored, prompting chants from the Kop of "Are you watching Porterfield?"?

 

[Revolution]

Was it the Fulham cup game where Edwards scored, prompting chants from the Kop of "Are you watching Porterfield?"?

No, Morris scored both goals in the Cup game. Could have been the league game a couple of weeks earlier, when the atmosphere was very toxic despite the fact we won 2-1.

 

[coaxingstar71]

This was my second season as a season ticket holder on the kop. I recall we played really well for a spell beating Bradford? 4-1 away, Oldham 5-1 away and Portsmouth away 3-0 and there were some good home performances against Barnsley 3-1 and Hull 3-1 (one of those Edwards scored a hat-trick including his only pen for us I think) but then we petered out and there were two home games around Christmas/New Year where we beat Fulham 2-1 and Carlisle 1-0, however both were quite poor games from memory, particularly the Carlisle one and the fans were not happy at all.

I seem to recall that after we lost to Derby in the 4th round of the cup at the Lane that Porterfield admitted Derby were 'hungrier' or 'wanted it more' or words to that effect and that didn't go down well.

Even at the time I thought it was a mistake to sack Porterfield when the team were 7th. We all know what happened after that!

 

[Silent Blade]

No, Morris scored both goals in the Cup game. Could have been the league game a couple of weeks earlier, when the atmosphere was very toxic despite the fact we won 2-1.

Withe and McNaught scored. The video of the match is at the top of the thread