Spurs v Blades at White Hart Lane, in 1936.

[MightyBlades]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-48028660


Article from the BBC website today, regarding Archibald Leitch, the most prolific football stadium designer ever.

The picture right at the bottom of the article is of Spurs playing Sheffield United, at White Hart Lane in 1936. It looks like the United player has just broken through the Spurs defence and has fired the ball past their keeper.

Perhaps some homework for Silent Blade to work on?

- What was the date of the match, final score, who is it scoring for the Blades in the picture, what was the attendance that day (looks to be a massive crowd) where did we finish in the table that season?

 

[ShockingBadBuy]

18th January 1936.

1-1.

2nd division.

35,534.

 

[Bert]

18th January 1936.

1-1.

2nd division.

35,534.

That crowd looks way bigger than that. They used to cram 55,000 inside White Hart Lane

 

[YorkBlade]

You can almost hear the familiar cry of 'programmes 3 shillings'

 

[ShockingBadBuy]

That crowd looks way bigger than that. They used to cram 55,000 inside White Hart Lane

I thought that, too. But not according to the stats I can find online. Spurs' home gates vs 'provincial' clubs that year, for League Div 2 games, typically bounced around from c.15,000 to c.35,000+. See, for example:-
Sept 16th: 14,930 vs Barnsley.
Oct 12th: 34,483 vs Burnley.
Oct 19th: 37,796 vs Bradford Park Avenue (!)
Feb 5th: 20,085 vs Man Utd.
Apr 11th: 35,286 vs Leicester.
Apr 25th: 15,093 vs Doncaster Rovers

So 35,534 for the Mighty Blades looks pretty decent.

Revise this upwards significantly, though, for home Div 2 games against other London clubs. See, eg:-
Feb 8th: 45,277 vs Fulham.
Mar 14th: 57,417 vs West Ham
Apr 10th: 55,866 vs Charlton

Strikingly, they also had big home gates for FA Cup games, including 64,149 vs Huddersfield on Jan 25th!

Recovery of a sort from the depths of the Depression in 1929-32 was under way by the 1935/36 season, and (I'm assuming) football was relatively more affordable then than now. But the easily available stats suggest that Spurs fans were picking and choosing their games?

* Not bored at work with line manager on leave. No, not a bit of it.

 

[Bert]

I thought that, too. But not according to the stats I can find online. Spurs' home gates vs 'provincial' clubs that year, for League Div 2 games, typically bounced around from c.15,000 to c.35,000+. See, for example:-
Sept 16th: 14,930 vs Barnsley.
Oct 12th: 34,483 vs Burnley.
Oct 19th: 37,796 vs Bradford Park Avenue (!)
Feb 5th: 20,085 vs Man Utd.
Apr 11th: 35,286 vs Leicester.
Apr 25th: 15,093 vs Doncaster Rovers

So 35,534 for the Mighty Blades looks pretty decent.

Revise this upwards significantly, though, for home games against other London clubs. See, eg:-
Feb 8th: 45,277 vs Fulham.
Mar 14th: 57,417 vs West Ham
Apr 10th: 55,866 vs Charlton

Strikingly, they also had big home gates for FA Cup games, including 64,149 vs Huddersfield on Jan 25th!

Recovery of a sort from the depths of the Depression in 1929-32 was under way by the 1935/36 season, and (I'm assuming) football was relatively more affordable then than now. But the easily available stats suggest that Spurs fans were picking and choosing their games?

* Not bored at work with line manager on leave. No, not a bit of it.

That stand by the way was one of the most magnificent in the land. Bert has sat up there and stood on The Shelf.

 

[ShockingBadBuy]

That stand by the way was one of the most magnificent in the land. Bert has sat up there and stood on The Shelf.

For sure. I probably shouldn't admit it, but I've always been a fan of the Archie Leitch stand at the Sty, too. Or what's left of its original form. A hulking, gloomy, cavernous beast of a thing.

 

[Silent Blade]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-48028660


Article from the BBC website today, regarding Archibald Leitch, the most prolific football stadium designer ever.

The picture right at the bottom of the article is of Spurs playing Sheffield United, at White Hart Lane in 1936. It looks like the United player has just broken through the Spurs defence and has fired the ball past their keeper.

Perhaps some homework for Silent Blade to work on?

- What was the date of the match, final score, who is it scoring for the Blades in the picture, what was the attendance that day (looks to be a massive crowd) where did we finish in the table that season?

Looks like Jock Dodds? Will check when I get home

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Numerous quotes are taken from excellent book(s) by Simon Inglis about stadia design over the centuries.

Many references about Leitch and chronicles details of every ground - old and new.

It's a very interesting read.

As usual, many pigs are economical with the truth about their North Stand being the first cantilevered stand (1963 from memory) - it wasn't. Scunthorpe had the first at their old ground - the pigs was the first full length cantilever. For the old ones who went to the old Scunthorpe shit hole, it only covered half of one side of the ground.

UTB

 

[Bert]

For sure. I probably shouldn't admit it, but I've always been a fan of the Archie Leitch stand at the Sty, too. Or what's left of its original form. A hulking, gloomy, cavernous beast of a thing.

It was a shame that Adolf ruined ours.

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

It was a shame that Adolf ruined ours.

Don't tell Wayne Hennessy...

 

[Fulwood Blade]

It was a shame that Adolf ruined ours.

........and did us again when a game was postponed when an UXB was found on Charlotte Road ? during a house renovation or something.

Someone will remember date and game.

UTB

 

[Silent Blade]

........and did us again when a game was postponed when an UXB was found on Charlotte Road ? during a house renovation or something.

Someone will remember date and game.

UTB

v Oldham in February 1985. I was in London that weekend so I was able to see the match that was re-arranged for three days later!

 

[Bert]

........and did us again when a game was postponed when an UXB was found on Charlotte Road ? during a house renovation or something.

Someone will remember date and game.

UTB

https://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/topic/101640-hitler-v-bramall-lane/

 

[Fulwood Blade]

v Oldham in February 1985. I was in London that weekend so I was able to see the match that was re-arranged for three days later!

https://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/topic/101640-hitler-v-bramall-lane/

thanks fellas

silent 1, bert 0 - just beat you too it

UTB

 

[MightyBlades]

The 1935-1936 season, Sheffield United finished 3rd at the end of the campaign, but missed out on promotion by 3 points. It seems in those days only the top 2 were promoted. Manchester United went up as champions. Charlton Athletic went up in 2nd place.

During the same season, Wendy just avoided relegation from the First Division by the hairs on their curly pink tails. They finished 3rd from bottom, but survived, as in those days only the bottom 2 were relegated. Jammy Bastards! Sunderland were crowned First Division Champions in the 1935-1936 season.

However, justice was served the following season as Wendy finished last and were relegated to the Second Division together with Manchester United. Manchester City were crowned First Division Champions in the 1936-1937 season.


Anyone know the United goal scorer in the photo above? I think we owe it him to find out and put his name out there again. Once a Blade, always a Blade, and all that.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

https://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/topic/101640-hitler-v-bramall-lane/

thanks - an interesting read.

The last one talks about tunnels under the roads. This I know for sure as my grandma had a house on South View Road (S7) and the cellars had tunnels built into what my dad told me were bunkers under South View Road. I went to that house up until my grandma died (1966 ish) and I could see where the cellars were bricked up afterwards.

My dad was 9 or 10 at the time - must have been a nightmare for everyone involved.

 

[jockdodds]

The 1935-1936 season, Sheffield United finished 3rd at the end of the campaign, but missed out on promotion by 3 points. It seems in those days only the top 2 were promoted. Manchester United went up as champions. Charlton Athletic went up in 2nd place.

During the same season, Wendy just avoided relegation from the First Division by the hairs on their curly pink tails. They finished 3rd from bottom, but survived, as in those days only the bottom 2 were relegated. Jammy Bastards! Sunderland were crowned First Division Champions in the 1935-1936 season.

However, justice was served the following season as Wendy finished last and were relegated to the Second Division together with Manchester United. Manchester City were crowned First Division Champions in the 1936-1937 season.


Anyone know the United goal scorer in the photo above? I think we owe it him to find out and put his name out there again. Once a Blade, always a Blade, and all that.

The goalscorer was indeed Jock Dodds.

 

[jockdodds]

Looks like Jock Dodds? Will check when I get home

The goalscorer was indeed Jock Dodds.

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

You can almost hear the familiar cry of 'programmes 3 shillings'

HOW MUCH !! ????

For three bob you could buy two good suits , a steak dinner , have a night on the town and still have enough for your bus fare home .

Aye , them were the days , jumpers for goal posts isn't , wasn't it ........

 

[BushBlade]

thanks - an interesting read.

The last one talks about tunnels under the roads. This I know for sure as my grandma had a house on South View Road (S7) and the cellars had tunnels built into what my dad told me were bunkers under South View Road. I went to that house up until my grandma died (1966 ish) and I could see where the cellars were bricked up afterwards.

My dad was 9 or 10 at the time - must have been a nightmare for everyone involved.

Some time ago I was fortunate to go down into a large air raid shelter built for the workers of some factories near the Tate Modern. It’s weird but what really bought it home was the signage down there. Empty tunnels are just that but seeing the signs made me consider how people had actually gone down there during air raids, shitting themselves probably.

My parents were around the same age as yours and I got the impression that their education suffered a bit. I remember my mum saying they didn’t always go to school. It’s difficult to imagine what it must have been like. I’ve also spoken to a woman who saw one of the first V2 strikes, in Chiswick. That must have been terrifying.

 

[HighfieldBlade]

I think Archibald Leitch designed the new John Street stand when it was rebuilt (at the turn of the century?)

 

[Silent Blade]

Manchester City were crowned First Division Champions in the 1936-1937 season.

But got relegated the following season! Amazing!

 

[petrusha]

Manchester City were crowned First Division Champions in the 1936-1937 season.

But got relegated the following season! Amazing!

Apologies for continuing this off-topic digression, but, as it's been mentioned, I'm a bit of an expert on this. Not only did they go down in 1937/8 despite being the reigning champions, but they were also the top scorers in the First Division that season with 80 goals. They also had one of the all-time great 'keepers in Frank Swift, and in those days when everyone played with three men in defence, both full-backs and the centre-half were all England internationals. Absolutely staggering that they managed to be relegated, especially as only two went down back then.

They achieved a record points tally for a relegated side from the top flight under 2 points for a win, and it would be a record under 3 points for a win as well. It's also the only time anyone has been relegated from the top flight with a positive goal difference (+3). Only one other team has been relegated with a positive goal difference from any of the top four English divisions. I'm sure people on here won't need me to tell them who that is, but there are details here for those of a hardy disposition: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2004/may/05/theknowledge.sport

 

[Silent Blade]

Apologies for continuing this off-topic digression, but, as it's been mentioned, I'm a bit of an expert on this. Not only did they go down in 1937/8 despite being the reigning champions, but they were also the top scorers in the First Division that season with 80 goals. They also had one of the all-time great 'keepers in Frank Swift, and in those days when everyone played with three men in defence, both full-backs and the centre-half were all England internationals. Absolutely staggering that they managed to be relegated, especially as only two went down back then.

They achieved a record points tally for a relegated side from the top flight under 2 points for a win, and it would be a record under 3 points for a win as well. It's also the only time anyone has been relegated from the top flight with a positive goal difference (+3). Only one other team has been relegated with a positive goal difference from any of the top four English divisions. I'm sure people on here won't need me to tell them who that is, but there are details here for those of a hardy disposition: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2004/may/05/theknowledge.sport

Hi petrusha, good to see that you still keep an eye on the Blades while your team are going for the "treble". Nuremburg won the Bundesliga in 1968 but got relegated in 1969 and you will know that too!

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

Hi petrusha, good to see that you still keep an eye on the Blades while your team are going for the "treble". Nuremburg won the Bundesliga in 1968 but got relegated in 1969 and you will know that too!

Nuremberg got relegated? I am surprised they didn't produce a late rally... I'll get mi' coat.

 

[petrusha]

Hi petrusha, good to see that you still keep an eye on the Blades while your team are going for the "treble". Nuremburg won the Bundesliga in 1968 but got relegated in 1969 and you will know that too!

Yes, I still look in on this site from time to time and take an interest in what's happening to the Blades. I won't say anything more at the moment for fear of jinxing you.