1, Best Game - Sheffield United 6 West Brom 0. 19 February 2000
So many other matches (honestly) could be the best, but this as I've said before was a "Daddy and Daughter" moment, and I can honestly say that memories of that match do bring a tear to my eye.
"DAD! UNITED ARE THE BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD!" yelled in to my ear on the South Stand.
Makes everything worthwhile, even now. Promotion at Leicester, the piss taking at home to Palace, doing the double over the bastards in 1991/2, Darlington away in 1982, so many others, but nothing will defeat the sixth going in, and hearing my beloved little sufclucy yelling that into my ears, having jumped into my arms, with all the gusto of a hardened Kop veteran.
2, Worst Game - Sheffield United 1 Walsall 1. 2 May 1981.
That was the longest journey back to London(TM) ever. Nobody really realised what had happened for what seemed to be ten minutes, even though just one final blow of the whistle sealed our fate. I was six, and I can still see grown men crying on the old Kop.
There have obviously been more disappointments, some which may even have cost us more, but that day was the worst. Even Altrincham away wasn't as bad as that.
3, Hottest Game - Burnley 1 Sheffield United 1. 7 August 2004
A few spring to mind. Reading away at Elm Lane (we lost 1-0 and it was terrible) when most of my mates got sunstroke. I also remember a blisteringly hot day away at Bournemouth when we drew 0-0, or it might have been another one.
Seeing as Brownie started the thread, I must say say that it was "Shred Hot" away at Burnley on our debut fixture about six years ago. Going via Shred Tours, we had a charabanc of glorious luxury. There was a roof window which could be opened in an emergency.
What didn't help was the tour of Calderdale which our driver chose to take. When we eventually reached Hebden Bridge (don't ask), I can confirm that within an hour, Brownie and I imbibed ten pints each.
To be fair though, the White/Black Swan had a damned good pint.
4, Coldest Game - Sheffield United 2 Burnley 0. 21 February 1995
I've been away at Hartlepool, Grimsby, Blackpool, all sorts, but this home match has a bit of a story. It was sodding cold, and I'd been out most of the evening. My blood circulation suddenly proved that I was a Blade around half time.
My finger tips were red, the middle parts of my phalanges were white (I kid you not - no blod), and the bits nearest my palms were red.
I had red and white striped fingers. Some may say hooped, but I shan't.
5, Best Away Trip - Sheffield Midweek 1 Sheffield United 3. 11 March 1992
Leicester was amazing for all sorts of reasons, and Darlington was just a party we knew would happen, but doing the double over those on a dank, wet night when everyone in the world thought they were certainties was just an astonisnishing moment.
I know it's not really an 'away' match, but how much that meant to me tops the bill. I can remember getting there, being piss wet through, and everyone complaining about this new loan signing from Leeds, called Bobby Davison.
Ninety minutes later, a legend was born. For me, that night, Boxing Day was laid to rest. For that alone, it is the best.
6, Favourite All-Time Player - Dane Whitehouse
Such a difficult one to answer. Paul Stancliffe? Bob Booker? Brian Deane? Keith Edwards? All of these and others describe what United to me is all about. Determination, grit, fuck'em all, we'll win.
Nobody had it more in abundance than our Dane. A swift as yo like down the left, he made it easier for Deane and Agana (bibbetty bobbity boo!) to be the men who terrorised defences.
Gifted and fast, he would always have been a favourite, but he had two other things. Firstly, he was, and is a die hard Blade. Secondly, although he can't be placed in the same place as the Blessed St Hagan in terms of ability, both smited transfers, effectively saying "If I'm not a Blade, I'm not a footballer at all."
I can remember the quote from Dane after our relegation in 1994. "I'm going nowhere. Cut me in half and you'll see the word 'Blade' written there." That was when Liverpool offered £2m for him.
Ainsworth, we will never forget.
7, Favourite All-Time Goal - Sheffield United 2 Port Vale 1, 28 March 1998. Dean Saunders
There are several which I've seen which were wonderful. Deane v Grobbelaar, Lake at Southampton, Whitehouse v West Ham, Jags v Leeds, all sorts.
Nothing really beats the ingenuity and quite frankly, arrogance of Saunders' goal beating Paul Musselwhite. We were under the cosh, and the ball was cleared and only Saunders chased. Musselwhite came out to clear for a throw, but the ball came back to Saunders who threw the ball against the retreating keeper (with almost nobody else around in a red and white shirt), before slotting in from near the touchline from the rebound.
A true piece of genial thinking, so gets my vote.
8, Worst Player - Phil Starbuck
Flattered to deceive when on loan (from Huddersfield?), and then proved to be about as effective as a handbrake on a canoe. Having a go at other targets such as Lee Baxter would be like kicking a puppy. Never looked like he was interested, which admitedly would leave him in a lonely club.
It must be said though, that to single any player out from the hundreds we've had who were terrible is harsh. That said, Laurens Ten Awful or Axel 'Five' 'Smints' Smeets anybody?
9, Best Manager - St David Of Bassett
It's actually close in my lifetime as to whether it's St Neil of Warnock or St David of Bassett, but Harry wins it. He managed to get two sides relegated from the same division in 1987 (Bristol City away was a contender for worst away match), but the rollercoaster which was St David was something which nobody at United expected.
He took us back from the abyss, and was just as much fun as St Neil, but we never believed for one moment that we'd get there with him.
I felt like we'd won the World Cup when we beat Forest 3-2
10, Worst Manager - Barny Sornob
I don't remember Jimmy Sirrel (who actually took Notts County to the top flight after he left us), but I do do remember the hapless Martin Peters, and so I suppose that Harry Haslam has to fall into this category, but it's between Heath and Sornob for me.
Maybe it's because Sornob is more recent that it hurts more, but really, it's because he squandered so much, and left us in a much worse position than we could have been.
Utterly devoid of any management skills at all, he tops the bill.[/QUOTE]
The Wigan game when we got relegated was bad for obvious reasons. Burnley away when Baxter was in goal was a bad one, as was Scunthorpe at home when Robson was in charge. I'm too young to clearly remember the games under Heath (which is probably a good thing).
