The best ever?

[grafikhaus]

Having been around the Blades for several decades, and after much consideration, was this the 'best' United win ever?

I'm basing this on the gap between us and our opponents. In other words, the 'unlikeliness quotient'* This gap obviously reflects the gulf in skill levels, resources etc.

The Forest game in 2003 will be unsurpassed in sheer excitement. Leicester away in 1990 was unbelievable but we were very close in the League. Norwich away in 1989 (?) was close in the UL*, but we lost. Everton in the FAC in 1969 was commendable. Everton were, I think, Champions but with players like Woodward, we were no pushovers.

In 1971, in our 10-game unbeaten start, we won at Arsenal. Again, massively impressive but against a team in the same division. Ditto our 5-1 home win v. Cardiff in the 70-71 promotion campaign and our many victories over Wendy in the early 90s.

Thoughts?

 

[Selly]

On the sheer unlikeliness it is absolutely the most unexpected result in my lifetime.

It's not the biggest win, as it is only the 3 rd round of the cup, but certainly the most surprising in terms of expectation.

 

[Blade 57]

My nine year old grandson thinks so! Before the kick off he said, "I just hope we score a goal grandad, even if we don't win, so we can at least celebrate".
This is from a lad who has experienced nothing but the lows (including two play-off defeats) in his time watching the Blades. To see his face when we scored and at the final whistle was something I will never forget. UTB

 

[CG Blade]

My nine year old grandson thinks so! Before the kick off he said, "I just hope we score a goal grandad, even if we don't win, so we can at least celebrate".
This is from a lad who has experienced nothing but the lows (including two play-off defeats) in his time watching the Blades. To see his face when we scored and at the final whistle was something I will never forget. UTB

I had the same with my Grandson, it was a great day for every one, but for our Grandsons I showed them what the blades are all about .

 

[DazBlade88]

My nine year old grandson thinks so! Before the kick off he said, "I just hope we score a goal grandad, even if we don't win, so we can at least celebrate".
This is from a lad who has experienced nothing but the lows (including two play-off defeats) in his time watching the Blades. To see his face when we scored and at the final whistle was something I will never forget. UTB

I had the same thoughts before the game yesterday, and I'm 25

All I wanted to enjoy the day was to take the lead or equalise so I could go mental, I never expected us to actually win it!

In terms of the biggest surprise it's definitely the best for me. You can never beat a win at Hillsborough but they're a lot more common than days like yesterday!

 

[Linz]

I couldn't get over the enthusiasm for the game beforehand and made me realise how long ago the 2003 games were. The 18 year old wannabe "lads" that were strutting round would have been 8 when we reached those two semi-finals and only 10 when we went to Highbury and snatched a replay (despite the officials' best efforts).

So in terms of recent supporters, it probably is the best game coming against the upheaval we've had. But looking back, we've had greater upsets in the not so distant past than beating a struggling, confidence hit Aston Villa side.

 

[sothall blade]

i thought its a nice change for the blades to be all over the news for the right reasons for a change

 

[Revolution]

United's giant killing away wins in The FA Cup (ie beating a team in a higher division away):

1939 2-1 v Blackpool
1958 3-0 v Spurs
1959 3-0 v Arsenal
1961 1-0 v Everton
1961 3-1 v Newcastle
2008 1-0 v Bolton
2014 2-1 v Villa

For all of the other games, we were in the second tier, so yesterday's splendid victory is arguably our best ever giant killing achievement.

Incidentally, as far as I can recall, United have never beaten a team from a higher division away from home in the League Cup. Is that right?

 

[AlexHD]

I'd say its possibly the best away cup win , but the 2003 games are hard to beat ..
I miss 'Never say die ' united

 

[Trigger Blade]

On the sheer unlikeliness it is absolutely the most unexpected result in my lifetime.

It's not the biggest win, as it is only the 3 rd round of the cup, but certainly the most surprising in terms of expectation.

The Trig contingent were there with absolutely no expectation other than an abject surrender and heavy defeat, which is what's so wonderful about it.

For your interest Selly, Trig Jnr (TE) lives in Edgbaston and his younger brother has some Villa supporting mates. Pre-match, we met up in the Aston Social Club, beautifully located under the Aston Expressway.

Even before we got in there, we'd started a Phoenix Nights conversation and wondered if there might be a horse in the cabaret suite. There wasn't, but there were some similarities. We went back there after, and bizarrely, there was a disco on, full volume. His mates were very gracious and agreed we thoroughly deserved it.

 

[highpeakblade]

This morning in the paper it said something about 50 or so places between us and them in the league. The Triple assault season threw up some good wins but we were a Championship team then pushing for Premiership status so it wasn't so much a bit shock for us or the neutral because we were value for what we achieved.

Now however, lowest position in a couple of decades, a dismal start to the campaign and everything else and on paper it just looks even more impressive all things considered. All I asked for pre match yesterday was that we went down fighting, I didn't expect us to win that is no secret but I wanted the players to give all the fans something to come away from Villa Park happy with.

That tells us now that in theory if we turn up we can win any game in this league.

 

[oldblade]

It wasn't an away match, but I think beating Arsenal in the league cup first leg match in 1981 was a greater achievement. We were a division lower than we are now and that Arsenal side were a better side than Villa.

Mind you, it's a shame we didn't draw West Ham. Forest are making them look like a Conference side.

 

[Silent Blade]

United's giant killing away wins in The FA Cup (ie beating a team in a higher division away):

1939 2-1 v Blackpool
1958 3-0 v Spurs
1959 3-0 v Arsenal
1961 1-0 v Everton
1961 3-1 v Newcastle
2008 1-0 v Bolton
2014 2-1 v Villa

For all of the other games, we were in the second tier, so yesterday's splendid victory is arguably our best ever giant killing achievement.

Incidentally, as far as I can recall, United have never beaten a team from a higher division away from home in the League Cup. Is that right?

The 3-0 win against Arsenal in 1959 was a home replay after drawing 2-2 at Highbury. In the replay Arsenal's keeper, Jack Kelsey (played for Wales in 1958 WC and lost to a Pele goal in the QFs), was carried off with a broken leg

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

It wouldn't even be in my top ten Blades results.

 

[judge]

It depends who you are I suppose , warnock and basset had nothing to do with this so it will rank as no 1 to hoofwaffe

 

[Living In a Fantasy World]

Its got to be up there with our poor record down at there ground.

 

[BladeFisher]

Its got to be up there with our poor record down at there ground.

First time since England won the World Cup. Now there's an omen.

 

[Droppingwell]

My favourite would be the win over Liverpool in the late 70's (78?) at Bramall Lane in the League cup. In terms of league placings it would have been closer than yesterday. However we were on a spiral downwards and they were the best team in Europe with Clemence, Souness, Dalglish, Hughes etc some of the best players to ever play in England.....and a 25 yard volley in the kop end to win it as well!

 

[blade too long]

the fact we were away, at a ground we traditionally stink on , and our current third ever lowest league position in our history Id say its the biggest giant killing weve achieved, hopefully it will be our last chance as we climb to a position where we are on the recieving end

 

[Grecian2000]

It wasn't an away match, but I think beating Arsenal in the league cup first leg match in 1981 was a greater achievement. We were a division lower than we are now and that Arsenal side were a better side than Villa.

All of which is quite true OB, however, first leg wins have a habit of going tits up next time around (as this one did, albeit not by much).

I would say this easily makes my 20 best games. No expectation, a "proper" ground where I'd seen us lose more than enough times and a support we simply haven't deserved and I thought might be beyond us. A day to remember for sure.

 

[Sothall_Blade]

My favourite would be the win over Liverpool in the late 70's (78?) at Bramall Lane in the League cup. In terms of league placings it would have been closer than yesterday. However we were on a spiral downwards and they were the best team in Europe with Clemence, Souness, Dalglish, Hughes etc some of the best players to ever play in England.....and a 25 yard volley in the kop end to win it as well!

I would agree that result has to be our biggest ever giant-killing due to the quality of the opposition.
Talk about "putting a strong team out"!:-

Clemence, Neal, A.Kennedy, Hughes, Thompson, R.Kennedy, Case, Souness, Dalglish, McDermott, Heighway. Sub:-Fairclough

Is that 12 Internationals or only 11? European Champions and one of the best English club sides ever.
All before they ruined football too. Surely this was our finest hour?

http://www.lfchistory.net/SeasonArchive/Game/1045

 

[Droppingwell]

I would agree that result has to be our biggest ever giant-killing due to the quality of the opposition.
Talk about "putting a strong team out"!:-

Clemence, Neal, A.Kennedy, Hughes, Thompson, R.Kennedy, Case, Souness, Dalglish, McDermott, Heighway. Sub:-Fairclough

Is that 12 Internationals or only 11? European Champions and one of the best English club sides ever.
All before they ruined football too. Surely this was our finest hour?

http://www.lfchistory.net/SeasonArchive/Game/1045

Crikey, when you see the team listed it looks an even better win! That truly was, even by Liverpool's standards, a superb side. None of the squad rotation, playing weakened teams rubbish in those days. I don't remember a second leg, did they not have them in the late 70's?

I was only 7 but can remember Conroy being absolutely amazing that night under wave after wave of attacks. Also an unusual moment when we had a free kick around 25 yards out. The Liverpool wall did not move back so the ref just booked everyone in the wall (bearing in mind the players he was booking). I am sure the ref's would just bottle it these days. Then that goal.

I was so happy when the final whistle went I burst into tears! At that age, that game is what probably tied my loyalty to United. Brilliant memories.

 

[Ollessendro]

What about when we beat Arsenal at the Lane in January 1996? We were thoroughly crap then and Arsenal were very good. We’d recently sacked Basset, were languishing 2nd bottom in the 2nd tier and had not won under Kendall (he started 5 draws).

Our team then was much better than it is now (Kelly, Nilsen, Ward, Whitehouse, White and Veart would all walk into our current team) but we were playing poorly and lacking confidence. We deserved to be on the same points as bottom club Luton, as in the first half of the season we were awful. Arsenal were 5th at that time and though Rioch’s reign was not successful they had a strong team. The starting 11 included Seaman, Dixon, Keown, Adams, Merson, Platt, Wright and Berkamp.

I guess that technically Satdi was a bigger win, as it was away from home and there were more league positions between us, but the Arsenal win was a big scalp too.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/veart-veers-past-static-arsenal-1324649.html

 

[blade too long]

you cant add games against your peers , yes technically arsenal were better but it was supposed to be on an even footing, if osasuna beat barcelona in la liga its not a giant killing , its just a league win

 

[Ollessendro]

you cant add games against your peers , yes technically arsenal were better but it was supposed to be on an even footing, if osasuna beat barcelona in la liga its not a giant killing , its just a league win

we were in the 2nd division (and 2nd from bottom). Almost 40 league places between the two teams when we met in the FA cup. Hardly an 'even footing'.

 

[SwissBlade]

we were in the 2nd division (and 2nd from bottom). Almost 40 league places between the two teams when we met in the FA cup. Hardly an 'even footing'.

The arsenal game we were a much better side. Not long out of the Premier league and whilst we were at the bottom of 2nd tier it's not comparable to our current plight. Right now were an established side in the 3rd tier

 

[Kendal]

I do wonder if the media are struggling a bit with this. Its not a traditional giant killing, in that we're as big a club as Villa, just on a particularly low ebb. No dispespect to other teams in our division, but us and wolves really shouldn't be there (not saying we don't deserve to be, just we should never have got in that position).

Reading comments from papers & fans, I do feel sorry for the Villa fans as we've been through that for the last few years (and continue to do so). Lack of pace, lake of drive, lack of talent, lack of imagination, lack of ability to change tactics - All sounds SO familiar. I'd be interested to know what Matt Lowton's feelings were at the end of the game.

Like the Youth Cup a couple of years back, its a real image of hope. If Villa had owt about them, they'd have given us more tickets - the ground looked practically empty on the highlights.

 

[Ollessendro]

The arsenal game we were a much better side. Not long out of the Premier league and whilst we were at the bottom of 2nd tier it's not comparable to our current plight. Right now were an established side in the 3rd tier

Yes, fair enough. Though looking at that side we were particularly poor. It's ok saying we were just out of the Prem (true) but we were awful. Also Arsenal were very good. I take the point though (it is a 50odds league places vs 37) and we were at home.

 

[SwissBlade]

Yes, fair enough. Though looking at that side we were particularly poor. It's ok saying we were just out of the Prem (true) but we were awful. Also Arsenal were very good. I take the point though (it is a 50odds league places vs 37) and we were at home.

I think the key point is that we've been consistently in this shit division for 3 seasons. Form in 96 was temporary, like it is at any point in the season, but to be in the 3rd tier for 3 seasons is pretty low and can't really be compared to the class of 96

 

[Ollessendro]

I think the key point is that we've been consistently in this shit division for 3 seasons. Form in 96 was temporary, like it is at any point in the season, but to be in the 3rd tier for 3 seasons is pretty low and can't really be compared to the class of 96

Hmmm, don't think it is as clear cut as that. We were on the slide in 96 and heading for the 3rd tier until Kendal turned us around. Had it not been for excellent manegerial skills then we would have almost certainly gone down (imo). It was our 2nd season in the 2nd tier, making us 'established' at that level. However when Bassett left in December we were firmly headed for the drop. There was little to suggest that would be turned around by thye time we played Arsenal (5 draws in Kendal's first 5 games) before the cup tie in question. At the time there was nothing to suggest 'form was temporary', we were thoroughly crap and had been for 20 odd games. It was only a dramatic turn around that saw us stay up and that was down to the manager.