Deadbat
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2009
- Messages
- 6,268
- Reaction score
- 35,211
The League One Adventure….Six years in the making….
The Good, The Bad and the Weird
As the dust settles on promotion and thoughts start turning to the next season and life back in the Championship; I wanted to have a look back at the last 6 years and present some of the good times (yes, they were some), some of the bad times and some of the odd/weird and downright strange moments of being in League One (I have included the cup runs within this period).
I will also present a few awards at the end of this look back.
The Good
Well the obvious ‘Good’ is the final season we were here. This past season was really enjoyable. Due to family, finances, work etc only got to a handful of away games and missed being actually at Northampton but the moment we knew had done it was still celebrated wildly albeit it back at the beam back. To see fans invade a pitch where no game was happening was quite surreal as those at Northampton of course die likewise with some actual players to greet! The party at MK Dons was also superb.
As for the rest of this season, we have played really well in a number of games but ones that stand out are the overpowering of Chesterfield at their place; the late goals we scored namely at Fleetwood, Coventry and of course Northampton to seal important wins but also home wins v Bury and Northampton. There is nothing quite like a last minute or so winner and promotion seasons are littered with them. For me the Sharp goal at Peterborough in front of a packed away game had such significance as bodies were flying everywhere and I ended up hugging random strangers.
Outside of this season I recall the mostly superb season when we first went down when we had the closest side to this current one. A team that attacked and simply blew teams away. The development of young players like Maguire and Lowton was great to see and Evans was simply unstoppable until that fateful Friday in a courtroom in Caernarfon. We went to sides like Bury, Notts County and Rochdale and walloped them. McDonald pulled the strings in the middle, Doyle did the dirty work and we had goals and flair from Quinn and Williamson too. Even after the blow of promotion was denied we had the win against Stevenage with the late Porter goal and we still had a chance of going up.
The other seasons in terms of league form were all a bit ‘meh.’ We got to the playoffs on another couple of occasions but lets downs v Yeovil and Swindon. We never really looked like getting automatic in the Wilson 2nd year and then after he went Weir was a disaster (although an excellent performance v Notts County gave a glimpse that did not happen in the end!) and had to be rescued by Clough. The cups were then the highlight but we failed again in the playoffs and Adkins was another disaster.
Outside of those two book end seasons and a few glimpses, the cup runs were the highlights. We had the incredible FA Cup run where we went all the way from Round One. Had a superb day at Villa with a big away following a deserved win, the late winner at Fulham and then the drama against Forest with Porter’s two late goals. The performance against Charlton was superb as we swept them away and we were suddenly in the FA Cup semi-final as a League One side. The day at Wembley was superb. Me and my mates all went in old shirts and accompanying old player masks. The atmosphere was brilliant as it felt like Clough had given us some pride back. To score a goal was surreal. I felt like it would never happen and then we did it again. Ultimately, we did not do enough second half and we may never get closer to an FA Cup final but it was an incredible run.
We were able to comfortably beat QPR away in the FA Cup the next season but it was the turn of the League Cup and this time Clough got them through to the later stages. A superb performance against Southampton where we won 1-0 in a score line that flattered Koeman’s Saints. We were in a semi v Spurs but after a narrow defeat at White Hart Lane and going behind back at the Lane, we looked down and out. Che Adams scored two goals and United were in dream world. Louis Reed had a great chance to effectively put United through but it went over the bar. Spurs then broke and scored a classy leveller to go through on aggregate. It had been a few great nights down at the Lane with a packed ground seeing the underdogs have a real go and take on and live with two of the best sides in the country.
We had the excitement when the Prince came in but the expected huge investment never really materialised immediately but that day when the takeover happened, you sensed some fresh impetus and a chance to compete higher up the leagues eventually.
We have seen some young players come through such as Maguire, Lowton, Slew, Long, Reed and Whiteman to name but a few.
The other good for me was the level of support. The fact that we have managed to keep circa 20,000 crowds at home and also took some huge followings away from home. The level of support has remained high despite some major disappointments.
The Bad
We have seen some abysmal showings but there are moments that go down as even bigger disappointments and pivotal points in our League One tenure.
The first season was all going so well but I recall some Simonsen howlers to gift teams late goals and then the collapse at home to Oldham which saw us somehow lose, get injured players and suspensions.
The Ched Evans conviction for me was the hammer blow. I was sat at work and heard the innocent for his mate verdict and then guilty for him. Suddenly loads of Wednesday fans at work sensed they had a chance and they just kept winning. The defeat at MK when Beattie missed a sitter and then Antonio scored late on gave them a chance and they won at Brentford. It was all going wrong and a 2-0 deficit at home to Stevenage saw the ground stunned. A fightback ensued but Beattie missed another late chance and suddenly Wednesday were in the box seat. They did enough the following week and we were in the playoffs. It had been a nightmare end to the season. As you often say with United, ‘You could not make it up!’
Still we sneaked into the playoff final and Huddersfield were our opponent. We simply did not turn up for a major game again. Fortunately, neither did Huddersfield as Maguire completely outplayed Jordan Rhodes. It went to penalties and it seemed like we would do it after Huddersfield missed a few and United scored one but Lowton missed a pivotal one and then both teams had to score in sudden death and it went on and on. You kept thinking, ‘He’ll miss’ as likes of Hill and O’Halloran came up. Then it went to the keepers. Smithies scored and you just knew Simonsen would miss. The margin that he missed with was just incredible. I barely looked at the kick, looking at the screen out of the corner of my eye and then heard the horrible roar from the away end. Most United fans sunburnt and dejected trooped out.
In the playoff defeats of subsequent seasons, I recall we beat Yeovil in the home leg but were barely convincing and then gave a tepid performance down at Huish Park to exit the playoffs with unproven rookie striker Joe Ironside somehow leading the line! This ended any chance for Chris Morgan to get the job. A few years later, we played Swindon and led but somehow contrived to lose at home with Howard letting a late shot in. The second leg was incredible as we had a backline of McEveley and Alcock and went 3-0 down after only around quarter of an hour. Even for United it was an incredible performance. Typical for United we did not just lose but gave the fans a glimpse and suddenly we were back in it. Even at the death we had a chance as it somehow went to 5-5. A 7-6 defeat and United were denied again. This playoff performance was the end for Clough.
Outside of the pivotal moments, there were some simply dreadful performance. You can pin point a few every season. It is debatable which were the worst. I recall an awful 4-0 defeat at Stevenage but Danny Wilson’s tenure was ended when we gave a pitiful account against Crawley and lost 2-0. We looked pathetic that night and a team far removed from the one a season earlier.
Under Weir there were so many bad performances as we barely looked like scoring and tried to play like Barcelona from the back but sadly the likes of McGinn, Westlake, Collins and co struggled with this concept. I recall a long trip to Carlisle and a performance that was simply bewildering as we went 1-0 down but then spent 60 minutes passing it round at the back and not trying to even attack.
Hartlepool was the pick of the bunch as we served up an utterly diabolical performance. It may have been the JPT or whatever it was called then but that night United’s players maybe as well have been sat at home. It was dire.
Under Clough there were less really low moments after the decent start (but the defeat at Crewe was an early low point) but recall a shocker at home to Fleetwood where they tore us apart and we were 2-0 down after 15 minutes.
Adkins served up some trash that began with an incredible 4-0 defeat at Gillingham and we had a series of truly awful showings. I recall a stuffing at home to Shrewsbury and then a total non-event of a game at Bury in Jose Baxter’s final outing for the Blades before testing positive for drugs yet again! Clough then came and beat us easily 2-0 with another complete no show from Adkins dispirited crew.
Scunthorpe in the final game of the Adkins tenure saw another total non-performance as a hungry side simply picked United’s stationary, slow side off. We lost 2-0 and the side looked disinterested. Thankfully for many and for Adkins it would be the last time they represented United.
Sure, there have been others but those moments stand out on the field.
The Weird
Being in League One has offered some surreal experiences. I have not been able to go to as many away games as others but been able to see some places I never thought I would go to in terms of towns and grounds.
Have to say been to some right shitholes but also been to some quite nice places that surprised me.
It started with a big following at Oldham when we won 2-0 and thought it was going to be easy. How wrong were we! I recall being at Orient and my mate booting the seat in front and nearly breaking his foot after Simonsen made a glaring error in the 96th minute to cost us. My same mate then telling me to calm down, ‘it’s only a game’ further irritated me!
We had the surreal trip to Bury where United had 3 sides of the ground and took a huge following. This was repeated at other grounds where we would outnumber home teams.
Brentford was superb and we managed to do the 4 pubs (now down to 3) on every corner. It was very cliché as we walked into the final one which was the small one near the home end and surrounded by older Cockney types, the jukebox boomed out, ‘ Rabbit, Rabbit!’ by Chas n Dave.
The end of that season saw the two ultimate disappointments. I recall my mate driving to Exeter like he was Jeremy Clarkson on the Saturday morning (2.5 hours from my house in S8). He asked for me to go and check in at our hotel but I came out and told him we couldn’t as they had a large party in. The large party was United’s first team squad. I was met as I walked in by Nick Montgomery stumbling around trying to find the breakfast lounge and Richard Cresswell face timing his wife on the sofa next to me. Being in an underground bar at Exeter after we lost and my phone bleeping away to messages from Wednesday fans. I wished to be even further underground. That night I suddenly deteriorated as I became physically ill. Whether it was the disappointment of the day, the sun, a bad beer or off curry; I was close to vomiting. That summed up that day.
A few weeks later had a great drink for the Wembley game versus Huddersfield but spent most of the journey home in pain from sub burns and the defeat.
I enjoyed Shrewsbury, a lovely market town and some nice pubs. Went in a pub between the centre and the ground hoping they may have the lunchtime game on. Sadly we were met by a load of locals who were sat transfixed by bargain hunt on TV!
Crawley as a place had less to be excited about. This was the game when McMahon scored two free kicks and we went to the top of the league. I remember the game was in doubt due to the rain and lots of trains were cancelled from London Bridge but we managed to get there. We seemed to be without wi fi and got lost on the way to the ground. I recall asking a man in the middle of a surburban housing estate who was cleaning his car, where the ground was. He had no idea. We found it eventually due to their being a huge model of a black and white football outside the stadium…if you could call it a stadium.
I recall going on the Settle – Carlisle railway which offered some nice picturesque views before we watching the pathetic showing on the field. Carlisle also as a place was really nothing to write home about as we ended up drinking as part of a hen do in an Italian wine bar such was the paucity of public houses.
We have ended up in housing estates, down dirty paths and got lost a few times in towns/villages that you would never ever be in/visit if it was not for the Blades.
Bristol was nice also as we drank around Clifton and had a lovely view of the Clifton Suspension Bridge from one beer garden before walking across it and down to the ground.
I remember a secret disco at Notts County where after the game (a 1-2 defeat) where we walked into the back room of a pub at around 6pm and suddenly were transported to a 1970’s John Travolta type environment.
We went to Tranmere and watched a punch up in a pub between two locals in Birkenhead (nothing to do with the football) and the bar man apologised and got us a taxi as a way of apology.
I missed the infamous trip to Port Vale on Boxing Day fortunately as tales of 6 or 7 hour journeys home regaled the forums but walked the full distance from Stoke to Burslem this season taking in some dreadful pubs on the way.
I do remember an away outing at Fleetwood where after beers near the tower we went past the Fishermans Friend factory and then suddenly were being served Egg and Chips by Syd Little in a pub near the tiny Highbury ground where the toilets were a contender for the worst in the division.
This season not been to as many away only seeing them at Millwall, Peterborough, Rochdale, Vale and MK but it oddly been good to see some new grounds and places.
There are probably even more bizarre moments and memories over the last 6 years and it has certainly been surreal at times. Just hope we do not go back down there for a while.
We move up the league and now have some bigger cities/towns and many we have been to before. I hope to go to a few I have not been to before but sure there will be more tales and adventures.
SUFC League One Awards
Best all Eleven (minimum 5 games)
------------------------Moore-----------------------
Lowton-----Maguire---O’Connell---Freeman (shoe horned)
Murphy------Fleck----McDonald------Quinn
------------------Sharp----Evans-------------------
Subs : Brayford, Coutts, Doyle, Basham, Williamson, Duffy, Blackman
Manager : Chris Wilder
----
Worst all Eleven (minimum 5 games)
-----------------------Simonsen--------------------------
Westlake---McEveley----McGinty--------Williams
Brandy------Hammond-------Lappin-------Woolford
------------------Higdon-------Sammon-----------------
Subs: Collins, Alcock, Paynter, Ironside, King, O’Halloran, Taylor (L)
Manager : David Weir
-----
Player of the 6 seasons : Harry Maguire
Honourable mention : Sharp, Fleck, Evans
-----
Worst player of the 6 seasons : Dean Hammond
Honourable mention : Simonsen, Higdon, Woolford
-----
Best game/performance : United 1 Southampton 0 (thought we were brilliant that night). The MK Dons game was a really great atmosphere and that 2nd half United just oozed class.
Worst game/performance : United 0 Scunthorpe 2 …narrowly over the United 0 Hartlepool 1 under Weir
-----
Worst moment : The Evans conviction…even more than the Playoff defeats for me…you kind of knew what would happen after that.
Honourable mention : The Simonsen penalty, numerous awful home defeats – maybe the worst the defeat as mentioned v Scunny to end last season, the late goals Wednesday scored at the Lane to peg us back that would ultimately cost us. The Oldham cock up at home.
-----
Best moment : Joint. The Moment Sharp lifted the title with Fleck scoring to seal promotion at Northampton
Honourable mention : Baxter/Scougall goals at Wembley v Hull, Brayford goal v Charlton, Adams 2nd v Spurs, Sharp winner at Peterborough, McNulty goal v Southampton, Porter winner v Stevenage in play off semi final
-----
Best ground : Not sure, we have been to big grounds like Bolton and Wednesday (can’t say them) but for atmosphere/pubs and day out I would go for the MK one for the atmosphere and the party scenes in and outside the ground. It would have to be matched by Brentford (when we won 2-0 and Evans scored twice). Great pubs and great old fashioned ground.
Worst ground : Lots of contenders but Fleetwood/Crawley were dreadful and basically non-league grounds
-----
Stick around the next week or so for my end of season review and school report where I rate very player and department of the club….it’s very long though……..zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Up the Blades
@Deadbat_DB
The Good, The Bad and the Weird
As the dust settles on promotion and thoughts start turning to the next season and life back in the Championship; I wanted to have a look back at the last 6 years and present some of the good times (yes, they were some), some of the bad times and some of the odd/weird and downright strange moments of being in League One (I have included the cup runs within this period).
I will also present a few awards at the end of this look back.
The Good
Well the obvious ‘Good’ is the final season we were here. This past season was really enjoyable. Due to family, finances, work etc only got to a handful of away games and missed being actually at Northampton but the moment we knew had done it was still celebrated wildly albeit it back at the beam back. To see fans invade a pitch where no game was happening was quite surreal as those at Northampton of course die likewise with some actual players to greet! The party at MK Dons was also superb.
As for the rest of this season, we have played really well in a number of games but ones that stand out are the overpowering of Chesterfield at their place; the late goals we scored namely at Fleetwood, Coventry and of course Northampton to seal important wins but also home wins v Bury and Northampton. There is nothing quite like a last minute or so winner and promotion seasons are littered with them. For me the Sharp goal at Peterborough in front of a packed away game had such significance as bodies were flying everywhere and I ended up hugging random strangers.
Outside of this season I recall the mostly superb season when we first went down when we had the closest side to this current one. A team that attacked and simply blew teams away. The development of young players like Maguire and Lowton was great to see and Evans was simply unstoppable until that fateful Friday in a courtroom in Caernarfon. We went to sides like Bury, Notts County and Rochdale and walloped them. McDonald pulled the strings in the middle, Doyle did the dirty work and we had goals and flair from Quinn and Williamson too. Even after the blow of promotion was denied we had the win against Stevenage with the late Porter goal and we still had a chance of going up.
The other seasons in terms of league form were all a bit ‘meh.’ We got to the playoffs on another couple of occasions but lets downs v Yeovil and Swindon. We never really looked like getting automatic in the Wilson 2nd year and then after he went Weir was a disaster (although an excellent performance v Notts County gave a glimpse that did not happen in the end!) and had to be rescued by Clough. The cups were then the highlight but we failed again in the playoffs and Adkins was another disaster.
Outside of those two book end seasons and a few glimpses, the cup runs were the highlights. We had the incredible FA Cup run where we went all the way from Round One. Had a superb day at Villa with a big away following a deserved win, the late winner at Fulham and then the drama against Forest with Porter’s two late goals. The performance against Charlton was superb as we swept them away and we were suddenly in the FA Cup semi-final as a League One side. The day at Wembley was superb. Me and my mates all went in old shirts and accompanying old player masks. The atmosphere was brilliant as it felt like Clough had given us some pride back. To score a goal was surreal. I felt like it would never happen and then we did it again. Ultimately, we did not do enough second half and we may never get closer to an FA Cup final but it was an incredible run.
We were able to comfortably beat QPR away in the FA Cup the next season but it was the turn of the League Cup and this time Clough got them through to the later stages. A superb performance against Southampton where we won 1-0 in a score line that flattered Koeman’s Saints. We were in a semi v Spurs but after a narrow defeat at White Hart Lane and going behind back at the Lane, we looked down and out. Che Adams scored two goals and United were in dream world. Louis Reed had a great chance to effectively put United through but it went over the bar. Spurs then broke and scored a classy leveller to go through on aggregate. It had been a few great nights down at the Lane with a packed ground seeing the underdogs have a real go and take on and live with two of the best sides in the country.
We had the excitement when the Prince came in but the expected huge investment never really materialised immediately but that day when the takeover happened, you sensed some fresh impetus and a chance to compete higher up the leagues eventually.
We have seen some young players come through such as Maguire, Lowton, Slew, Long, Reed and Whiteman to name but a few.
The other good for me was the level of support. The fact that we have managed to keep circa 20,000 crowds at home and also took some huge followings away from home. The level of support has remained high despite some major disappointments.
The Bad
We have seen some abysmal showings but there are moments that go down as even bigger disappointments and pivotal points in our League One tenure.
The first season was all going so well but I recall some Simonsen howlers to gift teams late goals and then the collapse at home to Oldham which saw us somehow lose, get injured players and suspensions.
The Ched Evans conviction for me was the hammer blow. I was sat at work and heard the innocent for his mate verdict and then guilty for him. Suddenly loads of Wednesday fans at work sensed they had a chance and they just kept winning. The defeat at MK when Beattie missed a sitter and then Antonio scored late on gave them a chance and they won at Brentford. It was all going wrong and a 2-0 deficit at home to Stevenage saw the ground stunned. A fightback ensued but Beattie missed another late chance and suddenly Wednesday were in the box seat. They did enough the following week and we were in the playoffs. It had been a nightmare end to the season. As you often say with United, ‘You could not make it up!’
Still we sneaked into the playoff final and Huddersfield were our opponent. We simply did not turn up for a major game again. Fortunately, neither did Huddersfield as Maguire completely outplayed Jordan Rhodes. It went to penalties and it seemed like we would do it after Huddersfield missed a few and United scored one but Lowton missed a pivotal one and then both teams had to score in sudden death and it went on and on. You kept thinking, ‘He’ll miss’ as likes of Hill and O’Halloran came up. Then it went to the keepers. Smithies scored and you just knew Simonsen would miss. The margin that he missed with was just incredible. I barely looked at the kick, looking at the screen out of the corner of my eye and then heard the horrible roar from the away end. Most United fans sunburnt and dejected trooped out.
In the playoff defeats of subsequent seasons, I recall we beat Yeovil in the home leg but were barely convincing and then gave a tepid performance down at Huish Park to exit the playoffs with unproven rookie striker Joe Ironside somehow leading the line! This ended any chance for Chris Morgan to get the job. A few years later, we played Swindon and led but somehow contrived to lose at home with Howard letting a late shot in. The second leg was incredible as we had a backline of McEveley and Alcock and went 3-0 down after only around quarter of an hour. Even for United it was an incredible performance. Typical for United we did not just lose but gave the fans a glimpse and suddenly we were back in it. Even at the death we had a chance as it somehow went to 5-5. A 7-6 defeat and United were denied again. This playoff performance was the end for Clough.
Outside of the pivotal moments, there were some simply dreadful performance. You can pin point a few every season. It is debatable which were the worst. I recall an awful 4-0 defeat at Stevenage but Danny Wilson’s tenure was ended when we gave a pitiful account against Crawley and lost 2-0. We looked pathetic that night and a team far removed from the one a season earlier.
Under Weir there were so many bad performances as we barely looked like scoring and tried to play like Barcelona from the back but sadly the likes of McGinn, Westlake, Collins and co struggled with this concept. I recall a long trip to Carlisle and a performance that was simply bewildering as we went 1-0 down but then spent 60 minutes passing it round at the back and not trying to even attack.
Hartlepool was the pick of the bunch as we served up an utterly diabolical performance. It may have been the JPT or whatever it was called then but that night United’s players maybe as well have been sat at home. It was dire.
Under Clough there were less really low moments after the decent start (but the defeat at Crewe was an early low point) but recall a shocker at home to Fleetwood where they tore us apart and we were 2-0 down after 15 minutes.
Adkins served up some trash that began with an incredible 4-0 defeat at Gillingham and we had a series of truly awful showings. I recall a stuffing at home to Shrewsbury and then a total non-event of a game at Bury in Jose Baxter’s final outing for the Blades before testing positive for drugs yet again! Clough then came and beat us easily 2-0 with another complete no show from Adkins dispirited crew.
Scunthorpe in the final game of the Adkins tenure saw another total non-performance as a hungry side simply picked United’s stationary, slow side off. We lost 2-0 and the side looked disinterested. Thankfully for many and for Adkins it would be the last time they represented United.
Sure, there have been others but those moments stand out on the field.
The Weird
Being in League One has offered some surreal experiences. I have not been able to go to as many away games as others but been able to see some places I never thought I would go to in terms of towns and grounds.
Have to say been to some right shitholes but also been to some quite nice places that surprised me.
It started with a big following at Oldham when we won 2-0 and thought it was going to be easy. How wrong were we! I recall being at Orient and my mate booting the seat in front and nearly breaking his foot after Simonsen made a glaring error in the 96th minute to cost us. My same mate then telling me to calm down, ‘it’s only a game’ further irritated me!
We had the surreal trip to Bury where United had 3 sides of the ground and took a huge following. This was repeated at other grounds where we would outnumber home teams.
Brentford was superb and we managed to do the 4 pubs (now down to 3) on every corner. It was very cliché as we walked into the final one which was the small one near the home end and surrounded by older Cockney types, the jukebox boomed out, ‘ Rabbit, Rabbit!’ by Chas n Dave.
The end of that season saw the two ultimate disappointments. I recall my mate driving to Exeter like he was Jeremy Clarkson on the Saturday morning (2.5 hours from my house in S8). He asked for me to go and check in at our hotel but I came out and told him we couldn’t as they had a large party in. The large party was United’s first team squad. I was met as I walked in by Nick Montgomery stumbling around trying to find the breakfast lounge and Richard Cresswell face timing his wife on the sofa next to me. Being in an underground bar at Exeter after we lost and my phone bleeping away to messages from Wednesday fans. I wished to be even further underground. That night I suddenly deteriorated as I became physically ill. Whether it was the disappointment of the day, the sun, a bad beer or off curry; I was close to vomiting. That summed up that day.
A few weeks later had a great drink for the Wembley game versus Huddersfield but spent most of the journey home in pain from sub burns and the defeat.
I enjoyed Shrewsbury, a lovely market town and some nice pubs. Went in a pub between the centre and the ground hoping they may have the lunchtime game on. Sadly we were met by a load of locals who were sat transfixed by bargain hunt on TV!
Crawley as a place had less to be excited about. This was the game when McMahon scored two free kicks and we went to the top of the league. I remember the game was in doubt due to the rain and lots of trains were cancelled from London Bridge but we managed to get there. We seemed to be without wi fi and got lost on the way to the ground. I recall asking a man in the middle of a surburban housing estate who was cleaning his car, where the ground was. He had no idea. We found it eventually due to their being a huge model of a black and white football outside the stadium…if you could call it a stadium.
I recall going on the Settle – Carlisle railway which offered some nice picturesque views before we watching the pathetic showing on the field. Carlisle also as a place was really nothing to write home about as we ended up drinking as part of a hen do in an Italian wine bar such was the paucity of public houses.
We have ended up in housing estates, down dirty paths and got lost a few times in towns/villages that you would never ever be in/visit if it was not for the Blades.
Bristol was nice also as we drank around Clifton and had a lovely view of the Clifton Suspension Bridge from one beer garden before walking across it and down to the ground.
I remember a secret disco at Notts County where after the game (a 1-2 defeat) where we walked into the back room of a pub at around 6pm and suddenly were transported to a 1970’s John Travolta type environment.
We went to Tranmere and watched a punch up in a pub between two locals in Birkenhead (nothing to do with the football) and the bar man apologised and got us a taxi as a way of apology.
I missed the infamous trip to Port Vale on Boxing Day fortunately as tales of 6 or 7 hour journeys home regaled the forums but walked the full distance from Stoke to Burslem this season taking in some dreadful pubs on the way.
I do remember an away outing at Fleetwood where after beers near the tower we went past the Fishermans Friend factory and then suddenly were being served Egg and Chips by Syd Little in a pub near the tiny Highbury ground where the toilets were a contender for the worst in the division.
This season not been to as many away only seeing them at Millwall, Peterborough, Rochdale, Vale and MK but it oddly been good to see some new grounds and places.
There are probably even more bizarre moments and memories over the last 6 years and it has certainly been surreal at times. Just hope we do not go back down there for a while.
We move up the league and now have some bigger cities/towns and many we have been to before. I hope to go to a few I have not been to before but sure there will be more tales and adventures.
SUFC League One Awards
Best all Eleven (minimum 5 games)
------------------------Moore-----------------------
Lowton-----Maguire---O’Connell---Freeman (shoe horned)
Murphy------Fleck----McDonald------Quinn
------------------Sharp----Evans-------------------
Subs : Brayford, Coutts, Doyle, Basham, Williamson, Duffy, Blackman
Manager : Chris Wilder
----
Worst all Eleven (minimum 5 games)
-----------------------Simonsen--------------------------
Westlake---McEveley----McGinty--------Williams
Brandy------Hammond-------Lappin-------Woolford
------------------Higdon-------Sammon-----------------
Subs: Collins, Alcock, Paynter, Ironside, King, O’Halloran, Taylor (L)
Manager : David Weir
-----
Player of the 6 seasons : Harry Maguire
Honourable mention : Sharp, Fleck, Evans
-----
Worst player of the 6 seasons : Dean Hammond
Honourable mention : Simonsen, Higdon, Woolford
-----
Best game/performance : United 1 Southampton 0 (thought we were brilliant that night). The MK Dons game was a really great atmosphere and that 2nd half United just oozed class.
Worst game/performance : United 0 Scunthorpe 2 …narrowly over the United 0 Hartlepool 1 under Weir
-----
Worst moment : The Evans conviction…even more than the Playoff defeats for me…you kind of knew what would happen after that.
Honourable mention : The Simonsen penalty, numerous awful home defeats – maybe the worst the defeat as mentioned v Scunny to end last season, the late goals Wednesday scored at the Lane to peg us back that would ultimately cost us. The Oldham cock up at home.
-----
Best moment : Joint. The Moment Sharp lifted the title with Fleck scoring to seal promotion at Northampton
Honourable mention : Baxter/Scougall goals at Wembley v Hull, Brayford goal v Charlton, Adams 2nd v Spurs, Sharp winner at Peterborough, McNulty goal v Southampton, Porter winner v Stevenage in play off semi final
-----
Best ground : Not sure, we have been to big grounds like Bolton and Wednesday (can’t say them) but for atmosphere/pubs and day out I would go for the MK one for the atmosphere and the party scenes in and outside the ground. It would have to be matched by Brentford (when we won 2-0 and Evans scored twice). Great pubs and great old fashioned ground.
Worst ground : Lots of contenders but Fleetwood/Crawley were dreadful and basically non-league grounds
-----
Stick around the next week or so for my end of season review and school report where I rate very player and department of the club….it’s very long though……..zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Up the Blades
@Deadbat_DB
.
