Wally downes

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Deleted Member said:
post: 503095, member: 875"]Nobody seems to want Wally Downes for no other reason that he once had a bust up with that big nosed egotistical wanker Colin
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I don't want him because I still remember booing him off along with the rest of the kop when he got sent off for criminally flattening an opposition player whilst wearing our shirt.
 



Blade58 said:
There's no fear of Wally Downes getting the job. Well, not while Robert Page is on the shortlist anyway! :D

http://boards.footymad.net/forum.php?tno=463&fid=221&sty=2&act=1&mid=2112683790&page=1


Pay particular attention to the op and posts 9, 53, 54, & 65!
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Well that made interesting reading certainly. And I'd forgotten completely about Len - good to see he's still the Agitator-in-Chief.

There is the suggestion amidst all the ITK stuff that McCabe is actually fairly removed from the appointment process, and has simply dipped into proceedings. It can only be a good thing in my opinion - the further away he is, the greater chance that the person given the job won't be either awful or uninspiring.
 
Grecian2000 said:
I think people remember him as a player (I know I do) and he was, frankly, dreadful.
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He had a lot of skill and his passing was good. He was very vocal in the middle of the pitch. Had a very good game in the 4-1 win against Ipswich and scored a goal direct from a free kick. He was sent off at L**ds a week earlier for fighting, had a 3 game ban after the Ipswich game (at the time the ban started 2 weeks after the sending off). He got sent off just after 8 minutes in his return (v Bradford) for a very stupid waist high tackle in the halfway line. I was very angry with him for being an idiot. After he had served his 2nd ban, he did play well for us again despite that he had lost some his mobility due to the injuries he had at Wimbledon. Dave Bassett said that after the play off match against Bristol City, Wally was in tears while there were some of our players were wondering which club they were going to play for in the next season. A tackle by Alan Harper in the pre-season "closed doors" match broke Wally's ankle and it finished his playing career despite a few reserves game at the end of the 1988-89 season
 
Won't happen (even with "dinosaur Dave"), so chill chaps!
Only thing I would say is the clubs Downes has been involved with recently have all been playing at a higher level than our beloved Blades - so you could call him a modern day dinosaur I suppose, a crocodile of the 21st century...

We all want what we consider best for our club, but I wouldn't get worked up by red herrings like this. But it does makes it a bit exciting doesn't it?! Bit like white water rafting - without the raft......

UTB
 
Silent Blade said:
He had a lot of skill and his passing was good. He was very vocal in the middle of the pitch. Had a very good game in the 4-1 win against Ipswich and scored a goal direct from a free kick. He was sent off at L**ds a week earlier for fighting, had a 3 game ban after the Ipswich game (at the time the ban started 2 weeks after the sending off). He got sent off just after 8 minutes in his return (v Bradford) for a very stupid waist high tackle in the halfway line. I was very angry with him for being an idiot. After he had served his 2nd ban, he did play well for us again despite that he had lost some his mobility due to the injuries he had at Wimbledon. Dave Bassett said that after the play off match against Bristol City, Wally was in tears while there were some of our players were wondering which club they were going to play for in the next season. A tackle by Alan Harper in the pre-season "closed doors" match broke Wally's ankle and it finished his playing career despite a few reserves game at the end of the 1988-89 season
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The Leeds ban must have only been one game as there was only 1 game (a 6-0 defeat at Middlesbrough) between the Ipswich and Bradford games.

I agree with you about his conduct in the Bradford game. I recall that tackle very well. It's one of the few times I have seen a "tackle" from a United player when I have thought straightaway "he's off. no argument". The annoying thing was that we played extremely well against promotion chasing Bradford, but lost 2-1. Had we had a full compliment of 11 men, we would probably have won and that would have saved us from the ultimate relegation.
 



He had a lot of skill and his passing was good. He was very vocal in the middle of the pitch. Had a very good game in the 4-1 win against Ipswich and scored a goal direct from a free kick.

Downes did play well in that game, but that goal was a fluke. He bent it into the box and everyone missed it and it went straight in.

Can anyone remember what happened between United winning the free kick and Downes taking it?

Darren said:
The annoying thing was that we played extremely well against promotion chasing Bradford, but lost 2-1. Had we had a full compliment of 11 men, we would probably have won and that would have saved us from the ultimate relegation.
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I think that's too strong a statement. They were on a different planet in the first half, and of course they would have been leading 2-0 at the break but for the fact that the ref chose to blow for half time as Stuart McCall's shot was entering the net.
 
Revolution said:
He had a lot of skill and his passing was good. He was very vocal in the middle of the pitch. Had a very good game in the 4-1 win against Ipswich and scored a goal direct from a free kick.

Downes did play well in that game, but that goal was a fluke. He bent it into the box and everyone missed it and it went straight in.

Can anyone remember what happened between United winning the free kick and Downes taking it?



I think that's too strong a statement. They were on a different planet in the first half, and of course they would have been leading 2-0 at the break but for the fact that the ref chose to blow for half time as Stuart McCall's shot was entering the net.
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1. Paul Williams got sent off for headbutting an Ipswich player as they waited for the free kick to be taken

2. I don't recall that McCall incident. My main memory of the game (apart from the sending off) is us being all over Bradford after Beagrie (pen) pulled it back to 1-2 and being very unlucky to lose.
 
Yes, Williams got sent off, though it was for use of an elbow (that broke Tony Humes' nose) rather than a headbutt I think.

I recall the McCall thing because that's the only time I've ever seen that happen.
 
Revolution said:
Yes, Williams got sent off, though it was for use of an elbow (that broke Tony Humes' nose) rather than a headbutt I think.

I recall the McCall thing because that's the only time I've ever seen that happen.
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It could have been an elbow!

The weird thing about that Ipswich game was we played much better with 10 men. We had been hanging on to a 2-1 lead, but went to win comfortably 4-1 and miss a pen.
 
Paul williams was sent off for striking one of their defenders before the free kick was taken.

Williams was awful. One of the worst players I have seen play for United and certainly a contender for worst centre forward. Ironically his partner that day Richard Cadette (a rare good game - he scored 2 and missed a penalty I believe? - or did he get a hat trick - Darren will know!). Cadette was another candidate for worst striker we ever had. He was bought thanks to the Blades Revival fund (Roxy and all that) but never lived up to a decent feee for that time/level and left after a season but did well in the lower leagues wherever else he went.

That team of that tiem was pretty dire - only likes of Morris and Beagrie actually gave it some flair but I would say todays side is even worse. At least there was some leadership (Stancliffe etc) in that outfit. Of course Bassett was tryig to turn round McEwan (and the board's - Dads Army signings before that with Porterfield) team and maybe changed too much too soon. There were so many players coming in and going out. Agana signed but was only a bit part player in the ened of the season (did score a few important goals though).

The crowds at that time were awful and less than 10,000 for many games. As bad as the atmosphere and feeling is now it actually felt worse back then regardless of division we are in. Sadly there are no unknowns like Deane etc now and we are unlikely to get another Bassett type.
 
Darren said:
The Leeds ban must have only been one game as there was only 1 game (a 6-0 defeat at Middlesbrough) between the Ipswich and Bradford games.

I agree with you about his conduct in the Bradford game. I recall that tackle very well. It's one of the few times I have seen a "tackle" from a United player when I have thought straightaway "he's off. no argument". The annoying thing was that we played extremely well against promotion chasing Bradford, but lost 2-1. Had we had a full compliment of 11 men, we would probably have won and that would have saved us from the ultimate relegation.
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If my memory serves me correctly I saw Wally Downes make an almost identical two-footed tackle in a reserve match. He got a red card for that, too.
 
Deadbat said:
Williams was awful. One of the worst players I have seen play for United and certainly a contender for worst centre forward. Ironically his partner that day Richard Cadette (a rare good game - he scored 2 and missed a penalty I believe? - or did he get a hat trick - Darren will know!).
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Cadette scored twice, missed a penalty, and won a 500 quid holiday voucher in the Blades Revival draw at half time. Eventful day for him.

Williams is always my pick for worst United player I have ever seen, though I missed Lee Baxter's only appearance.
 
Revolution said:
Williams is always my pick for worst United player I have ever seen, though I missed Lee Baxter's only appearance.
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Axel Smeets? (The only player I can recall running away from the ball when it was passed to him. This was after he'd missed a sitter.)
 
Deadbat said:
Paul williams was sent off for striking one of their defenders before the free kick was taken.

Williams was awful. One of the worst players I have seen play for United and certainly a contender for worst centre forward. Ironically his partner that day Richard Cadette (a rare good game - he scored 2 and missed a penalty I believe? - or did he get a hat trick - Darren will know!). Cadette was another candidate for worst striker we ever had. He was bought thanks to the Blades Revival fund (Roxy and all that) but never lived up to a decent feee for that time/level and left after a season but did well in the lower leagues wherever else he went.

That team of that tiem was pretty dire - only likes of Morris and Beagrie actually gave it some flair but I would say todays side is even worse. At least there was some leadership (Stancliffe etc) in that outfit. Of course Bassett was tryig to turn round McEwan (and the board's - Dads Army signings before that with Porterfield) team and maybe changed too much too soon. There were so many players coming in and going out. Agana signed but was only a bit part player in the ened of the season (did score a few important goals though).

The crowds at that time were awful and less than 10,000 for many games. As bad as the atmosphere and feeling is now it actually felt worse back then regardless of division we are in. Sadly there are no unknowns like Deane etc now and we are unlikely to get another Bassett type.
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Agana only got two goals that season The last minute winner against Barnsley on his debut on 20/2/88 (set up by a nice flick from Cadette) and one v Man City on 8/3/88 which put us 1-0 up in a game we lost 2-1.

He didn't look much good at all that season. He only came good when Deane turned up.
 
Think he may have played on the wing when he first come aswell?

He did not start the following season eiher - Jospeh and Deane started at Reading (?) and then I think Jospeh got an injury; Agana came on and the rest is history.....

Those two promotion seasons in Div 3 and Div 2 (as they were then) saw Deane and Agana utterly destroy many defences with combinationof power, pace and link play I had not seen before and not really seen since. Deane went on to be more polished and Agana fell away with injuries but the rawness of those two in those seasons really stood out. The rest of the team i Div 3 was not much different or significantly better than team we have now and had a lot of honest plodders such as Booker, Stancliffe, Pike etc (Roberts and Bryson were underrated) but the front two made all the difference. Put those 2 (or either of those 2) in the side either of last two seasons and we win the league going away.
 
Darren said:
Agana only got two goals that season The last minute winner against Barnsley on his debut on 20/2/88 (set up by a nice flick from Cadette) and one v Man City on 8/3/88 which put us 1-0 up in a game we lost 2-1.

He didn't look much good at all that season. He only came good when Deane turned up.
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He had a hernia when (or immediately after) we signed him. This was fixed in the summer and he got a yard of extra pace as well as a top partner.
 
Deadbat said:
Think he may have played on the wing when he first come aswell?

He did not start the following season eiher - Jospeh and Deane started at Reading (?) and then I think Jospeh got an injury; Agana came on and the rest is history.....

Those two promotion seasons in Div 3 and Div 2 (as they were then) saw Deane and Agana utterly destroy many defences with combinationof power, pace and link play I had not seen before and not really seen since. Deane went on to be more polished and Agana fell away with injuries but the rawness of those two in those seasons really stood out. The rest of the team i Div 3 was not much different or significantly better than team we have now and had a lot of honest plodders such as Booker, Stancliffe, Pike etc (Roberts and Bryson were underrated) but the front two made all the difference. Put those 2 (or either of those 2) in the side either of last two seasons and we win the league going away.
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Tracey was a top class keeper for the Third Division too and Gannon's delivery from set pieces was vital.
I think Whitehouse was just starting to come through in that period too.
Tracey, Gannon, Whitehouse, Bryson and Deane all went up through two divisions with us and still looked comfortable in the Premier League.
 



broomhillblade said:
Axel Smeets? (The only player I can recall running away from the ball when it was passed to him. This was after he'd missed a sitter.)
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T'old Axel takes some beating. I've never seen worse in my time watching United, although that only dates from 1996 really, and misses the glory years of 1976-1981, and also the malaise of 84-88.
 
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