Walsall (1981) H

[Jimmy23]

Tell me about it.. It was my first game but I only remember Givens penalty.

Anyone care to remind me or anyone could give a link to a match report of that game?

Cheers UTB

 

[Red Hot Currie]

Whoaaaahhhh...... dragging up dark memories there Jimmy.... and on the back of a stinking result yesterday to boot!

I was there to witness Don's miserable spot kick get saved and see us sink into Div 4. Seem to recall that I felt numb at the time(save for the sting of tears in my eyes). Then there was a pitch invasion and a few players got cuffed (at the time I remember thinking how much some of them deserved it!!!). I also seem to remember that a lie was broadcast on the stadium tannoy that Swindon (I think??) had lost/drawn.... a result that meant we would have survived.

I left BDTBL that night actually believing that we'd survived..... until I got to the bus stop and some old guy who was listening to his battery operated radio (yes kids.... we really did use to such things!) confirmed the lie. Talk about crushed!!!!

Hey ho. I guess the only thread of hope is that even as dark, dismal and utterly appalling as that day was..... the Blades are still here (despite real fears at the time that relegation to the bottom tier would see us go under) and I'm still here and able to support 'em (and get wound up by them when they lose 0-2 to the likes of Gilling bloody ham!!!!).

I hope for better days and I get narked off at he crap currently being served up. But the memories you've brought back with your OP......... now those were dark days indeed!!!!!!!

I feel the need for a couple of prozac and a glass of red before bedtime.......! UTB!!!!!!

 

[Jimmy23]

Whoaaaahhhh...... dragging up dark memories there Jimmy.... and on the back of a stinking result yesterday to boot!

I was there to witness Don's miserable spot kick get saved and see us sink into Div 4. Seem to recall that I felt numb at the time(save for the sting of tears in my eyes). Then there was a pitch invasion and a few players got cuffed (at the time I remember thinking how much some of them deserved it!!!). I also seem to remember that a lie was broadcast on the stadium tannoy that Swindon (I think??) had lost/drawn.... a result that meant we would have survived.

I left BDTBL that night actually believing that we'd survived..... until I got to the bus stop and some old guy who was listening to his battery operated radio (yes kids.... we really did use to such things!) confirmed the lie. Talk about crushed!!!!

Hey ho. I guess the only thread of hope is that even as dark, dismal and utterly appalling as that day was..... the Blades are still here (despite real fears at the time that relegation to the bottom tier would see us go under) and I'm still here and able to support 'em (and get wound up by them when they lose 0-2 to the likes of Gilling bloody ham!!!!).

I hope for better days and I get narked off at he crap currently being served up. But the memories you've brought back with your OP......... now those were dark days indeed!!!!!!!

I feel the need for a couple of prozac and a glass of red before bedtime.......! UTB!!!!!!

Cheers Red Hot Currie! Appreciate that. Yeah a few moments that you've mentioned have jogged my memory. I think it was the police that told my dad that Swindon were losing so that my dad wouldn't invade a pitch and start a riot soon after walsall scored. And then, 10 mins after the game, our hearts were broken (we used to live on Shoreham St at the time. So got the REAL result quickly). I vaguely remember my dad then storming out of the door and me asking 'we're are you going dad?' And him replying 'I'm going to look for that fuckin Policeman that lied about my beloved team'. You can guess the rest . RIP DAD!! Despite current league form, he would be proud of Clough and the cup runs

 

[vorpal blade]

yes I think I vaguely remember they told us the wrong result because I remember discovering we were down on the train afterwards.

 

[Darren]

I

Tell me about it.. It was my first game but I only remember Givens penalty.

Anyone care to remind me or anyone could give a link to a match report of that game?

Cheers UTB

I was there aged 14.

Until the last 5 mins, it was a nothing game. The only things I recall was the ref being knocked out when the ball hit in in the face and a Givens shot after about 65 mins that just went past the post at the Kop end.

Of course 0-0 would have been fine for us, but with 5 mins to go, Alan Buckley got the ball at the left corner of the penalty area at the BL end and John MacPhail came across and took him out. Nailed on pen. Don Penn took it and put it straight down the middle as Conroy dived right.

Cue ructions as fans started climbing the fences pursuant to a pitch invasion. However, with a min to go, Hatton got the ball on the right of the Walsall area and shot. It hit a Walsall player on the arm. It was definitely ball to arm but the ref was fearing for his life and gave a pen. Matthews was supposed to take it bit chickened out, so Givens took it and hit it right centre with no power and Ron Green easily fell on it.

It was full time a minute or so later and there was a pitch invasion when Walsall players were attacked. I heard the rumour re Swindon (they had to lose for us to stay up) and was only disabused when I got home and my dad told me the truth :-(

 

[lepton blade]

Wasn't John Matthews meant to be the penalty taker but bottled it? Crushed and heartbreaking, supporting the Blades has never been a soft option.

 

[Dkc]

I was there too, I remember there were two pitch invasions, one when we missed the pen (I think) and one at the final whistle. There were police horses on the pitch and the mounted cops were clubbing people with batons like at Orgreave. Some fans cuffed their players at the final whistle, and some ran over to the Walsall fans, who were climbing the barriers at the Lane end. I also remember grown men bawling their eyes out on the kop. I think the headline in the Star on Monday was "Blades Day of Shame" or something like that.

Of course we walked Div 4 the following season, one of the most fun seasons I've known watching the Blades. I doubt it would be as easy if we were relegated again

 

[Red Hot Currie]

LoL!!! SUFC - the gift that keeps on giving. If only they knew the psychological damage that they'd inflicted on so many of us over the years. As if getting relegated wasn't bad enough.... they told us we weren't.... only to let us find out that, in fact, we had. It felt like being relegated twice!! You guys thought you'd got it bad though..... that bust stop I mentioned was the bus stop for the number 97..... (somewhere near where Boston Street joins London Road I seem to recall) which took me back to my grandparents at Southey Green (deep in Pork Town). You can imagine the reception I got when I stepped off that bus at the top of Southey Green Road outside what used to be a boozer called 'The Magnet' (arch Pig pub.... real pork nest). Christ, I shudder even now. Forget that glass of red..... I'll wash the Prozac down with a bottle of red!!

Incidentally - the game itself - I just remember it being a terrible, drab game at the end of a terrible drab season. During that season and leading up to it we'd been exposed to paying our money to watch players such as Dougie Brown, John Flood and a whole host of other blokes who we'd apparently just pulled in off the street (all playing in that horrible 'Hobbot'(?) kit! Apologies to any fans of retro kits wholiked that particular incarnation..... for me it's just associated wit the turd years!)

You're right about old John Matthews (liked him as a player always reminded me of Basil Fawlty with a perm or some reason) bottling the pen. Enter the hapless Don Givens. At least he had the guts to take it I supppose. That's where my positivity ends on that game.

Darren..... I salute your memory. Don Penn....... I'd forgotten his name (the tw*t!!). Don PENN..... once again, a layer of irony only the Blades could manage to weave into the tapestry of misery!!!!! Christ.

Memories. Dearie, dearie me...... ;-)

UTB!!!!!!!

 

[oldblade]

Until the last 5 minutes it looked like a routine 0-0 draw. We passed the ball about quite well, but in non-threatening areas, and Walsall never looked remotely like scoring until we gave away the penalty.

I remember being quite surprised at the apparent lack of urgency in the Walsall side. They had to win whereas a draw was enough for us, but at no stage in the match did they ever seem to take the game to us. For all the world it looked like two sides who had nothing to play for just going through the motions and seeing out the season. It was as if Walsall knew we'd self destruct in the end.

A terrible day in the history of our club that should never ever have occurred.

Oh, and that kit! As dreadful as the team wearing it.

 

[Blade58]

All I remember is Don Givens passing the pen back to their GK and one or two grown men in tears on the kop after the final whistle

What a terrible, terrible day that was!

 

[Cheets]

I was 11 and didn't attend but remember the huge 'BLADES DOWN' headline on the new tabloid size Green 'UN. I also remember Alan Buckley saying regarding the pitch invasions "I honestly thought my time had come." Didn't we used to cheer if Walsall were losing during the div 4 season?

 

[oldblade]

I was 11 and didn't attend but remember the huge 'BLADES DOWN' headline on the new tabloid size Green 'UN. I also remember Alan Buckley saying regarding the pitch invasions "I honestly thought my time had come." Didn't we used to cheer if Walsall were losing during the div 4 season?

I remember when we beat Rochdale 3-1 at Bramall Lane towards the end of the 1981-2 season we were not quite mathematically certain of promotion, but we were very close to it. The kop started to chant "Walsall, Walsall here we come".

 

[Cheets]

I remember when we beat Rochdale 3-1 at Bramall Lane towards the end of the 1981-2 season we were not quite mathematically certain of promotion, but we were very close to it. The kop started to chant "Walsall, Walsall here we come".

Yeah I remember thinking it would be a big deal when we actually played Walsall, but I think we drew 2-2 circa March 1983 and I don't think there was any aggro or fuss.

 

[oldblade]

Yeah I remember thinking it would be a big deal when we actually played Walsall, but I think we drew 2-2 circa March 1983 and I don't think there was any aggro or fuss.

In our first season back in division 3 we drew 0-0 at Walsall and beat them 3-1 at Bramall Lane. The following season we again played Walsall at Fellows Park early in the season. it was a midweek evening game. We went a goal down, had a man sent off (Henderson?) but made an excellent comeback to win 2-1. We won at Bramall Lane 2-0.

Like you I thought there might be trouble when we played them, but I don't remember any at any of those games.

 

[finlaytheblade]

dont like being reminded of them dark days it hurts still after all these years.Much rather remember the following season we took the 4th division championship only losing 4 games and the only season in my lifetime we went unbeaten at home infact i would,nt be surprised if thats the only time in our history.Darlington was a great day out like all celebrations are after every promotion weve had.We have some great supporters when you consider the relegations weve had we bounce back like we will do again!.it is still there this season if we get our finger out.

 

[blade too long]

suffice to say it was 1-1 we were doomed , then salvation was offered in the form of a last minute penalty, surely surely

then , can only say brentford hitting the bar v doncaster at home in the last minute then donny breaking away and scoring a winner comes close to explaining how it felt

 

[Grecian2000]

suffice to say it was 1-1 we were doomed

Or not!

Anyway, I couldn't watch when we got the pen so never saw it.

Last time I've ever not watched a penalty we've taken (although I lost sight of Simmos at about 5000 feet).

 

[grafikhaus]

Another link to this match (and programme cover!) here. What a grey, miserable day that was. 2nd May but the weather certainly wasn't Spring-like (similar to Wigan in 2007.)

The pitch was a shit heap of the type not seen in the modern game (apart from at MeccanoLand), there were metal fences keeping the crowds in - a legacy of Man. U's scum-like fans.

I went with my dad in the BLUT and the inevitability of it all unfolded all afternoon. Almost at the death a Walsall player fell over (Buckley? Dirty, cheating little bastard) and the resulting penalty put Walsall one-up. But then - salvation! We won a penalty in the kop end, you could see the comedy black cloud over Given's head as he fluffed it. The whistle went soon afterwards and we were down.

Or were we? The aforementioned rumour went round that some other score (Millwall seems to spring to mind) had gone in our favour. The crowd who had invaded the pitch from the kop stopped thumping the Walsall players and began to celebrate! My dad said 'I'll believe it when I see it. I've seen armies running away on the strength of a rumour.'

Once again, the footballing Gods were looking down and sniggering. My dad was right. We were down. It merely added to the 'Rule of 13'.

1968. Lost at home (Chelsea) on the last day of the season and were relegated from the top flight. Thirteen years later...
1981. This Walsall game. Thirteen years later...
1994. Lost at Chelsea on the last day of the season 3-2. We were relegated from the top flight and Segers, Fashanu and Grobelaar rushed off to the bookes to collect their winnings. Thirteen years later...
2007. Lost at home to Wigan and relegated from the top flght. This time it was West Ham and Scudamore who raided Ladbrokes.

Some say relegation to the fourth tier was the lowest ebb in United's history. I disagree. It allowed us to clear out a load of 'last payday' players and we stormed the Fourth Division, having great times along the way.

No, I think now is our lowest ebb. Becalmed in the Third Division for the forseeable and I can see a mass exodus of our best players in Summer.

Have a nice day!

 

[Bladesway]

Its not to say its not bad now but to those who say "sack this manager, sack that manager" please remember these days if you can. They were as dark as I can remember.

 

[grafikhaus]

Edit from my previous post:

We were down. It merely added to the 'Rule of 13'.
1955. I was born. We were relegated from the top tier. Thirteen years later...
1968. Lost at home (Chelsea) on the last day of the season and were relegated from the top flight. Thirteen years later...
1981. This Walsall game. Thirteen years later...
1994. Lost at Chelsea on the last day of the season 3-2. We were relegated from the top flight and Segers, Fashanu and Grobelaar rushed off to the bookes to collect their winnings. Thirteen years later...
2007. Lost at home to Wigan and relegated from the top flght. This time it was West Ham and Scudamore who raided Ladbrokes.

You could say I'm a fucking jinx!

 

[Darren]

Its not to say its not bad now but to those who say "sack this manager, sack that manager" please remember these days if you can. They were as dark as I can remember.

I think the cup runs are obscuring things a little these days. We are now in our 4th season in the lower divisions and I don't think anyone would bet against us having a 5th. We spent 5 years in the lower divisions from 1979-84. Apart from the cup runs, there's little difference.

Anyhow, I don't see the strength in the argument "look, this is only the 2nd worst team in our 126 year history..."

 

[Jon Bon]

To this day, I still believe that Swindon lost and we were saved. That was the day they plugged the matrix in. Does anyone remember seeing a flicker just as Givens ran up to take the penalty, like the TV had momentarily lost the signal? Somewhere, out there in the real world, The Blades are regular Champions League winners and are playing in front of 70,000 every other week at The Nou Bramall Lane.

 

[Bladesway]

I think the cup runs are obscuring things a little these days. We are now in our 4th season in the lower divisions and I don't think anyone would bet against us having a 5th. We spent 5 years in the lower divisions from 1979-84. Apart from the cup runs, there's little difference.

Anyhow, I don't see the strength in the argument "look, this is only the 2nd worst team in our 126 year history..."

I think we have bottomed out and are starting to move forward rather than slide backwards for the first time in years. That apart I would agree with you.

 

[Trigger Blade]

dont like being reminded of them dark days .

I think you mean these dark days, we haven't really got very far in the intervening 34 years, have we?

 

[Darren]

I think we have bottomed out and are starting to move forward rather than slide backwards for the first time in years. That apart I would agree with you.

We bottomed out in 1982, after 3 years in the lower divisions. Three years later we were sustaining a promotion challenge in the 2nd Division and ended up finishing 7th.

Does anyone now see us getting in the top half of the 2nd tier within the next 3 years?

 

[Bladesway]

Does anyone now see us getting in the top half of the 2nd tier within the next 3 years?

Yes I do actually. Hence why I said what I said. You may disagree as is your want but thats what my initial statements were based on.

 

[Darren]

Yes I do actually. Hence why I said what I said. You may disagree as is your want but thats what my initial statements were based on.

Fair enough. It's worth bearing in mind that last season was our 5th lowest ever finish in 111 league seasons

 

[Bladesway]

Fair enough. It's worth bearing in mind that last season was our 5th lowest ever finish in 111 league seasons

Thanks for the motivational talk

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

We bottomed out in 1982, after 3 years in the lower divisions. Three years later we were sustaining a promotion challenge in the 2nd Division and ended up finishing 7th.

Does anyone now see us getting in the top half of the 2nd tier within the next 3 years?

Yes

 

[georgebernardshaw]

I think you mean these dark days, we haven't really got very far in the intervening 34 years, have we?

I hate all this short-termism - are you a Blade or what?