We're loved to bits

[SouthEssexBlade]

With thanks to knockoffnigel who posted this in the shoutbox, a few words from TC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05yj6zg

 

[FTPE]

Absolutely fantastic.
Obviously an unbelievable player, but I'm so proud of my club that we make him feel the way he sounded on that call as well.
We love you TC and I reckon the feeling is mutual.

 

[Stretch]

Listened to it on the show earlier, he was properly filling up towards the end. Emotional stuff this football business.

 

[Harry's Game]

Not a headline we read very often....

 

[BigBed]

Thought we were "all fuckin wankers at the lane"???

 

[Danetheblade]

Made me choke up myself there. Blades legend through and through.. much love to a true blades legend.

 

[Bartleby]

An absolute Blades legend.

 

[INTAKE BLADE]

Felt me sen choking up a bit then, Top man who obviously loves our club.

 

[1066blade]

Went and signed for Leeds though didn't he?

 

[djbaldken]

I was there last night. I have to say it was a fantastic evening. Very well delivered and presented by Paul Walker. Lots of the old players there too. Len badger, Eddie C. Geoff Salmons, Ted H. John Flynn. Billy Deardon. The tributes paid by well established figures all were glowing in TC s character and abilities. It was a great night and one that will live in my memory for some time.

 

[nopigfansintown]

What a legend!

 

[diode_blade]

Top man, really tugged at the heart strings that...god bless you TC....

 

[Weasel]

What a guy. That is what this club does to all who come to love it.

The man clearly loves his club. Like we all do, and TC is part of the fabric of the club.

A special player and a very special club.

 

[Liaminho9]

When HRH takes full control, could do a lot worse than appointing him as Chairman

 

[Groucho Blade]

He’s the reason I’m a Blade. Still the best player I’ve ever seen in Blades shirt...by a country mile.

 

[Ivanhoe]

He’s the reason I’m a Blade. Still the best player I’ve ever seen in Blades shirt...by a country mile.

Ditto....

 

[Muttley]

Went and signed for Leeds though didn't he?

We all make mistakes in life.

 

[HighfieldBlade]

Went and signed for Leeds though didn't he?

Yes, he did, but So what?
You can tell from the way TC was choking up just how much this club of ours has meant to him. He is a true Blade, he loves us to bits - and the feeling is mutual.

 

[Liverpool blade]

Went and signed for Leeds though didn't he?

I'll forgive him that mistake in his career. He came back and quite clearly loves the fans

 

[grafikhaus]

The best player I've ever seen in a Blades shirt (though my dad always maintained he 'wasn't fit to lace Jimmy Hagan's boots'...) I was there on 26th Feb. 1968 when TC made his debut in a 3-2 home win v. Spurs (Currie scored our second). Even TC's brilliance didn't save us from a last-day (again) relegation. I was also there on 17th October 1973 for the ill-fated game against Poland at the old Wembley which cost us a place in the 1974 World Cup in West Germany.

Many, many great memories from TC (and a few bad ones. I used to have a scrap book - sadly binned long ago - with a picture of TC outside the old John Street stand where somebody had sprayed 'Don't go Tony.' He did. To Leeds). I never actually rated the 'Quality goal by a quality player' v West Ham. I always thought he scuffed it. But, in the same game, I remember TC was defending at the kop end and several West Ham players were closing him down. He dropped a shoulder here, feinted to one side there and, in seconds, he'd 'bought' himself ten yards of space. He never touched the ball once!

Obviously, TC is emotional in the RS interview (or was it 'tired and emotional' as Private Eye say? ). It could well be that, with Cyrille Regis and, just recently Ryan Mason being forced to retire, TC was probably just reflecting on the transitional nature of a footballer's career and the joy they can bring to many thousands of people. God Bless, TC and what about a statue to England's Gunter Netzer?

 

[Speedracer]

I was already a Blade when TC signed for us, I was 11 in '68, and was somewhat spoiled by growing up watching Hodgy, Len Badger, Woody, TC and the other players from that era, but there is no doubt that TC was one of the best English players ever. I think it is known that he had to nurse a dodgy knee for a long time and I wonder if that just held him back a fraction with regard to being an England great, but he could do anything he wanted on a football pitch. I remember a titanic battle with Graeme Souness when he was a Middlesborough player at the 'Lane, with TC showing he had the muscle as well as all the skill in the world. A wonderful player and a great Blade.

 

[CarlingBlade]

Being born in 1977 I missed out on TC but would loved to have been at the Blades v Cardiff night match when we got promotion watching the likes of TC, Woodward, Hockey, Badger etc and enjoying the era,

If I could time travel that would be the one for me, just to enjoy that time and how much simpler things appeared to be.

 

[GrayBlade]

He nearly had me blubbing there. Love ya TC.

 

[ElephantBlade]

I'm too young to have seen Tony play, but have met him a few times. Such a good bloke, got me fucking emotional at the end there. God I love this fucking club.

 

[coolhandluke]

Being born in 1977 I missed out on TC but would loved to have been at the Blades v Cardiff night match when we got promotion watching the likes of TC, Woodward, Hockey, Badger etc and enjoying the era,

If I could time travel that would be the one for me, just to enjoy that time and how much simpler things appeared to be.

I couldnt agree more . The Cardiff game is the one game that I wasn't at but I wished I was .

I have the programme from that game and the Watford game the following Saturday . The pics from the Cardiff game in the Watford programme make the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end . 40 odd thousand in a 3 sided ground where we tore the opponents apart and sealed promotion to the top flight is the stuff dreams are made of .

 

[Mad Mick]

I'm proud to say I saw him play many times. Thanks for the great memories once a Blade always a Blade.

 

[BiggerBladeThanThou]

Too young to see him live, not too young to have watched countless MOTD/BBC Sheffield United VHS’s whilst growing up especially on a Saturday morning whilst getting ready to play for my local kids side, I was in aweinspired by him.

Then, met him a couple of times at BDTBL and he’s always stopped and said hello and posed for a pic or two.

 

[John Street West Terrace]

Top Man & Legend

 

[Angef1Blade]

I was there last night. I have to say it was a fantastic evening. Very well delivered and presented by Paul Walker. Lots of the old players there too. Len badger, Eddie C. Geoff Salmons, Ted H. John Flynn. Billy Deardon. The tributes paid by well established figures all were glowing in TC s character and abilities. It was a great night and one that will live in my memory for some time.

Me too - it really was a Quality night. Thought the quote of the evening came from Paul Heaton when he was waxing lyrical about TC - his skills & ability his looks his long blond hair etc. because (and I quote) "Nobody wanted to look like Vic Mobley & Gerry Young did they"

 

[Edinblade]

Went and signed for Leeds though didn't he?

And the fact that that makes no difference to the absolute love we have for him, sums it up.
I will always cherish my Saturday afternoons watching the absolute legend TC.
I’m not sure I would have remained the 100% blade I am without having watched TC and the rest of that brilliant team.