From The Heart – How It Is
It started as I was living and growing up in Oughtibridge many years ago, my Dad a real Blade born and bred in Sheffield, well he married a Cornish girl and they settled in Oughtibridge, he took me to the Lane and I became absolutely hooked, the red and white striped shirts, the smell of tobacco the wooden floors in the old players “G” entrance in John Street, this quality goalkeeper who bothered to give little me time (Alan Hodgkinson). In those early days we stood just to the right of the players tunnel and myself and my Dad got to know very well a lad of the same age as me and his Dad, his Dad was a WBA fan who had moved to Sheffield for his line of work, the lad became a long standing Blade, but he still kept in contact with his old WBA friends (more of that later).
Being a Blade, like the vast majority goes back to when we were growing up either in Sheffield or the outlying areas of Sheffield. Myself for instance “Oughtibridge” a piggy stronghold just ask Alan Quinn. I can remember on many occasions me and another lad running the gauntlet entering school if United had lost and the scum had won, boy we suffered. If they had lost and we had won there was absolutely no one around (Fickle gits)
It brought me up to be a dyed in absolute BLADE. I recall travelling on the 57 bus into watch United and spitting in my hand as we past swillsborough.
The commitment to SUFC started young and it became that United were everything, I also recall that my Dad never ever bought the Sheffield Telegraph on a W*dnesday because the paper said Sheffield, W*ednesday, and then the date.
What I am trying to say is that this absolute commitment to United started very young and nothing else mattered. I can recall one Saturday, United at home playing Southampton and I was ill and could not go but the old radio (valve) was on and I shed tears when we tore them apart 4-1, not just because we won but because I could not go.
During the years that passed by I wondered sometimes if United really wondered what UNITED meant to me and fans like me. I can tell you now that they meant everything to me, we lived and breathed football, we pretended to be Alan Hodgkinson if in goal and if an outfield player it was usually at the time Doc Pace or Billy Hodgson and later TC.
The years past by and the commitment to United never faltered, my mates who I had stood on the Kop with were still there, their commitment also had never faltered. The Highs, Promotion, the Lows, relegation and that FA Cup Semi-Final (still have the programmes) of 1960/61 in which we lost the second reply to Leicester City (still hate them to this day).
We have seen many players come and go, many managers also. The likes of AlanHodgkinson, Coldwell, Graham Shaw, Brian Richardson, from that early era of mine, through to Tony Currie (great bloke when you get to know him, just don’t ask to take his photo, that’s also another story) then we had the Deano/Agana and many many more.
I have seen bad times in the old Third Division when we were very poor, why because the players were poor and the club lacked investment, the old Fourth Division and the dark early days of that season when there were not many in the ground when we stuffed Torquay 4-1. Reg Brearly invested money and when he did not I recall some Blades welding his gates together so that when he returned from the match he just could not get in (was not me really)
Then we started on the up and up and up, the Adrian Heath arrived that was a real downer, but we got rid and we went on.
Bassett/Warnock came and went. Never really forgiven Bassett for the diamonds as the stripes are scared. Warnock did well, like with Bassett’s teams they played with passion.
Look the point I am making is that this commitement to UNITED took years, it was developed over many years, remember that.
Going back to earlier, remember the early years and the WBA Dad and his son, well his son still meets up now and then and he still has WBA friends (but he is and always has been a pure Blade) well his WBA friends tell him that is exactly how they felt under Robson, helplessness!
United have always had s*it chairman along with different s*it boards until now. McCabe is one of the best chairman, if not the best, that we have ever had and I find it very difficult to say otherwise. I think that John Harris was probably the best manager since I have supported United.
Anyway, getting back to what needs to be said.
Now it is time for answers, because not one of my mates but two of my mates (both went to Cardiff yesterday, I could not make this one) have both told me that they will not be going on Boxing Day or next Saturday, they said that they will not be going until Bryan Robson has left. They told me that it is obvious that the players do not want to play for this manager. One said that he had been told by two players (remain nameless) Robson has not got a clue and Kidd is no better. These two friends have supported United since the 1960/61 season and have been season ticket holders ever since. They tell me that they have informed United that they will not return until Bryan Robson has left the club.
When they went through things with me last night I found that I agreed with everything that they said, we are in a state of LIMBO, emptiness, lack of interest, no hope, and we feel as if we are going absolutely nowhere at all. The team play with no passion. And ardent fans are giving up.
They have informed the club (and I can tell you that they know many officials at the club which has been built up over the decades) that they will not return until there is a change of manager.
I am still here and that is why I have decided to tell you this.
When you get fans of this long association with United saying they have had enough something has to be done.
I am calling on Kevin McCabe to act now, please, much sooner rather than later to sack this manager who has took fans to feeling so low that they are even saying they are not interested anymore.
Act now Mr. Chairman before more damage is done that can never be repaired and SACK ROBSON.
If you are a Blade then do it!
Sorry for going on fellow Blades but this needed saying. This is how I feel.
I am gutted that United no longer can count on the support of these two very long standing Blades, it’s time to act McCabe and get rid of this manager who only got the job in the first place because he once captained England, because it most certainly cannot be for his manager qualities can it! Everyone can see it so for GOD’s sake do something!
