Following on from the news of John Ritchie's death was the game between Wednesday and Manchester United in 1968 match played at Hillsborough.

The ground was packed to the rafters. Manchester United were European Cup holders. Their side was full of players who were or who became legends. It was a bright autumnal day. And Jack Whitham scored four of the five Wednesday goals. I doubt if anyone who was there will forget that day.

By the way, where is Jack nowadays?

51,931 spectators packed into Hillsborough 31 August 1968 for the 5-4 win over Manchester United. The scorers were Ritchie, Whitham 3 and a Stiles' og, is the official line. Stiles headed the ball into his net but because Whitham was standing next too him, a few fans wanted to 'bend it'!
The last I heard of Jack was years ago when he was landlord of "The Wadsley Jack".

Jack left the Wadsley Jack and became manager of the Police Club at Niagara for a few years, finally leaving in June last year. I'm not sure where he is now, but quite often see him at a couple of folk clubs when he turns up with his guitar.

jack also managed us in the late 80,s[hallam f.c,and the game your talking about i was there [i was only 5]but the game sticks in my mind because there was a lot of trouble at this game as i was sat in the stands at the leppings lane end,frightened to death!

By the way, where is Jack nowadays?Jack and Josephine Whitham still live in Wadsley..:)

jack also managed us in the late 80,s[hallam f.c,and the game your talking about i was there [i was only 5]but the game sticks in my mind because there was a lot of trouble at this game as i was sat in the stands at the leppings lane end,frightened to death!

I remember the game well....because I didn't go!!

It would have been my first wednesday match...apart from going to reserves with my Dad...but Dad wouldn't let me go...because of the potential trouble..and I was too young....what a game to miss!!

It took me a few weeks to forgive him!!

the game sticks in my mind because there was a lot of trouble at this game as i was sat in the stands at the leppings lane end,frightened to death!

I remember this game well, no crowd segregation, the kop was packed with blues and reds. There was definitely, absolutely no trouble at this game. Great attitude from both sets of fans after witnessing one of the most sensational games ever played at Hillsborough.

There is another thread on this match where many fans mention the great atmosphere.


Andy
It's All Too Beautiful

there was serious trouble at this game especially at the leppings lane end,anybody remember and back me up on this?

I remember this game well, no crowd segregation, the kop was packed with blues and reds. There was definitely, absolutely no trouble at this game. Great attitude from both sets of fans after witnessing one of the most sensational games ever played at Hillsborough.

There is another thread on this match where many fans mention the great atmosphere.


Andy
It's All Too Beautiful

I was on the kop. The man u fans were throwing pennies from the back of the kop at the wednesday fans below.Get one of those on the back of your head and you knew about it, or is'nt this classed as trouble?

My Dad said he had to decorate the stairs and I sat and watched the rugby league with the face on, but in later years he told me it was because of the potential for crowd trouble. I recall there were 50+ arrests but in a crowd of 54,000 wasn't too bad in those days. The next game was against Leeds Utd 51,000, he took me to that one on the kop where all the bus conductors and drivers stood near the corrugated thing, and there was fighting throughout the whole game.

I was a kop regular back then - all of age 13! I remember the Man U game well, as the kop was so packed I could take both feet off the floor and not fall down. At the end of the game the crush to leave was so great that a lad got his arm through the railings going down the stairs and the force of the crowd pushing forwards caused it to break. We were so fired up after the win that we didn't bat an eyelid, but looking back it was all pretty hairy.

I remember in '58 I think it was when West Ham came to Owlerton and were top of the 1st Division but Wednesday beat them 7-3 and we had a W.H supporter staying for the weakend who said Wednesday were the best team he'd seen for a while. Those were the days when people all over the world knew where Sheffield was, now it's just a backwater.

I was there on the kop and like Pappadave sez the ManU fans were throwing pennies edge on from the back of the kop down on the Wednesdayites down at the front. Best Law and Charlton, fantstic. Don`t remember who scored wot but Best scored a beaut.

I was there on the kop
I was in the tree at the top of the Kop. As a Blades fan I was rooting for Man U but just remember it being a fantastic game, and every time Besty got the ball there was a hush of anticipation!!

I was in the tree at the top of the Kop. As a Blades fan I was rooting for Man U but just remember it being a fantastic game, and every time Besty got the ball there was a hush of anticipation!!
As a sheffielder you was rooting for Salford don,t believe it.
P.S i was there and remember the song, Ritchie, Ritchie, Ritchie the bush kangaroo.
Rest in Piece John you were a star.

51,931 spectators packed into Hillsborough 31 August 1968 for the 5-4 win over Manchester United. The scorers were Ritchie, Whitham 3 and a Stiles' og, is the official line. Stiles headed the ball into his net but because Whitham was standing next too him, a few fans wanted to 'bend it'!
The last I heard of Jack was years ago when he was landlord of "The Wadsley Jack".

Scout at United Academy before Pemberton

I was attending a party in a house on Knowle Lane, when Jack and Josie who were also attending singularly, became a unit. :thumbsup:

I remember the match, fantastic atmosphere. I always liked Jack Whitham great player.
Don't remember any trouble

I was a youngster,but remember this game very well,Don megson had a goal chalked off,noboddy knew what the offence was as it looked a good goal,and late on,bobby charlton almost equalised,but it came thundering back off a post.
En route to the game wed had to park well away from the ground,my dad owned niagra petrol station,normally parking wasnt a problem for us!As we got to wadsley bridge train station,the first of 2 massive football specials had pulled in and united fans were coming off the train,one idiot threw a brick from the top of the bridge,and hit a young lad,walking like me with his dad,blood everywhere and the lad fell to the floor,for a few tense minutes all hell broke loose,there were coppers and fighting everywhere,my old fella ushered me on,as i was stood "gawping"there was a headline in the star about it,and it was mentioned in our school assembley by our headmaster,so obviously it was big news.
After the game,there was quite a lot of bother around the station,and a very tense atmosphere.
The home game after this,2 weeks later was against newley promoted wolves,who brought a fair following,and again trouble flaired up at wadsley bridge station.
the match ended 2-2,Mobley and Ritchie,with wolves goals both comming from players that ironically had birthdays that day,think one was peter knowles,the other was definately alun evans,who scored the equaliser with the last kick of the game in injury time!

the match in 1974 wasn't bad either 4-4 draw

the match in 1974 wasn't bad either 4-4 draw

Yes we stuffed them in the first half, pity about the second.

This match was the best I ever saw. If it had ended 0-0 it would still live in the memory.
Speaking of Jack Whitham, I remember his debut against his home town club Burnley. He came on as a half time sub and scored two good goals. Wednesday were awarded a penalty for 8-0 and it should have gone to Jack but McCalliog snatched the ball and missed the pen. It ended 7-0. When he went to Liverpool for 60k Shanks stuck him straight into the reserves. This was the custom at Anfield no matter who you were. Jack started scoring shedloads for the reserves and the story goes that he went to see Shankley to point this out and to ask him for his chance in the first team. Shanks just said "Keep trying son, keep trying!"

This match was the best I ever saw. If it had ended 0-0 it would still live in the memory.
Speaking of Jack Whitham, I remember his debut against his home town club Burnley. He came on as a half time sub and scored two good goals. Wednesday were awarded a penalty for 8-0 and it should have gone to Jack but McCalliog snatched the ball and missed the pen. It ended 7-0. When he went to Liverpool for 60k Shanks stuck him straight into the reserves. This was the custom at Anfield no matter who you were. Jack started scoring shedloads for the reserves and the story goes that he went to see Shankley to point this out and to ask him for his chance in the first team. Shanks just said "Keep trying son, keep trying!"

Some of the older owls reckon that game was only rivalled at s6 by an england v scotland game from wayback that finished 5-4 as well.
I was at the burnley game,think it was the penultimate match of 67,Ford scored (3) and Jack was the scoring sub (2).
I remember Jack scoring against Arsenal in 69,he dove to head home a low ball,i think peter storey was the clearing defender,missed the ball and nearly blinded Jack,kicked him stright in the eye and he was out for quite a while after.