Today is the 15th Anniversary of the death of Mel Rees.

Mel wasn't a Blade for long but he made himself a hero amongst Blades fans with his inspired performances.

RIP Mel

15 years! Jeez thats flown. He was only in his mid-twenties if I recall. Such a shame.

15 years! Jeez thats flown. He was only in his mid-twenties if I recall. Such a shame.

Yes, 30th May 1993 he was just 26 years old.

R.I.P Mel god bless

Blimey, 15 years?

Such a waste of what was a great talent. Plucked from obscurity like a good number of Bassett's signings, he became a legend in the shortist of time. His performance at Goodison Park was as good as I have seen from a United 'keeper (alongside some of Kelly's and Tracey's performances).

He received applause from both sets of Sheffield's football supporters at Wembley - a rare achievement - in 1993. He fought his illness with courage and bravery.

His father phoned me up a few years after Mel's death. I didn't know Mr Rees Senior and he didn't know me. He'd got my details through Bramall Lane as I was a season ticket holder then and a regular contributor to Flashing Blade (fanzine). He phoned simply asking if I had any nice memories of his son.

We spoke for ten minutes. He thanked me for keeping Mel's memory alive by recollecting certain matches in which Mel played. Like father, like son: two decent fellas.

Rest in peace, Mel.

rip mel top blade.

still got the badge his brother gave me at the funeral. cardiff civil service fc. the first club he played for.

I can't believe he only played 9 matches for us.

In his debut against Liverpool he was immense, but as someone mentioned above his display against Everton at Goodison was one of the best i've seen from any Blades goalkeeper.

Poor bloke was only 26yrs old when he died, its a terrible shame as Mel had just been called into the Welsh National Team when he was diagnosed with Cancer.

Top bloke anyway and i'm glad his memory is been remembered as it should.

Blimey, 15 years?

Such a waste of what was a great talent. Plucked from obscurity like a good number of Bassett's signings, he became a legend in the shortist of time. His performance at Goodison Park was as good as I have seen from a United 'keeper (alongside some of Kelly's and Tracey's performances).

He received applause from both sets of Sheffield's football supporters at Wembley - a rare achievement - in 1993. He fought his illness with courage and bravery.

His father phoned me up a few years after Mel's death. I didn't know Mr Rees Senior and he didn't know me. He'd got my details through Bramall Lane as I was a season ticket holder then and a regular contributor to Flashing Blade (fanzine). He phoned simply asking if I had any nice memories of his son.

We spoke for ten minutes. He thanked me for keeping Mel's memory alive by recollecting certain matches in which Mel played. Like father, like son: two decent fellas.

Rest in peace, Mel.

as i've said before me and three mates went down to the funeral. took down 2 lots of red and white carnations. one lot from pitsmoor blades the other pitsmoor owls. chucked my united shirt into the grave onto the coffin after getting his dads permission. after the funeral mels brother came over to our car and asked us to come to the wake as his dad wanted a drink with some "proper" blades. what a session we had 5 hours boozing at grangetown conservative club and mels dad and brothers would'nt let us go to bar. met some hero's as well harry, agana, gayle, hodges, tony coton (man city keeper)
and an old west ham favourite from the 70's geoff pike. when we got up to leave all boozer (our hero's) stood up and clapped us (4 scruffs from pitsmoor)
first time and last i've been applauded for getting p****d. which surprises me as i'm a bloody good drinker.

thanks for the memories mel.

as i've said before me and three mates went down to the funeral. took down 2 lots of red and white carnations. one lot from pitsmoor blades the other pitsmoor owls. chucked my united shirt into the grave onto the coffin after getting his dads permission. after the funeral mels brother came over to our car and asked us to come to the wake as his dad wanted a drink with some "proper" blades. what a session we had 5 hours boozing at grangetown conservative club and mels dad and brothers would'nt let us go to bar. met some hero's as well harry, agana, gayle, hodges, tony coton (man city keeper)
and an old west ham favourite from the 70's geoff pike. when we got up to leave all boozer (our hero's) stood up and clapped us (4 scruffs from pitsmoor)
first time and last i've been applauded for getting p****d. which surprises me as i'm a bloody good drinker.

thanks for the memories mel.


Your post has made me feel both happy and sad at the same time.:(:)

We should name one of the stands at the Lane - maybe the new Kop - the Mel Rees Stand (Kop being a fitting idea as it is behind the goal.):thumbsup:

We should name one of the stands at the Lane - maybe the new Kop - the Mel Rees Stand (Kop being a fitting idea as it is behind the goal.):thumbsup:


yep could'nt agree more.

http://www.thestar.co.uk/blades/Memories-of-Mel-Rees-15th.4136088.jp

Your post has made me feel both happy and sad at the same time.:(:)

We should name one of the stands at the Lane - maybe the new Kop - the Mel Rees Stand (Kop being a fitting idea as it is behind the goal.):thumbsup:

couldnt agree more , time as flown so quickly, wonder if anyone at lane as remembered and put something on website ,

Didnt Know it had been that long
Thoughts go to his family

Thats the measure of the man - people still talking like this 15 years after he passed on.

RIP to a top blade.

as i've said before me and three mates went down to the funeral. took down 2 lots of red and white carnations. one lot from pitsmoor blades the other pitsmoor owls. chucked my united shirt into the grave onto the coffin after getting his dads permission. after the funeral mels brother came over to our car and asked us to come to the wake as his dad wanted a drink with some "proper" blades. what a session we had 5 hours boozing at grangetown conservative club and mels dad and brothers would'nt let us go to bar. met some hero's as well harry, agana, gayle, hodges, tony coton (man city keeper)
and an old west ham favourite from the 70's geoff pike. when we got up to leave all boozer (our hero's) stood up and clapped us (4 scruffs from pitsmoor)
first time and last i've been applauded for getting p****d. which surprises me as i'm a bloody good drinker.

thanks for the memories mel.

;)...........................

It's like the saying only the good die young,26 years is no time do die,being a parent you should not out live your children ,I already know how it feels ,so god bless to Mel & his family.

RIP Mel Rees

A true Blades legend, never to be forgotten and always in our hearts.

Once remember the Kop chanting "He's England's number two" ....
referring back to the chant for Simon Tracy
In the Star later, it said this confused the Welshman.

Ahh Memories.

RIP Mel Rees

A true Blades legend, never to be forgotten and always in our hearts.

Ill second that.

I cannot believe it was that long ago that i sat stunned at work when our lass told me the terrible news, R.I.P. Mel and thoughts to his family

Very, very, very sadly missed ...

RIP Mel.

as i've said before me and three mates went down to the funeral. took down 2 lots of red and white carnations. one lot from pitsmoor blades the other pitsmoor owls. chucked my united shirt into the grave onto the coffin after getting his dads permission. after the funeral mels brother came over to our car and asked us to come to the wake as his dad wanted a drink with some "proper" blades. what a session we had 5 hours boozing at grangetown conservative club and mels dad and brothers would'nt let us go to bar. met some hero's as well harry, agana, gayle, hodges, tony coton (man city keeper)
and an old west ham favourite from the 70's geoff pike. when we got up to leave all boozer (our hero's) stood up and clapped us (4 scruffs from pitsmoor)
first time and last i've been applauded for getting p****d. which surprises me as i'm a bloody good drinker.

thanks for the memories mel.
:( + :) + :|

Like everyone has said, I can't believe it was so long ago.

At Wembley I got the 4th or 5th last ticket on sale, and was sat right next to the bench. So had loads of photos of when they did the walk around before the game. As you do as a young lad, snapping your heros.

RIP Mel. Superb talent.

as i've said before me and three mates went down to the funeral. took down 2 lots of red and white carnations. one lot from pitsmoor blades the other pitsmoor owls. chucked my united shirt into the grave onto the coffin after getting his dads permission. after the funeral mels brother came over to our car and asked us to come to the wake as his dad wanted a drink with some "proper" blades. what a session we had 5 hours boozing at grangetown conservative club and mels dad and brothers would'nt let us go to bar. met some hero's as well harry, agana, gayle, hodges, tony coton (man city keeper)
and an old west ham favourite from the 70's geoff pike. when we got up to leave all boozer (our hero's) stood up and clapped us (4 scruffs from pitsmoor)
first time and last i've been applauded for getting p****d. which surprises me as i'm a bloody good drinker.

thanks for the memories mel.
brought a tear to my eye mate,but tha's never been a good drinker

Remember seeing the headline on a Star board outside a newsagents..I was so stunned I went to a florists and took some flowers straight down to The Lane and laid them outside the players entrance.Later that day my flowers with the message attached were shown on Look North.I named my youngest son Jacob REES after him-ironically he likes to play in net.A few weeks after I won a painting of him in The Sportsman on Denby St-it holds pride of place on the wall at home beside my Jimmy Dunne photo.

r.i.p
can anyone re-call which matches he played in?
i think he played when we drew 1.1 with villa in a night match.
i went and i'am sure he played, Gage scored for us first!! . but i may be wrong..

Like so many others have said RIP Mel.
He died a few years back but i can still remember him as we were roughly the same age at the time.

as i've said before me and three mates went down to the funeral. took down 2 lots of red and white carnations. one lot from pitsmoor blades the other pitsmoor owls. chucked my united shirt into the grave onto the coffin after getting his dads permission. after the funeral mels brother came over to our car and asked us to come to the wake as his dad wanted a drink with some "proper" blades. what a session we had 5 hours boozing at grangetown conservative club and mels dad and brothers would'nt let us go to bar. met some hero's as well harry, agana, gayle, hodges, tony coton (man city keeper)
and an old west ham favourite from the 70's geoff pike. when we got up to leave all boozer (our hero's) stood up and clapped us (4 scruffs from pitsmoor)
first time and last i've been applauded for getting p****d. which surprises me as i'm a bloody good drinker.

thanks for the memories mel.
A great story mate.
The sight of him walking around Wembley made us all realise that the game wasn't quite as important as we originally thought.
It's also good to see him still remembered.We may support differant teams but we are all football fans.
RIP Mel

good to see him still remembered.We may support differant teams but we are all football fans.
RIP Mel


if i remember right the funeral was a tuesday morning. the previous sunday night i got a pint pot from the bar and went round pub collecting from blades fans for flowers. but as many wendy fans also put in. one of them an older fella (big malc for you who know him) pulled me and said "nah then thee tha tw*t dont forget us pigs (word to that effect) have chucked in so dont just put pitsmoor blades"

so got two bouquets one from each and filled in that little ticket thingy saying so. took photos of them and put them up in boozer as proof to big malc. but had no need as callendar cought my mate laying them down outside the church.

also remember we set off about 5 am cos the service was about 11am. a mate of mine who went with us is not the sharpest tool in the box and is quite well known to both lots of older fans ( bent nosed mitch) went in tee shirt and shorts with his suit hung up on door. we pulled up at church about 9:30 nobody about so mitch got out of car and stripped down to his pants to get changed. a bloke came running ot of a house and invited us in to get changed. turned out he was a mate of mels dad. we sat chatting in his front room drinking whiskey whilst the church over road opened its doors for us.