Reading a thread in here about when Sheffield Wednesday played Santos (& Pele) back in the 70's, (I was there), has got me thinking back to when the Owls played that wonderful match against Manchester United in the 1960's when the Owls won 5-4.

I was at this match and consider it to be the best football match I ever saw. Sadly time has erased most of my memory of it and I would love it if someone else in here who was also at the match could help remind me of more of the match details.

What i can remember, (I think?) ...........

There was over 54,000 fans in the ground.
The Owls Jack Whittam scored four. (who got the other?)
Bestie & Charlton scored two each (or am I wrong on that).
It was a lovely sunny day!.

I remember we didn't get into the ground while bang on kick off because my brother's Austin Heeley Sprite sports car broke down on the way and we just made it on time.

I would love to know both team line-ups that day, who were the managers, how the scoring went and stuff like that. I've long searched the net hoping to find mention but up to now alas no such luck.

There muse be a Wednesday fan out there who can help bring back some great memories.


UP THE OWLS.

Too young to have been at the match but I found the stats.

Sat 31st Aug 1968 MANCHESTER UNITED 5-4
Att:51,931
Jack Whitham 3, John Ritchie, Own Goal


source:
http://www.adrianbullock.com/swfc/stats/lg1969.htm

:thumbsup:

Here's a link to some of the players from that year.
http://cards.littleoak.com.au/196869_fks/sheffield_wednesday.htm

Law 2, Best and Charlton scored the Manchester United goals. Stiles contributed the own goal. Possibly Wednesday's best win against Manchester United was the FA Cup 4th Round replay in 1961 (Feb 1) when the Owls won 7-2 after drawing 1-1 at Hillsborough?

I was there - best game I've ever seen - what a shame "Yorkshire" TV picked a boring Leeds 0 - Liverpool 1 to show instead.

Oh and using today's offside interpretation Megson's goal would have stood - Fantham wasn't interfering with play (as per usual).

Think the Stiles og was later credited to Whitham - there was a marvellous picture in the Green 'Un that night of Nobby heading the ball with his eyes closed.

From memory the scoring went Owls 1-0 - Whitham after 2 mins

The Man U got 2 in about 10 mins ( I seem to recall Peter Springett dropping a pretty tame cross at Law's feet for one the goals)

Ritchie equalised 2 - 2 after about 20 mins

Man U get 2 more quick goals 2 - 4 after about half an hour.

Whitham pulls one back for Owls just before half time 3 - 4

Stiles og to make it 4-4 after about 55mins

Megsons disallowed goal soon after

Jack Whithams winner I would think came at about 70 mins - I remember the finish being nail biting - Vic Mobly cleared one off the line with a couple of minutes to go.

I think with one exception it was the same Man U team that had won the European Cup just a few months previously.

I'm guessing the Owls team was;

Springett, Smith, Megson, Mobley, Ellis, Young, Whitham, McCalliog, Ritchie, Fantham, Eustace.

I think a mate might still have a copy of the Green 'Un from that day - if he has I'll get some photocopies made of the match report.

I think a mate might still have a copy of the Green 'Un from that day - if he has I'll get some photocopies made of the match report.

if he has could you possibly pm it to me as well pleeeeeeeaassseeeeeeeee??

my dad went to the game and said it was the best match he had ever seen.

it would make a nice little extra pressie for him if i could frame it

Can't promise owt but I'll do my best.

I'm guessing the Owls team was;

Springett, Smith, Megson, Mobley, Ellis, Young, Whitham, McCalliog, Ritchie, Fantham, Eustace.



One change, Wilf Smith didn't play, David Ford did. Stiles credited with an own goal.

What a GREAT website this is!

I asked for info on the Owls v MUFC 1968 home match and within 24 hours there's some smashing replies that I have just loved reading.

Thank you Ally for the great stats, and Baz for the brilliant cigarette cards, Chairboy for your spot on info and last but not least Longol for the thing I was really hoping for, a full breakdown of the match.

I must have had the original Green Un myself at the time, I wish I'd have kept it.



PS,
Who were the managers?

Jack Marshall, who missed the game because of a minor op but his reign came to an end before the season was over. Don't forget, that after this triumph over Sir Matt Busby's men, two days later in fact, Wednesday crashed out of the League Cup, beaten 3-1 at then, Fourth Division Exeter!

Jack Marshall? ... I'd nearly forgotten him , also I HAD forgotten the Exeter cup result, you're memory Chairboy is simply AMAZING.

To think! . we beat the European champions and a few days later lost to a fourth div side .... THAT'S FOOTBALL I GUESS!.

Reading a thread in here about when Sheffield Wednesday played Santos (& Pele) back in the 70's, (I was there), has got me thinking back to when the Owls played that wonderful match against Manchester United in the 1960's when the Owls won 5-4.

I was at this match and consider it to be the best football match I ever saw. Sadly time has erased most of my memory of it and I would love it if someone else in here who was also at the match could help remind me of more of the match details.

What i can remember, (I think?) ...........

There was over 54,000 fans in the ground.
The Owls Jack Whittam scored four. (who got the other?)
Bestie & Charlton scored two each (or am I wrong on that).
It was a lovely sunny day!.

I remember we didn't get into the ground while bang on kick off because my brother's Austin Heeley Sprite sports car broke down on the way and we just made it on time.

I would love to know both team line-ups that day, who were the managers, how the scoring went and stuff like that. I've long searched the net hoping to find mention but up to now alas no such luck.

There muse be a Wednesday fan out there who can help bring back some great memories.


UP THE OWLS.Yes Iv'e got to agree with you,I was there two. Best match I've ever seen...

Thanks for that Detectorist, but what can you remember from the match? ... i know it's difficult to recall all those years back .. but have a go, even if the details are sketchy!

Many thanks everyone for the info. up to now. Much appreciated. Big Goalie.

I was there as a young boy. I remember loads of peoplebeing carried off the kop. Both sets of fans were on the same end. I think there was 54,000 there?

I'll try and dig out my programme of it tonight and post some pics.


Jim:thumbsup:

I was there, and no matter what the official record says, Jack Whitham scored 4.
Without doubt, the best match I've ever seen, involving IMO the best player that ever lived ..... Bestie.
All the fans mingled on all four sides of the ground.
Fantastic day! :thumbsup:

I too was at that great game and fully agree with everything said about it, it was the greatest game of football I have seen, and thanks to everyone for the information supplied as my memory is getting a bit overloaded!
Whilst on this subject of great football games can I mention another, which may surprise you all, but it was a Pub game, many years ago on Anston recreaton ground between the Leeds Arms in Anston and Jungle United, from somewhere in the Dearne Valley(I think!,again a failing memory) it was cup game, a 2-2 draw played with skill and endeavour, 100% enthusiasm, and a wonderful spirit something lacking in our modern game.
In a few words Thanks for the memory of these two games.

WOW just found this thread. I'm from the other side of the Pennines and at the age of 14, was also at the match. I was with my Sheffield relations, so was shouting for Wednesday. What a game! The best ever as other posts have already said

Of course it was before all matches were filmed / televised. How musc would such a film be worth!!

Hi to Longcol - did that Green Un ever appear?? How would anyone get access to that copy (through this web site?) and surfinjim, the same applies - did that programme ever appear? Did you put details on the web?

Wow what a match - the best ever as others have said.

I, at the tender age of 14, was there too - with my Sheffield relations - and although from the other side of the Pennines was shouting for Wednesday.

Much interest and disbelief generated with friends and family since, so any info about the match would be gratefully received.

Note to Longcol: did that Green Un ever appear and did you manage to make it available anywhere on the net?

Also to surfinjim: did that programme surface and did you manage to make any of it available on the net or otherwise?

I'm new to forums so don't know if you can make your own email address public (or can you send notes to the username?)

ps currently supporting Southport in the Conference North - gateon saturday just 50,050 short of that August afternoon in 1968......

I was living in Goole at the time but took my 11 year old brother to see the likes of Charlton & Best on show.

A great game for the neutral - it still crops up in conversation from time to time.

Am I right in my memory that Best dribbled past about 4 players on receiving the ball from the kick off & hit the post?

whats the likelyhood of that score happening again in this century? lol.

I was at this match. My Dad took me - it was the first professional game I'd seen - I was 7 years old. What a game! Of course as it was my first I thought all games involved your local team coming from behind to beat the freshly crowned European champions 5 - 4 on a sunny day with over 50,000 in the stadium! And with Best, Charlton and Law on the losing side! As the years passed by I realised that chance had made me start at the top of football experiences and that I could have equally begun by watching Mansfield draw 0 v 0 against Stockport (as my dad took me to see many local teams).
As time passed I also convinced myself that the game couldn't have been that good and that I 'd dreamt it (too many Roy of the Rovers comics) and then 42 years later I've stumbled across this forum and there are other people speaking about it - totally amazing that some posts even have confirmed the way I remembered the score line going (yes I'm that sad!).

Thank you to everyone here for making me realise that my memory is/was good and that this miracle did actually happen!

I may even have the match programme somewhere and if I'm not mistaken I remember getting Peter Springett's autograph in the car park before the match. I may even have that too! Now if I'd got Best, Charlton and Law....dream on!

What's particularly poignant is that someone in the thread remembers people being carried out of the Kop - I remember it too as we were on the Kop and it was terrifying, especially when there was a goal which was of course every few minutes in a game of 9 goals.

It then makes you think about what happened there 20 seasons later and how emotional the whole thing is...

Just amazing the memories this Forum has stirred - thank you to all contributors.

Simon Hoare (now living in London)

whats the likelyhood of that score happening again in this century? lol.

Just out of interest I remember the German Cup semi-finals in 1984 finishing :

Gladbach 5 Bremen 4

Schalke 6 Bayern 6 (aet)

Bayern won the replay 3-2 so the two semis produced 26 goals over the three games.

Reading a thread in here about when Sheffield Wednesday played Santos (& Pele) back in the 70's, (I was there), has got me thinking back to when the Owls played that wonderful match against Manchester United in the 1960's when the Owls won 5-4.

I was at this match and consider it to be the best football match I ever saw. Sadly time has erased most of my memory of it and I would love it if someone else in here who was also at the match could help remind me of more of the match details.

What i can remember, (I think?) ...........

There was over 54,000 fans in the ground.
The Owls Jack Whittam scored four. (who got the other?)
Bestie & Charlton scored two each (or am I wrong on that).
It was a lovely sunny day!.

I remember we didn't get into the ground while bang on kick off because my brother's Austin Heeley Sprite sports car broke down on the way and we just made it on time.

I would love to know both team line-ups that day, who were the managers, how the scoring went and stuff like that. I've long searched the net hoping to find mention but up to now alas no such luck.

There muse be a Wednesday fan out there who can help bring back some great memories.


UP THE OWLS.


John Ritchie scored the other goal for the owls

John Ritchie scored the other goal for the owls

I was there we were losing 3-1 at half time... I also remmeber the fantastic goal that Don Megson score that was disallowed because Johnny Fantham was stood in an offside position .. what a goal it would have been

What surprises me about the stats that have been provided. The crowds weren't that big! They were for the Man Utd game but the gates for many of the others. against the countries biggest teams. would be beaten if Wednesday were in the top flight again...

I was there we were losing 3-1 at half time... I also remmeber the fantastic goal that Don Megson score that was disallowed because Johnny Fantham was stood in an offside position .. what a goal it would have been

We were 3 - 4 down at half time.

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=907971&postcount=5

Megson's "goal" would have counted these days (and should have then) - Lino wasn't interfering with play.

I was there we were losing 3-1 at half time... I also remmeber the fantastic goal that Don Megson score that was disallowed because Johnny Fantham was stood in an offside position .. what a goal it would have been

For man u, I think Best and Charlton only scored one each and David herd got the other two

From memory i think David Herd had replaced Ritchie at stoke by this time,Law got the other 2 goals for man u,Best was in great form and had an outstanding game.
Bobby Charlton struck the post late on,as utd fought back.
The Stiles owngoal was comical....Stepney had the shot covered,but,unchallenged,Nobby stiles diverted Withams shot,with a glancing header,Stepney scrambled the other way,but couldnt make it,and that leveled it up at 4-4,the roof came off when wedesday,whod looked dead n buried at 2-4 after half an hour,got the 5th and winning goal,with still 20 mins to play....united laid siege for that last period,Vic Mobley cleared a shot off the line and wednesday held on.
Without doubt the finest game of football i ever saw,not just at hillsbro,but of ANY game i saw,the memories live long.
In one unsavory incident.....one of the football specials alighting at wadsley bridge train station,a man u fan threw a brick at owls fans below,hitting a young boy who was taken seriously injured to the northern general,not sure of what happened to the lad,but it looked horrendous to us.

Iv got a copy of the sunday mirrors report of the match,apparently,Tony Dunne passed the ball to Witham early on,who went on to put wednesday 1 up,shortly after,Dunne was injured and replaced by sub,Francis Burns.
And Stiles and Witham rose for the same ball,from a Ford free kick,with Stiles header deflecting past stepney.
The winner came as David Fords shot was spilled by Stepney,and Witham swept home the loose ball.
also found the man utd line up,courtesy of a man u fans website.
Also,as matt busby took a seat in the owls directors box,just before the teams ran out,he was given rapturous applause by all 4 sides of the ground,in recognition of utds european cup triumph,and doffed his hat to all 4 sides of hillsbrough

they drew 4-4 at hillsbro twice,the 70s and 90s,but niether game touched that barmy sunny day on the last day of august....i was lucky enough to be at all 3
The season after the great match,69-70,best ran rings around wednesday at hillsboro and utd won 1-3,i had to sit in in the west stand with all the utd fans,we were relegated that season,and those whod been so prominent in that 68 game had left,eustace,mccalliog,ritchie,ford,fantham

We were 3 - 4 down at half time.

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showpost.php?p=907971&postcount=5

Megson's "goal" would have counted these days (and should have then) - Lino wasn't interfering with play.

Back in those days though it didn't matter whether you were interfering with play, if you were in an offside position, you were offside! None of this confusing active or passive, or phases of play tosh they have now! :)

I seem to remember my dad showing me a quote from Georgie Best stating it was one of the greatest games he'd played in....