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Sheffield Wednesday FC in the 60s

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This may be late '60's or early '70's and not a happy memory, but I recall the year the year the Owls were relegated. Last two games of the season were away to Man Utd and home to Man City. I think we needed two points to survive. We drew 2-2 away and then lost the last game 1-2 to City. I was a member of the Ozzie Owl club. Does I stll exist?

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Having been a fan since the 1950s, but now serving an apprenticeship in Hertfordshire, I desperately tried to get a ticket for the 1966 final.

The general feeling was that it was going to be a 'boring' final but no way could I get a ticket.

How wrong they were and what a sad day for the Owls when they let it slip away from them.

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I was lucky enough to get a ticket for the final. As you say true bluesman a sad day. Another sad day was when we were knocked out by Chelsea the following year at Stamford Bridge. As I recall 0-1 to an Osgood goal that came off his shin. I was there - quarter final stage I think

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Just another thought (if memory serves me) weren't we the first losing team at a final to do the 'lap of honour' after the match?

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This may be late '60's or early '70's and not a happy memory, but I recall the year the year the Owls were relegated. Last two games of the season were away to Man Utd and home to Man City. I think we needed two points to survive. We drew 2-2 away and then lost the last game 1-2 to City. I was a member of the Ozzie Owl club. Does I stll exist?

 

It was the 69/70 season that we were relegated and you're spot on with the last two games. This was the season that I was taken to my first Owls game which was against Southampton where we drew 1-1, Peter Eustace scoring with a penalty. My dad got us season tickets for the following season and we continued to go to every game all through the 70's. I joined the Navy in 78 and still managed to get back for most games for a fair few years after that.

 

Well worth checking this link out if you're looking for a history of Wednesday's fixtures, results, scorers, league positions etc :

 

SWFC Archive

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Just another thought (if memory serves me) weren't we the first losing team at a final to do the 'lap of honour' after the match?

 

That's correct. Don Megson said before the match that they would do one win or lose. He had to rally some of the disappointed younger players with much hand clapping if memory serves.

It was the one and only time I shed tears at a football match. When the final whistle went it was like a dam breaking! :blush:

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I was lucky enough to get a ticket for the final. As you say true bluesman a sad day. Another sad day was when we were knocked out by Chelsea the following year at Stamford Bridge. As I recall 0-1 to an Osgood goal that came off his shin. I was there - quarter final stage I think

 

I was at that game and I think it was Tommy Baldwin's shin. Wednesday took 18,000 supporters to that match.

Incidentally the final that year was surprisingly the first ever all-London final, Spurs v Chelsea.

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Thanks for the info Jim and Simon. Helps to keep the record straight. I was in Hillsborough 2 weeks ago for the first time since those days. Went for a pint in the old Hillsborough baths and on the wall is the autographed black and white pic of Ron Springett someone mentioned earlier on the forum. I've also got the exact same pic - and I thought mine was unique! I still have most of my programmes starting with a home game aginst Leyton Orient in '63.

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My memories of the games in the 60's come in vivid flashes of great and tragic moments. I recall when we led the first division for the first few games of the season, 67' I would guess, and Wilf Smith scored this rare brilliant goal from 20 yards out at the Leppings Lane end. He hit the ball with one foot, the shot was blocked but it bounced back to him and he connected with the other and the ball flew over everyone's head into the top corner. I also recall the John Ritchie headed goal at the Lane when we won 1-0. That was when the ground was still a cricket pitch for half the year with no stand on one side. Crazy! Those were the days of the song from the Kop 'Aye, aye, aye, aye, Springett is better than Yashin, McCalliog's better than Eusebio and Chelsea are in for a thrashin'

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Here's another song I recall. 'Who's that copper with the helmet on - Dixon, Dixon. Who's that copper with the helmet on, Dixon of Dock Green. On the beat all day..... you know the rest. Then there was 'I hear the sound of distant bums - other there, there there' pointing at oppostion fans. Or how about 'If I had the wings of an angel' etc.

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As I recall, season '66 - ;67 after the '66 world cup, the song was - aye aye aye aye Springet is better than Yashim, Dave Ford is better than Eusebio and Mobley is better than Rattin.

Re Wednesday v Chelsea in the cup that season if Tambling had connected properly Springet would have saved it, as it was he miss hit it and it bounced off his shin and bobbled into the net. Chelsea had covered the pitch and dried it out to make it rock hard thinking that this would be better for the play makers at Stamford bridge, after Wednesday had beaten them on a quagmire at Villa Park in the semi the previous year.

This was the start of the era of the big centre forwards, Wednesday had just bought John Ritchie and Tony Hateley was playing for Chelsea.

Ron Davies was playing for Southampton and Wyn Davies for Newcastle, Astle for West Brom -"I think!!!!!!)

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