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Sheffield Wednesday FC in the 60s

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I started to be taken to hillsborough the season after the cup final in 1966 when i was about 6 years old. My first memory of the ground was emerging up the south stand steps and seeing the massive stand opposite with all the flags of the world and the lush green pitch and the colours on the kop. It was truly magical and ive never forgotten it...love at first sight! Was a regular throughout the rest of the sixties, taking our seats at 1.30 for every game! Remember a brilliant 6-1 win against Chelsea, McCalliog scoring a couple, he was my favourite player. The only one i remember missing in that period was the classic 5-4 against Man Utd, my mother refusing to let me go because of the potential 'trouble' with supporters...no telly in those days at every match so a real treasure was never captured for posterity. Just want to pay my tribute to Derek Dooley, a true gentleman and a great ambassador for Sheffield. Remembered with great affection at Hillsborough and a sad loss for the city. A great man.

I too was a Macalliog fan and think he could have been a world beater but for his woeful lack of speed, is this a justified critique or has senility set in, comments would be appreciated.

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Senility has surely set in sweatyboy, dont you remember the times playing darn Rudyard and you takin ya borl back when you couldnt get your own way

 

Is it right that Ken Loach used you as a role model for the PE teacher in Kes and Brian Glover had to come and meet you to see just how mardy you was

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I don't think Wednesday's transfer business north of the border has been that good. Even before the bad buys in the 90's, they were doing it in the 60's!

Take for example, John Frye whom they signed from St.Mirren in January '61 and nine months later left for Tranmere having made one appearance!

That game came in an FA Cup 6th round tie against Burnley 0-0 at Hillsborough in March '61. I went to the midweek replay and Wednesday, rather as I expected, lost 2-0 against a good Burnley side. I recall Burnley getting a penalty with McIlroy, having his back to the goal, turning and going over an outstretched leg, a ploy he used many times.

There was also another "one-match wonder" introduced that season, John Meredith who played at Hillsborough v Wolves in another 0-0 draw. He came from Doncaster in 1961 and seventeen months later, moved on to Chesterfield.

Another new face that season, 60-61, was winger Bobby Lodge who made three league appearances - never finished on the losing side for the Owls but moved on to Doncaster at the end of the season.

Born at Retford, Lodge made a good start scoring two goals on his debut in a match against Blackburn which I recall because of the nail-biting ending.

Wednesday went 5-1 up - I think it was before the "easy, easy" chant - but were pulled back to 5-4 with all backs to the wall.

I guess with Finney and Wilkinson in full flight, Lodge's progress was limited but an impressive short-stay!

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Senility has surely set in sweatyboy, dont you remember the times playing darn Rudyard and you takin ya borl back when you couldnt get your own way

 

Is it right that Ken Loach used you as a role model for the PE teacher in Kes and Brian Glover had to come and meet you to see just how mardy you was

Nice one jongo, now toddle of back to 'I'm boring' where you belong your fans are missing you.

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Wednesday's first game against Santos was an evening game in 1962, a friendly, and the Brazilians won 4-2. Coutinho scored three, Pele with the memorable penalty kick and the Owls replied through Griffin and Layne. Att. 49,058. I rarely went on the Kop but was right behind the goal for the much celebrated penalty.

Didn't go to the second game, (70's) living in Newcastle, but this took place in the afternoon because of the Power Workers' strikes but I have read a definitive date somewhere on SF before now.

 

 

From an earlier thread from simonj - The friendly game against Santos was indeed played on a midweek afternoon (23 Feb 1972).

I'm going to dissagree with you CHAIRBOY about the memorable Pele penalty, I was also at the match and I think its only memorable because of the hype the BBC and other media placed on it. The stop start, stop start approach was in my mind showboating/gamesmanship bordering on cheating, surely the best player in the world should score a penalty without going through that rigmarole.

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I'm going to dissagree with you CHAIRBOY about the memorable Pele penalty, I was also at the match and I think its only memorable because of the hype the BBC and other media placed on it. The stop start, stop start approach was in my mind showboating/gamesmanship bordering on cheating, surely the best player in the world should score a penalty without going through that rigmarole.

 

QUOTE=CHAIRBOY;3738976]Wednesday's first game against Santos was an evening game in 1962, a friendly, and the Brazilians won 4-2. Coutinho scored three, Pele with the memorable penalty kick and the Owls replied through Griffin and Layne. Att. 49,058.

 

It is memorable because it's the first thing most people who were at the game mention. I couldn't tell you the scorers unless looking it up but the penalty style was certainly novel at the time whether you appreciated it or otherwise.

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I've bumped this thread up to remind you guys what this section of the forum used to be like. Only one pointless post (number 61), but nothing changes on that score.

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I started to be taken to hillsborough the season after the cup final in 1966 when i was about 6 years old. My first memory of the ground was emerging up the south stand steps and seeing the massive stand opposite with all the flags of the world and the lush green pitch and the colours on the kop. It was truly magical and ive never forgotten it...love at first sight! Was a regular throughout the rest of the sixties, taking our seats at 1.30 for every game! Remember a brilliant 6-1 win against Chelsea, McCalliog scoring a couple, he was my favourite player. The only one i remember missing in that period was the classic 5-4 against Man Utd, my mother refusing to let me go because of the potential 'trouble' with supporters...no telly in those days at every match so a real treasure was never captured for posterity. Just want to pay my tribute to Derek Dooley, a true gentleman and a great ambassador for Sheffield. Remembered with great affection at Hillsborough and a sad loss for the city. A great man.

 

The first game I went to was that 6-1 win over Chelsea,my dad got tickets from a guy called Fred Stone at Treeton pit..we sat in the North Stand and went just about every week...the attendances seemed to be huge,maybe because I was only a little'un then..

Edited by truman

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My dad first took me to see Wednesday in the 1950s (his favourite was a '40s player called Jackie Robinson) so have fond memories of some of those players. Sorry to read about the death of Norman Curtis earlier this year. Anyone remember Norman? I was 14 in 1960 and Ron Springett was my favourite. Wednesday had a couple of good wingers in Wilkinson and Finney but it was a pity they did not have a good centre forward in that early sixties team. Saw the Spurs match when we won 2.1 - great game. I was on the cop and the fog made it difficult to see what was happening at the other end. I have great memories of that team but also of the early 1990s team when I travelled home and away with my two daughters to see Wednesday. Let's hope better times return

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The secretary of the SW supporters Association at that time was Reg Crapper and many matches, we went by coach or train. When Wednesday played an autumn match at Blackpool, we went by coach as it incorporated a trip through the illuminations.

One such occasion in 1964 ended with a 1-0 defeat for the Owls. The great Ron Springett was brilliantly out-witted with a deft chip from a Chinese player called Cheung Chi Doy.

1961 I saw Wednesday win 6-1 at Fulham after going a goal behind.

There is another game I recall in the 1959-60 when West Ham came to Hillsborough at the head of the old First Division. Eire international, Noel Dwyer, was in goal and was beaten four times in the first nineteen minutes, Wednesday going on to win 7-0 as the scoreboard on the roof of the Leppings Lane stand couldn't cope as the operative tried to fit in the scorers with those yellow numbers!

 

I remember both those games as we used to travel by train those days. What I THINK I remember was a very young Alan Mullery scoring an own goal past Macedo?

Also there was a terrific caff in London near the station which did phenominal fry ups. On one London trip one of the lads got a copy of Lady Chatterley's lover (a book which was the subject of a court case for what was then described as pornography) The carriage was crowded as he read out all the rude bits as four-letter words of that sort were a novelty then.

I also recall coming back from London, and nearly everyone walking from the midland station straight to Hillsborough and then queing up for cup tickets which were going on sale that morning.we had got a ball from somewhere and were having a kick about, I got back home about dinner time exhausted and skint!

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I remember both those games as we used to travel by train those days. What I THINK I remember was a very young Alan Mullery scoring an own goal past Macedo?

Also there was a terrific caff in London near the station which did phenominal fry ups. On one London trip one of the lads got a copy of Lady Chatterley's lover (a book which was the subject of a court case for what was then described as pornography) The carriage was crowded as he read out all the rude bits as four-letter words of that sort were a novelty then.

I also recall coming back from London, and nearly everyone walking from the midland station straight to Hillsborough and then queing up for cup tickets which were going on sale that morning.we had got a ball from somewhere and were having a kick about, I got back home about dinner time exhausted and skint!

 

Yes,BILLHALEY, I think Wednesday were 1-0 down to Fulham but came back to win 6-1. I seem to remember our vantage point being near the Cottage.

If it is the fry-up café I think you mean it was across the road - opposite ST.P/King's Cross Stations.

Many people did walk up to Hillsborough. My dad was a shareholder and his tickets in those days, came by post . 6am to bed!

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My dad first took me to see Wednesday in the 1950s (his favourite was a '40s player called Jackie Robinson) so have fond memories of some of those players. Sorry to read about the death of Norman Curtis earlier this year. Anyone remember Norman? I was 14 in 1960 and Ron Springett was my favourite. Wednesday had a couple of good wingers in Wilkinson and Finney but it was a pity they did not have a good centre forward in that early sixties team. Saw the Spurs match when we won 2.1 - great game. I was on the cop and the fog made it difficult to see what was happening at the other end. I have great memories of that team but also of the early 1990s team when I travelled home and away with my two daughters to see Wednesday. Let's hope better times return

 

My favourite signing at SWFC was Ron Springett with Paolo Di Canio the most skilful. Like your dad's favourite being Jackie Robinson, my late father who played alongside him and referred to Jackie as his idol.

In the Owls first game (official game), Wednesday won 6-3 with Jackie and my dad bagging a hat-trick each.

YES, famed for his penalties and oft-said Matthews played very few games in Sheffield with Curtis's robust tackling.

One part of disagreement, the centre-forward reference, because I thought Keith Ellis put in plenty of effort, scoring many goals with his head . He was given short-shrift by Buckingham who came and brought in David Layne.

Layne let The Owls down with the bets scandal but his all-round football ability was sound. The match at Ipswich, games, I saw both and in the second one at Portman Rd, David Layne bagged a hat-trick.

September 1962, Highbury, Layne was on target to get a brace which gave the Owls a 2-1 victory - that was the last time they won at Highbury.

By being in the south, playing cricket, I was back there in 1971? to see the

Blades win with a Scullion goal, Neither Sheffield club won again and Arsenal has movedto the Emirates. If you don't hold that record now, you won't do now!

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