A teenager in the 60's.

[biker 10]

Yes and that was the season that the Blades gained promotion to the 1st division behind Ipswich and also reached the semi final of the FA Cup, being eliminated in the third match against Leicester 2-0. On the way they had beaten higher rated clubs like Everton at Goodison Park, Blackburn Rovers at home and Newcastle at St James' Park. Incidentally, the BBC cameras at Everton broke down that day so there was never a recording of the game on MOTD.

In the first semi against Leicester at Elland Road Doc Pace chested the ball down and 'scored' a legitimate goal. The referee, who was behind him, disallowed the goal for handball and then Doc turned around and showed the ref the muddy mark on the front of his shirt where he had chested the ball to control it. That 'goal' would have taken SUFC to Wembley and a final against the great Spurs. Maybe it would've been a better final than it turned out to be. We'll never know, but as a lad I went to all those games and the memories are still as vivid as ever.

 

echo.

Doc Pace got several hat tricks that season and I got his autograph !! I remember Doc going through Peter Swans legs at the Lane as well !!!!

[St Petre 85]

I was at Elland Road for that semi. Can't honestly remember the disallowed goal. Didn't go to the replays but I seem to remember there were two missed penalties in the second one.

 

---------- Post added 26-02-2018 at 23:07 ----------

 

 

Billy Russell was a school teacher in Manchester at the time. I worked with a bloke who was taught by him.

Yes Jim, Billy was a school teacher-good for him- in Manchester (I think he was from that area). Can you imagine that happening now with a player playing in England's top division and that being their other job ? I recall another Blades player being a school teacher in Sheffield, Dennis Shields an Irish lad who lived in Pitsmoor and was there a teacher at Owler Lane school who was a semi-pro, Ralph ??

Edited March 1, 2018 by St Petre
Add

[Dreb48 35]

Yes Jim, Billy was a school teacher-good for him- in Manchester (I think he was from that area). Can you imagine that happening now with a player playing in England's top division and that being their other job ? I recall another Blades player being a school teacher in Sheffield, Dennis Shields an Irish lad who lived in Pitsmoor and was there a teacher at Owler Lane school who was a semi-pro, Ralph ??

 

I think that was Ralph ODonnell who played centre half for Wednesday

[St Petre 85]

I think that was Ralph ODonnell who played centre half for Wednesday

 

Yes Ralph O'Donnell, he was understudy to Peter Swan for a while.

[Jim Hardie 524]

Yes Ralph O'Donnell, he was understudy to Peter Swan for a while.

 

Ralph was PT/games master and also taught geography at Owler Lane Intermediate. He left under a cloud after going on a preseason tour of Nigeria with Wednesday without the permission of the education authority and took a teaching job in Hemsworth.

He had a good run in the first team when Swanny broke his shoulder in the same coach crash that Dougy McMillan lost his leg.

He was also involved in the FA England Youth administration for a good few years.

[soft ayperth 11]

You forgot Jim McAnearney and John Fantham from that line up and the Owls also drew 1-1 at White Hart Lane that season (1960-61), a Don Megson free kick I think ?

 

How could I have forgotten the great Johnny Fantham, who would be joined later on by the likes of David Ford and Jim McCalliog. Great players. Great time. Now, not so great.

[St Petre 85]

Ralph was PT/games master and also taught geography at Owler Lane Intermediate. He left under a cloud after going on a preseason tour of Nigeria with Wednesday without the permission of the education authority and took a teaching job in Hemsworth.

He had a good run in the first team when Swanny broke his shoulder in the same coach crash that Dougy McMillan lost his leg.

He was also involved in the FA England Youth administration for a good few years.

 

Thanks Jim , Ralph O'Donnell left under 'what cloud' from the Owls or the EA? Pete Swan's eventual successor was Vic Mobley (not bad eh ?) Thanks for the Ralph info Jim.

[Jim Hardie 524]

Thanks Jim , Ralph O'Donnell left under 'what cloud' from the Owls or the EA? Pete Swan's eventual successor was Vic Mobley (not bad eh ?) Thanks for the Ralph info Jim.

 

From Owler Lane. A fourth year called Bob Ellis got a petition started to get him his job back and the story made the front page of the Star. I was in the photo.

[Calahonda 11]

Ralph O’Donnell (RIP) was my games master, he was a really nice guy, when in those days many teachers were not so nice, good footballer, but intelligent enough to know that he wasn’t another Peter Swan.

[EdmundH 10]

On 06/10/2017 at 20:47, EdmundH said:

Ikhkugz

 

[Ontarian1981 10]

1 hour ago, EdmundH said:

 

 Gee thanks for reminding us.

[Dorset Blade 10]

On 18/09/2017 at 20:01, raymondo1952 said:

One special song Scot McKenzie San Francisco

I'm with you on that one!