Mel Sterland, underrated?

[punkskaphil]

1 minute ago, matthefish2002 said:

 

Think he got so many goals as a full back as he took pens and played up front on occasions.

Remember opening game of season v Luton in late 80's and he played up front, missed a pen and then scored the winner.

Sadly sort of player you dont see any more. Would get booked ever game and sent off 5 times a season, not that he was a dirty player just times change.

Not for Sterland rolling about holding his face if not really got touched. I miss those times.

 

That was the first season, 1988/89, I really got into football. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Sterland used as a striker at the beginning of that season, but then he ended up being sold to Rangers?

[matthefish2002]

1 minute ago, punkskaphil said:

 

That was the first season, 1988/89, I really got into football. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Sterland used as a striker at the beginning of that season, but then he ended up being sold to Rangers?

 

Yes due to an injury crisis (what's new) started that season up front.

Fell out with Eustace over the captaincy and think he made his mind up to move before Ron Atkinson took over.

Think we used the money from Rangers to buy Carlton Palmer.

[sheriwozgod]

Dont know how true it was but there was a story at the time that Souness who was Rangers manager at the time rang Mel at home one sunday saying they had permission to pick him up that day and take him up to Glasgow.

 

After a day of showing him around and talking terms Mel was convinced so Souness said ring Ron and tell him you want to sign.

 

He rings Ron who knows nothing about it and tells Mel in very clear terms to get his arris back to Sheffield and not to sign anything until a fee had been agreed.

 

Might be myth , but this was the tale at the time.

[MartinOwlMan]

Two outstanding things for me. One was when we were awarded a penalty in a cup match against Coventry. This was a much bigger deal then than now: everyone used to dream of going to Wembley for a final. Mel put the ball on the spot but their keeper started all the gamesmanship, delaying it being taken. Mel picked the ball back up and turned away, bouncing the ball and basically not letting the nerves build up. This was in front of the Lep packed with their fans. Finally ready he put the ball back on the spot and belted it into the net.

 

The bigger memory for me was the annual war of attrition at home to Chelsea. Their side had plenty of hard men and Doug Rougvie, their left back, was one. When those two used to fly into a 50-50 challenge it was something to behold. Neither would even think about pulling out or rolling around after as if they’d been shot. Proper footballers

[OasisOwl72]

Some great comments about Mel on here.

 

In just over 40 years watching Wednesday he'd get in my best 11. Roly would too (obviously) but Mel's the type of player you just can't leave out. Gutted when he left but the story goes Big Ron tried to keep him but Mel had already given Walter Smith at Rangers his word. When that actually meant something. Mind you Big Ron spent the Mel money OK. Bought some young gangly midfielder called Carlton!

 

I digress. Mel was the epitome of what us fans want to see in a player. I absolutely loved him. What I'd give for a team full now with half his attitude.

 

Under rated? Not by Wednesday fans and I dare say the other clubs he played for.

 

ZICO! ZICO! ZICO! ZICO!

[Colin Dobson]

A real hero 100% Wednesday. Began as a midfielder but really blossomed as a full back. I seem to recall Dave Sexton(England’s U/23 manager)thought he was the best young player he’d ever worked with. The amazing goal against Arsenal was not filmed(the cameraman wasn’t ready apparently!) He was Wednesday’s first full international(against Saudi Arabia) for nearly 20 years. I think mixing with other Division 1 players unsettled him & I was disappointed he left(I think Wilkinson picked him as centre forward to show the board they needed to invest & he left soon afterwards - along with Catterick’s leaving among the two worst days in my supporting life). A real force of nature & he saved our bacon in the 4-4 League Cup draw with Chelsea. Loved the guy! 

[fatzooma]

Their Glyn isn’t underrated...He’s a cracking butcher!! 

Turkey for 4

A dozen pigs in blankets 

2 x Wateralls Pork pies (one pork one Huntsman)

£25 from Battys on Woodseats...

even opening Sunday 23rd to pick my order up..

 

As for Mel..legend and an exiting player.

[Steve Down South]

A Three Feathers legend! He wasn't bad for Wednesday either, a genuine bloke who made the very best of his talents and has never forgotten where he came from.

[matthefish2002]

From the Manor but now lives in Handsworth. Posh f********!

[Gparrish]

Too young to have seen him play, i'm afraid. All I can say is having met him on a few occasions in the crown, before games, he's a really nice bloke. Happy to chat and have a laugh, with anyone.

[daveyboy66]

1 hour ago, fatzooma said:

Their Glyn isn’t underrated...He’s a cracking butcher!! 

Turkey for 4

A dozen pigs in blankets 

2 x Wateralls Pork pies (one pork one Huntsman)

£25 from Battys on Woodseats...

even opening Sunday 23rd to pick my order up..

 

As for Mel..legend and an exiting player.

Glyn used to train with us when we played for the Pinegrove...we kept trying to get him to sign but he wouldn't

 

[daveyboy66]

5 hours ago, matt68owls said:

One of my favourite players and a lovely guy if you ever meet him. I remember him getting quite a bit of stick from the north stand when he first started but he soon won the fans round with his performances. I have plenty of memories of Zico but my favourite was the blockbuster he scored away at Oldham in a 3-0 win, I also remember watching him score for England U21/23S (can't remember) in a 6-1 win v France at Hillsborough in the early 80s, with a young Mark Hateley scoring 4.

that was the final of the Euro U21 comp. France played us off the park in the first half. First tackle was from Mel on their winger in the second half which set the tone for the rest of the match as we kicked them all over the pitch for 45 mins and as soon as we started doing that they gave up. Hateely terrorised their centre half and Mel just sent cross after cross over for him to score. His goal was a penalty if I remember.

[Grassy knoll]

6 hours ago, sternlad said:

Young Melvin was (I think) a product of the Sheffield Boys team which churned out the likes of Steve Ludlum, David Herbert and  numerous others who folks on here will remember. He was Wilf Smith with more power, weight and height, you wouldn’t want to be in his road when he was in full flight. Nilsson was a great accomplished tidy player who would always play intricate triangles to get out of the tightest situations, whereas Mel would “sit opponents in the first row of the stand” and clear out the danger that way. As a full back you were always told “first tackle , make your winger know it’s going to be a long afternoon” and that was Mel to a tee. He played the game with a lot of passion and could lift the stadium with a surging run down the line in front of the North or South...not a great player, but a player with a big heart and a passion for Wednesday. Is he in that dressing room painting...? Can’t remember....must get me medication from the nurse!

 

I was looking at the dressing room picture yesterday when i was picking up my west brom ticket and Sterland isn’t on the picture in person but there was an old away top in the scene with zico on the back.

[Guest The Claw]

 

I was on kop for this, cracking penalty!

[ZicoSterland2]

To me Zico was the spirit of Wednesdays rebirth . Some good local talent mixed with some seasoned old pros. Every game was a cup final to Mel he loved pulling on the blue and white stripes. Scored some great goals and created more. My two favourite memories are of him smashing self proclaimed hardman Mark Dennis of the pitch and into the perimeter wall with a great timed tackle. The look on Dennis face was pure disbelief. Priceless. The other was when we were promoted as we spilled onto the pitch a lad from the Manor caught Mels eye and he shouted out allright Plug mate flipping brilliant. That to me summed Mel up.

[DJMortimer]

He's been summed up very well by others in this thread. Absolutely all out effort in defence and attack that compensated for a slight lack of a more cultured touch. If you were a winger running at him you had every right to be nervous as he would fight you every inch of the way and occasionally boot you up into the air if necessary. Going forward everything he did was thunderous, including his shooting. In our current situation we could definitely do with players like him, Gary Megson, Mike Lyons, David Hirst etc who played like every second of the game mattered absolutely. The younger generations who were not there to see Howard Wilkinson's team at it's best may never again get to witness Wednesday playing with such relentless determination and energy.

[Mountain Owl]

Top, top bloke, blood and thunder committed player. Took no prisoners both on and off the field. Short story.

He is big friends with Imri Varadi. When playing for us they went for a meal together up Eccy Road. In walks a couple of the BBC so called big hitters who decided to give Mel and Imri some verbal abuse. They were warned to keep it shut which they both ignored. Mel stood up and knocked one out with a single punch whilst Imri sorted out the other via the kitchen through the back. I believe this story is also in Mel's autobiography.

[owler66]

Friggin love Mel I know people think Roland was the best right back at Hillsborough we've seen and couldn't be in the same team together, but I beg to differ put Roland at left back he was that good he could do it and Zico at Right back what a team 

Edited December 14, 2018 by owler66

[meggoisgod]

Mel was and is a hero, proper wednesdayite as well, good lad all round

[toppOwl]

20 hours ago, trumbullowl said:

A great memory of Mel was his goal in a late season home game against Arsenal in the mid 80's. He won the ball in our box (Kop end) and motored off down the right, looked up

at about half way line, put his head back down and carried on to the edge of the Arsenal box and buried it in the top corner. It was a fricking brilliant goal.

I think we took a 3-0 half time lead but drew 3-3. 

 

Remember it well, sadly it was never filmed.