Old Wednesday stories /Legends/Fairy tales

[Brommers]

3 hours ago, Utah Owl said:

I heard that story about Matthews from an old Wednesday fan way back in the 70's!

Too young to have seen Matthew's play but saw him at Sheffield Rangers on Wadsley Common. He came to open their new facilities. My mates girlfriend was doing the catering and we helped. 

Made the great man a cup of coffee. Not the bedt claim to fame.

Remember he was  wearing a black leather trench coat, thought the Gestapo had turned up!

[OWL1969]

30 minutes ago, Belfast Owl 2 said:

I'm sure a few of our lads can give us fairytales of aggro from the 70's and 80's.

 

When we took over Kops, won every fight etc...

I remember going to Tangmere some time in the 70s, there was that many of us we sold out the whole ground, Kop, both stands and away end (home fans had no where to go) incredible.

The Old Bill had no idea what to do with the overflow Owls that day until some clever bugger decided to send us to Anfield, (I was 1 of em) it was fantastic we took the "famous" Kop then after the match ran the away fans (Man Utd's then infamous red army) all over Liverpool, before bumping into the returning Everton fans (can't recall where they'd played) at Manchester Picadilly and giving them a reyt good hiding.

Finally we got back to Sheffield where we legged Millwall all over the station, before going onto London Road and hammering a few Blades and smashing up the Lansdown.

The few Blades who dared brave it in Town got a real hiding later that night too.

Those were the days!! 

Never got run, never got done. EBRA! !

 

 

Edited June 1, 2019 by OWL1969

[Emerson Thome]

My grandad would swear blind that Blenkinsop never lost a tackle in his entire career. He refused to accept how impossible this was and that it was true.

 

Also vaguely remember some long-held complaint he had about an offside goal scored by Huddersfield in an FA Cup Semi-Final. Clearly the goal must have come down the other flank to Blenkinsop's.

[The Night-Owl]

7 hours ago, torryowl said:

Blenkinsop's career with us doesn't tie up time wise with Matthews so that's probably apocryphal …….never having seen Matthews or robinson I wouldn't know but to be in the England team at he age of 20 robinson must have been some player …….believe everything that anyone tells you about springett unless there a blunt who laughingly thought Hodgkinson was better . 

 

Thanks, weren't sure but remembered reading Matthews quoted regarding Blenkinsop: Sir Stanley Matthews had memorable battles with Blenkinsop as he wrote in his autobiography: “I found the first tackle a full-back ever made on me in a game was usually the hardest as he tried to un-nerve me for the remainder of the match. Ernie Blenkinsop, who played for Sheffield Wednesday and later captained Liverpool, would do this. His first tackle could be a bone crusher if you weren’t careful and as we both came out of it he’d say, ‘That’s just to let you know I’m here’. As if I needed reminding, and this from a player who had been spotted playing for his local church team in Yorkshire.” Regardless, Blenkinsop sounded a great player, highly regarded in the Football League and internationally, especially for us, Liverpool and England but was highly thought of not just by us.

 

I also have read various fascinating articles about Jackie Robinson playing in the same England team as Matthews, and sometimes he out-shone him. But Matthews probably had greater longevity and ability to look after himself better, to last as long has he did in the game?

 

The old stories of our true past legends, are fascinating and even more poignant when reflected by non Wednesday fans without any bias or anything. From what I have heard, read or little seen, the likes of Springett; Fantham, Robinson, Rimmer, Blenkinsop, Spiksley and Crawshaw, etc are true Wednesday legends and among our true greats. The only players we've ever had in the modern era during my lifetime that can come anywhere near close to them in pedigree, class and stature are the likes of Waddle and Nilsson, especially in terms of pedigree to be honest.

[Doghouse Daz]

15 hours ago, OWL1969 said:

I remember going to Tangmere some time in the 70s, there was that many of us we sold out the whole ground, Kop, both stands and away end (home fans had no where to go) incredible.

The Old Bill had no idea what to do with the overflow Owls that day until some clever bugger decided to send us to Anfield, (I was 1 of em) it was fantastic we took the "famous" Kop then after the match ran the away fans (Man Utd's then infamous red army) all over Liverpool, before bumping into the returning Everton fans (can't recall where they'd played) at Manchester Picadilly and giving them a reyt good hiding.

Finally we got back to Sheffield where we legged Millwall all over the station, before going onto London Road and hammering a few Blades and smashing up the Lansdown.

The few Blades who dared brave it in Town got a real hiding later that night too.

Those were the days!! 

Never got run, never got done. EBRA! !

 

 

 

I take it you meant Tranmere. That daft little refreshment hut stuck behind a pillar on the terracing, loved that ground. 

[Emerson Thome]

12 hours ago, The Night-Owl said:

The old stories of our true past legends, are fascinating and even more poignant when reflected by non Wednesday fans without any bias or anything. From what I have heard, read or little seen, the likes of Springett; Fantham, Robinson, Rimmer, Blenkinsop, Spiksley and Crawshaw, etc are true Wednesday legends and among our true greats. The only players we've ever had in the modern era during my lifetime that can come anywhere near close to them in pedigree, class and stature are the likes of Waddle and Nilsson, especially in terms of pedigree to be honest.

 

I'd like to hear more about Jimmy Seed if anyone has any stories. Seems like an incredible life - survived two mustard gas attacks during WW1, his lungs were so badly damaged that they though he would never play professional football. Sold by Spurs to Wednesday at the age of 32 as they thought he was finished (and partly out of spite to prevent him taking up a management role). He was made captain later that season with Wednesday rock bottom and almost certain for relegation. He transformed the team to such an extent that they stayed up on the last day (relegating Spurs) and then won back-to-back league titles the next two seasons. Went on to have such a successful managerial career at Charlton they named a stand after him.

 

But what kind of player was he? I'm imaging some kind of playmaker, a mix of crunching tackles and clever passes, but just speculating.

[Grassy knoll]

16 hours ago, Brommers said:

Too young to have seen Matthew's play but saw him at Sheffield Rangers on Wadsley Common. He came to open their new facilities. My mates girlfriend was doing the catering and we helped. 

Made the great man a cup of coffee. Not the bedt claim to fame.

Remember he was  wearing a black leather trench coat, thought the Gestapo had turned up!

 

yes I remember stanley matthews opening the new Sheffield Rangers ground, i played in the game against Rangers and even though i was only 11/12 i knew of him because of what my dad had told me,did the obligatory hand shake to all the players before the game.

[Blatter]

23 hours ago, Hougoumont said:

I saw Stan Mathews play at Hillsborough. I don't know how old he was but it was right at the fag end of his career and it was for Stoke. Don Megson was full back and the crowd booed him every time he took the ball off the old man

BTW... I think the full back you refer to was Norman Curtis... apparently a right hard twot.

 

 

It’s true I was there with my Dad.

Megson senior had taken over at left back from Norman Curtis a year or two earlier so must have been 1963/4 when Stoke returned to top division.

Matthews was born 1915 incredibly making him 48 or 49  and still playing in the top division, against Megson’s mid 20’s.

He wrong footed and glided past Megson a couple of times early on but that was it really. After that young Don soon found he could easily catch him up and slide tackle him. It was cruel really cos Megson never pulled out of a tackle and some in the crowd did boo the more robust challenges.

[Brommers]

4 hours ago, Grassy knoll said:

 

yes I remember stanley matthews opening the new Sheffield Rangers ground, i played in the game against Rangers and even though i was only 11/12 i knew of him because of what my dad had told me,did the obligatory hand shake to all the players before the game.

Always felt sorry gor Mortenson. Scores a hatrick and they call it the Matthews Final. Id be well narked.

[nevthelodgemoorowl]

You always knew when Wednesday had, had a good day; My grandad always came home with a flat cap of someone else as they would throw them up in the air like frisbies when we scored. 

[Pxowl1867]

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/norman-curtis-sheffield-wednesday-full-back-whose-thunderous-penalties-won-him-a-place-in-fans-1790063.html

 

Bit of interesting info on Norman Curtis from his obituary. 

Edited June 1, 2019 by Pxowl1867

[owler66]

15 hours ago, Emerson Thome said:

 

I'd like to hear more about Jimmy Seed if anyone has any stories. Seems like an incredible life - survived two mustard gas attacks during WW1, his lungs were so badly damaged that they though he would never play professional football. Sold by Spurs to Wednesday at the age of 32 as they thought he was finished (and partly out of spite to prevent him taking up a management role). He was made captain later that season with Wednesday rock bottom and almost certain for relegation. He transformed the team to such an extent that they stayed up on the last day (relegating Spurs) and then won back-to-back league titles the next two seasons. Went on to have such a successful managerial career at Charlton they named a stand after him.

 

But what kind of player was he? I'm imaging some kind of playmaker, a mix of crunching tackles and clever passes, but just speculating.

Can you imagine the outcry on here if we bought a 32yr old reject from Spurs who'd been gassed

[nevthelodgemoorowl]

http://www.chrishobbs.com/sheffield/georgeulyett.htm

 

Courtesy of Chris Hobbs of common side.

 

George Ulyett. Despite requests made to our football lads, remains the only Wednesday man to have represented the club in both Football and Cricket. Enjoy the read.

 

[nevthelodgemoorowl]

Of Mother Turton, I wouldn't have backed him against Peter Swan at running backards. 

[the monk]

On 31/05/2019 at 18:11, asteener1867 said:

Might be the wrong section..but move it Mods if deemed so..

 

My first stories were heard in the Cambridge pub, which older lads will remember it, as what looked like an old terraced house on Penistone...but had a pub sign hanging outside.

It was around '63'/64..I was 6....

As I remember them...The old discussions were about players like "Mother" Turton..a right or left back..who could run "backards " as fast as he could run "Forrards"....I remember..after hearing this story many times over a period of years..askin' 

"Did he run really slowly "forrards" ..cos that would sort of mean he wa sn't that fast when he was runnin' "backards"

I got a clip and was told to eat me crisps

There was one bloke who was a friend of me uncles used to have a story that always made me laugh..it was the way he told it, and the actions..He f.ookin' told it every other week , but I looked forward to it..

It went

"Wednesday had a goalkeeper who always trotted up towards the halfway line when Wednesday were attacking...If the Wednesday forwards lost the ball to the opposition ..He would tear back down the pitch shoutin'

"They're Comin'"    !!!!!!!!!!"

It always cracked me up..still does..anyone else heard of it?

 

Legend has it Stanley Mathews would rarely play at Hillsborough because of a certain Wednesday full back who would always kick him into the North first 5 minutes..

It was only ever announced minutes before kick off that "Mathews was injured"..due to the numbers he put on the gate...cue laughs and boos around Hillsborough...

 

Most of mine came from my dad ,I'd seen Archie Irvine beat a couple of players on the wing which impressed me ,on the way back to wadsley I said Archie was a good player 

Dad sighed and said "he dances about like somebody not reyt"

Which deflated me somewhat!

 

Ian Mellor " looks like a pair of braces running about"

 

We once played Juve in some pre season tournament  ,we won the home leg 4-3 but in the return we got hammered 5-1 with Sam Ellis scoring what The star described as a spectacular volleyed own goal.

My dad told me that when it happened Johnny Fantham broke down and cried (brock daan and rued) , gullible me went and told everyone at school of this fact 

 

Looking back I think he may have made that bit up!

 

 

[daveyboy66]

On 31/05/2019 at 19:07, Hougoumont said:

I saw Stan Mathews play at Hillsborough. I don't know how old he was but it was right at the fag end of his career and it was for Stoke. Don Megson was full back and the crowd booed him every time he took the ball off the old man

BTW... I think the full back you refer to was Norman Curtis... apparently a right hard twot.

 

 

That may have been my first match 1959/60 season. My Dad and Uncle ( both blades ) took me because Matthews was playing. At seven I can't remember anyone of it unlike the 60/61 season when we beat Spurs

[Buxtongent]

13 hours ago, Brommers said:

Always felt sorry gor Mortenson. Scores a hatrick and they call it the Matthews Final. Id be well narked.

 

 Got to agree about the 'Matthews' final. Up to the time the Bolton LB was carried off, Bell I think it was, Matthews was doing F88k all, and Mortensen scored a  hat trick. The same thing happened at Hillsborough on the only time I recall SM playing against Wed, It was a well known fact that Matthews rarely played at either S6 or The Lane. The occasion I did see him play at Hillsborough, no sooner had they kicked off than the Wed LB a Norman Curtis, went and stood beside Matthews, and never moved more than a yard from him. He didn't play dirty, just didn't let SM have any time to control the ball. This completely neutralised him. Unfortunately, it allowed the IR, a certain Len Duquemin I believe, a tricky footballer himself, to have a field day.

A lot was said about Matthews, butIMO he was never the threat that Tom Finney was. Finney, a natural Right Winger, played left wing and centre forward with equal efficiency. 

As for Mother Turton,, he could certainly run backwards faster than forwards, but unlike Swanny, he had a habit of running into his own defenders.

As they say 'I know 'cos I was there'

[Buxtongent]

A propos my last comment. I often think the 'Matthews Final' is akin to the 'Botham Test' against the Aussies, where Botham did a splendid job of batting, but the real unsung hero of that test was Bob Willis, whose second half bowling skittled the Aussies and won the game.

[Oliver Cromwell]

2 hours ago, nevthelodgemoorowl said:

Of Mother Turton, I wouldn't have backed him against Peter Swan at running backards. 

There was also a ref in the 60s who ran backwards at high speed. Can't remember his name, but he got asked by the FA to stop it as he was getting rounds of cheers and applause from the crowd and they felt it was detracting from the game.

[REDOWL]

2 hours ago, Oliver Cromwell said:

There was also a ref in the 60s who ran backwards at high speed. Can't remember his name, but he got asked by the FA to stop it as he was getting rounds of cheers and applause from the crowd and they felt it was detracting from the game.

Could that have been Maurice Fussey, I reckon that’s how the surname is spelt.