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2 hours ago, goldensmoke said:

Shirty was a magnificent defender. Now all this time on in the 2020s, it’s 30-45 years ago we’re talking, you can see the timespan of his incredible career with us.


Other than going away to Charlton in 86 then to return in 89, that period from 1979-1993 was the rise of SWFC and he was synonymous with it. That was my young life from age 9 to 23 and it’s clear now was the greatest era in the last 50 years for Wednesday. For that association alone I love him. 
 

I remember seeing him against Watford at home in 78-79 and at the end against Liverpool in the amazing Spring of 1993, when I think he got injured. 

 

I don’t remember him ever putting a foot wrong, he must have done but I don’t recall.To play in 270 games under the 3 great Wednesday managers of my lifetime is incredible. Most of Jack Charlton, the best of Wilkinson and bar the end of 88-89, all of Atkinson. Then the best of Francis, Good things happened when Shirty was around. 
 

Yet he didn’t play in anything like the number of games he could have done. Wasn’t in the 79-80 promotion team much, didn’t play in the 83 FA Cup semi Final and much of that era. Was allowed to leave in 86 but not to a bigger club. No fanfare when we signed him back for £500k in 89. That all seems odd now.

 

I would rank Shirtliff as one of our finest ever defenders. And if you’re too young to have seen him play, watch the 91 League Cup Final. The slow motion sequences of him and Pearson up against Hughes and the rest epitomise the man he was. 
 

Now in the fullness of time, it’s really true, he was underrated. I’d have him in that mural instead of Des Walker. 
 

Thanks for the memories Shirty.
 


 

 

What a wonderful post. A joy to read.

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Remember watching the 91 league Cup final a couple of days after the actual game.  Jimmy Greaves was summarising " Pearson and Shirtcliff have dealt with Mark Hughes as nightclub bouncers would deal with a rowdy drunk ". lol

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3 hours ago, goldensmoke said:

Shirty was a magnificent defender. Now all this time on in the 2020s, it’s 30-45 years ago we’re talking, you can see the timespan of his incredible career with us.


Other than going away to Charlton in 86 then to return in 89, that period from 1979-1993 was the rise of SWFC and he was synonymous with it. That was my young life from age 9 to 23 and it’s clear now was the greatest era in the last 50 years for Wednesday. For that association alone I love him. 
 

I remember seeing him against Watford at home in 78-79 and at the end against Liverpool in the amazing Spring of 1993, when I think he got injured. 

 

I don’t remember him ever putting a foot wrong, he must have done but I don’t recall.To play in 270 games under the 3 great Wednesday managers of my lifetime is incredible. Most of Jack Charlton, the best of Wilkinson and bar the end of 88-89, all of Atkinson. Then the best of Francis, Good things happened when Shirty was around. 
 

Yet he didn’t play in anything like the number of games he could have done. Wasn’t in the 79-80 promotion team much, didn’t play in the 83 FA Cup semi Final and much of that era. Was allowed to leave in 86 but not to a bigger club. No fanfare when we signed him back for £500k in 89. That all seems odd now.

 

I would rank Shirtliff as one of our finest ever defenders. And if you’re too young to have seen him play, watch the 91 League Cup Final. The slow motion sequences of him and Pearson up against Hughes and the rest epitomise the man he was. 
 

Now in the fullness of time, it’s really true, he was underrated. I’d have him in that mural instead of Des Walker. 
 

Thanks for the memories Shirty.
 


 

 

can't argue with any of that! can't remember many (if any) mistakes, he really was a 'steady eddie' , a true life 'unsung hero' .

and who can forget that late,late goal away at WBA in promotion year  

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3 hours ago, goldensmoke said:

Shirty was a magnificent defender. Now all this time on in the 2020s, it’s 30-45 years ago we’re talking, you can see the timespan of his incredible career with us.


Other than going away to Charlton in 86 then to return in 89, that period from 1979-1993 was the rise of SWFC and he was synonymous with it. That was my young life from age 9 to 23 and it’s clear now was the greatest era in the last 50 years for Wednesday. For that association alone I love him. 
 

I remember seeing him against Watford at home in 78-79 and at the end against Liverpool in the amazing Spring of 1993, when I think he got injured. 

 

I don’t remember him ever putting a foot wrong, he must have done but I don’t recall.To play in 270 games under the 3 great Wednesday managers of my lifetime is incredible. Most of Jack Charlton, the best of Wilkinson and bar the end of 88-89, all of Atkinson. Then the best of Francis, Good things happened when Shirty was around. 
 

Yet he didn’t play in anything like the number of games he could have done. Wasn’t in the 79-80 promotion team much, didn’t play in the 83 FA Cup semi Final and much of that era. Was allowed to leave in 86 but not to a bigger club. No fanfare when we signed him back for £500k in 89. That all seems odd now.

 

I would rank Shirtliff as one of our finest ever defenders. And if you’re too young to have seen him play, watch the 91 League Cup Final. The slow motion sequences of him and Pearson up against Hughes and the rest epitomise the man he was. 
 

Now in the fullness of time, it’s really true, he was underrated. I’d have him in that mural instead of Des Walker. 
 

Thanks for the memories Shirty.
 


 

 

Top top player for us, like many of the players we had in the 83 to 87 period i suspect he would have had International Caps if he played for a more fashionable club. 

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4 hours ago, goldensmoke said:

Shirty was a magnificent defender. Now all this time on in the 2020s, it’s 30-45 years ago we’re talking, you can see the timespan of his incredible career with us.


Other than going away to Charlton in 86 then to return in 89, that period from 1979-1993 was the rise of SWFC and he was synonymous with it. That was my young life from age 9 to 23 and it’s clear now was the greatest era in the last 50 years for Wednesday. For that association alone I love him. 
 

I remember seeing him against Watford at home in 78-79 and at the end against Liverpool in the amazing Spring of 1993, when I think he got injured. 

 

I don’t remember him ever putting a foot wrong, he must have done but I don’t recall.To play in 270 games under the 3 great Wednesday managers of my lifetime is incredible. Most of Jack Charlton, the best of Wilkinson and bar the end of 88-89, all of Atkinson. Then the best of Francis, Good things happened when Shirty was around. 
 

Yet he didn’t play in anything like the number of games he could have done. Wasn’t in the 79-80 promotion team much, didn’t play in the 83 FA Cup semi Final and much of that era. Was allowed to leave in 86 but not to a bigger club. No fanfare when we signed him back for £500k in 89. That all seems odd now.

 

I would rank Shirtliff as one of our finest ever defenders. And if you’re too young to have seen him play, watch the 91 League Cup Final. The slow motion sequences of him and Pearson up against Hughes and the rest epitomise the man he was. 
 

Now in the fullness of time, it’s really true, he was underrated. I’d have him in that mural instead of Des Walker. 
 

Thanks for the memories Shirty.
 


 

 

Great post mate 

I was unsure of some of the timelines regarding his career but I always remember him as being a class act and never really understood his move to Charlton and your right I can never remember him letting us down

 

 

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Bit too young to remember him properly, but I've seen plenty of videos of him. 

 

Also, did some work on his parents' house not long ago, really nice couple and clearly really proud of both sons.

 

His Dad spent the full time I was there talking about how good the 91 Wednesday side was, and also how Paul more or less quit football after a disagreement with Wilkinson knocked his love for the game out of him, and ended up in non league football. 

 

Could've easily spent longer there talking about football if I could. 

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