1st november 1964 | Page 2 | Vital Football

1st november 1964

Rod, according to my records, Woody’s 1st goal for us in the league was the day before, i.e. 31st October (in a loss at Leeds), although he had scored the previous May against Barnsley in the County Cup.
I watched his League debut on a Wednesday night at Liverpool. Although we lost 3-1 (Birchenall scored for us) it was obvious even then that we had unearthed a “jewel”.
I remember it as though it was yesterday.
Actually , that’s not quite true, because I can’t really remember anything about yesterday. :bag: :shake:
Well i got my info from the Star(News now pages) so folk can decide who may be r8 you or the Star Bigglenaldo.:giggle:Still worth rememberin what a player WOODY was.UTCB
 
Well i got my info from the Star(News now pages) so folk can decide who may be r8 you or the Star Bigglenaldo.:giggle:Still worth rememberin what a player WOODY was.UTCB

You actually think the Star is likely to be more accurate than I am?
I am amazed!
Agree 100% with your last comment though.
 
I have no idea if this is true,but why let the truth spoil a good story as they say, I was told TC switched to the number 10 shirt after the Mexico World Cup and the performances of the Brazilian number 10
Do you mean that fellow known as the Black Currie?:eek:
 
TC made his SUFC debut wearing 10, v Spurs at BDBL on 26/2/68, and he scored. During the rest of that season, he played in another 10 league games as a 10, plus one as a 9, and one as an 11. Also, 2 County Cup games wearing 10.
The following season (68/69), he started off as a 10, but as the season wore on, mainly as an 8. In all games: 21 as a 10, 24 as an 8, 2 as a 9, and 1 as a 12 (FA Cup 3rd round).
The next season (69/70), he again switched frequently between 10 and 8 (19 as 10 and 34 as 8).
The next 6 seasons, (after the 1970 World Cup) he always played in the 10 shirt.
I have no idea whether this was coincidence or a JH master stroke.
Biggles, come in your numbers up!
Great work mate.....ta very much...but I suspect he will always be a 10
for us (see what I did there?):bow:
 
TC made his SUFC debut wearing 10, v Spurs at BDBL on 26/2/68, and he scored. During the rest of that season, he played in another 10 league games as a 10, plus one as a 9, and one as an 11. Also, 2 County Cup games wearing 10.
The following season (68/69), he started off as a 10, but as the season wore on, mainly as an 8. In all games: 21 as a 10, 24 as an 8, 2 as a 9, and 1 as a 12 (FA Cup 3rd round).
The next season (69/70), he again switched frequently between 10 and 8 (19 as 10 and 34 as 8).
The next 6 seasons, (after the 1970 World Cup) he always played in the 10 shirt.
I have no idea whether this was coincidence or a JH master stroke.
I’m guessing ‘A complete record of Sheffield United’ came in useful here Wing Commander? You’re spot on anyway mate. :grinning:

He actually wore Woody’s number 7 shirt in the first preseason tour game of the 69-70 season and this has got me thinking back.

Before the days of squad numbers, did players nrarly always play in the positions that their shirt number suggested? When TC wore the number 7 and 11 shirts for instance did he play out wide? I somehow think that he did.

If you look at the historical match stats from the late 60’s and into the 70’s you’ll see that many of our players changed their shirts to denote the position they played on the day. Woody 7 and the keepers 1 were the only ones who were rarely affected.

It seems amazing now to think that a club would tell the opposition in advance of any changes and I recall later we’d see number 4’s playing up front, but crack then, I think number 3 always played at LB and and number 7 was always a right winger. Amazing really, thoughts anybody.
 
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Gray.
The line up was always
1 Goalkeeper
2 Right back
3 Left back
4 Right half
5 centre half
6 Left half
7 Right winger
8 Inside right
9 Centre forward
10 Inside left
11 Left winger.

You always knew by the number which position each player would play.
 
Until those fiendish Hungarians played Hidegkuti (no. 9) as a “deep lying” centre forward. Completely threw the England defence as they hadn’t got a clue as to who should mark who; as the 2 games against them showed. England managed to concede 13 goals!
Of course, having the likes of Puskas, Kocsik and Boszik alongside Hidegkuti, didn’t help the English cause, but 13 goals in two matches!!!
And the manager kept his job!