Sheffield United vs Millwall

UTB 57
R Ian pictured
bottom left,
on United’s
team photo
from 1978/79
for the last 20 minutes of the game. It
was just a blur to be honest, I think I had
a few touches, but I was just excited
to be involved. I remember passing it
to Alan Woodward a few times, so it
was a brilliant experience in front of
about 20,000 fans – although quite
nerve wracking!”
Ian would be a regular for United’s
reserves, and after continually
impressing, a competitive debut
presented itself in April 1979.
He may not have thought too much
about it at the time, but when Ian came
off the bench at Ninian Park as United
faced Cardiff City, he would become a
trailblazer as the first modern day black
footballer to play for the Blades’ senior
team. Of course, Arthur Wharton is the
first black player to represent the Blades
way back in the 1890s.
Whilst it was a huge achievement to
make the senior squad at such a young
age, it wasn’t quite the debut Ian was
looking for, as a struggling United lost
4-0 in Wales.
“I think there was an expectation
that I would be the first of this particular
group of players to come through,” said
Ian, who was knocking on the door of
a side which was struggling to keep its
place in the second tier.
“In the end, I was one of the last
because Phil Jones and Paul Casey had
already played. I was due to make my
debut at Burnley but when we got to
Turf Moor, the rain was relentless, and
the pitch was heavy, and Harry Haslam
decided to pull me out. I had to wait but
I’d played in the reserves all season and
was enjoying playing for United.
“Bruce Rioch - what a wonderful bloke
- he spoke to me all the way there - for
four hours. He gave me great advice; he
was so patient with me.
“The game itself, well, I always joke
with people that I changed the game!
It was 0-0 at half-time and someone
came off injured. I came on for my debut
in midfield alongside Bruce who was
on loan from Derby, and they had a
midfielder called John Buchanan who
scored a couple from 30 yards, and we
were well beaten. I don’t remember
too much, but I remember thinking that
I did okay.”
United’s relegation to the Third
Division looked unavoidable by the
time the Blades geared up for the final
game of the 1978/79 season against
SHEFFIELD UNITED vs MILLWALL