Sheffield United vs Wrexham

14 UTB
WHAT’S THE
STORY?
In every issue of UTB this season, our regular contributor
DAVE BURKINSHAW features a Blades related photograph
from his personal archive and reveals the story behind it…
One of the popular
football images
captured, in the
post-war period especially,
was of players training
together, usually on their
home ground.
There exists a number of
such photographs featuring
various United players at
Bramall Lane and today’s
image is one taken in the
period 1955 to 1957.
The photograph shows
the old Bramall Lane end in
the background with part
of one of the old floodlight
pylons clearly visible.
Prior to the opening of the
Bramall Lane Stand in the
autumn of 1966, this end
of the ground was another
standing area with a
covered roof similar in style
to the one that covered
the Shoreham Street
Kop. If you look closely at
the roof itself there is an
advertisement for Kennings
on Leadmill Road. Kennings
was not only a garage
offering all the usual car
maintenance services, it
was the place to go for
your car washing according
to the advert!
Although the exact
date of this photograph
is unknown, looking at
the fine condition of the
playing service it seems
likely this may have been
taken during pre-season
training or during an early
season training session.
The kit worn by the four
players on view suggests it
may have been taken in the
summer of 1957 as the club
had moved towards shirts
without collars by then.
If there are any fans out
there who can offer a more
precise dating, I would
be grateful for any further
information.
Another clue to the date
of the photograph is the
identity of the four players
on view. The four players
from the left are Jim Iley,
Tommy Hoyland, Cliff
Mason and Ted Burgin.
Half-back Iley had made
his league debut for United
in December 1954 and
played his last game for
the club on 24th August
1957 before he was sold to
Tottenham Hotspur.
Next to him is Tommy
Hoyland, another half-back
who could also play inside
forward. Hoyland had been
with the club since 1949
SHEFFIELD UNITED vs WREXHAM