Sheffield United vs Tottenham Hotspur

UTB 37
later on, and the picture sits proudly within
his pages. As Liam once said: “That’s the
greatest footballer in the world with Pele!”
Mmmm…
On his first evening, and for a select few,
there was an intimate dinner with him, and a
champagne reception for the fortunate few.
We had been inundated with requests for
signed items and it seemed that people at
the club couldn’t say no. There were bags
of the stuff, I am telling you. Just chancing
an arm, I had laid out in the museum on a
table my Escape to Victory shirt and tracky
top with a pen (as you do). I had the job of
taking the floor and saying:
“Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
to Bramall Lane the greatest footballer the
world has ever known…”
Funnily enough, Liam Garrett didn’t enter
Legends, it was, of course, Pele who duly
walked across the floor, picked up the
Sharpie and signed my stuff. Result!
By the end of the week though, he had
pretty much had enough. On the last but
one day, we had the fabled ‘An Afternoon
with Pele’ - a packed Platinum Suite with
a three course and licensed bar with an
interview with the great man hosted by
either our own Andy Pack or the late Harry
Gratian. I can’t recall who was supposed
to do it, but it nearly didn’t matter as with
minutes to go before the start of the fun, we
were told that our guest was ill and that he
wouldn’t be able to attend. A room full of
Sheffield’s finest getting steadily refreshed
and having paid for an afternoon of frivolity
and entertainment were certainly not going
to be fobbed off, and we had a problem.
Our then commercial manager Andy Daykin
was at the hotel trying to smooth things
over and persuade Pele to get in the car
and head for S2 whilst keeping in touch
with the poor souls who were on the verge
of being lynched at the Lane.
I reckon he had gone down with
something, probably down to the excessive
list of events he had agreed to during his
stay. He was just shattered. The bar was
doing a roaring trade. Great for turnover
but poor for those left to keep them sweet.
John Garrett singing the great American
Songbook with Tony Currie wasn’t going to
get anyone out in one piece! I told all that
he hadn’t been well in the night and that
the club doc was with him - nowt serious,
just an upset tummy, and that seemed to
keep the natives from rebelling, at least for
the time being!
Finally, and at pushing a fashionable
two hours late, we got the nod to say
that he was en route. Those that were in
the museum for the intimate champagne
reception had drunk all the champagne and
were either asleep in a corner or joining in
with the rousing renditions of unprintable
Blades terrace tunes that were being
bellowed out next door. The car pulled up
outside and Pele was taken straight into the
museum in readiness for his introductions
by yours truly. I shook his hand, and he
gave me a weary smile, then entered the
room to an incredible ovation, made his
way to the head table and took his seat.
▲ Two legends
SHEFFIELD UNITED vs TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR