Sheffield United vs Tottenham Hotspur

UTB 67
Blades Tales
Tonight, marks the 65th anniversary
of United fan Chris Wikeley’s first ever
game supporting his beloved Blades.
Here Chris recounts his experience, and
many others during his long-standing
support of the Red and White Wizards...
March 1st 1958,
aged 11, my first
visit to a Blades
game and the start of a
lifelong relationship. My
first friend at school in
Sheffield was a lad from
Rotherham who shared
my interest in football
despite our respective
families having no interest
in the beautiful game, so
neither of us had been to
any games.
On a visit to my friend’s
home in Rotherham, he
told me Sheffield United
were playing Rotherham
United at Millmoor that
afternoon and asked if
should we go? I thought
we should as he could
support Rotherham and
I would support the
Blades. So off we went not
knowing what to expect
but very excited.
Given the restrictions
and regulations nowadays,
I still marvel at what
we did. Just the two of
us went to the ground
and I have a vague
recollection of getting in
as two for the price of one
and a bit! I can remember
▲ Chris pictured in his Blades shirt on an artic cruise
the terrace on which we
stood but not where it was
in the ground in relation
to the other supporters.
We did, however, seem to
have space around us and
it was not a crush.
My friend was jumping
up and down shouting
“Rotherham United,
Rotherham United” so
I countered by shouting
“Sheffield United, Sheffield
United”. I wanted to show
my ‘extensive’ knowledge
of the team by shouting
for a player or two but
I could only recall one
name: Alan Hodgkinson.
So, I spent a lot of time
S HEFFIELD UNITED vs TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR