1949/50 Wednesday promoted

[CHAIRBOY]

Matches did take place during the war when players had other tasks. My dad was at Hillsborough but his other work (Home Guard) meant he stayed here and was able to keep playing. They played clubs like Bradford P.A. and other clubs in the region etc. but records were rarely kept for wartime games.

My gran saved his first professional pay packet (£5) I believe, when full-time football resumed. I was given it in the original envelope on my 21st birthday (although the note had had to be up-dated - think the original 'Fivers' were white?) and not wanting to waste it, bought £5 of Premium Bonds. On the very August day in 1977 when Boycott scored his 100th First-Class century, I got back from Leeds to find it had won me a £50 pay out!

[awoollen]

In 1950 Wednesday got promoted from the old Div.2 as runner-up and United were 3rd. ... both sides finished with 52 points.

 

BUT .... ...... the goal averages were so close that 1 goal more or less by either team and the positions would have been reversed.

 

Just 1 goal in it after 42 matches ... amazing.

 

Can anyone remember those days and the fans/emotions?

Newspaper reports.

 

I've been fascinated by this for a long time.

 

Rayd.

it was .008 of a goal if i remember right

[Redfyre]

.008 of a goal...exactly!

Re wartime records. If you look at Sheffield Wednesday: A Complete Record, it contains details, matches, scores, scorers and line-ups of all the Owls' wartime games. There is a similar book for United. Also Jack Rllin did a good book called Football At Warm which lists apps at all clubs during war --a time when players who were in the Armed Services played for the nearest club. Thus Aldershot, the army town, had a wonderful team of internationals...and it was in this Aldershot team that Jimmy Hagan was transformed from a notable United man into a "star" --some say he came back rather more self-important than he went! But, then, he was pretty good.

As Chairboy has confirmed, 'normal' football was suspended at the outbreak of war, and regional wartime leagues were organised, with supplementary cup matches. The FA Cup restarted in 1945-6, the Football League in 1946-47.

By the way the Blades won the League North wartime title in 1945-6...a grand set of mainly local lads. In 46-7 they beat Stoke in the last match (on June the 14th, yes June!) to prevent Stoke winning the title and letting Liverpool pip the boys from the Potteries.

[CHAIRBOY]

Thanks Redfyre for that. Don't know where I've been with those war-game records! Just had a quick browse and can see why my dad often mentioned Jackie Thompson - I later knew him from Shiregreen CC.

I also see a Massarella but need more details please? the name is no stranger but never thought too much about the following link.

The boss of Pontefract racecourse, Norman Gundill is married to a Massarella who always chats to me when she sees my enthusiasm for ice-cream. I know of Ronnie, from the catering firm and show jumping. Was it Ronnie who played for the Owls during the war? Or, is Mrs Gundill the daughter of that Wednesday player please? I must speak further to her about this. She'll be amazed at the tie-up.

[JOGI]

Thanks for interesting details. I can relate to these years. I well remember Jimmy Hagan being sent off. He was at at that timethe most outstanding player in the team, and the crowd couldnt accept that a ref. had the right to do this!.A near riot ensued and the crowd were murderous. When the match finished I left on a John St. exit with my 2 very young sons,only to find Iwas in the middlle of very serious lynch mob. They said they were going to kill the ref. I tried to keep clear but couldnt. In a few minutes later the Mounties surrounded us and drove us like cattle out of John St.,up Bramall Lane onto a bomb site on the Moor. We were searched and released one at a time to go home.

[Redfyre]

Chairboy, the Massarella was Leonard. He was of the ice cream family, joined Wedy from Denaby and retired around 1945, a winger. The Jackie Thompson who excelled for the Owls (I met him a few times in later years, he lived near Hillsborough Park) was not the same man as the one who played for Shiregreen and captained them. The cricketer was someone I knew fairly well, and, indeed, he and Norman Jackson had me roped in as a vice president at Shiregreen for some years. This Jackie was thick-set, a Sheffield lad, a superb batsman; and his job was with a firm of printer's called Melling on Zion Lane. I helped pen a brief history of Shiregreen many years ago, and Jack came to our house in that context. The footballer may have played some cricket, but, of course, he was from the North East, and was pal of Jackie Robinson and Frank Melling (no relation to the printer mentioned earlier). He also played for Doncaster and Chesterfield, and worked at Stocksbridge I think until he retired.

John G. I was at the game when Hagan was sent off. It is a long time ago, but I think United were already winning 7-1. Hagan got fed up with a bloke called Lucas in the Swansea team who never stopped hacking our hero from behind every time Jimmy had the ball. Jimmy did have a short fuse at times! I had forgotten about any lynch mob, but I know Jimmy was severely censured by the FA.

[CHAIRBOY]

Thanks Redfyre. So I'm summising that Leonard was the father of Mrs Gundill and she will be the sister of Ronnie?

Thanks for putting my right on the Thompsons. Jackie at Shiregreen had a son called Brian - I played with son in the U18s?

Knew Norman Jackson and Ivor Seemley there and later knew Frank Melling at United nets.

On another thread re-snow, I mentioned two games abandoned because of snow. I was at the game at Highbury but there was one against Southampton at Hillsborough when Danny B was commentating for YTV. Do you have the date please? Not in the Bible (though understand why)!

Just sent an e-mail to Andy McCulloch to tell him about the reported death of forummer Albert T Smith. Albert was very appreciative of the work Andy did for the Hallam Muscular Dystrophy Group. Cheers.

[Redfyre]

I was at the League game at Highbury when it was abandoned, on the day Wilson was making his debut in goal I think, but off hand I am vague re the 1979 FA Cup marathon and how the weather affected the games. It's in one of the books.

Re the Southampton match, I may have the info in one of my old handwritten record books, but most of these have either been packed away or lost. As you say the published books only give the matches played. I suppose it being a Danny Blanchflower commentary, you can nearly date it, but sorry I can't help. One of the young lads who did a book on 100 years of Hillsborough may have listed the ppd matches, I don't know.

[CHAIRBOY]

Yes it was the Wilson debut I was at. 1-0 down just after half-time when it came down heavily. I was in the top tier of the East Stand. 1979, no problem. Danny B - dates it (my thoughts). I seem to recall it about the time of the cushion tirade from the North Stand? It's not important but I'd make a note of it. "Perhaps the referee has gone to get a pair of skis", said Dan at the Saints' game as the ref fled down the tunnel.

[JOGI]

Hi Redfyre .Amazing you were at the Hagan match. In your last post you mentioned Jackie Thompson. I rember a Jackie Thompson playing for Wed, about same time as Jackie Robinson.(Inside right?) Now to move on a bit I,m interested in reading about Derek Dooley.Do you know where I can find anything such as biography, records, how many games he played and goals scored etc. I was in the R.A.F. during this time and missed all this,except for one unforgettable memory.This was on Dec.8th.1951 .West Ham v Wed.,which I was able to attend. Wed 6-West Ham 0. Dooley 3,Frogatt 2,Quixall 1. These details were kindly supplied by you a few days ago. In closing I would like to say how much I appreciate your help,information etc.that you and your colleagues have given me as a new member. John.