BLADES OF GLORY Scots stars in United’s surge are a blast from past for Jim
ENGLISH SHEFFIELD’S TARTAN TALENT
JOHN FLECK has been the inspiration behind Sheffield United’s rise to fifth in the Premier League.
But for some Blades fans it’s no surprise seeing a stand-out Scot help them reach such dizzy heights in England’s top flight.
It’s 45 years since Jim Brown starred between the sticks for United and was named Player of the Year when they defied the odds to finish sixth.
After flirting with relegation the previous season, Ken Furphy’s side finished just four points behind champs Derby County and missed out on a UEFA Cup spot on the final day of the 1974/75 season.
Newly-promoted Blades’ start to this season under Chris Wilder has drawn comparisons to the class of ’75, as they prepare to host Manchester United at Brammall Lane on Sunday.
They have already earned draws at Chelsea and Spurs, and won at home to Arsenal.
Brown, who claimed his only Scotland cap against Romania at the end of that memorable campaign, is delighted with what he’s seeing, and even more so with Scots Fleck and Oli McBurnie in the ranks.
The 67-year-old is commercial manager at another old club, Chesterfield, who he joined from Albion Rovers in 1972 and can’t get to see United too often.
But he said: “I watch them on Match of the Day and I’m really pleased at how well they’re doing. It’s also great to see a couple of Scots in John Fleck and Oli McBurnie part of the success.
“When I played, most of the top English teams had Scottish players but it doesn’t happen as much these days.
“In that Sheffield United team we also had Eddie Colquhoun at centre-half.
“But when you played against Leeds United, Liverpool and Manchester United they all had top Scots – Kenny Dalglish, Joe Jordan, those type of players.
“For us to finish sixth in 1975 was unexpected. I joined from
Chesterfield for £80,000 for the last 10 games of the season before.
“Scottish keeper Tom McAlister had broken his leg and they needed another goalie. I went straight into the team and we just stayed up.
“So expectations for the new season were pretty much as they are now, to stay in the league.
“But we started off well with a few decent results in August which gave us a platform.
“In our first 11 league games we won six, drew three and lost two. It’s similar to how Sheffield United have started this season.
“In the second half of the campaign we only lost two games out of 18.
“That catapulted us up the table. On the final day we went to Birmingham and would have qualified for Europe if we’d won.
“But we drew 0-0 at St Andrews and were just a point behind Everton, who qualified for the UEFA Cup. We were only four points off the champions Derby County.
“It was disappointing in the end but it was still a much better season than anyone expected.
“I ended up getting Player of the Year which was a big surprise but I suppose I got a lot of work to do during games!
“It would be good if this United team could go one better and reach the Europa League. They’re well organised and don’t concede a lot of goals, they’re even picking up results away from home.
“They’re a bit like us with a good mix of young and experienced players. We had a topclass player in Tony Currie who played for England. He gave us confidence and that is happening with two or three at United now who are galvanising the team.”
Brown’s cap came in a Euro 76 qualifier in Bucharest as Gordon McQueen netted a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw.
He said: “Stewart Kennedy was injured in the previous game against England. “We played well and I got a good write-up. “David Harvey played in the next game but it’s every lad’s dream to play for Scotland and it was no different for me. My cap and jersey are in a glass case, hanging on the wall in my hall.”