Interview with Ian Bryson - Part 2 (Great Escapes and Top Level Experience)

When we left Part 1, United (and Ian) had just completed back to back promotion seasons, taking them from the 3^rd Division to the top tier of English football.

During that second promotion season the BBC chose United to be the focus of a documentary series focusing on all aspects of a football club. You and your family were featured heavily, how did you find it?

The documentary series was fantastic.

In those days for TV to capture your team's success in such detail was rare.

Yes and to capture that season for United, culminating in that game at Leicester was great for the team. Obviously, they focused on me a bit with the story of a couple with a young daughter coming down from Scotland. They painted a picture of me which was quite amazing and one added benefit of that was that we were never short of offers of babysitters again! That's just the Blades fans for you though, a good bunch.

Your form and goalscoring record, which you maintained in those first couple of top flight seasons, ought to have drawn some international recognition. Were you ever close to a Scotland call-up?

There were times I was mentioned in dispatches North of the Border. My mother-in-law collected the newspaper clippings when I was linked with the Scotland squad and sent them down to me. I had played for the Scotland semi-pro side (a sort of 1st Division Select) whilst at Kilmarnock, but that aside there was one or two mentions whilst I was down here. I believe that I was watched once, one time against Norwich in 1992 where Bryan Gunn, the Norwich keeper, had gone off and an outfield player ended up in goal. I scored the winner that day, but missed three or four chances as well. I had a spell up front when Tony Agana was injured.

That first season in Division One started off disastrously for United, yet you played a big part in the turnaround.

We reached the 22nd December 1990 bottom of the league and with just four points on the board. Then we faced Forest and that kick started our season. I scored two in a 4-2 win and had another shot that hit both posts and stayed out. I never scored a hat trick in my career in England and Scotland; that was the closest I came.

The celebrations at the end, with the crowd running on the pitch, gave it the feel of a promotion winning match or a cup giant-killing.

It was a great relief to get our first win and the fans obviously felt the same, we felt we had been playing well but we just couldn't get the win. Once we won that game the confidence within the squad grew and we gradually moved up the table

We then won our next game and then from late January through to the beginning of March we went on a run of 8 wins and a draw in 9 games and eventually stayed up in 13th place. Although the league is different now, I don't think anyone will survive from that kind of position again. The following season Dave arranged the Christmas party in August thinking it might help us get over that start of season blip. It was quite a unique thing, but Dave loved the media and they loved him as he was always good for a quote or story.

It didn’t really work. United again started the season slowly, but thankfully and over time they developed a consistency which saw them finish in 9^th place. That season also saw the return of top flight Sheffield Derbies for the first time in 23 years.

How was it to play in the intensity of a Sheffield Derby?

The Sheffield Derbies have mixed emotions for me. The build-up to the first was great as it had been so long since the last top flight derby, the buzz around Bramall Lane and the fact it divided the street where I lived was superb.

You had a key role in the first of United’s two goals at Bramall Lane in the 2-0 victory in November 1991.

I was put through with a through ball by John Gannon and was one on one with Chris Woods. I hit it to his right and he palmed it out. Dane (Whitehouse) a good local lad was running in and we were 1-0 up. The whole day was unbelievable. Sadly, I missed the return game at Hillsborough, where we did the double, through injury.

That was the game where Bobby Davison scored two goals on his debut and United won 3-1.

I was gutted to miss out on the Steel City Semi at Wembley in 1993, that’s a big regret. It's so rare to get the chance to play there and it seemed like my chance had gone. I had been on a run in the side up to the Quarter Final replay at home to Blackburn Rovers and I had to go off injured with the re-occurence of a hernia injury. It had been operated on earlier in the season and I had to have another operation and in the end that was effectively the end of my career at United, although I didn't know that at the time. I watched on as Pembo fired in the winning penalty in the shootout. At that point I didn’t think I would be missing out on Wembley, just a semi-final versus Wednesday. Then the semi was moved to Wembley.

Is it hard to look back on the semi at Wembley?

My main memory of the semi-final was Mel Rees. We were desperate for Mel to lead the team out at Wembley but the FA wouldn’t allow it, so he walked around the pitch beforehand. I get choked up thinking about it now. Credit to the Wednesday fans that day, the reception from around the stadium was amazing, every fan stood up.

On the night we spoke, Bolton Wanderers were playing Spurs live on Sky Sports and Fabrice Muamba had walked out to take the acclaim of the Reebok crowd. We both admitted to having a similar emotional feeling watching Muamba that night.

I was at the game against Blackburn that followed the Muamba incident and it was a really emotional day. Football fans get a lot of stick for various things, but a majority are really, really good

.

A positive memory of that time, must be the midweek game against Spurs when United thrashed them 6-0? You scored twice I recall.

I've got a clipping from a newspaper on our memo board at home with a picture of me and Brian Deane taken on that night. We ended a six game winning run for Spurs and inflicted their worst defeat for 15 years - scoring twice in games like that were the stuff of boyhood dreams!

How was Dave Bassett to play for, as tough and straight talking as his public image suggests?

Harry often had a go and rarely gave you praise, but that was his man-management style. He always said I was a better player when he kicked me. He was probably right. Deep down you knew what his methods were, but it was sometimes hard to take. That was the way some managers worked back then. You either, bowed down and disappear, or you rolled your sleeves up and got on with it.

How did your departure from Bramall Lane come about?

It was strange really. We had just gone through pre-season and Harry took me on one side and told me Rotherham United had enquired about me and was I interested. I didn’t know what to do; I took it from that I wasn't going to figure much in the coming season if Harry was willing to tell me of interest. Therefore I asked him to circulate my name and see what came of it. He then said he didn’t mind if I left, I had real mixed emotions, I didn't want to leave, but had to do what was best for me.

What did you miss about Sheffield?

Everything and everybody at Sheffield United and being in Sheffield was great. We lived in North Anston and our best friends are a couple from there who I met walking the dog in the fields. This guy had a couple of dogs and I used to chat away with him and I got to know him, well I thought I’d got to know him. It turns out after that he just used to nod his head as he didn’t have a clue what I was saying! Both him and his wife became our best friends.

My wife has cousins and one of them bizarrely lived in South Anston; so of all the places I could have ended up in England we went where there was family nearby. All little coincidences.

I went from Scottish First Division to Division 1 (which then became the Premier League) at United, the kind of events that footballing dreams are made of and no one can take it away from me. The fans were brilliant, the stadium (even though it has changed for the better since) was great, it was just a great family club. Every time I go back you get such a great welcome. We have reunions now and then and you always get a lot of players turning up, which say a lot. Everyone at the place from office staff, through to Frenchie (Derek French the physio) and Geoff Taylor the assistant manager had the same ethos.

In Part 3 we talk about a brief spell at Barnsley, captaining Preston to a title, playing alongside a future superstar and  he did after his final league season at Rochdale. 

Interview with Ian Bryson - Part 1 (From the farm to down the Lane)

For the fifth in the series of Blades Heroes Interviews I am delighted to have spoken with wing wizard Ian Bryson. The Scotsman was a key player in United’s back to back promotions as they eventually returned to the top flight in 1990. If the stats were recorded in those days it would show he provided numerous assists alongside 44 goals in 177 starts in all competitions for United. Not bad for a player, who up to the age of 25 was playing part time in Scotland.

He we went on to captain Preston as they started their return from the football doldrums and when we spoke we also talked of his spells at Barnsley, Rochdale and of course Kilmarnock, where it all started. As quietly spoken as I remember from his playing days, he retains a strong Scottish brogue, despite having now spent nearly half of his life south of the border. 

  

Growing up in Scotland did you have any great hopes of a football career?

I grew up on my Mum and Dad's dairy farm in Ayrshire. I was playing junior football from under 12 through to under-18 for Ayr United Boys team. I was playing alongside Alan McInally. In those days it was a case of you would be taken on by the club you were at as a pro at 18 or released. Unfortunately, Ayr didn't want me so I continued to work on my parents' farm and played for Hurlford United; a club in the Scottish junior leagues.

I'd been with Hurlford for about eight weeks when Kilmarnock (then a Scottish Division 1 side) approached me about a trial. I went for the trial on the Thursday, had a really good trial match, and signed for manager Jim Clunie on the Friday. I continued to work on the farm, full-time dairy farmer, and part-time footballer. It really hit home, the step up I had made when I made my debut in a benefit match a month later. It was against Celtic, which was a big thing for me. I was on the left wing and up against Danny McGrain; A Scottish international full back, a Celtic legend and an imposing figure.

Did it take you long to make your league debut?

My full league debut came in the following January against Hamilton Academicals and I scored a penalty that day. It was a quick transition from playing at Hurlford to starting in the Kilmarnock first team and I was still only 18.

Scoring a penalty on league debut for Killie, a lot of trust in a young player, were you playing up front that day?

I was playing as a left winger and in previous reserve game I had scored twice from the spot so was entrusted when the opportunity arose

You spent seven seasons with Kilmarnock and had a decent scoring record for a wide player (38 goals from 156 appearances), did you have any opportunities to move elsewhere and how did the United interest come about?

I enjoyed it at Kilmarnock, but I thought my time had passed as I was now in my mid-20's. There were times I was linked with SPL clubs, Dundee United were one I remember amongst others, but nothing happened. I was happy enough doing what I was doing then at the start of pre-season in 1988 Eddie Morrison, then Killie manager, asked me if I fancied going on trial with Sheffield United and joining them on a pre-season tour in Sweden. I didn't have to think too much about that, it wasn't a difficult decision. Off I went with United for two weeks.

Even though the Blades had just been relegated to Division Three?

Yes but even though they had been relegated it was a chance to play in England at a big club, with an impressive ground.

Was it a daunting prospect joining up with United pre-season in Sweden?

Yes it was daunting but it was a chance to show that I had what it took to do something I had dreamed of since I was young - become a full time professional footballer.

Did you feel that you had done enough to earn a contract?

I did feel I had done enough but I still wasn't a hundred percent sure in fact I asked Frenchie (Derek French - United's physio) for a shirt and pair of shorts as a memento in case it didn't work out!

On my return from the tour, Dave Bassett said he wanted to sign me and I left it to the clubs to sort out the deal. It wasn't much of a decision for me, as I was still working on the farm whilst playing for Kilmarnock, the chance to be a full time footballer was a fantastic opportunity for me.  It was a huge change for me, like learning football over again to a certain degree. I am not dismissing the standard of Scottish football at that time, but I was coming to full-time football and doing it as my living. I was moving to a big city, a new environment, different players and a different style of football.

Harry was renowned for long-ball or being direct so I wasn't used to that, but it was similar for a lot of players working with Dave. I think it helped that there were quite a few new lads around, Harry was re-building after relegation and we all bonded, adapted and learned together. That helped us do so well and played a big part in our two successive promotions.

Much is made of that team spirit. What was it about Dave Bassett that engendered such a spirit and led to such success?

Having been relegated the year before there is usually a massive transition which doesn't necessary mean immediate success. Dave Bassett deserves a huge amount of credit for what we achieved in that period. He and his scouts looked around and identified the players, most of whom were not that well known at the time; Brian Deane at Doncaster, Alan Roberts at Darlington, he had already brought Tony Agana in from Watford and we all seemed to fit together and get on well. These weren't well known players at the time. We all seemed to get on really well and that's half the battle. There were no egos or ‘Big Time Charlies’, there were few "personalities" although the ex-Wimbledon lads like Wally (Downes) and Francis (Joseph) helped in the dressing room. We built a great team spirit, made a great start on the pitch and carried it on, but it's all down to Dave Bassett.

It was a major change for you coming to United, change of club, lifestyle, environment; a complete uprooting your life and family. How hard was it to deal with?

As well as that team bonding and welcome what also helped me settle was the start I made at the club. In our first home game against Bristol Rovers I scored two goals in a 4-2 win and picked up Man of the Match. It was a fantastic start, home debut, two goals, man of the match and as a team we played really well. I then scored two in our third home league game when we beat Northampton Town 4-0. The fans took to me, they were superb, and that made things easier for me.

What are your main memories of that first season and promotion from Division Three?

Those two games aside, I don't remember too many individual games from that first promotion season. Apart from that final game at Wolves where we got the point needed to seal promotion. It is sort of the same with the following season as well. Clearly, the promotion clincher at Leicester stands out, that was the one that mattered. It was an amazing day. Every goal was followed by the fans invading the pitch and we were ushering them off. I really feared that the match might be abandoned! But to come off the pitch and find out that as well as going up Wednesday were coming down, it was an unbelievable day; you don't get moments like that often.  The whole season was just meant to be really.

The win at Leicester in May 1990 meant that United had clinched promotion to the top flight (then still Division One) returning after a 14 year absence.

For me to be playing top level football two years after leaving the farm and Kilmarnock was hard to take in. It was a fairy-tale move. I was set to play in one of the biggest leagues in the world. It was all down to Dave, he built the team where the nucleus was largely the same over the two seasons. To walk out in front of 27,000 fans against Liverpool, at Bramall Lane, on the opening day and for Deano to score was something else

1989-90 Promotion Squad - Ian is back row, far right

What always stood out for me and many other Blades fans was your work-rate in wide areas both attacking and defensively, and also your ability to find the back of the net as well regularly, as well as setting goals up.

My favourite ball to play was winger to winger and quite a few goals came from that ball for both me and the team. Really wingers should score more goals these days. Although I played on the left, I was predominantly right footed which gave me plenty of options when it came to crossing and shooting. I could stay wide or cut inside and usually guarantee I could get a cross in.

Obviously, United played with great target men, like Brian Deane and Tony Agana in the middle which is a dream for a wide player. My job was to put as many crosses in as possible, the more times you get the ball into the box, the more opportunities you have to score. Dave used to measure my performance by the number of balls I played in during the game. He used to tell me after whether I had put enough crosses in.

I'd say we were direct, but that isn't to be negative, we were not direct in the John Beck sense. We tried to get the ball from the back to the front players quickly as we knew there we had the pace and trickery to cause the opposition problems. When we have reunions and we look back at the videos of some of the goals we scored from wide positions were really good. We got goals from all over the pitch and we had quality up front, I mean Brian went on to play for England.

Ian celebrating promotion at Filbert Street with Mark Todd and Brian Deane

In Part 2 we talk about Ian and his family’s role in the BBC ‘United‘  documentary series, top level football with United, Wembley sadness and his eventual departure from Bramall Lane.