I can’t remember if it was Clubcall pre-90s, but my first experience of it was as the Bladesline in the 1992-93 season when my uncle, probably highly irresponsibly, told the then number (0898 888 650) to a then 10 year old me that was living in the Midlands. From barely any news available to me, there was now a number that seemed to be a semi-daily source of Blades gossip and rumour.
It’s as 1993/94 kicked in, and the frantic Bladesline intro was replaced by Dave Bassett’s intro welcoming everyone to Clubcall, that I can vividly remember being sat down by my dad and shown a BT phone bill for the first time. With the summer of 1993 not providing enough daily reassurance on Brian Deane’s future through the media available to me, Clubcall filled the void – daily Deane updates, which after the shock of my favourite player being sold, led to daily Deane-replacement updates.
I don’t remember the exact amount, but being presented with the pages of itemised calls, marked by highlighter pen, with a total that I will only describe as a ‘three-figure sum’, it moved from Clubcall to wake-up call.
All premium numbers were immediately banned. My uncle was probably given his own talking-to. Jostein Flo’s signing had to be revealed to me via the 312 News-in-Brief part of the Ceefax football pages.
Hey Brendan, that's a tale that's going to stir some recollections amongst more seasoned supporters. I can clearly remember at some time in the early 90s our financial director at the place I worked having <<a word>> with me and the company owner at a board meeting about our climbing phone bills. Turned out the three most dialled numbers in the previous quarter were the Leeds Utd line (Paul, the boss),Blades Club Call (me), and the Liverpool line (Allan - the FD himself). We shared a slightly embarrassed laugh, then said no more about it. Don't think it had any impact on reducing our spending...
Before my time, although I do remember Ceefax Page 301! And I certainly remember having to use the phone box with lots of coins for anything. Now, as you say, we have everything on the small device in our pockets. Definitely better (and easier)!
Hi Sue. Yes I had to find out we’d been relegated at Chelsea in 1994 by ringing my girlfriend and asking her to check Ceefax. No one at the ground knew what was going on
I remember going to the reserve matches and waiting for the scoreboard man to display the first team score on a low-tech scoreboard attached to the cricket pavilion. When Wednesday lost 8-2 to QPR, the scoreboard man didn't have an 8 so was waving his arms in the shape of an 8.
Brilliant. I also remember those scoreboards. They often didn’t properly correspond with the letters though, so again if was often a different result when you got home 😂
I can’t remember if it was Clubcall pre-90s, but my first experience of it was as the Bladesline in the 1992-93 season when my uncle, probably highly irresponsibly, told the then number (0898 888 650) to a then 10 year old me that was living in the Midlands. From barely any news available to me, there was now a number that seemed to be a semi-daily source of Blades gossip and rumour.
It’s as 1993/94 kicked in, and the frantic Bladesline intro was replaced by Dave Bassett’s intro welcoming everyone to Clubcall, that I can vividly remember being sat down by my dad and shown a BT phone bill for the first time. With the summer of 1993 not providing enough daily reassurance on Brian Deane’s future through the media available to me, Clubcall filled the void – daily Deane updates, which after the shock of my favourite player being sold, led to daily Deane-replacement updates.
I don’t remember the exact amount, but being presented with the pages of itemised calls, marked by highlighter pen, with a total that I will only describe as a ‘three-figure sum’, it moved from Clubcall to wake-up call.
All premium numbers were immediately banned. My uncle was probably given his own talking-to. Jostein Flo’s signing had to be revealed to me via the 312 News-in-Brief part of the Ceefax football pages.
Brilliant! I had totally forgotten about the ‘bill payer consent’ angle 😂
Hey Brendan, that's a tale that's going to stir some recollections amongst more seasoned supporters. I can clearly remember at some time in the early 90s our financial director at the place I worked having <<a word>> with me and the company owner at a board meeting about our climbing phone bills. Turned out the three most dialled numbers in the previous quarter were the Leeds Utd line (Paul, the boss),Blades Club Call (me), and the Liverpool line (Allan - the FD himself). We shared a slightly embarrassed laugh, then said no more about it. Don't think it had any impact on reducing our spending...
Love the fact that you were all equally guilty and buried it 😂
Thanks Brendan - what a lovely memory.
Before my time, although I do remember Ceefax Page 301! And I certainly remember having to use the phone box with lots of coins for anything. Now, as you say, we have everything on the small device in our pockets. Definitely better (and easier)!
Sue.
Hi Sue. Yes I had to find out we’d been relegated at Chelsea in 1994 by ringing my girlfriend and asking her to check Ceefax. No one at the ground knew what was going on
And nothing changes . . . Haha.
I remember going to the reserve matches and waiting for the scoreboard man to display the first team score on a low-tech scoreboard attached to the cricket pavilion. When Wednesday lost 8-2 to QPR, the scoreboard man didn't have an 8 so was waving his arms in the shape of an 8.
Brilliant. I also remember those scoreboards. They often didn’t properly correspond with the letters though, so again if was often a different result when you got home 😂