The former Sheffield United and Leeds United player, who also managed Argentina for a while, has died aged 66. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55235880
Flipping eck, another great footballer gone. Sabella at Sheff Utd was fantastic, less so at Leeds. RIP Alex.
Sincerely saddened. I liked him, definitely coated his boots in glue. You wouldn’t get away with that nowadays. .
Younger readers may not be aware that the Blunts signed Sabella in the late 70s as one of their coaches had contacts in South America. Said contacts also offered them another young player but they couldn’t afford to take both him and Sabella. The other player’s name: Diego Armando Maradona.
Did our fans once chant "Alex a bell-end" at him in the same way as the away fans were chanting Alex Sabella? I can't remember Sheff Utd. or Leeds playing against us with him in the side in the late 70's early 80's.
Thanks, that'll be it. The chant is all I can remember of the game. Good players them South Americans.
Norman Hunter was playing in midfield that night. Sabella threw himself spectacularly to the ground whenever Norman got within a yard of him and the referee bought it every time in the opening twenty minutes. Eventually, Norman got sick of it and proceeded to lecture the referee that Sabella was diving all the time. A few minutes later Norman clattered into Sabella for the first time in the match. This time, the referee waved play on! It happened a couple of more times before half time, with the referee again refusing to award a free kick. In the second half, Sabella did nothing and United were lucky to come away with a draw, as Ronnie led them a merry dance.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. You have a brilliant memory! I love reading all your old stories about games
Remember when we played sheff utd in a testimonial game, I think it was for Hunter or Clarke ( I maybe wrong) night match and it pi55ed it down, 81/82 and he was playing, socks around the ankles