Steve Uzelac Celebration of life

[Balby Rover]

Hi everyone last Saturday I attend along with over Seventy others a celebation of life for Steve Uzelac at the Doncaster Rovers Eco Stadium in the main Restaurant. Steve an old friend, School mate and Rover excellent hard tacling Center half who played 185 games in the same team as other greats Peter Kitchen and Brenden O'Callaghan. His favourite game was in Liverpool v DRFC 5th Jan 1974 were we nearly nicked a winner in the last minute. Can I thank Gavin Baldwin, Mark Hughesman, for making this happen and providing the Video Tribute from Grant McCann. Additionally it was great to see so many family, friends and Rovers Supportors attending (including Cappy and his friends) to make it a special day and many thanks to his Son Tom and his Wife Elaine for letting me help.

[roversontheup]

That's brilliant. I didnt see it advertised anywhere otherwise I would have gone. Loved Steve Uzelac.

[Jonathan]

That's brilliant. I didnt see it advertised anywhere otherwise I would have gone. Loved Steve Uzelac.

There was a thread on here and on some of the social media channels. Was a really good event. Hope you enjoyed the quiz, Balby Rover!

[Balby Rover]

It was a great day and the Uzelac Family Tom Steve's Son and Wife Elaine put a great spread on the venue the Rovers main East Stand Restaurant was a faboulous location. Grant McCann sent a video message fantastic support from the club we look after our own.

[Donnywolf]

I too missed the publicity re this event

I thought Steve was the epitome of a hard tackling , get stuck in Centre back and he's right re Anfield and the 2 2 draw.

All the players looked "hard" in that African Violet kit , none moreso than SU

Pity I missed this event because the numbers of people who watched him , Kitchen and Big Bren are dwindling obviously

[Usher wide.]

It sounds as if it was a very fitting event Balby.

The tribute videos show that we are a club that never forget our own.

That 2-2 result at Anfield (we nearly nicked it with a chance in the final minute) will be a game that will always have a special place in Rovers history.

It’s events such as this when I miss living so far away from Doncaster.

[goalkick]

Never forget that game.what a guy. Or bless.

[Alickismyhero]

It sounds as if it was a very fitting event Balby.

The tribute videos show that we are a club that never forget our own.

That 2-2 result at Anfield (we nearly nicked it with a chance in the final minute) will be a game that will always have a special place in Rovers history.

It’s events such as this when I miss living so far away from Doncaster.

It sounds as if it was a very fitting event Balby.

The tribute videos show that we are a club that never forget our own.

That 2-2 result at Anfield (we nearly nicked it with a chance in the final minute) will be a game that will always have a special place in Rovers history.

It’s events such as this when I miss living so far away from Doncaster.

I was living in London at the time but I manage to get there with a Wast Ham mate. If my memory is correct we lost but Keegan went on record saying that they won the cup but Donny's game was the hardest they had played.

Is that right Dutch?

[Lifelong supporter]

The game at Anfield was 2-2 as stated.
We lost the replay 2-0 at Belle Vue in a midweek game played in the afternoon because of the powerworkers strike.
It was a school day but we still had over 22,000 in the ground!

[Lifelong supporter]

The words below are taken from Peter Catt's memoirs published in the Free Press.


The stand out games of that period were cup ties.

In the 1973/74 season we produced a massive shock drawing 2-2 with league champions Livepool at Anfield in the FA Cup third round.

Kevin Keegan gave them an early lead but Kitchen and O’Callaghan put Rovers 2-1 up before Keegan scored again to earn a replay at Belle Vue.

It was at the time of the powerworkers strike so the replay was held on a Tuesday afternoon with a 2pm kick off.

I remember arriving at the game well before noon to make sure I got my usual seat in the press box because it was jammed with sportswriters from the nationals ready to report an upset.

More than 22,000 fans packed into the ground but although Elwiss had a goal disallowed for offside the game was an anti-climax with the Anfield giants clinching a 2-0 win before going on to beat Newcastle in the final.

[Pancho Regan]

The game at Anfield was 2-2 as stated.
We lost the replay 2-0 at Belle Vue in a midweek game played in the afternoon because of the powerworkers strike.
It was a school day but we still had over 22,000 in the ground!

I climbed out a window at Danum Grammar School and sneaked off to the match.

[BobG]

I just didn't come back after lunch time.

My Dad, who was Headmaster at what used to be Curlew School, shut the school for the afternoon. He wasn't missing that match and he saw no reason why anyone else at Curlew should either!

BobG

[ForsolongaRover]

What I shall never forget is that in the first match, the Anfield “faithful” booed their team off at half time. We were genuinely worth a win and it was amazing really, up against a full strength Liverpool side who I think were top of Division 1 with us practically bottom of D4. We were genuinely worth a win and my memory is of a lob late on by Kitchen that could have won it  having beaten the GK - Lawrence??

[idler]

What I shall never forget is that in the first match, the Anfield “faithful” booed their team off at half time. We were genuinely worth a win and it was amazing really, up against a full strength Liverpool side who I think were top of Division 1 with us practically bottom of D4. We were genuinely worth a win and my memory is of a lob late on by Kitchen that could have won it  having beaten the GK - Lawrence??

There was at least one reserve in their side. Dave Rylands?  at centre half Ithink. One of their fans was saying at the game that they had some reserves playing which is why they were losing at half time. My reply was “so your reserve players aren’t good enough to play against a 4th division side”.

[Donnywolf]

What I shall never forget is that in the first match, the Anfield “faithful” booed their team off at half time. We were genuinely worth a win and it was amazing really, up against a full strength Liverpool side who I think were top of Division 1 with us practically bottom of D4. We were genuinely worth a win and my memory is of a lob late on by Kitchen that could have won it  having beaten the GK - Lawrence??

Ray Clemence for sure
 Kitchen was falling forwards 30 ish yards from goal ,, he lobbed Clemence and the biggest Gisnt Killing ever was in.the balance

90.minutes gone and Mike Elwiss following the ball. The ball landed absolutely on top.of the bar

Elwiss waited for it to fall and as it did Emlyn Hughes put a hand on each of MEs shoulders and rose high in the air to head it behind for a Corner which came to nowr

We lost the Replay and they went on to win the Cup without conceding another Goal  . Bill Shankley said it was their toughest game in the FA Cup


It was the winter of discontent and people were gloomy and most on 3 day weeks and with us 92nd in League we took very few fans and were in the Seats on the far side opposite players Tunnel

[Donnywolf]

https://www.lfchistory.net/seasonarchive/game/779

[ForsolongaRover]

What I shall never forget is that in the first match, the Anfield “faithful” booed their team off at half time. We were genuinely worth a win and it was amazing really, up against a full strength Liverpool side who I think were top of Division 1 with us practically bottom of D4. We were genuinely worth a win and my memory is of a lob late on by Kitchen that could have won it  having beaten the GK - Lawrence??

Ray Clemence for sure
 Kitchen was falling forwards 30 ish yards from goal ,, he lobbed Clemence and the biggest Gisnt Killing ever was in.the balance

90.minutes gone and Mike Elwiss following the ball. The ball landed absolutely on top.of the bar

Elwiss waited for it to fall and as it did Emlyn Hughes put a hand on each of MEs shoulders and rose high in the air to head it behind for a Corner which came to nowr

We lost the Replay and they went on to win the Cup without conceding another Goal  . Bill Shankley said it was their toughest game in the FA Cup


It was the winter of discontent and people were gloomy and most on 3 day weeks and with us 92nd in League we took very few fans and were in the Seats on the far side opposite players Tunnel

Thanks for the edit - memory not too reliable nowadays.

[scawsby steve]

What I shall never forget is that in the first match, the Anfield “faithful” booed their team off at half time. We were genuinely worth a win and it was amazing really, up against a full strength Liverpool side who I think were top of Division 1 with us practically bottom of D4. We were genuinely worth a win and my memory is of a lob late on by Kitchen that could have won it  having beaten the GK - Lawrence??

Ray Clemence for sure
 Kitchen was falling forwards 30 ish yards from goal ,, he lobbed Clemence and the biggest Gisnt Killing ever was in.the balance

90.minutes gone and Mike Elwiss following the ball. The ball landed absolutely on top.of the bar

Elwiss waited for it to fall and as it did Emlyn Hughes put a hand on each of MEs shoulders and rose high in the air to head it behind for a Corner which came to nowr

We lost the Replay and they went on to win the Cup without conceding another Goal  . Bill Shankley said it was their toughest game in the FA Cup


It was the winter of discontent and people were gloomy and most on 3 day weeks and with us 92nd in League we took very few fans and were in the Seats on the far side opposite players Tunnel

Sorry to be pedantic, Wolfie, but this happened during the great miners' strike of 1974, that brought down the Heath Tory Government.

The "Winter of Discontent" happened in 1978 under Callaghan's Labour Government.

You were right about the 3 day week though, to conserve energy. It's also the reason why the game had to be played in the daytime.

[Donnywolf]

No problem SS , I hesitated as I wrote it but carried on.

(Overcome by the heat perhaps , or age or a combo of the 2)

[BobG]

I was stood near the half way line on the side away from the players tunnel. An 18 year old in amongst the brotherhood of Scousers....

When we scored our first I leapt in the air and yelled. Stupidity of youth I suppose. But the natives were wonderful. Big grins, a few pats on the back and plenty of 'there, there son,' comments. When we scored again I was beside myself - deliriously, dementedly, leaping up and down and screaming.... And the natives still didn't grind my face into the terrace floor.

The result of that, of course, was that of the 'big' clubs, Liverpool is the only one today that I don't dislike with a passion.

There's a lesson there...


BobG

[Donnywolf]

I was on "just" a mini bus and the natives wanted to send us off in style , god knows how they would have taken a 2-3 defeat and the biggest ever giant killing

I still can't believe Kitch's lob didn't go in , but I have no animosity towards Liverpool FC even though the Mini Bus got a kicking with all of us on board