Sheffield United Versus Aston Villa

[Coast]

On the 12th November 1894, 7000 hardy fans are watching Division One team, Sheffield United play Aston Villa.

Ernest 'Nudger' Needham (future England Captain) of United has this to say about the extreme weather during the match:

The bitter cold and sleet pierced one, numbing muscle and brain. Men on both sides were carried away to hot baths and stimulants. I left the field before finish and by doing so probably saved my life.

The weather becomes so bad that several Villa players put on greatcoats and a winger briefly uses an umbrella to keep the sleet off.

However, United's goalkeeper, 24 stone William 'Fatty' Foulke is unperturbed about the adverse conditions, for it is he that the chant 'who ate all the pies' was first sung about!

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