Crazy, crazy game’ – Sheffield United players recall night they saw red against Udinese

Sheffield United had three players and manager Dave Bassett sent off on a night to forget at Bramall Lane against Udinese in the Anglo-Italian Cup

As far as European adventures go, Sheffield United have not had too many to shout about in their history but one tournament in the 1990s gave them the chance to do just that. The Anglo-Italian Cup was a competition for second-tier sides in England and Italy and a way of giving those teams not in the top flight a taste of European football.

However, this experience was short-lived and one to forget after the first game. It was the 1994-95 season and having just suffered the heartbreak of relegation in the last seconds at Chelsea, Dave Bassett’s Sheffield United were looking to bounce back at the first attempt.

Their venture into the competition was a new experience but one the manager later described as ‘more aggro than it’s worth’. It started with a farce of a game at Bramall Lane with the opening fixture of their Group B campaign at home to Udinese on August 24, 1994.

United would have three players sent off, as well as manager Bassett and the game came close to being abandoned. It started well enough before descending into chaos.

Francesco Marino opened the scoring with a spectacular overhead kick on 16 minutes, but that was cancelled out when Adrian Littlejohn raced on to a Glyn Hodges through ball to draw the hosts level just after the half-hour mark. Moments later referee Francesco Arena then brandished his first red of the evening when he sent Nathan Blake off for throwing the ball in the face of Udinese captain Alessandro Calori and Bassett followed for protesting against the decision.