Roy Ashton: Proud 100-year-old Sheffield United fan remembers 1936 FA Cup final and meets hero

This was the emotional moment a 100-year-old Sheffield United supporter met his current Blades hero after being introduced to the Bramall Lane crowd at half-time of their game against Wigan Athletic on Good Friday.

Roy Ashton reached 100 not out on April 5 - the day he and wife Trudy also celebrated their 76th wedding anniversary - and was a guest of honour at Bramall Lane for the victory over Wigan Athletic, which saw Paul Heckingbottom’s side take another step towards promotion to the Premier League.

The World War Two veteran and Blitz survivor was born two years before United’s last FA Cup final win in 1925 and was at Wembley in 1936 when they last appeared in a final. He grew up watching legends like Jimmy Dunne and Jimmy Hagan and counts Chris Basham as his favourite amongst the current crop of Blades.

Basham met Roy on Friday afternoon on the touchline and helped present to him a commemorative Blades shirt with his surname and 100 printed on the back. Speaking to Keith Firminger for the United programme, Roy said: “My dad was a Unitedite and he took me to games when I was just four.

“I remember standing behind the goal at the Bramall Lane end and watching players like Jimmy and Billy Dunne, Jack Pickering, Bobby Barclay, Taffy Williams and Jack Smith.

Kompany fires warning to United despite Burnley’s record promotion

“My dad took me to the 1936 FA Cup final at Wembley, which was an occasion I’ll never forget. I also remember Coventry at home in 1937 on a very foggy Christmas Day — it was that bad that we couldn’t see what was happening. We only found out the score when Jack Smith told us!”

Roy, a United season-ticket holder for a remarkable 96 years, counts the great Jimmy Hagan as the best player he has seen in a United shirt, with Tony Currie not far behind. “I once saw [Hagan] score a goal at Barnsley when he seemed to beat everyone with just body swerves without actually touching the ball until he finished.”

Fresh prediction on promotion race and points totals for Blades, Boro and rivals

Roy, who lives in Waterthorpe with Trudy, 96, says his “greatest achievement” over the past 100 years has been his family, some of whom joined him in the United boardroom to watch the Wigan game. Asked what makes him most proud as a Blade, Roy replied: “Still being able to watch my team. I’m so happy to know that my son and daughter, five grandchildren and nine great grandchildren have all followed in my footsteps as Unitedites.”

‘Magician’, ‘Frustration’ - United player ratings v Wigan including rare 9/10