Sparky scored a cracker

Adebisi's Hat

Full Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2014
Messages
718
Location
Out Wesht
Supports
who do you feckin think ?
Reading through the recent Stapleton (just slightly before my time) thread just got me thinking about Mark Hughes. He was never hugely prolific but a lot of his goals were very memorable. My favorite moment was the one below and the story is this. I was watching the game at relatives house but had to leave with my parents ( who had no interest in football ) for the long trip home , with us 1-0 down. We stopped for an ice cream at a little shop outside Bangor, Co Down. I was waiting fo my 99 when 2 lads in the shop started talking about the game. Dying to know what happened, i eavedropped and heards the immortal words 'Sparky scored a cracker' in the local accent, I can still hear those words to this day. Weirdly my favorite goal, and I never even seen it live!

What's are your favorite Sparky moments?

 

Rood

nostradamus like gloater
Scout
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
21,232
Location
@United_Hour
Well ye that's the first one that comes to mind

Then weirdly I still fondly remember the outstanding bicycle kick he scored when we got thrashed in the '89 derby
 

Oranges038

Full Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2020
Messages
11,785
Didn't he smash one so hard for Southampton at the Dell, hit it so hard it hit the advertising boards flew back out and wasn't given?

Edit: found it, denied an equaliser and a young Michael Bridges stole the show with a hat trick. 1.50 for his volley, lovely hit.

 
Last edited:

Šjor Bepo

Wout is love, Wout is life; all hail Wout!
Joined
Mar 29, 2011
Messages
15,552

Adore Sparky, such a wonderful player. Think he would be amazing in our current setup, great all-round game, workrate, hold up play - just a dream player to play with.
 

Adam-Utd

Part of first caf team to complete Destiny raid
Joined
Sep 10, 2010
Messages
39,954
One of my all time United favourite goals v Barca in 91. Brian Moore (and me) thought he’d took it too wide … not with Hughes :)

That goal is definitely under rated.

To smash it at that angle with your laces at full power and score is quite an art :lol:

Most would take a touch and try to side foot it safely at half the power.
 

Tarrou

Full Member
Joined
May 13, 2013
Messages
25,537
Location
Sydney
that FA goal is probably my favourite too, one of the goals I celebrated the most in the moment

also loved the one in the CWC final, when he went around the keeper my old man shouted "you twat".. because he thought he took it too wide
 

Frank Grimes

Full Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2014
Messages
8,608
Location
Newbies 15/16 FPL Champion.
Hughes scored a lot of the most important goals in my early years following United.

Fa Cup final equaliser versus Palace

Cup Winner Cup final goals


Oldham semi final equaliser in 94.


Guy is severely underrated in our history imo.
 

Floyd

Doesn't like his Tagline played with
Joined
Apr 27, 2000
Messages
8,524
The one vs Wednesday is nice.
 

Spoony

The People's President
Joined
Oct 27, 2001
Messages
63,107
Location
eerF Palestine.
Well ye that's the first one that comes to mind

Then weirdly I still fondly remember the outstanding bicycle kick he scored when we got thrashed in the '89 derby
That's my favourite goal by Sparky. It properly softened the derby hammering for me.
 

Devil81

Full Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2014
Messages
6,646
Loved him, but don't anymore.

I can just about accept the players that went their for a pay day when they were crap but Hughes was looking to build something with money. He wanted to challenge Sir Alex's dominance with a direct rival.

I can't accept that.
 

golden_blunder

Site admin. Manchester United fan
Staff
Joined
Jun 1, 2000
Messages
119,443
Location
Dublin, Ireland
As a player, loved him

always pretended I was him when I was younger, doing volleys as much as possible
 
Last edited:

GMoore23

Full Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2014
Messages
3,520
His strikes were so pure, don't think I've seen anyone since who could connect with a ball quite like sparky.
Also, Has to be one of the best volleyers of a ball in history.
 

Rood

nostradamus like gloater
Scout
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
21,232
Location
@United_Hour
That's my favourite goal by Sparky. It properly softened the derby hammering for me.
I remember going round school saying it was quality over quantity and that goal was worth more than City's all put together :wenger:
 

BebeGotBack

Full Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2021
Messages
65
I was at the Oldham game in the original post, in the days when I couldn't go to matches often, so that's a huge one for me.

The Cup Winners' Cup run sticks with me, but enough people have mentioned the final that I won't go back over that. I also really liked his goal against Legia Warsaw away - we'd been one down, this was to take the lead. The control and holding off some (admittedly not great) defenders before he lashes it really sold it. Plus always love a shot that hits the inside of the post.

 
  • Like
Reactions: Invictus

Pogue Mahone

The caf's Camus.
Joined
Feb 22, 2006
Messages
133,349
Location
"like a man in silk pyjamas shooting pigeons
I mainly remember him for thunder bastard volleys but he was such a good footballer. I randomly watched a 90 minute replay of the 1994 FA cup final against Chelsea on MUTV. Cantona played in that match and Sparky looked twice the player. His touch, passing and hold up play was incredible. Absolutely bullied all of their defenders. They couldn’t get near the ball. Almost made me weep thinking about our options as a striker right now.
 
Last edited:

Big Andy

Bloke
Joined
Oct 23, 2003
Messages
34,583
Reading through the recent Stapleton (just slightly before my time) thread just got me thinking about Mark Hughes. He was never hugely prolific but a lot of his goals were very memorable. My favorite moment was the one below and the story is this. I was watching the game at relatives house but had to leave with my parents ( who had no interest in football ) for the long trip home , with us 1-0 down. We stopped for an ice cream at a little shop outside Bangor, Co Down. I was waiting fo my 99 when 2 lads in the shop started talking about the game. Dying to know what happened, i eavedropped and heards the immortal words 'Sparky scored a cracker' in the local accent, I can still hear those words to this day. Weirdly my favorite goal, and I never even seen it live!

What's are your favorite Sparky moments?

This goal got me absolutely bollocked by by mum. I was eating my sunday dinner on my knee while watching the match. They'd had new carpets put down the week before. Hughes scored and I got so excited I jumped up and my sunday dinner went all over the floor and I got gravy and mash in the new carpet.
 

Rood

nostradamus like gloater
Scout
Joined
Jun 21, 2008
Messages
21,232
Location
@United_Hour
I remember being at this game
0-2 down to the Scousers at home but Hughsie wasn't having it

Does anyone score diving headers anymore?

 

Rockets Redglare

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jun 23, 2015
Messages
2,576
The volley he scored in training when he was city manager was obscene. Just absolutely perfect technique.
 

Bondi77

Full Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2019
Messages
7,203
The goal he scored against Spain was ridiculous.
He was one of my all time favourites and winning the PFA award twice is testament to his contributions to Manchester United.
 

mitchmouse

loves to hate United.
Joined
Oct 8, 2014
Messages
17,361
Reading through the recent Stapleton (just slightly before my time) thread just got me thinking about Mark Hughes. He was never hugely prolific but a lot of his goals were very memorable. My favorite moment was the one below and the story is this. I was watching the game at relatives house but had to leave with my parents ( who had no interest in football ) for the long trip home , with us 1-0 down. We stopped for an ice cream at a little shop outside Bangor, Co Down. I was waiting fo my 99 when 2 lads in the shop started talking about the game. Dying to know what happened, i eavedropped and heards the immortal words 'Sparky scored a cracker' in the local accent, I can still hear those words to this day. Weirdly my favorite goal, and I never even seen it live!

What's are your favorite Sparky moments?

it's weird I've seen that so many times (including live) and always though the final ball in was from Lee Sharpe... it isn't, he played the earlier attempt at the same ball
 

Mockney

Not the only poster to be named Poster of the Year
Joined
Jan 27, 2009
Messages
40,954
Location
Editing my own posts.
I remember being at this game
0-2 down to the Scousers at home but Hughsie wasn't having it

Does anyone score diving headers anymore?

Yeah, came to post these. The first one is a fecking beautifully clean touch. Like skimming a stone
 

The Cat

Will drink milk from your hands
Joined
May 18, 2017
Messages
12,108
Location
Feet up at home.
For United it's the Oldham one I had the boys from the football team phoning me taking the piss until he scored.

For Wales it has to be this.

 

Livewire1974

If it moves, report it.
Joined
Jul 14, 2009
Messages
7,761
Location
Dublin
He was my favorite player back then. How a side with beasts like him, Robbo and Kevin Moran did not win the league is still something I cant understand.
 

Red Royal

Full Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2013
Messages
2,983
Location
Planet Earth
All the goals mentioned above were amazing. The Cup Winners my favourite.

Loved this guy but why oh why did he go and manage City... from hero to villain
 

Eckers99

Michael Corleone says hello
Joined
Aug 9, 2014
Messages
6,117
I loved Mark Hughes. He'd suit the modern game as he constantly chased down defenders and could easily play on his own against 2 centre backs. Absolute powerhouse, great at holding the ball up, and scored memorable goals when it really mattered. Legend.
 

Guapa

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Nov 16, 2011
Messages
721
I'd have Sparky Hughes leading the line in my UTD all star team.That's how highly I rate him and that's saying something with the legends we've had at this amazing club of ours.
His finishing coupled with his desire and steel made him such a great for me.A true warrior you'd go to war with.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rood

Adebisi's Hat

Full Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2014
Messages
718
Location
Out Wesht
Supports
who do you feckin think ?
Proper harsh of your parents not to let you watch end of the game, OP!
they really had zero interest in it and had to be somewhere i think, which is fair enough. Weirdly it added to the memory for me, not sure if i would have remembered it as clearly or fondly if i had stayed. Nothing better than slurping that 99 and thinking of Sparky's equalizer , good times !!
 

Robertd0803

Full Member
Joined
Sep 1, 2014
Messages
6,530
The goal vs Barca in the CWC final. How he even scored is beyond me from that angle let alone break the bloody net with how hard he hit it.

The goal vs Oldham in the FA Cup Semi. To this day Id be guessing the scorers in the rout vs Oldham a few days later but that goal is iconic.