These lost shows have such a mystique to them, don't they? Us knowing they existed but not being able to see them, always wondering if they were as good as the legends say. If only we had a time machine!

Imagine wiping out a show about football clubs lol, guess the BBC took 'defending your goal' a bit too seriously. Maybe the episodes were so bad, it was a public service! 😂

Despite the lack of footage, 'United!' had a significant impact on viewers at the time. There were some quite forward-thinking storylines for its era. The writers pulled inspiration from real-life football club drama and managed to weave it into comedic gold—or so the few reviews that remain suggest.

So all we got is a still image? Seems sus. My buddy swears he's got an old reel in his basement. Everyone has got an uncle or mate with ‘a rare copy’ but no one's ever seen it. Wouldn't bet on it being legit though.

lol and here we are in 20XX, BBC still wiping stuff but at least now it's just our patience with their scheduling amirite?

Yeah, it's a well-known tragedy among archive circles. The wiping policy was due to a misguided understanding of value and copyright issues, not to mention storage costs. 'United!' went the way of so many shows from that era, sadly thought of as disposable. We know better now, but we can’t undo what’s done. Still, there’s always a slim chance that copies exist somewhere in the world.

This is exactly why I've become obsessed with salvaging old recordings. You'll be amazed at what can turn up at car boot sales or in people’s attics. I’m currently digitizing a bunch of old tapes I found; nothing as rare as 'United!' yet, but always keeping the hope alive. Fingers crossed something turns up one day!

Man, I remember my grandad telling me stories about 'United!' - he said it was hilarious and got some of the club rivalries spot on. Such a shame it's all wiped, feels like we've lost a part of cultural history, not just TV history. BBC really didn't know what treasures they had in their archives.

So the hunt for 'United!' continues, I guess. There's always the possibility of an audio recording or a script lying around somewhere. Keep the faith alive, guys, lost media has a way of popping up when you least expect it.

Imagine how 'well-preserved' those VHS tapes from the '50s would have been - if they actually existed back then, lol. Might've been the only copies left if they did!

Here's a fun fact: not all BBC series were completely wiped. For 'United!' though, it appears we're not so lucky. Most of what we know comes from old TV listings and the odd photograph. If you're really into lost media, I'd recommend joining a tracking project. They're always on the hunt for recordings that may have survived in other archives or private collections.

Why's everyone hung up over old stuff? Even if it's wiped, chances are it was probably rubbish anyway. Nostalgia ain't worth digging through the trash.

Always gutted when I hear about wiped shows. Wouldn't it be amazing if someone found a bunch of them just lying around in perfect condition? I keep dreaming of the ultimate lost show treasure trove discovery.

Heard a rumour that some bloke in the States ended up with a bunch of BBC tapes somehow? Like, they were supposed to be destroyed, but they got shipped off instead. Maybe one of these days, someone's gonna find 'United!' in an attic or something.

Unfortunately, wiping tapes was common practice during that time due to the costs associated with storage and the reuse of tapes. It's a massive cultural loss, not only 'United!' bit also other shows of the period. There are entire series from that era that have zero episodes remaining. Some say private collectors might still have copies, but it's a slim hope. If you're interested, there are a few organizations dedicated to finding lost media which you might want to support. Sometimes they do come across old recordings, but it's pretty rare.

Oh man, United! sounds like it was before my time but I would've loved that. Classic BBC though, wiping stuff like there's no tomorrow. Can't even count how many times they've lost gems. Wish more stuff from that era survived.