“We’re an Honest Bunch”

[JJ Sefton]

The Greater Brighton City Region, whatever that is, has a population of 932,000. I would imagine the area is much wealthier than Sheffield and South Yorkshire, and being not that far from London it is a much more attractive proposition to a foreign billionnaire looking to buy a football club.
It is what it is. As Blades fans were living in the wrong era.

I remember Spurs fans having a banner saying ‘Beware the year that ends with 1’. My dad said we should get one saying ‘Beware the year that starts with 18’.

 

[Carlton Blade]

It is pathetic, isn't it.

Here is a list of current league teams who, since the play offs were set up in 1986, have not won a domestic or European trophy, reached a final, or won the FL playoffs. Teams in italics have won the playoffs in one of the conference divisions in that time:

Accrington Stanley

Barrow

Bristol City

Burton Albion

Crawley Town

Exeter City

Forest Green Rovers

Harrogate Town

Lincoln City

Mansfield Town

MK Dons

Morecambe

Newport County

Reading

Salford City

Sheffield United

Shrewsbury Town

Sutton United

Wrexham

I don't really like these arguments about which clubs are bigger than other clubs, but there is no doubt that one club sticks out a mile on that list in terms of size and resources. And it's us.

It is also worthy of note that only 3 of the listed teams have been members of the PL/FL continuously in that period: us, Reading and Bristol City.

the club's attitude to the League Cup in particular has been shameful for decades. Two semi final seasons and countless shocking, couldn't care less performances over its 60 plus year history. No wonder many of our fans couldn't care less about it. The club never has.

I'd say winning L1 counts. Felt like it did at the time

 

[Le Cynique]

I'd say winning L1 counts. Felt like it did at the time

Yeah, it’s a weird metric if you’re rewarded for coming sixth in the league and then winning the playoffs, but not for winning the league.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

I think that if you do your politics and history homework you'll find that most English northern big cities have a socialist history and a vaguely left leaning present. Sheffield council is crap not because it's Labour or "socialist", but because the people who run it aren't very good.

Yes, most (if not all) of the big northern cities are Labour controlled, and some are much more entrepreneurial than others. Alas I do feel in Sheffield a sweet shop mentality does exist and in many ways the city does live up to its cloth cap image. But as far as the football clubs are concerned, they are private businesses, who only seem to be famous for being err….shite.

 

[Revolution]

I'd say winning L1 counts. Felt like it did at the time

It's a big achievement, as were our two promotions to the PL recently.

But the point is that as well as we have done in the league in recent years, our record in big one off games, i.e. play off finals and cup semi finals, is dismal for as long as anyone can remember, and there are few other clubs who have similar records.

In fact, I mentioned Bristol City and Reading. City have won the Checktrade or its equivalent, and Reading won the Simod Cup (Full members cup). We haven't even managed that, as we usually tossed off the Johnstone's Paint etc.

As soon as United get in a stadium which is neutral ground, forget it. the same usually goes for a cup competition taking place before November.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Me of similar vintage but I am sorry our inability to win any kind of final makes us one of the worst teams in the whole league structure. Since 1968 I think only Rochdale were as bad. Every time it is the League Cup (or any other cup) the word on here is always aw dont bother it is mickey mouse blah, blah. Jeez what a bunch of defeatists. I am ashamed that my club has never won any kind of cup for nigh on 100 years! If it was Wimbledon or Exeter I might understand, but Christ we are just about in the top 20 of all clubs of all time yet we have this totally shit record. You get clubs like Oxford, Norwich, Sunderland, Stoke have won things but dear old Sheff Utd, fucking bollocks. Even bastard Wednesday have won two play offs and a League Cup.

As a league team we are ok-ish but winning things - bloody hell a disaster.

For anyone not present, the League Cup game v Lincoln City was disgraceful this season. A mixture of ineptitude( which gave me serious worries about the League season) and lack of composure ,lead to a dire nil nil and a penalties defeat. Disgraceful, people pay good money to see that performance and when you consider that the only chance of a trophy is a Cup, the abject failures over decades seem even more disgusting.
I wrote to Heckingbottom asking why he made McCall do post match that night, with other ideas thrown in. Of course,no reply.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

I'd say winning L1 counts. Felt like it did at the time

Yeah, but it doesn’t get you on the footballing map…

 

[Le Cynique]

It's a big achievement, as were our two promotions to the PL recently.

But the point is that as well as we have done in the league in recent years, our record in big one off games, i.e. play off finals and cup semi finals, is dismal for as long as anyone can remember, and there are few other clubs who have similar records.

In fact, I mentioned Bristol City and Reading. City have won the Checktrade or its equivalent, and Reading won the Simod Cup (Full members cup). We haven't even managed that, as we usually tossed off the Johnstone's Paint etc.

As soon as United get in a stadium which is neutral ground, forget it. the same usually goes for a cup competition taking place before November.

So by that single, very narrow metric, we’re worse than other teams. Fair enough. I’ll still take where we are over literally any of those teams you mentioned though.

 

[Revolution]

So by that single, very narrow metric, we’re worse than other teams. Fair enough. I’ll still take where we are over literally any of those teams you mentioned though.

Oh, so would I. Because they are all markedly worse than us.

The other 75 league teams reach, or even win, a final once in a while.

 

[Bennyand the Blades]

Yes, but it's not our fault really is it, I mean take a look at the other clubs within easy reach and you soon see why your a Blade.
So I keep telling myself I'm more a victims' of circumstance than mentally deficient when ever we lose out again and again.
I seriously believe it all dates back too Richard the turd, I mean Yorkshire won the war of the roses and still managed to lose the Kingdom.....

 

[dexter101]

Full disclosure on this one as it might well get me chased off the forum!

I moved around a lot as a kid and when I started school I was a Man United fan. No idea why, just remember getting my first shirt and doing all the things kids do when playing football with their mates.

I saw my first Man United game when I was 14 and felt... nothing. few years later, went to old trafford, again, nothing.

I moved to Sheffield when I was 18 and fell in love with the city. Honestly, people who I work with or know me, just tell me to shut up as they know I will just wax lyrical about how amazing Sheffield is.

I remember my first trip to BDTBL in December 2006, Villa on a tuesday night (I think). I knew I was home. Its not about the winning, its not about how big the club is or how much money or any of those things. Unlike most clubs, its the fans who make the club and I think what we demand is what the people of Sheffield represent, hard working, passionate, call a spade a spade.

Our heroes are people that gave their heart and soul for the shirt. Not sure how I would feel if someone came in and bought billions of pounds to the club.

All I want is a side that do us proud.

 

[ucandomagic]

Our club is a proper club, and a proper club is just like your family.

You want them to do as well as possible, but when things go tits up for them they’re still your family.

Unlike family though, at least it’s not up to us to sort out the mess.

I guess we’re always the children in the Blades family!

Magic wouldn’t be magic if it happened every day.

 

[LBA_Blade]

When you become a Blade however that is, it becomes a lifestyle, I have met so many great people over the years following the club and at random moments like at Airport security in Newcastle and in front of me was Craig Short although not a legend of the club, we still chatted about his time at the Blades. The good thing is if you aren't a season ticket holder and you can afford it you can still watch Premiership football for under £50 which is very rare as a home fan. Although a difficult comparison when you look at us and Fulham, get where they are is supposed to be "trendy" but for their top tier ticket vs Burnley was £150, you can get restricted view tickets in that bit next to the away fans for £47.

Although we might not be an investors paradise at the moment, to get that investment Sheffield as a city needs to reinvent itself. Leeds and Manchester have taken much of the the IT Software and accounting companies that don't want to be in London. Sheffield needs some form of USP that isn't steel, maybe something in hydrogen production market or AI (mainly as Electric cars already have a presence in the midlands and Sunderland but if the city keeps going the way it goes, it will only be known as a small city which used to be big in the steel industry.

 

[Valley Blade]

Full disclosure on this one as it might well get me chased off the forum!

I moved around a lot as a kid and when I started school I was a Man United fan. No idea why, just remember getting my first shirt and doing all the things kids do when playing football with their mates.

I saw my first Man United game when I was 14 and felt... nothing. few years later, went to old trafford, again, nothing.

I moved to Sheffield when I was 18 and fell in love with the city. Honestly, people who I work with or know me, just tell me to shut up as they know I will just wax lyrical about how amazing Sheffield is.

I remember my first trip to BDTBL in December 2006, Villa on a tuesday night (I think). I knew I was home. Its not about the winning, its not about how big the club is or how much money or any of those things. Unlike most clubs, its the fans who make the club and I think what we demand is what the people of Sheffield represent, hard working, passionate, call a spade a spade.

Our heroes are people that gave their heart and soul for the shirt. Not sure how I would feel if someone came in and bought billions of pounds to the club.

All I want is a side that do us proud.

Thankyou. Many of our own fail to see what you see, sadly.

 

[cahill]

Sorry but it's the little old sheffield syndrome.
Biggest village in the world always rules by socialists intent of making it smaller and less important.
Sheffield is bigger than Manchester itself not greater manchester .
Manchester can attract and get greater development as they are a forward looking modern city .
Manchester, Leeds even now Newcastle look for modern labels to come to their city.
Sheffield bases itself on primark etc etc .
We have two teams huge fan bases, 2 huge stadiums both passionate fans yet no investment .
This council are a fukin disgrace , majid majid whatever an absolute tosser .
City of asylum seekers .
One thing nobody understands is ard you a blade or an owl ?? We are obsessed with football, we deserve a club playing European football regular but we have no investment either club or the city itself and its down to sheffields pathetic socialist history .

Liverpool and the Manchester clubs haven’t done badly with « socialist » councils

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

I think at least one of them must be dishonest.

 

[VictoryBlade]

Yes, but it's not our fault really is it, I mean take a look at the other clubs within easy reach and you soon see why your a Blade.
So I keep telling myself I'm more a victims' of circumstance than mentally deficient when ever we lose out again and again.
I seriously believe it all dates back too Richard the turd, I mean Yorkshire won the war of the roses and still managed to lose the Kingdom.....

Careful, Richard III last true King of England!

 

[Bennyand the Blades]

Yes but where have the Lancastrians buried him....

 

[A Storm of Blades]

It is pathetic, isn't it.

Here is a list of current league teams who, since the play offs were set up in 1986, have not won a domestic or European trophy, reached a final, or won the FL playoffs. Teams in italics have won the playoffs in one of the conference divisions in that time:

Accrington Stanley

Barrow

Bristol City

Burton Albion

Crawley Town

Exeter City

Forest Green Rovers

Harrogate Town

Lincoln City

Mansfield Town

MK Dons

Morecambe

Newport County

Reading

Salford City

Sheffield United

Shrewsbury Town

Sutton United

Wrexham

I don't really like these arguments about which clubs are bigger than other clubs, but there is no doubt that one club sticks out a mile on that list in terms of size and resources. And it's us.

It is also worthy of note that only 3 of the listed teams have been members of the PL/FL continuously in that period: us, Reading and Bristol City.

the club's attitude to the League Cup in particular has been shameful for decades. Two semi final seasons and countless shocking, couldn't care less performances over its 60 plus year history. No wonder many of our fans couldn't care less about it. The club never has.

Didn’t we win League 1?

 

[JJBlade]

Apologies if someone already mentioned this earlier in the thread but we're not comparable with, for example, Brighton or Brentford as their owners are longtime fans of their clubs in the traditional Jack Walker or John Madejski mould, but just happened to have become filthy rich. Bournemouth is a much weirder one, but Russian oligarchs were looking to cement their links in the UK in the early 2000s (how prescient) and I believe their guy already owned a property in Sandbanks and was probably told about AFC Bournemouth by Harry Redknapp's very astute dog.

I don't particularly mind the "honest bunch" motif, which we've all heard before many times, as any fleeting success we achieve we know is against the odds and therefore more meaningful - but it would be nice to have higher aspirations than just to be hard-working, a tag that's dogged us since the 80s and remains the go-to adjective of every lazy twat pundit who ever gives us a mention.

When we live up to that, it irks me a bit.

All very well. but it is us that is branded as the unfootballing, dirty, cheating mob, by the dirty cheating mob who can play a bit of football.
Our image is what stops major investment that other clubs seem to get.

We'd be better off in the eyes of the public, and therefore investors, playing a bunch of 18 year olds who try to play good football and lose 5-0 every week than have a bunch of perceived cloggers and spoilers contributing nothing to a game and getting beat 5-0

 

[alcoblade]

Full disclosure on this one as it might well get me chased off the forum!

I moved around a lot as a kid and when I started school I was a Man United fan. No idea why, just remember getting my first shirt and doing all the things kids do when playing football with their mates.

I saw my first Man United game when I was 14 and felt... nothing. few years later, went to old trafford, again, nothing.

I moved to Sheffield when I was 18 and fell in love with the city. Honestly, people who I work with or know me, just tell me to shut up as they know I will just wax lyrical about how amazing Sheffield is.

I remember my first trip to BDTBL in December 2006, Villa on a tuesday night (I think). I knew I was home. Its not about the winning, its not about how big the club is or how much money or any of those things. Unlike most clubs, its the fans who make the club and I think what we demand is what the people of Sheffield represent, hard working, passionate, call a spade a spade.

Our heroes are people that gave their heart and soul for the shirt. Not sure how I would feel if someone came in and bought billions of pounds to the club.

All I want is a side that do us proud.

I think most people will be okay with you supporting Man U in your youth, but describing Sheffield as amazing will be totally unacceptable for them!

(I agree by the way )

 

[dexter101]

When you become a Blade however that is, it becomes a lifestyle, I have met so many great people over the years following the club and at random moments like at Airport security in Newcastle and in front of me was Craig Short although not a legend of the club, we still chatted about his time at the Blades. The good thing is if you aren't a season ticket holder and you can afford it you can still watch Premiership football for under £50 which is very rare as a home fan. Although a difficult comparison when you look at us and Fulham, get where they are is supposed to be "trendy" but for their top tier ticket vs Burnley was £150, you can get restricted view tickets in that bit next to the away fans for £47.

Although we might not be an investors paradise at the moment, to get that investment Sheffield as a city needs to reinvent itself. Leeds and Manchester have taken much of the the IT Software and accounting companies that don't want to be in London. Sheffield needs some form of USP that isn't steel, maybe something in hydrogen production market or AI (mainly as Electric cars already have a presence in the midlands and Sunderland but if the city keeps going the way it goes, it will only be known as a small city which used to be big in the steel industry.

Its interesting, I work in education (business side, not as a teacher) and there seems to be a creep into the city of education companies, including Department for Education having offices. With 2 big universities as well, education could become that USP.

 

[XH536]

It's what managers of all clubs say about their players. Just waffle.

Waffle spelt Waffle or WAFFLE, even Waffle.
Mr Delirious full of waffle, waffled his way back in with the western oriental gentleman, who couldn't be arsed to get in a younger, progressive manager who has some affinity to and knowledge of British football.
"Egg under't hat" comes to mind.

 

[Yoonited]

I get all that you are saying.

But for me, as with all things in life, the journey counts for far more than the destination. My support is permanent and non negotiable regardless of where in the pyramid we happen to be. Of course I would love it if we were regularly competing for a European place, but actually not at the expense of the club’s values & identity. Success is desirable but is secondary to quite a lot of other things. For me, anyway.

I do realise that other posters, and possibly predominately younger ones, will say that I am part of the “problem” and lack ambition, and I understand and respect that view. But I actually don’t want to be Man City, and ambitions change as you get older.

The bottom line is that if I ask myself whether supporting this club since 1968 has enriched my life the answer is a resounding yes. And that includes the season in Division 4 and all the rest of the shit we have endured at different times. The failures sit alongside the relative successes as part of the tapestry that defines my relationship and history with this club. Would I have liked it to be different? Actually that’s a pointless question because it was what it was, and I’m glad that I’ve been along for the ride. All of it. I’m hoping for a few more years of it yet.

I love this club, warts & all.

I get all that you are saying.

But for me, as with all things in life, the journey counts for far more than the destination. My support is permanent and non negotiable regardless of where in the pyramid we happen to be. Of course I would love it if we were regularly competing for a European place, but actually not at the expense of the club’s values & identity. Success is desirable but is secondary to quite a lot of other things. For me, anyway.

I do realise that other posters, and possibly predominately younger ones, will say that I am part of the “problem” and lack ambition, and I understand and respect that view. But I actually don’t want to be Man City, and ambitions change as you get older.

The bottom line is that if I ask myself whether supporting this club since 1968 has enriched my life the answer is a resounding yes. And that includes the season in Division 4 and all the rest of the shit we have endured at different times. The failures sit alongside the relative successes as part of the tapestry that defines my relationship and history with this club. Would I have liked it to be different? Actually that’s a pointless question because it was what it was, and I’m glad that I’ve been along for the ride. All of it. I’m hoping for a few more years of it yet.

I love this club, warts & all.

I'm very much in the same boat as you Nick.
Eloquently constructed.

 

[Yoonited]

I'm not your petal . And I went 32 years not missing a blades game plus england games.
Don't try the race card when my 2 kids are mixed race. You want to meet them then let's say the Luton game I will front you with my kids.

I'd leave the stimulants alone mate.They don't cover you in glory.
Nowhere in that post is there one iota of racism fella.
I'm awarding that "Bizarre post of 2023"