BLADES RELEGATE PIGS

[Nick Jansky]

3 points and an improved GD should have been our priority, given how congested the league is trying to get top 6.

We got 3 points and improved our GD.

 

[Minty]

We got 3 points and improved our GD.

By 1 goal when it should have been more

 

[BigDon]

Yes, the result and ultimate outcome was what we all wanted and it's brilliant. But.....

This was the best opportunity we'll ever have to absolutely batter the pigs and finally put to bed the ridiculous boxing day nonsense.

For someone with his experience, Phillips was utterly stupid and put us under pressure. Ultimately we got through it mainly due to how shit the pigs are but at the end of the game I just felt relief we didn't fuck up another big occasion.

From one who was at the Boxing Day massacre I can assure you that the event that ‘put it to bed’ was the 4-2 victory at S6. Never will it be forgotten how those bouncing idiots we’re firmly put in their seat by sir Mark Duffy…

 

[CrookesBlade]

Relegated our city rivals at home with 10 men in February and still finding stuff to complain about.

Never change Blades.

 

[Minty]

Relegated our city rivals at home with 10 men in February and still finding stuff to complain about.

Never change Blades.

It's an observation, not a complaint

 

[SUFC Guy]

Really hope that Leicester and West Brom go down with them (unlikley I know) to take the top 2 spots next season

 

[Geordie Blade]

We didn't! We should've scored at least 4.

We didn’t need to score four. The game was over after 19 minutes. Things went as well as was reasonably possible for Wednesday after that, and it still wasn’t enough.

 

[Minty]

We didn’t need to score four. The game was over after 19 minutes. Things went as well as was reasonably possible for Wednesday after that, and it still wasn’t enough.

Given the congested league with many teams going for a top 6 finish, I would argue that a large improvement in GD could help us later on

 

[Snake]

By 1 goal when it should have been more

Like Wilder said in his interview..... every team has a puncher's chance. Not many teams have mullered the pigs this season and they set up in the first half to keep the score to a minimum and wind us up.

We were fine until Phillips bit of stupidity..... Then the pigs took risks and went for broke ...... in the puncher's chance analogy; windmilling like fuck.

However, in the end we did more than enough to get the 3 points, relegate them, and do a double/double. Yep a juicy cherry on the top would have been very nice, but all in all I'm feeling well chuffed with the weekends results .

 

[Minty]

Like Wilder said in his interview..... every team has a puncher's chance. Not many teams have mullered the pigs this season and they set up in the first half to keep the score to a minimum and wind us up.

We were fine until Phillips bit of stupidity..... Then the pigs took risks and went for broke ...... in the puncher's chance analogy; windmilling like fuck.

However, in the end we did more than enough to get the 3 points, relegate them, and do a double/double. Yep a juicy cherry on the top would have been very nice, but all in all I'm feeling well chuffed with the weekends results .

I don't disagree with this at all, but I feel frustrated that we should have been much more comfortable and the sending off was stupid for such an experienced player and that made it more nervy than it should have been.

 

[Geordie Blade]

Given the congested league with many teams going for a top 6 finish, I would argue that a large improvement in GD could help us later on

Yes, obviously. But the discussion was about putting the game to bed.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

They can harp on all they want. They can claim that this is the highlight of our season.

But I will let simple facts do the talking...

Since Chris Wilder first took charge of Sheffield United in May 2016, Sheffield United has been the overwhelmingly dominant team in the city.

The gap between the two clubs has widened significantly during his multiple tenures (2016–2021, 2023–2025, and his current stint starting late 2025). The dominance is reflected in league standings, head-to-head records, and historical context.

1. League Standing & Success
Under Wilder, the "Blades" climbed from League One to the Premier League, while the "Owls" have struggled with financial instability and lower-league football.

Top-Flight Presence: Sheffield United has spent three seasons in the Premier League during the Wilder era, including a remarkable 9th-place finish in 2019/20. Sheffield Wednesday has not played in the Premier League since 2000.

Divisional Superiority: In almost every season since 2016, United has either played in a higher division than Wednesday or finished significantly above them in the same league.

2. Head-to-Head (The Steel City Derby)
United has been notably superior in recent derbies. Since Wilder’s first game:

United Wins: They have won most of the recent encounters, including a dominant 3-0 win at Hillsborough in November 2025 and a 2-1 victory at Bramall Lane just today (February 22, 2026).

The "Bouncing Day Massacre": One of Wilder's most iconic moments was the 4-2 win at Hillsborough in 2017, which signaled a shift in power that Wednesday has struggled to reverse.
3. Current State (February 2026)
As of today, the disparity has reached a historic peak:

Sheffield United: Currently competing in the Championship and pushing for a stable mid-table or playoff position.

Sheffield Wednesday: Just suffered the earliest relegation in English football history. Following an 18-point deduction for financial breaches and administration, their loss to Wilder’s United today confirmed their relegation to League One in record time (February).

Key Takeaways on "Goal Dominance":
A 3:1 Ratio: For every goal Sheffield Wednesday has managed to score in a derby under Wilder, Sheffield United has scored three.

The Goal Drought: Sheffield Wednesday went through a staggering drought where they failed to score a single goal against Wilder's United for six consecutive years (from January 2018 until their 2-1 defeat today).

The Historic 2025/26 Season: In this current season alone, United has outscored Wednesday 5-1 over the two league fixtures (a 3-0 win in November and today's 2-1 win).

In sum:
Sheffield is, has been for some considerable time and remains red and white.

GTFI.