Movement of support power in Sheffield

[CarlMcBlade]

Our smell of shit, has been slightly less pungent than their smell of shit, over the last 20 years...The footballing world doesn’t know and probably doesn’t care, who the biggest club in Sheffield is.

 

[pommpey]

Being in the heart of the city must help the undecided newcomer.

'Beautiful Downtown Bramall Lane' may be the dealbreaker for you here.

The city is ours.

The northern enclaves and some sporadic settlements elsewhere where there has been some nomadic interbreeding belong to those thick-necked peasants

pommpey

 

[Boxer Blade]

Very probably my older sister's year then.

pommpey

 

[cahill]

There's no religious bias, or poor area/swanky area or white collar/blue collar supporters in Sheffield. You just tend to support what your family support.

But even that breaks down over time.

My Grandad and his sons ( My Uncles) all supported Wendy when they were younger, and when my Dad as a foreigner to Sheffield turned up and started dating my Mum he was immediately initiated as a new Wendy fan.

But all my brothers and sisters support United. All my uncles kids (my cousins) support United.

The reason it happened I think, is lost enthusiasm from my Grandad and Uncles, my Dad was never that bothered anyway and we didn't have SWFC drilled into us.

As more and more 20 and 30 odd year old's lose their enthusiasm for SWFC, their kids will become more likely to support United.

Either that or one of the big six.

I’m neither Sheffield born or bred but simply chose to support United. In all honestly the trajectory over the last 20 years or so, despite Wendy having the upper hand in terms of support and performances in recent years, has been towards United. I think it may have something to do with Barnsley having a half decent side for about 30 years now which has taken a lot of support away from Wendy in areas where they compete for support. I live in the Elsecar/Hoyland area which has always been big for Wendy support. You talk to loads of older guys who claim to support them but never actually go.There Is a Wendy supporters group based in a local pub who run a coach to their matches, when you see them waiting for it, it’s an older demographic, inevitably porcine. I’ve also noticed more and more support for the Blades in the area, trains for home matches are full of younger supporters from Hoyland, Elsecar, Wombwell,etc. Estates to the north of the city look worn and run down and economically poor Parsons Cross Foxhill etc, perhaps they can’t afford to go to matches.

 

[BushBlade]

Being in the heart of the city must help the undecided newcomer.

I was trying to think of when I first actually saw the Sty. We had no family in that area and no reason to ever go there. I reckon I would’ve probably been about 15, on the way to watch the Blades away at Huddersfield. I can’t imagine anyone new to the City even considering watching the pigs, United just seem the obvious choice at the moment, easy to get to ground, better football, last two seasons being on MOTD and we don’t stink of shit.

 

[Sheffsteel]

When United got relegated to division 3 in 1979, and then Wednesday got promoted in 1980 following the Boxing Day massacre, loads of kids at my junior school switched from United to Wednesday. Of course if you asked them a few years later they denied that they ever supported United.

Yes, it was certainly a watershed moment.
Its uncanny how that match Boxing Day match has so many similarities to the Bouncing Day Massacre game.

In the late 70’s United were top dogs…..Wednesday were miles behind with a cloud over the club.
Unitedites in Sheffield had a swagger…then in 1979-80 they ended up in the same division.
United were top of the league up to Boxing Day and we were full of confidence going to Hillsboro
but they ran out comfortable winners and many Blades were walking around in a daze for weeks whilst Owls fans were walking round with permanent smiles on their faces. United hardly won a game after Xmas where as Wednesday went on to gain promotion and quickly ended up in the top flight.
It was weird how all of a sudden people at school who never has any interest in football would suddenly declare that they were always Wednesday fans.

A few years back our 2-4 fully deserved win at Hillsboro had a similar effect with Blades smiling and laughing months after the game…..I know some Owls that STILL haven’t gotten over that defeat. In the same way that victory made the club ride the crest of a wave and we were quickly promoted to the top flight too.

That Duffy goal was the changing of the guard moment. It took a few years but it was moment United became top dogs again in the city
and just for that one magical goal Mark Duffy has played a massive role in our history…so he‘ll always be up there with Wilder as total legends.

 

[cahill]

Our smell of shit, has been slightly less pungent than their smell of shit, over the last 20 years...The footballing world doesn’t know and probably doesn’t care, who the biggest club in Sheffield is.

I think football fans generally, not the football world, are interested in fan culture and why people choose their club. Local derby matches always generate interest outside the immediate area and region. I agree their shit does smell worse

 

[ancientblade]

dont know what its like nowadays but in the 60s and 70s although still predominently wednesday territory there was big support for united in shirecliffe parsons cross and southey all buses going back there from the lane were usually packed

 

[bornablade]

When we won promotion to the Premier league Chris Wilder commented that this was the opportunity for us to dominate the city for the next 10 years.

Our relegation last season was a setback but hopefully Slav can take us back up and give us a 2 division difference.

 

[pommpey]

A few years back our 2-4 fully deserved win at Hillsboro had a similar effect with Blades smiling and laughing months after the game…..I know some Owls that STILL haven’t gotten over that defeat. In the same way that victory made the club ride the crest of a wave and we were quickly promoted to the top flight too.

That Duffy goal was the changing of the guard moment. It took a few years but it was moment United became top dogs again in the city
and just for that one magical goal Mark Duffy has played a massive role in our history…so he‘ll always be up there with Wilder as total legends.

You are spot on, ref Duffy. That moment. up the pitch, one two, this way, that way and the way he RAMMED it into their net was a stake to their stupid, arrogant, bloated, Chrissie Waddle hearts. It burst their fucking balloon, big style, especially as they were bouncing like cunts not ten seconds before the ball hit the net. What it must have been to be a pig at that moment. Even the semi final didn't matter. Mark Duffy settled the account and we ended up in the black, big style. The only thing that would have really shat in their chip bag is if when Brooks did the nutmeg, Leon had a better ball laid to him and made his hat-trick and 2-5. Wednesday may have well laid all their players off then and there, shut the stadium, sold it off and liquidated the whole turd that is Sheffield Wednesday. Five goals at home and even the more hardened, deluded grunter would have been reaching for the paracetamol.

It was possibly my happiest day as a Unitedite, rivalled only by Car Park Saturday a couple of years ago.

pommpey

 

[pommpey]

I was trying to think of when I first actually saw the Sty. We had no family in that area and no reason to ever go there. I reckon I would’ve probably been about 15, on the way to watch the Blades away at Huddersfield. I can’t imagine anyone new to the City even considering watching the pigs, United just seem the obvious choice at the moment, easy to get to ground, better football, last two seasons being on MOTD and we don’t stink of shit.

My elder sister lived on Dutton Road, down Penistone Road about half a mile away from the shithole. My brother in law, an ardent, hard as fuck centre forward for the Steel Inn who lived on the Manor and lived for United used to take me up the road and into the kop end at the sty to watch the last ten minutes and join in with the booing and catcalling just for the shit of it.

"Fuckin' useless cunts!" he'd yell, and those around him (there were some gaps on that terrace in them days) would go "Arrr! That reyt! Fuckin' useless! Booo! Gerroff!" I saw them one Saturday being battered by Birmingham City in or around 1972 and it was steadily drizzling on the open kop end and their lot were slowly filing out cursing. My brother in law loved it sadistically and we'd then nip down to the boozer at the other end of Hillsborough Park (The Sportsman?) where he'd sneak me in and get me a half a Tetley (it's his fault I can't drink any bitter other than Sheffield bitter) and we'd listen to all the pigfans nearing suicide. On the way home he'd quietly tell me why he hated them so much.

I suppose I inherited that loathing from him. Cheers, Bob.

pommpey

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

A key factor will be the success of the academy and the visibility of routes to the first team. Players like Bogle, Brewster will more relatable, and have the image to capture the attentions of younger local lads trying to make it.

That will lead to further interest in our academy, and further swing in the power of support and allegiances.

 

[Heely bottoms underpants]

I'm from a long line of Blades, I went to Denby Street nursery, then Sharrow Lane junior school and it was pure red and white.. Then instead of going to Abbeydale Grange I went to Rowlinson because we moved to meersbrook... And that's when my brush with the pork happened.
My mates dad had a surprise birthday for him and 3 of his mates.. (I was included) and to my absolute fucking horror it was a trip to the sty to watch the shit play.
I have never felt so dirty in my life.
I remember thinking this is just wrong, as I stood on their kop. I was embarrassed, ashamed, stunned, sad, angry.. So angry.
It took me years to get it out of my system, it was like a bad bad virus.
UTB

 

[metalblade]

Hopefully Charlton will put HMS Pisstheleague back in dry dock on Saturday tea time. Give it a season and there might yet be two divisions between us.

 

[pommpey]

I'm from a long line of Blades, I went to Denby Street nursery, then Sharrow Lane junior school and it was pure red and white.. Then instead of going to Abbeydale Grange I went to Rowlinson because we moved to meersbrook... And that's when my brush with the pork happened.
My mates dad had a surprise birthday for him and 3 of his mates.. (I was included) and to my absolute fucking horror it was a trip to the sty to watch the shit play.
I have never felt so dirty in my life.
I remember thinking this is just wrong, as I stood on their kop. I was embarrassed, ashamed, stunned, sad, angry.. So angry.
It took me years to get it out of my system, it was like a bad bad virus.
UTB

I entered the Junior Star Soccer Coaching Scheme in about 1975-76 at Graves Park. We had some ex-players (mainly pigs) come along and offer muted encouragement and then we had the big certification ceremony which was held in Hillsborough gym at the ground. We also had free tickets to watch the match, v Shrewsbury which they won 1-1.

I, like you, possibly needed counselling after that. It was child abuse, pure and simple. Forcing a 13 year old to watch that shite was Jimmy Savile-like dirty and vile.

Cunts.

pommpey

 

[ATL Recs]

Do you think, given that Wendy haven't had any success for a loooong time relative to us, that young supporters are more likely to drift to us, therefore changing the landscape of support in the city? I know there are family traditions, but I went Blades even though (or maybe because) my elder brother was / is Wendy.

When we were in the Premiership, you often saw Blades shirts around, but no Wendy Chuppa Chups.

In Liverpool, Everton were the power house unto the late 60s.

Manchester is changing.

If we can go up and they stay down, how brilliant would it be to have us in the top tier and the Chuppa chips in the third tier.

I can only dream.

Not how I remember the Citt of Liverpool in the 60s Both where powerhouse and thx bill shankly Revolution ran through the 60x era

 

[Yogi]

United will catch more of the students due to the central location and better level of competition. In terms of converting kids brought up in Wednesday households it will come down to being able to either come to the lane and watch the best players in the world in the prem or united having and holding on to a talismanic player for a long time. I come from a blades family but my uncle switched allegiances to Leeds when currie went and then ended up supporting Wednesday for reasons I can’t work out but player power matters when it comes to fans switching allegiances.

 

[pommpey]

United will catch more of the students due to the central location and better level of competition. In terms of converting kids brought up in Wednesday households it will come down to being able to either come to the lane and watch the best players in the world in the prem or united having and holding on to a talismanic player for a long time. I come from a blades family but my uncle switched allegiances to Leeds when currie went and then ended up supporting Wednesday for reasons I can’t work out but player power matters when it comes to fans switching allegiances.

Wednesday couldn't even begin to draw in the casual student follower. Much of their fanbase have chromosomes missing, genetic flaws, dads accidentally impregnating their daughters 'by mistake' and possibly mercury and lead in the waters of the upper reaches of the Don and Loxley, causing cretinism, stunted brain development, dropsy and mumps during the many pregnancies their womenfolk have to endure from early teenage years.

The opening scenes of Borat v1 was actually filmed in Wadsley Bridge.




Yakshemaesh!

pommpey

 

[ancientblade]

its a strange city sheffield where theres often mixed families my dads side of the family were wednesday but mums side were all united and i took the latter route can also remember working with a fanatical wednesday fan who followed em all over including wembley 66 and both his sons were fanatical united fans

 

[Kev Gee]

its a strange city sheffield where theres often mixed families my dads side of the family were wednesday but mums side were all united and i took the latter route can also remember working with a fanatical wednesday fan who followed em all over including wembley 66 and both his sons were fanatical united fans

Not so sure Sheffield is much different than Liverpool in the mixed allegiances stakes, however the hatred of each other is far stronger outside of family ties.

Maybe its because both the Liverpool clubs have been a fixtures in the EPL since day one and they dont really challenge each other for the titles and cups. Everton is still way past its heyday of the mid 80s for example. Despite all the investment by their rich owner.

Honestly outside of family I really cant abide many grubbie fans. Utter wankers the lot of them. i would happily see them go bust tomorrow if I could.

 

[Andy67]

If it wasn't for the Ched Evan’s debacle and them pipping us to promotion I think these would have worked out much differently. That year we had the more talented better footballing side. They played agriculture style footy and we had a Wilson team playing fluent passing football. The event that happened set us back a good 3 years and that season had the effect that the Duffy goal had on them. I think relegation will put them back a good 3 years.

 

[Rooks]

My elder sister lived on Dutton Road, down Penistone Road about half a mile away from the shithole. My brother in law, an ardent, hard as fuck centre forward for the Steel Inn who lived on the Manor and lived for United used to take me up the road and into the kop end at the sty to watch the last ten minutes and join in with the booing and catcalling just for the shit of it.

"Fuckin' useless cunts!" he'd yell, and those around him (there were some gaps on that terrace in them days) would go "Arrr! That reyt! Fuckin' useless! Booo! Gerroff!" I saw them one Saturday being battered by Birmingham City in or around 1972 and it was steadily drizzling on the open kop end and their lot were slowly filing out cursing. My brother in law loved it sadistically and we'd then nip down to the boozer at the other end of Hillsborough Park (The Sportsman?) where he'd sneak me in and get me a half a Tetley (it's his fault I can't drink any bitter other than Sheffield bitter) and we'd listen to all the pigfans nearing suicide. On the way home he'd quietly tell me why he hated them so much.

I suppose I inherited that loathing from him. Cheers, Bob.

pommpey

Bob Buxton ?

 

[Alan Birchenall's hair]

I was born in 1962 on Gleadless Valley (137 Gaunt Road, one of the maisonettes facing Newfield Green) and lived from 1963 up on Constable Drive. The Valley up our Hemsworth end was mainly United, but down in the dip at Bankwood and over at Herdings was definitely swine. This was okay whilst we were at Hemsworth County Primary School, but moving into Gleadless Valley Secondary School (later, the Comp) at Matthews Lane in 1974 then the real fireworks started, especially as United started the seventies in Div One with the pigs loitering below, with the fortunes evened out by the end of the decade. But the mix of blue v red at school was eventful, and definitely tribal. Fortunately I'd left school and was in the Navy by the time December 1979 and 'that day' happened, so missed the shame at school it would have brought.

But Hemsworth, from the Water Tower, Constable, Mawfa, Ironside down Blackstock Road down to the bottom exit of Gaunt Road was mainly Blades. Grappler will testify this as he was in that catchment. There was a 'frontier' then which separated the northern face of the Valley, with everything across and up to the Cutlers and back to the Herdngs Flats being grisly pigfan bandit territory. This enclave terminated at Heeley obviously and toward town because of the proximity of BDTBL. On a quiet day/night, you could see the glow of BDTBL from my bedroom and sometimes catch the crowd noise on the breeze.

There were only one or two partisan red-to-blue and vice versa characters in our school, one of whom is Waddle's drinking buddy at Dore. None of the rest of us dared, or even had the DNA, to swap alliances.

pommpey

Not sure about your Valley divisions Pommpey. I was down in the bottom (Rollestone School) growing up and in the triangle between The Groom, Wyvern and Blackstock pubs nearly all the little kids were Blades. We all had the red and white striped kit on to play footy every night after school. Up on Fleury Road towards The Far Lees etc, there were quite a few Wednesday families though. Strange little divisions within a huge estate. Great childhood growing up there though. Bit of a 'Just William' and 'Jumpers for Goalposts' type of existence. Leather caseys, air rifles and corky cricket balls were prized possessions.

Live out in a little village near Penistone now, and there are only 2 of us Blades. Mostly Dingles and Terriers with a few Owls. Great to get the train in to Sheffield for each match and get pissed before and after with all my mates from those years who now live in different parts of Sheffield.

 

[pommpey]

Not sure about your Valley divisions Pommpey. I was down in the bottom (Rollestone School) growing up and in the triangle between The Groom, Wyvern and Blackstock pubs nearly all the little kids were Blades. We all had the red and white striped kit on to play footy every night after school. Up on Fleury Road towards The Far Lees etc, there were quite a few Wednesday families though. Strange little divisions within a huge estate. Great childhood growing up there though. Bit of a 'Just William' and 'Jumpers for Goalposts' type of existence. Leather caseys, air rifles and corky cricket balls were prized possessions.

Live out in a little village near Penistone now, and there are only 2 of us Blades. Mostly Dingles and Terriers with a few Owls. Great to get the train in to Sheffield for each match and get pissed before and after with all my mates from those years who now live in different parts of Sheffield.

Most of the Bankwood lot who came to Gleadless Valley were pigfans. Not mentioning any names here, but they were simply deluded, piggy twats who should have been expelled, because they supported the filth. The Herdings lot were even worse. Not a Blade amongst them.

In seriousness though, as the glory days of Currie and Woodward faded and United foundered selling players to pay for the 'New Stand' (as it were) the glee of the grunters and the rivalry intensified. My last game as a civvy was the infamous SUFC v Leicester 08 May 1979 when we were doomed and drew 2-2. We all know what happened seven months later ...

pommpey

 

[Alan Birchenall's hair]

Most of the Bankwood lot who came to Gleadless Valley were pigfans. Not mentioning any names here, but they were simply deluded, piggy twats who should have been expelled, because they supported the filth. The Herdings lot were even worse. Not a Blade amongst them.

In seriousness though, as the glory days of Currie and Woodward faded and United foundered selling players to pay for the 'New Stand' (as it were) the glee of the grunters and the rivalry intensified. My last game as a civvy was the infamous SUFC v Leicester 08 May 1979 when we were doomed and drew 2-2. We all know what happened seven months later ...

pommpey

Most of the Gleadless County kids (seemed posh to us) who came to Ashleigh were Owls. But the Norfolk Park and Arbourthorne lot were nearly all Blades. Maybe 'cos they were nearer The Lane. We used to occasionally brawl with the Hurlfield kids after school. But as they were mostly from the Manor and Woodthorpe, we'd nearly always get a good kicking....

 

[pommpey]

Most of the Gleadless County kids (seemed posh to us) who came to Ashleigh were Owls. But the Norfolk Park and Arbourthorne lot were nearly all Blades. Maybe 'cos they were nearer The Lane. We used to occasionally brawl with the Hurlfield kids after school. But as they were mostly from the Manor and Woodthorpe, we'd nearly always get a good kicking....

We were constantly at war with Rowlinson, Jordanthorpe and Newfield Green. All of them were bigger schools with bigger bastards.

I remember going to one such 'meet up' which, in typical style when you polled the fighting cohort during the day was a considerable amount of willing soldiers but when the night came, about eight turned up, most of us Third Years.

We walked down the end of Matthews Lane and coming out of Norton Church were about fifty or sixty Rowlinson meatheads, and what looked like their dads and their work colleagues, their brothers and most of the other Oru-Kai.

We fucking ran, and ran and ran. The fuckers chased us right across Oakes Park too and back across Norton Lane into Hemsworth.

The fuckers also came up and ramapaged through the school during the day once. We all locked ourselves in the classrooms and they decked our (female) French teacher. Our Physics teacher, Rodge Lyons went out and confronted some of them and battered two of them and had to be dragged off.

#SchoolWars

pommpey

 

[N20 Blade]

Our smell of shit, has been slightly less pungent than their smell of shit, over the last 20 years...The footballing world doesn’t know and probably doesn’t care, who the biggest club in Sheffield is.

Sad but true, and living in London brings home how peripheral we are as a football city, but also as a city in general. I remember living in Sheffield 30 years ago when we were both in the PL, it really helped put football and the city on the map. Imagine that today, given how much bigger the entire football attraction is? Whilst I don't want them in the PL and prefer the thought of them languishing in the third tier indefinitely, part of me, the Sheffield born and proud me, just wants the city to get its identity back.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

The Sheffield football rivalry is very much akin to two divers having a fight underwater.

 

[alcoblade]

Do you think, given that Wendy haven't had any success for a loooong time relative to us, that young supporters are more likely to drift to us, therefore changing the landscape of support in the city? I know there are family traditions, but I went Blades even though (or maybe because) my elder brother was / is Wendy.

When we were in the Premiership, you often saw Blades shirts around, but no Wendy Chuppa Chups.

In Liverpool, Everton were the power house unto the late 60s.

Manchester is changing.

If we can go up and they stay down, how brilliant would it be to have us in the top tier and the Chuppa chips in the third tier.

I can only dream.

You can only dream? Why's that - it's very definitely happening now. It's been happening for 20 years, but has picked up pace for the last 2 or 3.

Wendy aren't the best supported club within Sheffield anymore, not by quite a way, I'd suggest.

What they always commanded was vast swathes of South Barnsley. That support is ebbing away.

 

[alcoblade]

Already happened. Wednesday still strong in South Barnsley though.

You beat me to it.