What makes Sheffield United your club?

[Tihane]

I've stumbled upon quite a few posts which show constructive criticism suggesting that we would do better by replacing Kevin Blackwell, many of the players, the stadium, Sheffield .. even the shirts.

This makes me curious, what actually is the thing, what makes Sheffield United your club?

What can be replaced for it to stay "your club" and what must not ever be changed?

 

[SwissBlade]

The fact that we are never happy makes us Blade's!

For me its a combination of things. Family and friends were Blades when I made my choice, The first game I went to see was at the lane, an England U21's game v Turkey around 86-87 (i think) and the Blades were the first team I went to watch. They were also the closest team which made a difference as I grew up outside Sheffield I was able to get the Bus in to watch the games as a teenager. It was a choice between Blades, pigs or Ches Vegas, but I had no links to Vegas. When I started going regularly as a kid, a few of the other lads that I was mates with were pigs so we went to the lane one week and the sty the next. It was funny to see the number of lads on the kops at both grounds .

Although I moan about the Blades and get incredibly pissed off with them when they innevitably fail, I will never change my club.

As for things that must never be changed, its safe to say I'll always be a Blade, I made my choice a long time ago. Since I've worked overseas, its meant that when I make home trips, where possible the Blades are the priority.

A better question is what would stop me wanting to go to watch the Blades. I would seriously reconsider my support if we moved from the Lane. For me Bramall lane is as much a part of the identity of the club as anything else. I hate teams that move grounds. I'd still support the club, I probably just wouldn' go to watch.

As long as Sheffield United remain as Sheffield United then I'll be a Blade. I wouldn't support a merger or anything like that.

Some have talked about not renewing season tickets next season with reasons like if Blackwell is in charge or if the football is still poor, but for me it would come down to being able to afford the season ticket, the number of games I can attend and the enjoyment I get from the whole matchday pub, bookies, chippy, banter etc

All of this doesn't make me a lesser or bigger Blade than anyone else, just a Blade.

 

[Darren]

I was born in Sheffield, grew up on a council estate in Sheffield 2 and my dad supported United.

That's the traditional way....

 

[LouTheBlade]

My Dad is a Blade, my mum is a Blade, all my brothers are Blades, my grandparents on both sides were Blades and my Great Grandfather on my Dad's side was a Blade.......

Sadly I didnt have a choice, it was hereditary. Despite my complaints I wouldnt swap them for any other. I bleed red and white!

 

[Grecian2000]

What can be replaced for it to stay "your club" and what must not ever be changed?

About the only constant from when I started watching the team in the early sixties and now is the ground.

Beautiful Downtown Bramall Lane is my second home. When I was a boy it was home all year around as I never missed Yorkshire playing there in the school hols. Now it is my winter refuge.

Players, Managers, Chairmen et al, have come and gone. The game has changed (and not for the better) more than anyone could ever imagine BUT to be there when the team run out in the red and white stripes is still special (even it I have no bond with the players and despise the manager).

If we ever leave the ground I think I'll just give it a miss.

 

[broomhillblade]

I was born in Sheffield, grew up on a council estate in Sheffield 2 and my dad supported United.

That's the traditional way....

My Dad first took me to Bramall Lane a few weeks before my 9th birthday. My uncles and an older cousin were Blades. The thought of supporting the other lot never crossed my mind, even though my best mate was an Owl (I use the word Owl since 'Pigs' didn't exist in those far-off days!).

I cannot claim to have been brought up in a council estate – I was born and lived in the leafy suburbs of S7, but close enough to Bramall Lane to hear the roars if the wind was in the right direction.

 

[Mad Mick]

I was born in Sheffield, grew up on a council estate in Sheffield 2 and my dad supported United.

That's the traditional way....

Nearly the same.
Born and brought up in Sheffield 2 on a council estate but my dad is a pig.

 

[BarcaBlade]

The fact that we are never happy makes us Blade's!

Opposite reason for me. I came over from the darkside because it was much more positive at Bramall Lane than at Hillsborough. Basically, I just enjoy watching live football and like to support a local team.

I started with Liverpool as a kid because they won everything and then when I finally went to see my local team, Lincoln City, I realised I would rather be at a match (regardless of the result) than to support from a distance. Out went Liverpool.

Moved to Sheffield when I was 16 and went to see the pigs for a while because they were in a higher division so I could see the big teams play, gave up on football altogether for a while after that, but when I went along to a Blades game a couple of years later, I found the atmosphere way better.

With the advent of the internet, I realise that I was just lucky to be going along to games with some very positive people. We enjoyed the game regardless (although it was better when we won).

I guess I then became too old to keep switching teams so I'm stuck with the Blades despite the fact that I really don't look forward to games very much any more. Many of the mates can't afford to go these days, the all-seater thing just doesn't work for me as it loses a lot of the social aspect of meeting up on the terraces.

I still go whenever there is the opportunity, but whereas a few years ago there wouldn't have been a decision to make, I'm now wondering whether I would prefer to go to Wembley for the play off final this season or to travel to Brno for the last game of the season to celebrate Bohemians staying in the Czech first division.

It's one of them where the Brno trip is winning, but I wouldn't rule out a last minute flight purchase at a highly inflated price to get to Wembley.

 

[JJ Sefton]

Family are all United fans.

 

[LouTheBlade]

I will let you in on a funny story;

I first went to watch United at home to Southampton in the top flight. Dad took me and I was 4/5 years old. Either 1989/90 - if memory serves. I was sat on the KOP and vaguely remember seeing Brian Deane and Vinnie Jones running around. We lost 2-0 to goals from Alan Shearer and Matt Le Tissier but I became hooked anyway.......

As everyone was leaving through the back of the KOP, an innocent faced Lou asked - "Does this mean that all these people will go and watch that horrible Wednesday now Dad?"...............as he cringed in the queue of fans leaving one quick witted Blade shouted "Bluddy ell young-un! Its not that bad!"

My first memory of BDTBL

 

[Worksop II]

I was born in Sheffield, grew up on a council estate in Sheffield 2 and my dad supported United.

That's the traditional way....

Thats, that Tradition over then .....

 

[Darren]

I will let you in on a funny story;

I first went to watch United at home to Southampton in the top flight. Dad took me and I was 4/5 years old. Either 1989/90 - if memory serves. I was sat on the KOP and vaguely remember seeing Brian Deane and Vinnie Jones running around. We lost 2-0 to goals from Alan Shearer and Matt Le Tissier but I became hooked anyway.......

As everyone was leaving through the back of the KOP, an innocent faced Lou asked - "Does this mean that all these people will go and watch that horrible Wednesday now Dad?"...............as he cringed in the queue of fans leaving one quick witted Blade shouted "Bluddy ell young-un! Its not that bad!"

My first memory of BDTBL

24th August 1991 as it happens. Jones' last game at the Lane - we sold him to Chelsea the following week.

 

[TonyAgana]

My Great-Grandfather, who I'm named after, was a big Blade and was born in 1889.

All my Dad's side are Blades.

I spent a confused first couple of years at an S35 school where I was one of only two Unitedites!

 

[LouTheBlade]

My Great-Grandfather, who I'm named after, was a big Blade and was born in 1889.

All my Dad's side are Blades.

I spent a confused first couple of years at an S35 school where I was one of only two Unitedites!

I went to school in Hillsborough (heaven knows why?!) and I was the ONLY Blade in my school. Everyone else supported Wednesday. No surprise as the school is 5 minutes walk from the sty.

I lived on the opposite side of Hillsborough park and used to proudly walk down leppings lane in my red and white, laver sponsered shirt :thumbup:

 

[Highbury_Blade]

I was a casual fan of the blades when we got promoted to the 1st division, but i never actually went until we'd got relegated. A friend of mine's dad had slipped a disc in his back, and i went with my mate on his dads season ticket for the rest of the season.

A sub plot to this is that my dad is actually a grunter. My mum was in labour with his second child on a matchday and the doctor said the labour would be at least another 5 hours. My dad took this opportunity to pop off to Hillsborough to take in the game, and returned to find my mum with his new baby daughter in her arms.

Just one of the reasons that i'm a blade now. Thankfully he left well before he had the chance to sink his stinking trotters in to me.

The first game i actually ever saw was Everton 4 Sheffield Wednesday 0 in 1987. Everton were on fire that season, and i went with my mum's boyfriend who was trying to get me to be an everton fan. I also saw everton hit 5 at hillsborough in an FA Cup replay that same season.

Once i was old enough to understand football i knew i actually wanted to support a local team. Given my family history i opted for the red half of sheffield.

 

[Bladesman]

Its closest to my home and most my family are Blades fans.

 

[Tihane]

So it seems that majority of you are actually "stuck" with the Blades through location and heritage, thus have every right to whine a lot but still stick with it through whatever changes the club would suffer

Thats very different to how things are here in Estonia. Location wise - about one third of the population resides in the capital city - Tallinn. There are few regional teams too, but majority reside in the capital. This results in people having to choose, which team to support (and typically results in no real support club).

Heritage wise - we have been a no mans land for a while. We declared independence at 1918, then got occupied by Russians, then Germans and then again Russians since WWII and only regained our independence at 1991. Obviously our own heritage is either short, or very messed up This results in us being very passionate about our National team, but only few choosing to actively support some football club too.

So, for me, the likes of Mihkel Aksalu are like little heroes, putting Estonia on the map. Thus I support him, and now also the Blades, which he has become.

 

[CG Blade]

My Dad's family are all Wednesday fans, however he did sign for United as a schoolboy, but never made the grade, back in the late thirties. When I came along he used to take me to Bramall Lane one week, and Hillsborough the next, first game I saw was Wednesday v Wolves with Billy Wright playing, second game was a match at Old Trafford, again with Wednesday. However used to enjoy it better at Bramall Lane, my Dad died Saturday afternoon in November 65, when we were playing Newcastle at home, a game we won 3-2. Don't think I went to football for a while after that, but at school most off the mates were United Fans, so I started going again every home game. The rest is History, didn't miss a game for many a season. My son as a Blade, my Grandson is a blade, (unfortunately one off the other Grandchildren is a Piggy, as he followed his dad), but he played for the Junior Blades, so I have a photograph off him playing in a United shirt, which when the time is right will be posted on facebook for all his piggy mates to see. Really do not like anything to do with Wednesday at all.

 

[Worksop II]

So it seems that majority of you are actually "stuck" with the Blades through location and heritage, thus have every right to whine a lot but still stick with it through whatever changes the club would suffer

Thats very different to how things are here in Estonia. Location wise - about one third of the population resides in the capital city - Tallinn. There are few regional teams too, but majority reside in the capital. This results in people having to choose, which team to support (and typically results in no real support club).

Heritage wise - we have been a no mans land for a while. We declared independence at 1918, then got occupied by Russians, then Germans and then again Russians since WWII and only regained our independence at 1991. Obviously our own heritage is either short, or very messed up This results in us being very passionate about our National team, but only few choosing to actively support some football club too.

So, for me, the likes of Mihkel Aksalu are like little heroes, putting Estonia on the map. Thus I support him, and now also the Blades, which he has become.

Lovely place Tallin, though I got fed of walking up and down the hill this Castle is built on ...

Its the draw for the Euros this weekend, hope we get Estonia in our group again

 

[SwissBlade]

Thanks Tihane thats a good insight!

I have worked with a lot of Southern Italians and interestingly, they mainly supported the big teams Milan, Inter, Roma, Lazio and Juve even though there are countless teams around them.

I've always thought that my football club has also been my local identity, so have trouble with people in London for example that Support Man United

But as I understand that the philosophy is often different outside the UK, all this leaves me to say is Welcome to the Blades Family Tihane!

I'm just hoping that the number of fantastic women Estonia has to offer will start supporting the Blades too!

 

[Tihane]

Lovely place Tallin, though I got fed of walking up and down the hill this Castle is built on ...

-- picture of Toompea castle --

Its the draw for the Euros this weekend, hope we get Estonia in our group again

Me too, you can only guess what kind of positive effects to our football association budget it would give .. and I would have another good reason to visit UK.

I'm just hoping that the number of fantastic women Estonia has to offer will start supporting the Blades too!

well, you now know what could make them start supporting the Blades, so I suggest you start working on the location and heritage part of theirs!

 

[marko1889]

well i live in northen ireland. my brother was buying me a footy top for my 8th birthday, we were in the 4th division at the time. i closely followed the blades thou the divisons by media/ newspaper which there wasnt alot at the time. i cud well hav choose`n the easy team like l`pool, man utd like most of my friends, but always kept heart in my team. well thats my story. UP THE BLADES. Hope we can get a good run til the end of season and get that 2nd spot.

 

[Deleted member 2102]

My Dad was brought up just round the corner from the Lane. He took me when I was 4 and I have been going ever since. I can still vividly remember seeing the pitch for the first time. I was brought up in a leafy suburb though, I guess thats the socially mobile non traditional way? ;-)

 

[Jon Bon]

I 'won' them as a booby prize in a junior school bran-tub.

 

[Pinchy]

In my case it was my dad followed by location [council estate in S12].

It's now an addiction but I'm in therapy with a view to taking Methadone instead.

 

[Bramley]

Many generations of family and sheffield born and bred.

What might drive me away is the now constant negativity of our support. Life for me is all about avoiding miserable b*stards and enjoying myself, I just can't relate to that mindset, it just feels like an unrelenting tide at the Lane over the last 4-5 seasons.

 

[Nick Jansky]

My dad was a Manc, and supported Man City, so growing up in Sheffield I was free to make my own choice. Living in S12 during the era of Currie & Woodward swung it.

My first post, by the way. Hello all!

 

[Superblades]

Always lived on S2, grew up on the London Rd Area before we moved to Arbourthorne. My Uncle is a Blades fan and started taking me to the games. Earliest memories or of us beating Oxford at home in the 96/97 season, Wembley '97, the semi-final @ OT both 98.

Only thing what would stop me from supportiung the Blades is if we ever moved ground or got took over by to**ers QPR springs to mind on that one. :thumbdown:

 

[SheepdipBlade]

I'm the same as just about everyone on here - born a Blade - - and walking up the steps on a match day - especially the first day of a new season - feels like a real confirmation of identity (this was especially true when we lived in the West Country and the West Midlands)

I don't think us Blades are remarkable in this (it's the same for nearly all English clubs Tihane - and many "real fans" take a poor view of Glory Hunters - as we call fans of Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea or Arsenal who have no local or family ties to these clubs)

There are however some particular things about the Blades that make me proud of our club.

1- The community aspect of the club is strong - especially work with kids who are struggling at school and work with "Football Unites - Racism Divides"
2- The international aspect of our club. I'm a fan of our ties with overseas clubs if for no other reason than it's a great example of sport building bridges between people and countries
3- The Blades have a history of looking after the underdog - even falling foul of the FA when we tried to offer discount price tickets to the unemployed in the inter-war depression.

And beyond all that - there's a thing about the club identity/self image. Even though we're the most successful club for many miles around - we still see ourselves as the battling underdog (if it's not our "hard of thinking" neighbours we're up against - it's West Ham or the Premier League etc etc) - and that's an image many of us are comfortable with. Better to be the gritty, northern, hard-working, no nonsense underdogs - than the rich, priviledged, flashy club that buys whatever it wants. (Though a few more millions to get usout of the bloody Championship would perhaps be welcomed!!)

It's interesting what you say about Estonian fans backing their national team ahead of their clubs. Like many Blades, I'm far more a Blade than an England fan - in fact if England were to play Ireland with the 4 Irish Blades in their side - I'd probably back Ireland!!

One last thing about us I like - I think we're the only team (certainly the first) where the fans are called Blades too - not "Blades Fans", just "Blades". (On a good day!) the fans, the players and the club all see themselves as being different parts of the same thing.

I'm sure all English clubs have their own stories and identities - but by joining up with ours Tihane - you've not picked a bad 'un

 

[mattbianco1]

My dads a blade so i'm a blade. If i have kids they'll be blades.

They are my club and Kevin Blackwell is my clubs manager so i support him. I have only ever wanted two managers out in my life time... Heath & Robson. We're a mid-table to top 6 Championship team at best in my eyes so i have only ever wanted to get rid of managers that could've gotten us relegated. Premiership is a bonus. We have spent 3 seasons in the top flight in my lifetime (1984.)

Things we should never change... Ground, club badge & red and white stripes.

What to change... Nothing!