Why do you support Sheffield United?

[Silent Blade]

1947/8 season . Lived in Darnall and often heard 2 of my mates talking about the Blades as their Respective Dads took them to Bramall Lane. My Dad was not a fan of football (pigeons and angling). I was in luck when they asked me if I wanted to go. Of, course I jumped at it. Only saw 2 matches that season. Both wins by 4-0 and 4-1 against Grimsby Town and Blackburn Rovers (Div 1 as was then).
Both those teams were relegated at the end of the season. Stand out players at that time were Jimmy Hagan, Colin Collindridge, Albert Cox, Harry Latham, Jack Smith (goalie), Harrold Brook, Albert Nightingale ,Fred Furniss. Can't remember if they all played in the 2 matches mentioned above. Maybe the inimitable Silent can verify.

 

[BrinsworthBlade]

Wasn't into footie until I got taken to wembley hull semi final fa cup 2015? been a blade ever since

 

[Northyorksblade]

What is it about The Blades that grips you the very first time you see them? Mine's a weird story that I've told several times, so won't bore you again. But that first game I went to, away to Bradford City in the cup in my forties, completely hooked me. And shortly after, a home game at Bramall Lane, I felt so emotional walking in, that for years afterwards I described myself as a born again football fan. I remember pre season, when they used to have Open Days, walking into Bramall Lane an almost completely empty stadium and just sitting there, anticipating the coming season.

 

[Sportbilly /Detroit Blade]

I was born in Sheffield and brought up in Frecheville, when my brother (4 years older than me) was 9 or 10 he started going to the Lane with a mate and his dad, ironically our old man was not a big football fan.

At that time I got into football by watching Spain 1982, and obviously liked Liverpool at that time as they were winning everything .

When I was about 7 my old man got a job in Scunthorpe so we upped sticks. My brother started going with his new mates to The Old Show Ground, and became a massive Scunny fan (he went on a run where he missed one home game in about 20 years), and I switched and said I would become a Blade then.

I started going in 1988, and looking back I'm amazed my parents let me go on a train to the game and back on my own as a 12 year old. I was 12 going on 52 though!

As I got older I converted a workmate who was an armchair Leeds supporter, he came with me a few times to the Lane and was converted.

Great days. When the fixtures fell right I would often go to the Lane on a Saturday then Scunny on the Tuesday or following Saturday.

 

[MadDad38]

I was born 200 miles away from Sheffield and have never lived there. However my Dad was brought up on the Manor and my Grandma & Grandad on Mum's side lived in Tinsley. We used to visit them 2-3 times a year and coming up the M1 there was a bridge (maybe near Catcliffe) just before we turned off with graffiti on it which I am pretty sure said "Tony Currie is God" and "Blades Kill Owls". So naturally I decided to support United.

 

[Edwards of Nazareth]

When I was very young, my mum was carrying me but she slipped, dropping me and I landed on my head.
The rest is history

 

[Matlock Blade]

My son and I both support United because we were both born in Sheffield. Red is a much better colour than blue, plus blades seem more down to earth than our massive neighbours.

 

[Kozzy_is_my_Dad]

Love some of the sentiment of these posts, and people recalling being gripped by the Blades the first time they watched them.

Imagine this type of thread, 20 years from now. "It was the first time I saw us. I was a kid. I went away to Deepdale with me Uncle. We threw away a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2, and Mark McGuiness could barely stand up or face the right way, let alone kick a ball. Since that moment, I was hooked". Doesn't have the same inspirational feelings, this season, does it?!

Maybe those posts from current young 'uns will go: "I went t'Lane and got a signature from someone called Shackleton but he wasn't in the squad. Maybe Silent can remember him? We all looked knackered after 60 minutes and let the other team back into the game".

"So my family suggested the pigs on the outskirts of the city, but they were busy trying not to go bust, so I thought fuck it, I'll settle for the first one. And it's been that way ever since".

 

[232 Bramall Lane]

Born and brought up at the above address you'd think it was a shoe- in but it wasn't.
My Dad worked Saturdays and couldn't take me and I had no siblings to influence me.
Happily they opened the gates about 15 minutes from the end of the match and I was able to wander in.
To undertake a journey to S6 on my own in the early 60s was just too much to undertake.
Eventually persuaded my Mother to pay for me to see games from the safety of the front of the Bramall Lane end.

 

[The Crab]

How did you get here?

I don’t suppose anyone did it for glory hunting! Unless you’re over 100 years old!

For me, my Grandfather was a United fan. I still remember him having a Blades mug even when he was in his late 70s when he passed. He used to go regularly but stopped going when we dropped to the 4th. I think he was born around 1904/05 so he would have at least been around for at least a couple of cup wins.

My Dad is still watching us and is 88 now. He’s more of a TV viewer now and stopped going maybe a couple of years ago.

I went to my first game in the late to mid-80s. A rather drab 0-0 at home to Ipswich when Burridge was the goalie. My first proper memory was with Bassett as Manager and what fun times they were.

I then continued to follow them home and away as part of the London Blades including heading to Trinidad and Tobago to watch them under Warnock.

Despite Bryan Robson being responsible for my commitment waining and moving to Asia, I’ve still watched closely from afar and attended when I’m back. My daughter has taken up the mantle, proudly wears her kit and tells her classmates that Messi and Ronaldo are neither the GOAT as Billy Sharp is!

So fairly traditional at first for me though my daughter can claim slightly less conventional.

How about you?

Bryan Robson made you move to Asia?

Yeah I can understand that…

 

[RamsgateBlade]

Dad came over from Ireland aged 15 and became a mad Blades fan (why couldn't he have gone to Manchester??). I was baptised into the faith and have suffered for my sins ever since. First match I remember going to was in 1966 against Blackpool. Stuck in my mind because of the Blackpool shirt colour (dare I say orange ...) and because Gil Reece had his leg broken. I should have seen that as a sign.......

 

[KMC-1889]

My dad did, didn’t have much growing up so getting to go see a match in person and not in the pub was a very special occasion.

We’re both season ticket holders now

 

[The Crab]

My uncle used to take me to games and to watch him when he played for Oughtibridge in the 70s.

He was an owls fan but one of the old school who went to whoever was at home.

My first few games were at the piggery but one visit to the lane and I was hooked

 

[BalticBlade]

Like many others, I was born into it - with older brother, dad and granddad all being Blades. But there's a plot twist. The first matches I went to were Wednesday matches. This was the mid 1980s and United were languishing outside the top flight and playing in front of crowds of about 8,000.
So instead of taking us to the Lane, our granddad would take us to Hillsborough whenever the big teams rolled into town - Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal etc. It was a masterstroke by him to be fair, seeing the big name players of the day in front of biggish crowds helped to get me hooked on the game.
First United match was a 1-0 defeat at home to Derby County in the FA Cup. Can't remember anything of it. Properly started going to the Lane in earnest during the Dave Bassett era.

 

[Tray]

How did you get here?

I don’t suppose anyone did it for glory hunting! Unless you’re over 100 years old!

For me, my Grandfather was a United fan. I still remember him having a Blades mug even when he was in his late 70s when he passed. He used to go regularly but stopped going when we dropped to the 4th. I think he was born around 1904/05 so he would have at least been around for at least a couple of cup wins.

My Dad is still watching us and is 88 now. He’s more of a TV viewer now and stopped going maybe a couple of years ago.

I went to my first game in the late to mid-80s. A rather drab 0-0 at home to Ipswich when Burridge was the goalie. My first proper memory was with Bassett as Manager and what fun times they were.

I then continued to follow them home and away as part of the London Blades including heading to Trinidad and Tobago to watch them under Warnock.

Despite Bryan Robson being responsible for my commitment waining and moving to Asia, I’ve still watched closely from afar and attended when I’m back. My daughter has taken up the mantle, proudly wears her kit and tells her classmates that Messi and Ronaldo are neither the GOAT as Billy Sharp is!

So fairly traditional at first for me though my daughter can claim slightly less conventional.

How about you?

Bryan Robson made you move to Asia? He was worse than I thought!

My grandma's family used to get the train from Kiveton, drink in the Howard Hotel and go and watch the Blades, and they have done as long as she can remember. My grandad lived across the road from them and used to do the same. He tells me the story of how his dad, my great-grandad, took him to Bramall Lane after the Blitz. A bit of the roof fell off and hit great grandad on the head, had to go to hospital and they didn't see a ball kicked. How's your luck?

They'd moved to Oughtibridge by the time my dad came along, so he was surrounded by Wednesday. Even lived next door to Tony Kay and used to fight with his son. But he was always a Blade and followed them home and away.

Dad started taking me in the 90s, but I was too young to really understand it all. I remember seeing Marcelo an thinking he was amazing because he was Brazilian, especially after watching the World Cup in 1998, I remember seeing a god awful 0-0 at Hillsborough. The season that got 12 year old me hooked was 2002/03, the Triple Assault season. We went to every home game, and a couple of aways, plus the Play Off Final. We were so exciting to watch, felt like there were going to be 5 or 6 goals every game. Brown, Tonge, Jags, Kenny, Page, Ndlovu, Murphy, Kabba, McCall. Couldn't get enough. Got my first season ticket the season after and never looked back.

Now me, my dad and my two lads have season tickets together. They're 6 and 4, and they've already caught the bug. If you sit in the family corner you've probably heard my youngest. Got a proper gob on him. Took 6 years old to his first proper away game at QPR the other week and he was lucky enough to see us win away. Told him it won't always be like that. That's why I support Sheffield United.

And I don't know what else I'd do on a Saturday.

 

[Benitachel]

My grandfather went to watch United in the 1890s. He owned a fruit and veg shop on Bramall Lane but was killed in the First World War. My dad born in 1914 told me all about our fa cup win in 1925 and how Freddie Tunstall scored the winner. I went to BL in 1953 to watch the reserves and then the first tannin 1955. My kids are all Blades and my grand kids are all Blades too. I took the youngest to his first game this season against Bristol City. We lost but he loved it. Once a Blade always a Blade.

 

[54yrblade]

My old man was the cop that sat between the dug outs for years, John Street side. He used to have access to complimentary tickets that he couldn't use, so my Grandad took me.

He was a lifelong S6 fan, but got two busses from Hillsborough to ours, bus to and from the matches at BDTBL, and two busses home just so I could go to the Lane.
My Nan packed us up with cream crackers and cheese too, for HT.

Grandad used to go to Wembley every year for the England v Scotland games or a final. One of my proudest possessions is a small gold Spurs badge he was given by a London mate.

My football history.

 

[LSF]

My uncle used to take me to games and to watch him when he played for Oughtibridge in the 70s.

He was an owls fan but one of the old school who went to whoever was at home.

My first few games were at the piggery but one visit to the lane and I was hooked

You probably saw me play then

Played against Oughtibridge on numerous occasions in the 70's. Always a battle at their place on what I always thought was a narrow pitch (flat though, which was a Sheffield rarity!).

 

[LSF]

When you're born and brought up opposite the Ball Inn training ground, you can see the Lane and the floodlights from your back window, your maternal grandfather was a big mate of Bill Foulke and both sides of the family are multi generationally Blades, only one way to go....

And it's passed on to 3 more subsequent generations...

 

[SB_90]

im sure like many we didnt get a choice in the matter

im guessing my family supported them for 90yrs, through 4 generations & maybe more as i dont know if my grandads dad supported united

i remember watching 1997 fa cup final & 1997 playoff final. then my grandad took me in January 1998 v Wolves. then as the circle of life goes the person who is being taken becomes the person who is taking

 

[toledo]

I was brought up in Bradwell and my dad (an owl) had a friend who was a Unitedite who had a car and went to the Lane. My dad asked if I could go with him to the Lane for a game when I was 4 years of age and the rest is history.

toledo

 

[HillmortonBlade]

I chose this abusive yet wonderful relationship..

First job when I moved to England was in Sheffield. Work colleague invited me to watch Blades (stood on John Street in 1992, against Charlton). Next game was a 4-2 win against Man City. Fell in love. Followed them home and away whenever possible since. This day 31 years ago (I’ve just been notified) I watched us draw 1-1 with Reading.

Je regrette rien.

 

[Ron_Justice]

6 years old. Never showed an iota of interest in football. My Mom got re-married to a Blade from the North of the City. He took me to The Lane, no doubt as a way of having something to connect over. It was a good move. He lifted me over the turnstiles on John Street. We made our way onto the smoky, noisy, scary Kop. I crept around peoples legs, made my way down to the front, grasped those white, re-painted metal railings, listened to the roar as Morris, Stancliffe and Edwards took the pitch. It was inevitable.

 

[Gavlar]

Born in Sheffield and my family supported the Blades. That was it.

Moved down south aged 8 and adopted Bristol Rovers as my 2nd team.

It's not the trophies or glory I live for obviously!

 

[Geordie Blade]

Dad is a Blade. Dad's dad was a Blade. Dad's dad's dad was a Blade.

First game I remember was a 5-0 win against Bolton. I thought it was hilarious that Joe Bolton scored against Bolton* and was hooked. Colin Morris hat-trick in that game too.


*Is that the only occasion that one of our players has scored against a team with the same name as them?

 

[reedy63]

My Dad took me. I was 10. We played against Everton, and Alan Ball scored a penalty. We lost 1-0 and got relegated at the end of the season.
I can remember climbing a load of steps to the Kop. I saw the Kop and the cricket pavilion. That's me, A Blade forever. My Great Grand Dad.
When in the 1890s, my Granddad told me. My Dad and two Uncles went. One uncle supported Wednesday. I will be honest, he took me to Hillsborough.
But fortunately, I didn't like it. I had the pleasure of watching Woodward AND Currie and the rest of that Legendary Team.
I get annoyed when we lose, but I keep going, Blade through and through.

 

[The Crab]

You probably saw me play then

Played against Oughtibridge on numerous occasions in the 70's. Always a battle at their place on what I always thought was a narrow pitch (flat though, which was a Sheffield rarity!).

A few balls got lost in the river!

 

[LSF]

A few balls got lost in the river!

Ha ha! Yes, remember that now you mention it.

 

[Greasy Chap Butty]

Wasn't into football really and then ent to the lane with mates from secondary school late 80's .
Stood on the kop and got hooked immediately on the atmosphere.

 

[pedro]

Wasn't into football really and then ent to the lane with mates from secondary school late 80's .
Stood on the kop and got hooked immediately on the atmosphere.

Having read all the how did you become a blade brilliant
I think that this thread should be forwarded onto our American owners just to give them some understanding of what being a Blade is really like