Why do you support Sheffield United?

[cahill]

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.

Derby brought a huge following that day

 

[Anarita blade]

Why do I support Sheffield United?​

I pondered over this for a good while, let’s look at some facts
1.Born in S6 , not a good start
2.Named after a Wendy centre forward , was to have his surname as my middle name but was stopped by my uncle H ,who said he may be a Blade.
3. School was in S6 ,3 Blades in my Year.
4. Mother & Father season ticket holders at owlerton in the north stand.
5. Moved house in 66 to Winn Gardens
Couldn’t get much worse.

Still no idea how I became a Blade.

At my father’s funeral. Had a chat with uncle Hs best mate who asked still supporting the Blades?
It turns out he and uncle H asked my father ,”taken young un to football yet” Dads reply he’s not interested.
So they took me to Bramall Lane , some time before 66 as I had broken my ankle and revived a letter from United with all the players signatures on it..

For a few years my birthday present From my Wendy parents in July would be a season ticket for the Kop.
It’s a bumpy ride supporting the Blades , wouldn’t swop it . ( perhaps the odd cup final win / euro place Would have been nice)
Still get miffed when we lose, was hopeful when the yanks moved in ,but the jury’s still out on them.

 

[VictoriaBlade]

My Dad's side of the family are all Sheffield United, so it has been passed down. I wasn't born in Sheffield and didn't live in the city growing up. Dad and Grandad were season ticket holders through the 60's and 70's, we had family that lived on Denby Street. My Grandad attended the 1936 FA Cup final with his father (who was also at the 1925 final). They also lived on the same street as Billy Gillespie.

My Grandad actually came from a Wednesday supporting family (his Grandfather played for Wednesday in 1880's) but my Grandma's side were all dyed in the wool Blades so he had no chance!

I grew up hearing all this and stories about memorable games and players. After my first game in 1990 (v Liverpool) when I was 10, I was hooked and the rest is history. I longed for our trips back to Sheffield to visit family and I loved reading the Green un cuttings that arrived in the post every week. It wasn't until 2000 that I had my first season ticket on the Kop, and followed home and away for much of that decade. My passion has never wavered and despite living abroad now and being exiled again, I am still as passionate as ever. Those trips back to the Lane are always special.

 

[FulwoodBlades]

I was born in Southampton and supported Saints when growing up. When I moved to Sheffield 35 years ago for work, I decided to watch the Blades because they played in red and white stripes, like Saints (rather than the other team who played in blue like Pompey!)! I have now been a season ticket holder for 25 years and endured Blades for many more years than I ever supported the team of my childhood.

 

[cahill]

My Dad's side of the family are all Sheffield United, so it has been passed down. I wasn't born in Sheffield and didn't live in the city growing up. Dad and Grandad were season ticket holders through the 60's and 70's, we had family that lived on Denby Street. My Grandad attended the 1936 FA Cup final with his father (who was also at the 1925 final). They also lived on the same street as Billy Gillespie.

My Grandad actually came from a Wednesday supporting family (his Grandfather played for Wednesday in 1880's) but my Grandma's side were all dyed in the wool Blades so he had no chance!

I grew up hearing all this and stories about memorable games and players. After my first game in 1990 (v Liverpool) when I was 10, I was hooked and the rest is history. I longed for our trips back to Sheffield to visit family and I loved reading the Green un cuttings that arrived in the post every week. It wasn't until 2000 that I had my first season ticket on the Kop, and followed home and away for much of that decade. My passion has never wavered and despite living abroad now and being exiled again, I am still as passionate as ever. Those trips back to the Lane are always special.

Great story that

 

[Tom Bott]

How did you get here?

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

My great, great grandfather witnessed 3 FA cup wins and only top tier football.

So I was born into supporting the club, though I'm still waiting for similar levels of glory.
With little expectation.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

My dad brought me as a mardy little 7 year old with no particular interest in football. Well, it was slap bang in the middle of the Woody/TC era, and with United in the top flight, the sheer number of people, the colours, the noise, the smell, the swearing, the pure aggression, the raw emotion…It frightened me to fucking death, I didn’t know whether the cry or crap myself.
But that was it…Blade for life.

 

[shorehamview]

My Grandma instilled it into me and took me to my first match. So it’s her fault.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

Because my dad supports Southampton

Although with the year long flash backs to that Moore pass maybe getting banned from the final is a better way to get knocked out.

 

[Kenilworth]

Summat to do innit?

 

[Boroblade1889]

You don’t choose your team, your team chooses you….at least that’s how it used to be. Grandad from Heeley, family roots … Manor , Darnall, Woodhouse and Brinsworth. First game 71 ish. United Beat Ipswich 7-0 with Woody getting 4…. I thought all games were gonna be like that….they weren’t ….exiled since 73.

 

[Sorcerer33]

Simple...I have a high threshold for self flagellation, dissapointment, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, etc,etc...you get the idea !

 

[elgoog44]

first time i went felt like home, I had been with freinds to Rotherham & THEM, which was sh*t and vile, and donny.

I was not going to bother with football but then a group of mates said try the lane and when i walk on the KOP felt at home, felt like i belonged and loved it and to be clear it was a 4 nil loss but still felt like i was in the right place and went from then on, even though i am not living Sheffield or Rotherham now still support from a far and now and again go to close away games if i can get tickets or the occasional home game.

I also made sure my boy was burdened for life and he was a mascot and walked out with Sander which was a very happy moment indeed, and we are still suffering blades to this day.

I wear my Sheffield United Lanyard all day every day.

 

[DifferentClass]

Because we don't spy on our opponents, even going as far as to disguise ourselves as another team

 

[Carlton Blade]

Born in S2 (Arbourthorne), could see Bramall Lane from the top of East Bank Road.

Also, Wednesday are Cunts

 

[wadblade]

They were recommended to me by the British Masochist society

 

[Mojo]

Closest team to where I grew up and also I am not an over confident, deluded, smug, annoying wanker so it was the netural choice.

 

[Bell4]

I was born in Southampton and supported Saints when growing up. When I moved to Sheffield 35 years ago for work, I decided to watch the Blades because they played in red and white stripes, like Saints (rather than the other team who played in blue like Pompey!)! I have now been a season ticket holder for 25 years and endured Blades for many more years than I ever supported the team of my childhood.

Did you know Southampton is full of spies?

 

[LurkerBlade]

Dad was a Blade, grew up on Arbour, used to walk down to watch reserve matches.

At school most were Blades and school kit was red & white.

Played for a Blades team as a young lad & soon after started going regular.

Now go with my sons and FIL as a season ticket holder of many years.

 

[FTPE]

My dad's fault.
He lived over by Mosborough, then he moved over to the Wednesday end when I was a kid, leaving me to fend for myself at school etc.

 

[Ralph Blade]

Came to study at Sheffield University in 1985, went to a few games in S6 and couldn’t stand the flat atmosphere, then went to BDTBL in 1986 for an end of season 5-2 thumping by Norwich, but the atmosphere and the humour on the terraces had me hooked, never looked back.

 

[djbaldken]

As a born and bred Thrybergh lad my initial forays into football were at Millmoor.
Up until secondary school I was a Miller but not fully committed. A friend in my form was an ardent Pigs fan who persuaded me to go to the theatre of rust a few times. I went but didn't really feel anything.
One Saturday afternoon in what must have been winter time I decided to go to Bramall Lane. I'd no idea at the time where the ground was. I got off the 69 Rotherham to Sheffield bus just outside Castle Market and wandered up to Fitzalan Square. I spotted someone wearing a red and white football scarf and followed them along Pond Street eventually making it to the Lane.
I walked up the steps to the back of the kop and stepped out onto the kop itself. A few flakes of snow were falling. Looking down onto the pitch , for some reason, I just felt I belonged. Can't remember who we were playing or what the score was.
But that was it. I was hooked.