Wednesday v United

[wednesday1957]

That cup semi final must have been fun.

I don’t know Sheffield at all, but I’ve always preferred Wednesday. I like their name, and their fans always strike me as decent.

'93 semi..Never been as nervous in me life...Seriously most Owls and blades would have taken the win instead of winning the final...which, when you look at it is impossible.
We went down on a double decker coach from Leadmill garage, which is just down the road from bramall Lane..coach split 50/50 all mates, but f,ook me it was nerve wracking.
Funny thing was..on the way down it was mixed, both sets sorta trying to be polite, all that crap about...
"I can't see us winning this"
"Nah ..I think you will win"
You know when you just say stuff , to stave off the disappointment that has'nt even happened yet
Our bus driver was an Owl..then you passed a bus on M1 and their driver was a Blade..f.ookin' drivers taking their hands offa the wheel to give the other bloke the finger!...sodding accident waiting to happen....coming home..all Owls on the top eck partying, and some of your mates..actually my best mate on the lower deck , miserable as f.ook
We had actually agreed not to see each other , on the coach, or in a pub on the way back..cos you can seriously fall out over this sh *t
so we Didn't
met him in a pub 3 says after the game one evening..him and his missus..., they were both proper Blades....
sorta, not uncomfortable, but our Lass is a mad Wednesday fan..So you try and dodge around the game, you should mention it, cos its the massive elephant in the room...
conversation went..eventually
"You deserved the win"
Our lass
"We should have had 10!!!"


I thought..FFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Swindon On Tour]

Wednesday have always taken way more to Sunderland than Blades.
Even when away travel wasn't anything like it is now (late 60s,early 70s), they still brought hundreds up. One season we played them in the league and the following week iirc in the cup. Had around 1000 for the league game and double that for the cup. They also tried to get in to the FE in cup game and were chased back down to the RE.
Don't even think Blades sold full allocation for PO SF 98 !!

Same at Swindon with Wednesday bringing more.
Used to always enjoy both their visits mind, always decent games and a good crowd.

The days of a few away fans in the home ends, with both trying their luck at Swindon but didn’t get very far. Unfortunately most used to kick off to the left of the middle where I used to stand. Would grab the barrier and hope it would be sorted.

 

[wednesday1957]

Nowt wrong with Dave Allen. He's kept my mrs and brother inlaw in employment for the past 30 yrs. Irrc he kept your lot afloat with the money he invested in the club and got nothing back in return, got more thought about when he upsticks and went to Chesterfield.

Bloke I worked with at Bass used to run it.

nice to know you worked at a place that didn't f.ookin' burn down mate...after yer Fletchers tale the other week in The railway

 

[Wise Man Says]

'93 semi..Never been as nervous in me life...Seriously most Owls and blades would have taken the win instead of winning the final...which, when you look at it is impossible.
We went down on a double decker coach from Leadmill garage, which is just down the road from bramall Lane..coach split 50/50 all mates, but f,ook me it was nerve wracking.
Funny thing was..on the way down it was mixed, both sets sorta trying to be polite, all that crap about...
"I can't see us winning this"
"Nah ..I think you will win"
You know when you just say stuff , to stave off the disappointment that has'nt even happened yet
Our bus driver was an Owl..then you passed a bus on M1 and their driver was a Blade..f.ookin' drivers taking their hands offa the wheel to give the other bloke the finger!...sodding accident waiting to happen....coming home..all Owls on the top eck partying, and some of your mates..actually my best mate on the lower deck , miserable as f.ook
We had actually agreed not to see each other , on the coach, or in a pub on the way back..cos you can seriously fall out over this sh *t
so we Didn't
met him in a pub 3 says after the game one evening..him and his missus..., they were both proper Blades....
sorta, not uncomfortable, but our Lass is a mad Wednesday fan..So you try and dodge around the game, you should mention it, cos its the massive elephant in the room...
conversation went..eventually
"You deserved the win"
Our lass
"We should have had 10!!!"


I thought..FFS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That sounds class. What a trip! Pity you lost both finals that season

My key memory of the semi was Alan Cork looking about 65 and scoring. Great goal by Waddle too.

 

[Swindon On Tour]

I remember a few years back when there was riots in the UK, it started in London, think it was summat to do with that Mark Duggan shooting. Every major city In the UK had riots apart from Cardiff and Sheffield. Made me quite proud.

Swindon riots are backed by the Council.
The Town needs smashing up to make wholesale improvements.
The Council can‘t be trusted with any infrastructure improvements, Ffs as if they got it right with that Roundabout and the Brunel Rooms.

Swindon was the first Town with a revolving dance floor in a night club.
Something about going round in circles this Town, as portrayed by this Football Club.

The best achievement ever was the GWR, Gods Wonderful Railway. Its major success it was the quickest and most direct route of of the Town either East or West.

 

[wednesday1957]

That sounds class. What a trip! Pity you lost both finals that season

My key memory of the semi was Alan Cork looking about 65 and scoring. Great goal by Waddle too.

Waddle played Cork onside for Uniteds equaliser..at our end...big grey bearded f.ooker heading towards us.....surely he will die in the next 20 ft...

Tw*t!

 

[Wise Man Says]

Waddle played Cork onside for Uniteds equaliser..at our end...big grey bearded f.ooker heading towards us.....surely he will die in the next 20 ft...

Tw*t!

Haha, all’s well that ended well mate. I listened to a podcast with John Sheridan recently (Under the Cosh) and it seemed like he loved his time at Wednesday. That was a great team you had during that era - Woods, Walker, Waddle etc.

 

[Swindon On Tour]

He asked the question..so gave him the answer regards the differences.

I'm in my 50's and over the decades always thought United and Wednesday fans are quite different.

In some ways Wednesday fans are better, even when they have terrible owners you'll still attend matches and support the team.
You're more loyal but I've heard it said by many Sheffielder's, "too loyal" and that's possibly part of the reason for your struggles.

Where as United fans are more likely to demonstrate, boycott the matches and throw their toys out of the pram. In some ways more passionate but more fickle.

You never had Sammy thus lose some points on this one.

Careful what you wish for .

You could have neighbours like the complete pack of twats we have .

You could have neighbours that are 27 miles away and smell of piss and like painting wooden fences.

actually I'll give you that...Blades fans won't accept the crap Wednesday fans will.....and thats not slating Blades fans, cos they have had some reight crap to put up with...Their Chairman once had to come to the ground in disguise!!...as they dropped to the 4th division...I give 'em credit for that..Cos some of our fans stood through fans being sued over comments online.
Instead of doing what blades fans did...tipping up in the car park and taking their shoes off and stuff..Wednesday organised a "Black Balloon protest"
IOt was then deemed "Dangerous" to bring a "Black Balloon into Hillsborough" by order of The Chairman...funnily enough..you could still bring a "Blue" balloon in
I wrote to the club
"Dear Mr whoveritwas.
I have carried out an experiment on my 5 yr old son
I hit him 50 times over the head with a black Balloon and the following day...50 times over the head with a blue balloon ..I have found there is no noticeable difference..Can I bring a black ballon this saturday?"

No f.ookin' answer

-

 

[wednesday1957]

Haha, all’s well that ended well mate. I listened to a podcast with John Sheridan recently (Under the Cosh) and it seemed like he loved his time at Wednesday. That was a great team you had during that era - Woods, Walker, Waddle etc.

roland Nillson mate..Best player for his position Ive ever seen in a Wednesday shirt, that includes Sheridan, Hirst, fantham, waddle, Di canio
Obviously yer much older tham me owls fans...(Can't be many left"...)
will give you a bloke called "Mother Turton"..think he was a right or left back....I was told outside a boozer nr Hillsborough, by an Uncle that
"He could run as fast backards, as he could forrards"
I simply asked ..
"But if he ran slowly "forrards"..would that sorta make the "Backards" like thingy sorta not owt to be exceptional"/
Got scutched round the ear and no crisps passed out

 

[MEEKLANGLEYFTM]

I've nee preference of either tbh, liked Chris waddle and Chris Woods early to mid 90's and liked sean beans fleeting career at utd in the 90s , two cracking grounds that have been upgraded well and I've been to quite a few times, I think ultimately its about the people and I have a lot of time for those from Yorkshire

 

[blade01]

tell us about the fake moon landings and JFK while yer on mate...Holy mother o God!!!
historical attendance figures
Sunderland 10th
Sheffield Wednesday 11th
Sheffield United.....19th

I thought the above must be wrong because Sheff Wed don't have anywhere near the support that Sunderland have.
Surely historically it's much close to Sheff United historical average.

However I've checked and your info is correct, just shows that statistics can almost prove anything.

Sunderland historical average 25.8K, SWFC 21.4K, SUFC 19.3K
So the Sheff United average is only 2K below Wednesday where as Wednesdays average is 4.4K behind Sunderland.

Strange but true fact

Ih the last 54 years with Hillsboro holding over 50K guess how many time SW have averaged over 30K

Sunderland 23 times
Sheff United 3 times
Sheff Wednesday zero times

So most people in living memory have seen the odd big crowd at Hillsboro but there's not many people alive that have seen regular big crowds at Hillsboro.
Wednesdays claim to fame is more about potential, they get brilliant support (far better than United) for one-off games, so it shows what's possible.

Even last seasons United averaged 27,611 in the Championship.The last time Wednesday beat that level of support whilst outside the top flight was 1952-53 season.
....that's 71 years ago when admittedly in the early 50's the SW support was brillant (40K to 43K).

 

[Swindon On Tour]

Haha, all’s well that ended well mate. I listened to a podcast with John Sheridan recently (Under the Cosh) and it seemed like he loved his time at Wednesday. That was a great team you had during that era - Woods, Walker, Waddle etc.

if only Sheridan would have never been invited to join us.
I could have remembered him as a terrific player and servant to Sheffield Wednesday, without doubt a legend.

He single handedly tried to create his own Jurassic Park film in the County Ground studio. Covid and Ifollow was bad enough, even I was shit scared of Dinosaurs for that season, only knows how lucky I was as the Government prevented me from having to endure a 9-0-1 formation with Brontosaurus Pitman standing in a painted makeshift swap on the 6 yard box.

 

[wednesday1957]

I've nee preference of either tbh, liked Chris waddle and Chris Woods early to mid 90's and liked sean beans fleeting career at utd in the 90s , two cracking grounds that have been upgraded well and I've been to quite a few times, I think ultimately its about the people and I have a lot of time for those from Yorkshire

I think that more or less sums it up mate
I have mates who are Sunderland fans, two of 'em were up at our last weekend, they don't quite understand the rivalry with united..cos its different to the rivalry you lot have with Newcastle...We are the same city, you might have family members on each side of the divide, you don't fall out with them over bloody football1
you'll have the odd spat, you'll have banter..but you won't sorta stop 'em at the doorstep.
But..one thing Ive always taken from one of me Sunderland mates is..and its always rang true from my experience is
"You can talk to a Sunderland fan about football...but you can only talk to a Newcastle fan about Newcastle...that rang true when we met some on holiday in Portugal

Boring as f.ook

I thought the above must be wrong because Sheff Wed don't have anywhere near the support that Sunderland have.
Surely historically it's much close to Sheff United historical average.

However I've checked and your info is correct, just shows that statistics can almost prove anything.

Sunderland historical average 25.8K, SWFC 21.4K, SUFC 19.3K
So the Sheff United average is only 2K below Wednesday where as Wednesdays average is 4.4K behind Sunderland.

Strange but true fact

Ih the last 54 years with Hillsboro holding over 50K guess how many time SW have averaged over 30K

Sunderland 23 times
Sheff United 3 times
Sheff Wednesday zero times

So most people in living memory have seen the odd big crowd at Hillsboro but there's not many people alive that have seen regular big crowds at Hillsboro.
Wednesdays claim to fame is more about potential, they get brilliant support (far better than United) for one-off games, so it shows what's possible.

Even last seasons United averaged 27,611 in the Championship.The last time Wednesday beat that level of support whilst outside the top flight was 1952-53 season.
....that's 71 years ago when admittedly in the early 50's the SW support was brillant (40K to 43K).

I mean...you coulda just said "I was right" and saved the bandwidth mate..Last time we were both in the same position down here Wednesday averaged 2k more than nited..both going for promotion..But yea...theres little difference....but gimme a call when you get 40k in v wycombe lol

 

[KEV_SAFC_FTM]

I don’t mind either Sheffield club, both big clubs with good fans and have similar histories to us; success and plenty of failures. Infact, most Yorkshire clubs and their fans are decent, little aggro anywhere unless you are looking for it. Except Leeds, they can fuck off.

 

[blade01]

That cup semi final must have been fun.

I don’t know Sheffield at all, but I’ve always preferred Wednesday. I like their name, and their fans always strike me as decent.

It was a kind of a non event.
Wednesday had all the talent and better footballing style whereas United had the physical edge...more like a Wimbledon style.
However think our players must have had too much pre match adrenaline because we looked knackered after 15 minutes.

It became a really one sided embarrassing demolition.
On the day Wednesday deserved to win 5-0, but our keeper Alan Kelly made several world class saves.

We equalised towards the end with a rare attack to make it 1-1 and it went into extra time.
I kept thinking if we win then it will be one the biggest injustices I've even seen.

Wednesday scored to make it 2-1 and to be honest it was a relief that we weren't thrashed.
Wednesday were by far the better team on the day, so it made defeat easier to accept.

 

[MEEKLANGLEYFTM]

I think that more or less sums it up mate
I have mates who are Sunderland fans, two of 'em were up at our last weekend, they don't quite understand the rivalry with united..cos its different to the rivalry you lot have with Newcastle...We are the same city, you might have family members on each side of the divide, you don't fall out with them over bloody football1
you'll have the odd spat, you'll have banter..but you won't sorta stop 'em at the doorstep.
But..one thing Ive always taken from one of me Sunderland mates is..and its always rang true from my experience is
"You can talk to a Sunderland fan about football...but you can only talk to a Newcastle fan about Newcastle...that rang true when we met some on holiday in Portugal

Boring as f.ook

I'm from Durham so 50/50 and families similar (mine for example dad's side sunlun, mams mag) what you say about them talking about themselves is almost true they can talk a hell of a lot about sunlun too, I couldn't tell you who they playing next but they will know exactly what we are doing and no doubt try some very unfunny unwitty attempt at humor (nee Airport etc) , they are the most obnoxious self entitled b@satards I have the unfortunate daily occurance of crossing paths with, fake bandwagon jumpers in 92 and its happening all again now thanks to the terrorists, I never will nor never want to start a conversation about them lot but can guarantee one will come to me to talk sunlun

 

[Steak Pie]

Never had any problem with either sets of fans or either club, both pretty old fashioned clubs. Nominally prefer United as the ground is in the city centre, but the wife is an Owl so that's not a popular opinion in this house.

Always liked Sheffield as a city as well, it's a slightly smaller and less edgy version on Manchester.

The next match I go to over there will be the proper team from that city, Sheffield FC v Consett in November, and they don't even play in Sheffield.

 

[woodlebert]

Thank you for all of the considered replies so far

 

[wednesday1957]

I’ve found all the Yorkshire clubs to be decent, no aggro anywhere. Except Leeds, they can fuck off.

Me mum hated Leeds...never knew why..and i'm going back 50 years.....ive never seen a more rabid sunderland fan (Who was actually a Wednesday fan)..when Porterfield scored against Leeds in the Cup final....she jumped up and shouted the 1970's equivalent of "Get the f.ook in!!!!"
3 kids sat there....thinkin'
"Whats up wiv me mum!!"

 

[blade01]

I’ve found all the Yorkshire clubs to be decent, no aggro anywhere. Except Leeds, they can fuck off.

Agree they alway seem an arrogant nasty lot
and the weird thing it's that very few seem to be from Leeds.

In Sheffield we have a bit of a thing regards Leeds.
Sheffield is the traditional heartland of football whereas Leeds is traditionally a big rugby league area.

However Leeds always receive far more media attention than Sheffield.

Leeds United receive positive media attention based on their 40K home support and selling out the away end.
However a single Sheffield team would have a 60K regular support, so it's no comparison. Sheffield is far and away a bigger football city.