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Sheffield United away match day thread


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Welcome fellow-Reds to a Sunday afternoon game (1230 kick off) in the steel city of Sheffield. Coverage is on the red button.

This is the first of three games against teams who are at the wrong end of the table (with Derby County and Hull City next up.) Today’s opponents began the season slowly and are currently immediately above us in the table, on goal difference, we have both won six, drawn five and lost eight.

They have looked dangerous from corners two of their three goals against Hull City back in September were from corners. Billy Sharpe is always a handful and Gibbs-White (on loan from Wolves) looks a really decent player.

After last weekends 0-0 draw with Coventry their now ex-boss Slavisa Jokanovic said: ‘We didn't play the first 45 minutes very well, we didn't show enough quality. The second 45 minutes we played better, we created more chances and I felt we deserved more in this part of the game. But we needed to do it from the start. We were too nervous and weren't comfortable. We cannot be satisfied with this result. I can understand the crowd. I must encourage my players, I must push them, I must motivate them and make sure they trust themselves.’ All of which sounds rather familiar!

On Tuesday they faced Reading away and the Blades won thanks to a goal from Jayden Bogle. During the match John Fleck received ‘urgent medical care’ on the pitch and was stretchered off after receiving lengthy treatment after going down unchallenged. He was taken to a waiting ambulance and then spent the night in hospital, he was discharged the following day.

Then on Thursday they parted company with their manager, perhaps due to a combination of factors including, according to my neighbour who is a fan, some of the players still in the Wilder mindset and SJ not having the right players to play his way - does that sound familiar? They immediately appointed Paul Heckingbottom (known by some Blades fans as Finishbottom) as his replacement on a four-and-a-half-year deal. The 44 year old ended last season in caretaker charge as they were relegated from the Premier League before Jokanovic took over in May.

Pre-match PH said ‘My approach will be the same as last time. I always want to see hard work. I want to see people taking responsibility and being judged on that, making people accountable for their work, their effort and their standards, but I want to see smiles on faces again, everyone across the club.’ Based on this Blades fan’s view he may struggle to put smiles on fans faces again ‘Spend a fortune on bringing a manager in with a proven track record of promotion at this level, only to sack him a few months later and replace him with the guy who had the job before him.’

Sheffield snippets

  • Bramall Lane played host to the first ever game under floodlights way back in 1878, which is before Sheffield United were even formed!
  • Bramall Lane is currently the oldest football ground in the world still to be hosting professional football matches. Bramall Lane was opened in 1855, a whole 39 years before the Blades were even formed. The ground was initially used to host cricket, before it was adapted later in the century to become the home of Sheffield United upon their formation in 1889. It has hosted both international football and cricket matches, making it one of only two grounds in England to have hosted such events.
  • Sheffield United FC, was the first English football club with “United” in its name.
  • The nickname of The Blades is gleaned from the famous and bespoken cutlery and knife industry that Sheffield is famed for.
  • In 1904 the club became the only one to this day in the top flight of the English game to field a starting 11 of full England international players.
  • Their match with Arsenal on January 22, 1927, was the first game to be featured in a live radio broadcast. The BBC gave live commentary of the match and the Radio Times featured a map of the pitch with numbers so listeners could work out where the ball was. The goalkeeper’s area was called square one and this was the first use of the phrase ‘Back to Square One’.
  • They scored the first ever goal in the Premiership. Brian Deane scored the first ever Premier League goal when he headed home against Manchester United at Bramall Lane on 15th August 1992.
  • Famous fans include Sean Bean (actor); Kell Brook (Boxer); Jessica Ennis-Hill (Olympic champion); Paul Heaton (Beautiful South, Housemartins); Joe Elliott (Def Leopard); Flea (Red Hot Chilli peppers); Matthew Fitzpatrick (golfer); Mark Labbett (The Beast, Chase); Sir Michael Palin (Actor); Joe Root (cricketer); Juan Veron (footballer).
  • A number of films and television programmes have included references (some quite subtle) to Sheffield United including:

> In 1977 Sheffield United are referenced by Brian Blessed’s character in a third series episode of the BBC post-apocalyptic drama series Survivors from the 1970s. Blessed's character also wears a Sheffield United scarf throughout.

> In 1990, the BBC produced a six-part documentary series named ‘United’ that followed the fortunes of the club towards the end of the 1989-90 season, in which they achieved automatic promotion to the top flight of English football.

> The 1996 film When Saturday Comes  stars real-life United fan Sean Bean as a part-time Hallum FC player who is scouted by Sheffield United, who then goes on to play in a FA Cup semi-final. The 1997 British comedy film The Full Monty is set in Sheffield and the character 'Gaz' is seen wearing a replica United shirt in one part of the film, and promises his son a ticket for a game at Bramall Lane between Sheffield United and Manchester United.

> The 2004 Walt Disney film National Treasure, which stars Sean Bean and Nicolas Cage as the lead character. There is a scene where Bean's character is writing on a yellow notepad. Near the top right corner of the notepad is a doodle of the Sheffield United club emblem, the crossed blades and a dot to represent the Yorkshire rose.

> The 2005 film Batman Begins features a child wearing a 1990s Blades shirt.

> Finally, the 2012 television drama Prisoners’ Wives also references the club.

Back to the drama of this afternoon, we will be looking to keep our recent mini revival going as will they. Their form has been WLDLDW = 8 points, while our last six games have yielded 7 points LWLLDW. Our head-to-head record against them isn’t good we have lost 30, won 16 and drawn 11. However, we have won our last two league games against them 1-0 at Ashton Gate and 3-2 at Bramall Lane back in March 2019 and they beat us 1-0 (with a Billy Sharp penalty) in February this year in the FA Cup.

NP has confirmed that Joe Williams won’t feature, Bakes is OK and we will need to wait to see if Matty James is ready. Would expect Sheffield United to be unchanged (aside from Fleck) following their midweek victory, although Iliman Ndiaye is apparently back with the first-team, after playing for the under-23s, he is well known to HP and might get a start today.

Wrap up warm the traveling Red Army., you will need more than a tee shirt!  Enjoy the game wherever you are cheering the City on.

 

 

 

4C9812EA-0C68-45AE-AB3C-E1D23C995F68.jpeg

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7 minutes ago, JonDolman said:

Looking for a good performance today. We can't rely on bad finishing like we did against Stoke. We did improve after we scored, but the start of the game was so bad. And at 1-0 they still had a few great chances 2nd half. But we don't create anything to give us a chance of extending the lead.

I don't actually think there will be any resting of players today. Obviously Williams out so a chance will be made there. Might just be the midfield that finished the game.

Up top I expect Weimann and Martin to start again. Pearson doesn't like changing a team that has just won.

Agree, be good to see Conway on the bench.

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A mixed memory from Brammall Lane.
One visit there at a time I was living in France saw me arrive at the ground very early for some reason. I asked a steward at the door of the main stand where I could get a drink, telling him I’d travelled a long way to be there hoping he might take pity. Overhearing this was Kevin McCabe, the then chairman who happened to be walking by.

We had a quick chat and he invited me in to what was like the director’s bar where he said I could stay until it got very busy. Nice.

In the ground I found myself sat next to the injured City player Jamie McCombe. The seats in that stand, once terracing, we’re ridiculously close together and both being tall Jamie and I, sat in a fairly quiet part at the front, both got told off by the steward for putting our feet over the seat in front of us.

I explained to the steward that he was an injured professional footballer and squeezing his legs in could set him back. The steward must have thought I’d said I was the footballer as he stared at me and said “yeah right” and we both had to do what we were told. 
And we lost 3-0.

1-1 today COYR

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1 hour ago, Jerseybean said:

Welcome fellow-Reds to a Sunday afternoon game (1230 kick off) in the steel city of Sheffield. Coverage is on the red button.

This is the first of three games against teams who are at the wrong end of the table (with Derby County and Hull City next up.) Today’s opponents began the season slowly and are currently immediately above us in the table, on goal difference, we have both won six, drawn five and lost eight.

They have looked dangerous from corners two of their three goals against Hull City back in September were from corners. Billy Sharpe is always a handful and Gibbs-White (on loan from Wolves) looks a really decent player.

After last weekends 0-0 draw with Coventry their now ex-boss Slavisa Jokanovic said: ‘We didn't play the first 45 minutes very well, we didn't show enough quality. The second 45 minutes we played better, we created more chances and I felt we deserved more in this part of the game. But we needed to do it from the start. We were too nervous and weren't comfortable. We cannot be satisfied with this result. I can understand the crowd. I must encourage my players, I must push them, I must motivate them and make sure they trust themselves.’ All of which sounds rather familiar!

On Tuesday they faced Reading away and the Blades won thanks to a goal from Jayden Bogle. During the match John Fleck received ‘urgent medical care’ on the pitch and was stretchered off after receiving lengthy treatment after going down unchallenged. He was taken to a waiting ambulance and then spent the night in hospital, he was discharged the following day.

Then on Thursday they parted company with their manager, perhaps due to a combination of factors including, according to my neighbour who is a fan, some of the players still in the Wilder mindset and SJ not having the right players to play his way - does that sound familiar? They immediately appointed Paul Heckingbottom (known by some Blades fans as Finishbottom) as his replacement on a four-and-a-half-year deal. The 44 year old ended last season in caretaker charge as they were relegated from the Premier League before Jokanovic took over in May.

Pre-match PH said ‘My approach will be the same as last time. I always want to see hard work. I want to see people taking responsibility and being judged on that, making people accountable for their work, their effort and their standards, but I want to see smiles on faces again, everyone across the club.’ Based on this Blades fan’s view he may struggle to put smiles on fans faces again ‘Spend a fortune on bringing a manager in with a proven track record of promotion at this level, only to sack him a few months later and replace him with the guy who had the job before him.’

Sheffield snippets

  • Bramall Lane played host to the first ever game under floodlights way back in 1878, which is before Sheffield United were even formed!
  • Bramall Lane is currently the oldest football ground in the world still to be hosting professional football matches. Bramall Lane was opened in 1855, a whole 39 years before the Blades were even formed. The ground was initially used to host cricket, before it was adapted later in the century to become the home of Sheffield United upon their formation in 1889. It has hosted both international football and cricket matches, making it one of only two grounds in England to have hosted such events.
  • Sheffield United FC, was the first English football club with “United” in its name.
  • The nickname of The Blades is gleaned from the famous and bespoken cutlery and knife industry that Sheffield is famed for.
  • In 1904 the club became the only one to this day in the top flight of the English game to field a starting 11 of full England international players.
  • Their match with Arsenal on January 22, 1927, was the first game to be featured in a live radio broadcast. The BBC gave live commentary of the match and the Radio Times featured a map of the pitch with numbers so listeners could work out where the ball was. The goalkeeper’s area was called square one and this was the first use of the phrase ‘Back to Square One’.
  • They scored the first ever goal in the Premiership. Brian Deane scored the first ever Premier League goal when he headed home against Manchester United at Bramall Lane on 15th August 1992.
  • Famous fans include Sean Bean (actor); Kell Brook (Boxer); Jessica Ennis-Hill (Olympic champion); Paul Heaton (Beautiful South, Housemartins); Joe Elliott (Def Leopard); Flea (Red Hot Chilli peppers); Matthew Fitzpatrick (golfer); Mark Labbett (The Beast, Chase); Sir Michael Palin (Actor); Joe Root (cricketer); Juan Veron (footballer).
  • A number of films and television programmes have included references (some quite subtle) to Sheffield United including:

> In 1977 Sheffield United are referenced by Brian Blessed’s character in a third series episode of the BBC post-apocalyptic drama series Survivors from the 1970s. Blessed's character also wears a Sheffield United scarf throughout.

> In 1990, the BBC produced a six-part documentary series named ‘United’ that followed the fortunes of the club towards the end of the 1989-90 season, in which they achieved automatic promotion to the top flight of English football.

> The 1996 film When Saturday Comes  stars real-life United fan Sean Bean as a part-time Hallum FC player who is scouted by Sheffield United, who then goes on to play in a FA Cup semi-final. The 1997 British comedy film The Full Monty is set in Sheffield and the character 'Gaz' is seen wearing a replica United shirt in one part of the film, and promises his son a ticket for a game at Bramall Lane between Sheffield United and Manchester United.

> The 2004 Walt Disney film National Treasure, which stars Sean Bean and Nicolas Cage as the lead character. There is a scene where Bean's character is writing on a yellow notepad. Near the top right corner of the notepad is a doodle of the Sheffield United club emblem, the crossed blades and a dot to represent the Yorkshire rose.

> The 2005 film Batman Begins features a child wearing a 1990s Blades shirt.

> Finally, the 2012 television drama Prisoners’ Wives also references the club.

Back to the drama of this afternoon, we will be looking to keep our recent mini revival going as will they. Their form has been WLDLDW = 8 points, while our last six games have yielded 7 points LWLLDW. Our head-to-head record against them isn’t good we have lost 30, won 16 and drawn 11. However, we have won our last two league games against them 1-0 at Ashton Gate and 3-2 at Bramall Lane back in March 2019 and they beat us 1-0 (with a Billy Sharp penalty) in February this year in the FA Cup.

NP has confirmed that Joe Williams won’t feature, Bakes is OK and we will need to wait to see if Matty James is ready. Would expect Sheffield United to be unchanged (aside from Fleck) following their midweek victory, although Iliman Ndiaye is apparently back with the first-team, after playing for the under-23s, he is well known to HP and might get a start today.

Wrap up warm the traveling Red Army., you will need more than a tee shirt!  Enjoy the game wherever you are cheering the City on.

 

 

 

4C9812EA-0C68-45AE-AB3C-E1D23C995F68.jpeg

Thanks! Interesting fact about “back to square one”

Plus this T-shirt would make a great present for my brother in law! Where’s it from?

C’mon City, wished I was going today as Brammall Lane was on my wish list but kick off time prevented it. Never mind, there’s always next season. 
 

Safe travels to those going. Enjoy the match. COYRs 

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The most intriguing thing there is Bramall Lane’s duel use for cricket and football. I can remember that - it had stands on three sides until 1973 and Yorkshire played matches there up to that point. Then they built a fourth stand on the cricket square and reverted to football only. Apparently (thanks Wikipedia) there was even an England v Australia test there, over a hundred years ago.

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27 minutes ago, exAtyeoMax said:

Thanks! Interesting fact about “back to square one”

Plus this T-shirt would make a great present for my brother in law! Where’s it from?

C’mon City, wished I was going today as Brammall Lane was on my wish list but kick off time prevented it. Never mind, there’s always next season. 
 

Safe travels to those going. Enjoy the match. COYRs 

Not sure where you can buy the T (I just found the pic) you will need to do a bit of internet searching 

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Bristol City faced Sheffield United in the other semi-final and the first leg was held at Ashton Gate in Bristol on 15 May 1988. In front of their largest crowd in nine years, Alan Walsh put the home side ahead two minutes before half-time with his 14th goal of the season after shooting from close range after a long throw-in from Steve McClaren. Bristol City's goalkeeper Keith Waughmade a number of saves, from Richard Cadette, Wally Downes and Paul Stancliffe, and the match ended 1–0.[8]The second leg was played three days later at Bramall Lane in Sheffield. In the 16th minute, Bristol City took the lead when Carl Shutt scored with a diving header. Colin Morris equalised after half-time after he lifted the ball over Waugh in the Bristol City goal and the match ended 1–1. With a 2–1 aggregate victory, Bristol City progressed to the final while Sheffield United were relegated to the Third Division.

Wikipedia.

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18 minutes ago, Major Isewater said:

Bristol City faced Sheffield United in the other semi-final and Bristol City progressed to the final while Sheffield United were relegated to the Third Division.

 

That Final; May 25th. 1988, a packed Ashton Gate saw Walsall win 3-1, but three days later, City won the return two nil! In the dying moments a shot for a winning third goal passed inches wide of the Walsall post. A penalty shoot out was now held to determine the venue for a third deciding game. Once again City proved inept with spot kicks and had to return to Walsall on May 30th. In a one sided encounter, Walsall, in their centenary season won 4-0 and with it promotion to division two.

The following season Walsall were relegated straight back down whereas Sheff U did the double over City and went straight back up.

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