Club Overview

Club History

Sheffield United formed in 1889 at the Adelphi Hotel, Sheffield (now the site of the Crucible Theatre) as a way of keeping the Sheffield United Cricket Club together during the winter close season, and generating income revenues from Bramall Lane over the winter. Gradually, as football took off, the football team supplanted the cricket team, such that in 1975, cricket was no longer played at Bramall Lane.

Undoubtedly United's heyday was the 30-year period from 1895–1925, when they were champions of England in 1897–98 and runners up in 1896–97 and 1899–1900, and FA Cup winners in 1899, 1902, 1915 and 1925, finishing runners up in 1901, and also eleven years after their cup final win in 1936. United have not won a trophy since 1925, bar those associated with promotion from lower-leagues, though they did reach both domestic cup semi-finals and the First Division play-off final in the 2002–03 season, ultimately losing all three matches.

Their darkest days were the 1975–76 to 1981–82 seasons, where three relegations in six seasons saw The Blades drop from the top-flight to the fourth division, but this was soon followed by United's best period until Neil Warnock took the managerial helm, with Dave Bassett as manager masterminding successive promotions in the 1988–89 and 1989–90 seasons, to put United back in the top flight in time for the beginning of the Premiership's inception in 1992

The Ground

Bramall Lane

The Blades play at Bramall Lane, in a suburb near the centre of Sheffield. Bramall Lane is the oldest major ground anywhere in the world, having hosted its first game in 1862,[4] a match between Hallam F.C. and Sheffield Club. It was originally a cricket ground and the first important match played here was between Yorkshire and Sussex in 1855. A cricket club was formed in 1854 named Sheffield United Cricket Club and Bramall Lane was leased to the club by the Duke of Norfolk. The ground was opened with a cricket match on 30 April 1855. Yorkshire County Cricket Club also formed here, and played most of their games in Sheffield at Bramall Lane until the last match on 7 August 1973 against their old rivals, Lancashire. The ground has seen expansion in recent years, and by 2006, on completion of a 2000 seat corner stand,[5] was an all-seater stadium holding 32,609.[6] The first ever floodlit football match took place at Bramall Lane on the 15 October 1878. The blades are currently building a hotel which is next to the valad stand.

Sheffield United may be known for their red and white striped kits, but The Blades began playing in white shirts and blue shorts. They briefly flirted with narrow red stripes for the 1890–91 season, before returning to all white the following year. The stripes returned in the 1892–93 season, with black shorts replacing the blue in 1904. The shirts remained largely unchanged until collars were first removed in 1955, replaced by V-necks until the 1966–67 season (when white socks were also used), and from here on the neck style varied hugely.

The traditional red and white striped remained while the 1974–75 season, when elements of black were added, until the 1979–81 kit. This was essentially white with a red breast, and with thin stripes down either side, and was created to accommodate the Cantor's logo, the club's principal sponsor. This was to be replaced by a striped kit, with the sponsor Bentley's (1981–82) and Renault (1982–83) written vertically down a white stripe over the left-hand side. Stripes continued while the 1995–96 season, albeit with various aids to accommodate the sponsors, including a yellow square for Laver from 1988–92 (the 1990–92 shirt also featured narrow black stripes through each white stripe) and a black hoop, also for Laver in the 1994–95 season. Then came the diamond kit, which was so badly received that the club reverted to stripes rather hastily the following season. Since then, red and white stripes and black socks with varying trim have been the order of the day, with black shorts for all but the 2002–05 seasons, when white and then red were tried.[7] The club also every few seasons opt to put thin black stripes between the red and white stripes. Sheffield United's home colours have been the inspiration for the kit of Irish club, Derry City. In 1934, Derry City adopted the stripes, while Billy Gillespie was manager of the club, in recognition of Gillespie's achievements at Sheffield United.[8]

The first time a crest appeared on the shirt was actually in the 1891–92 season, when a red crest appeared on the white shirt, but this disappeared the following season. United used the city of Sheffield's coat of arms from 1965–77, when a new crest was used, introduced by former manager Jimmy Sirrel, but designed apparently over 20 years previously by former player Jimmy Hagan. This consisted of two white crossed swords, or blades, the club's nickname, with a Yorkshire Rose (white) above, on a black background. This is surrounded by a red ring with "Sheffield United F.C." written around the top and "1889", the year the club was founded, underneath. This had been altered very slightly a few times, with a simple black embroidered crest appearing on shirts from 1987–90, and an all-white crest on a red-edged black shield for the 1992–99 seasons, when shields were in fashion with English football clubs, but from 2000–present it has reverted to its original form.

The kit manufacturer is Le Coq Sportif, they have been the kit supplier since 2002 and also in 1997–2000. The 2008–2009 season home shirt was designed by a season ticket holder, and the all black away kit was chosen by the players and will be made by Le Coq Sportif. Sheffield United's shirt sponsor was HFS Loans for the 2004–05 and 2005–06 seasons. Following the takeover of HFS Loans by Capital One, the shirt sponsor is now Capital One. Who will sponsor the Blades for 3 years of the 5-year deal done with HFS Loans.[9]

Club Rivalries

Sheffield United have numerous rivalries. The most outstanding rivalry is with their city neighbours Sheffield Wednesday. Both teams have chants which aim to berate the other, as with many rivals. United and Wednesday's meeting has come to be known as the Steel City derby; to date 119 matches have been played in the Steel City derby, with United winning 44, Wednesday 38, and 37 draws. Sheffield United's other rivals are mainly other teams from Yorkshire, such as Leeds United, Barnsley and Rotherham United. Sheffield Wednesday (nicknamed The Owls) remain United's main rivals as meetings between United and Wednesday have occurred the most, and most of Sheffield supports one of the two teams. Sheffield Wednesday have not done the league double over Sheffield United for 94 years, meanwhile United last did the league double over them in the 2005/2006 season.

Sheffield United, also have, along with many other sports teams across Yorkshire, a strong rivalry with Nottingham Forest. This can be attributed to the miners strikes of the 1980s, where workers in the pits of Nottinghamshire scabbed, where as miners from Yorkshire were on strike. Many fans now feel a rivalry with West Ham United, due to the controversial Tevez saga.

Stars of the Current Squad

Club Legends

1890s: Ernest Needham, William Foulke, Billy Hendry

1900s: Alf Common

1910s: Albert Sturgess, George Utley

1920s: Billy Gillespie, Fred Tunstall, Harry Johnson

1930s: Jimmy Dunne, Jock Dodds, Bobby Barclay, Jack Pickering

1940s: Jimmy Hagan

1950s: Joe Shaw, Ted Burgin, Graham Shaw, Cec Coldwell

1960s: Alan Hodgkinson, Derek Pace, Mick Jones

1970s: Tony Currie, Alan Woodward, Len Badger, Eddie Colquhoun, Trevor Hockey, Alex Sabella

1980s: Keith Edwards, Colin Morris, Paul Stancliffe

1990s: Brian Deane, Tony Agana, Simon Tracey, Alan Kelly

2000s: Michael Brown, Paul Peschisolido, Phil Jagielka,Michael Tonge

Most Appearances

Most Goals

Player Recognition & Awards

Team Honours

Club Management

Uniforms

Stadium

Sponsors

International Links

In January 2006, Sheffield United became the first foreign club to take over a Chinese team when they purchased the football club Chengdu Wuniu, based in the city of Chengdu, China. The club was re-named the Chengdu Blades, after their new owners. Sheffield United shirts are now sold in China, and Chengdu shirts are now sold in Sheffield, increasing revenue streams for both clubs.

Along with this, Sheffield United also have friendship links with Brazilian club São Paulo, boosted by the visit of Pelé to Sheffield. Pelé was guest of honour at Sheffield F.C.'s 150th anniversary celebration match v Inter Milan, held at Bramall Lane.In February 2008 Kevin McCabe, the club's chairman, finalised an agreement with Budapest-based Ferencváros to buy its football team, and also negotiated with the Hungarian government to purchase and develop the ground around Stadion Albert Flórián. The development of a new all-seater football stadium with a capacity of 25,000 has been started. A match was played in Budapest to celebrate the link-up.

The Blades also have operating/business and exchange of ideas links with Central Coast Mariners of Australia and White Star Woluwé of Belgium. The Australian Valad Property Group are also sponsors of the South Stand at Bramall Lane.

References