Random away derby day memories.

[Owling_Wolf]

My shoe!   🙄

My first visit to their ground - my first away game -  was in September 1967. I was 14 and my mate 15.  Obviously, being older, he 'knew things'.  One of which was that the Wednesday were going to all meet up in Fitzalan Square and walk to the match together.  This seemed strange to me as, travelling by bus from Frecheville, even I knew that if you wanted to get to United's ground you got off at the bottom of Granville Road. Fitzallan Square was miles past there: what was the point of that. Anyway, I kept quiet and soon we were in the ever growing crowd in the square.  Soon accompanied by lots of police and - presumably - dogs.  

Suddenly, with no apparent signal, we all moved off at a brisk walk - on Eyre St if I recall.  How strange!  Why were we going down there?  Soon the walk became a shuffle and suddenly a run. And then - disaster!  I was wearing my new, fashionable 'Chelsea boots', similar to what the Beatles wore. Thin black leather chisel toed slip-ons with black elastic panels up both sides.  And during the shuffling run some absolute wazzock stood on the back of my shoe, which burst the elastic panels on both sides of it.  So now I was trying to keep up, in the middle of a densely packed, running crowd, whilst wearing one boot and one flip flop!   Of all the times!!   

My next surprise was when we got down the other end of Eyre St. I was familiar with the bottom of 'The Moor' from shopping trips to town. But this time we kept going and amazingly we were suddenly on Bramall Lane!  What??  I'd been there to buy my school sports kits from Jack Archers shop across the road, as directed by my school, but I didn't know it was down The Moor!   I thought it was up St. Mary's.  It was good news though as I was in serious danger of getting left behind, jumping and shuffling along in the crowd.

Suddenly we were at the back of a turnstile queue and shortly afterwards we were on the R/h side of the Shoreham St. Kop, which was still about 50% wider back then as it was still a 3-sided cricket ground back then. Their lot were to our left and, poor sods, a thin double line of coppers were keeping the two crowds apart, arms linked. Looking across wide-eyed - I could see people trying to punch each other over the linked arms and, slightly further away, others throwing stuff at each other. Finally, every few minutes, a policeman's tall helmet would sail up into the air. No riot gear that day.  

Long story short: to our enormous joy, my hero David Ford crossed for big John Ritchie to head the only goal of the game, right in front of us. Eventually we departed, me with my shuffle-jump, with me thinking it was quite normal for us to win there in the league. It was something like 42 years before we did it again!  

[HoylandOwl]

Love that Fred 🤣

[owl4ever1867]

What a brilliant story, that's had me laughing out loud.

[Owling_Wolf]

 

 

[80s Owl]

My first ever visit to the Lane was November 1991, it was the first derby at their place in 11 years and the Owls had a great squad playing some fantastic football whilst United had Bassett's cloggers of course we'd win 🤐

I got the tickets for the game from the chairmans daughter who was a neighbour at the time, too naive to realise I'd be sat with thier neanderthals on the South Stand, all in all not a great experience. 😐

 

[Reesh]

12 hours ago, 80s Owl said:

My first ever visit to the Lane was November 1991, it was the first derby at their place in 11 years and the Owls had a great squad playing some fantastic football whilst United had Bassett's cloggers of course we'd win 🤐

I got the tickets for the game from the chairmans daughter who was a neighbour at the time, too naive to realise I'd be sat with thier neanderthals on the South Stand, all in all not a great experience. 😐

 

My first visit there was the season after and I was sat on their John Street stand, I'd hardly kept incognito as I was only 11 and the fella behind me took exception when I celebrated Warhursts "goal" and he spat at me when Hirst did get the leveller, he got slapped by a couple of Blades behind him.

[80s Owl]

1 hour ago, Reesh said:

My first visit there was the season after and I was sat on their John Street stand, I'd hardly kept incognito as I was only 11 and the fella behind me took exception when I celebrated Warhursts "goal" and he spat at me when Hirst did get the leveller, he got slapped by a couple of Blades behind him.

 

I was in away end for that one, still say there was nowt wrong with that Warhurst goal to this day (my mate had stuck 800 quid on Wednesday to win, he was gutted) great through ball from Waddle and finish from Hirst, as far as derbies go entertainment wise this was one of the best, cracking game.

[EastCraigsOwl]

2 hours ago, Reesh said:

My first visit there was the season after and I was sat on their John Street stand, I'd hardly kept incognito as I was only 11 and the fella behind me took exception when I celebrated Warhursts "goal" and he spat at me when Hirst did get the leveller, he got slapped by a couple of Blades behind him.

I trust you called him a ****?

[Tank_Owl2,0]

6 hours ago, 80s Owl said:

 

I was in away end for that one, still say there was nowt wrong with that Warhurst goal to this day (my mate had stuck 800 quid on Wednesday to win, he was gutted) great through ball from Waddle and finish from Hirst, as far as derbies go entertainment wise this was one of the best, cracking game.

Only surpassed by the cup semi final.

[Tank_Owl2,0]

My first visit was Easter 1980 when TC curled his shot into the bottom corner from 20yards. I was in with the unwashed right behind his shot. I had gone incognito because at 14yo I was told by Blunt relatives that II might get a slap if I did celebrate - it was hard not to. However, I jumped up and did the oh shit no, ie as though I was disgusted that TC had been allowed to weave his way out from the corner and shoot. Hahahaha.

I remember TC slapping Kenworthy and stamping on him and recall the blunts around me being outraged- to say I was laughing inside would be an understatement!
 

Obviously would have preferred to be in the away end but the view of TCs goal was as good as it gets.

Edited November 12 by Tank_Owl2,0

[HoylandOwl]

22 hours ago, 80s Owl said:

My first ever visit to the Lane was November 1991, it was the first derby at their place in 11 years and the Owls had a great squad playing some fantastic football whilst United had Bassett's cloggers of course we'd win 🤐

I got the tickets for the game from the chairmans daughter who was a neighbour at the time, too naive to realise I'd be sat with thier neanderthals on the South Stand, all in all not a great experience. 😐

 

 

10 hours ago, Reesh said:

My first visit there was the season after and I was sat on their John Street stand, I'd hardly kept incognito as I was only 11 and the fella behind me took exception when I celebrated Warhursts "goal" and he spat at me when Hirst did get the leveller, he got slapped by a couple of Blades behind him.

These were my first 2. 

I also remember getting absolute dogs abuse when we played in that summer 'friendly' for the steel city challenge or whatever it was in 1995. Sunny day, it was initially a decent atmosphere, friendly for that sort of thing... Then some absolute nobsack with tattoos all over his face, spitting at me and my mate, and his dad walking towards the away end. Should have known we couldn't wear anything blue that day... How dare we. 

[JBO]

I got clumped after the 92 game. **** blindsided me and ran off.

[Paul from Wisewood]

1 hour ago, HoylandOwl said:

 

These were my first 2. 

I also remember getting absolute dogs abuse when we played in that summer 'friendly' for the steel city challenge or whatever it was in 1995. Sunny day, it was initially a decent atmosphere, friendly for that sort of thing... Then some absolute nobsack with tattoos all over his face, spitting at me and my mate, and his dad walking towards the away end. Should have known we couldn't wear anything blue that day... How dare we. 

That was the night weenie got done by the bastards 

[80s Owl]

1 hour ago, HoylandOwl said:

 

These were my first 2. 

I also remember getting absolute dogs abuse when we played in that summer 'friendly' for the steel city challenge or whatever it was in 1995. Sunny day, it was initially a decent atmosphere, friendly for that sort of thing... Then some absolute nobsack with tattoos all over his face, spitting at me and my mate, and his dad walking towards the away end. Should have known we couldn't wear anything blue that day... How dare we. 

I think I went to that one, was it the game where Palmer got sent off?

Was the tattoed bloke a big fat lad?

 

[Reesh]

8 hours ago, 80s Owl said:

I think I went to that one, was it the game where Palmer got sent off?

Was the tattoed bloke a big fat lad?

 

The one in 95 was when we won 3-1, Palmer had gone to Leeds by then.

[80s Owl]

4 hours ago, Reesh said:

The one in 95 was when we won 3-1, Palmer had gone to Leeds by then.

Can anyone remember a friendly where Palmer got sent off at Lane, I'm sure it was a game where they gave away fans the North Stand seats.

[Reesh]

55 minutes ago, 80s Owl said:

Can anyone remember a friendly where Palmer got sent off at Lane, I'm sure it was a game where they gave away fans the North Stand seats.

Weren't it Lawrie Maddens testimonial?

[HoylandOwl]

17 hours ago, 80s Owl said:

I think I went to that one, was it the game where Palmer got sent off?

Was the tattoed bloke a big fat lad?

 

I just remember him having a tattooed face, and started his tirade at us from about 25 yards away as he walked in our direction. 

[Owling_Wolf]

7 hours ago, Reesh said:

Weren't it Lawrie Maddens testimonial?

Why would that be at the Lane?

[80s Owl]

6 hours ago, HoylandOwl said:

I just remember him having a tattooed face, and started his tirade at us from about 25 yards away as he walked in our direction. 

I've a strong feeling I know who this might be, vile creature if so.

[80s Owl]

10 hours ago, Reesh said:

Weren't it Lawrie Maddens testimonial?

Apparently it was a 1989 friendly that was held as a fundraiser for the upcoming World student games, it was at Lane.

[Vialli]

On 13/11/2024 at 22:39, 80s Owl said:

I've a strong feeling I know who this might be, vile creature if so.

It wasn't winco if that's who you think😁

[80s Owl]

1 minute ago, Vialli said:

It wasn't winco if that's who you think😁

That's not the name I was thinking of.

[atroi]

very funny story, Fred ! I had to laugh out loud imagining you running with that shoe situation..😁

[KrolMong]

My first Derby at the Sty was the one in 91. The only one I have missed was the last one although I have missed a few of the Hillsborough ones in recent years.

My overriding memory of the night games away in recent years has been the fun and games outside, the worst being the 2-2 draw with Adam Bolder scoring, when the turnstiles failed, the police lost all control, and it was Basra like for 45 minutes. And because Wednesday were angry post game both in terms of result and pre game treatment, it was Basra like post game too.

Ive never seen a home support take such a pasting in the immediate vicinity of their own stadium both before and after that night.

[Owling_Wolf]

1 hour ago, KrolMong said:

My first Derby at the Sty was the one in 91. The only one I have missed was the last one although I have missed a few of the Hillsborough ones in recent years.

My overriding memory of the night games away in recent years has been the fun and games outside, the worst being the 2-2 draw with Adam Bolder scoring, when the turnstiles failed, the police lost all control, and it was Basra like for 45 minutes. And because Wednesday were angry post game both in terms of result and pre game treatment, it was Basra like post game too.

Ive never seen a home support take such a pasting in the immediate vicinity of their own stadium both before and after that night.

If it's the same game when the turnstile/s failed pre-game, I saw our men, women and children helplessly standing in their queue on Bramall Lane whilst bottles and bricks rained down amongst them. 

It's one thing for fit blokes to meet up and kick the shit out of each other - though I'm not condoning that - but for what those cowards did that game...

I shan't forget it.

[Owling_Wolf]

5 hours ago, atroi said:

very funny story, Fred ! I had to laugh out loud imagining you running with that shoe situation..😁

It shows you just how much that wretched situation was seared into my brain that I still recall it so vividly!   🫤

That was my first ever away match, anywhere. What a start!   

[Paul from Wisewood]

6 hours ago, Owling_Wolf said:

If it's the same game when the turnstile/s failed pre-game, I saw our men, women and children helplessly standing in their queue on Bramall Lane whilst bottles and bricks rained down amongst them. 

It's one thing for fit blokes to meet up and kick the shit out of each other - though I'm not condoning that - but for what those cowards did that game...

I shan't forget it.

Owling eying up the hoolies 

[Owling_Wolf]

2 hours ago, Paul from Wisewood said:

Owling eying up the hoolies 

Difficult not to when I arrived last week, they were screaming at us from about a yard away whilst we were made to queue up in the middle of the road at first to be searched.  

[Billysboy]

On 10/11/2024 at 09:31, Owling_Wolf said:

My shoe!   🙄

My first visit to their ground - my first away game -  was in September 1967. I was 14 and my mate 15.  Obviously, being older, he 'knew things'.  One of which was that the Wednesday were going to all meet up in Fitzalan Square and walk to the match together.  This seemed strange to me as, travelling by bus from Frecheville, even I knew that if you wanted to get to United's ground you got off at the bottom of Granville Road. Fitzallan Square was miles past there: what was the point of that. Anyway, I kept quiet and soon we were in the ever growing crowd in the square.  Soon accompanied by lots of police and - presumably - dogs.  

Suddenly, with no apparent signal, we all moved off at a brisk walk - on Eyre St if I recall.  How strange!  Why were we going down there?  Soon the walk became a shuffle and suddenly a run. And then - disaster!  I was wearing my new, fashionable 'Chelsea boots', similar to what the Beatles wore. Thin black leather chisel toed slip-ons with black elastic panels up both sides.  And during the shuffling run some absolute wazzock stood on the back of my shoe, which burst the elastic panels on both sides of it.  So now I was trying to keep up, in the middle of a densely packed, running crowd, whilst wearing one boot and one flip flop!   Of all the times!!   

My next surprise was when we got down the other end of Eyre St. I was familiar with the bottom of 'The Moor' from shopping trips to town. But this time we kept going and amazingly we were suddenly on Bramall Lane!  What??  I'd been there to buy my school sports kits from Jack Archers shop across the road, as directed by my school, but I didn't know it was down The Moor!   I thought it was up St. Mary's.  It was good news though as I was in serious danger of getting left behind, jumping and shuffling along in the crowd.

Suddenly we were at the back of a turnstile queue and shortly afterwards we were on the R/h side of the Shoreham St. Kop, which was still about 50% wider back then as it was still a 3-sided cricket ground back then. Their lot were to our left and, poor sods, a thin double line of coppers were keeping the two crowds apart, arms linked. Looking across wide-eyed - I could see people trying to punch each other over the linked arms and, slightly further away, others throwing stuff at each other. Finally, every few minutes, a policeman's tall helmet would sail up into the air. No riot gear that day.  

Long story short: to our enormous joy, my hero David Ford crossed for big John Ritchie to head the only goal of the game, right in front of us. Eventually we departed, me with my shuffle-jump, with me thinking it was quite normal for us to win there in the league. It was something like 42 years before we did it again!  

This was my first visit as a 9 year old with my dad and older brother, was stood between bramall lane and the pavilion, shit view. The 1st time on my own was I believe David Fords testimonial (him having played for both clubs) when ammonia was being chucked about on the kop. Then numerous testimonials and county cup games when we would usually steam the shoreham st end. The next competitive one was the Curran goal one where it seemed there was about 6,000 on their end.

[Paul from Wisewood]

20 hours ago, Owling_Wolf said:

Difficult not to when I arrived last week, they were screaming at us from about a yard away whilst we were made to queue up in the middle of the road at first to be searched.  

Was referring to you describing a bunch of blokes as being ‘fit’

 never mind… as the saying goes, if you have to explain it..

[Owling_Wolf]

2 hours ago, Paul from Wisewood said:

Was referring to you describing a bunch of blokes as being ‘fit’

 never mind… as the saying goes, if you have to explain it..

That's a saying I also use, though the chances of me spotting your meaning on this occasion were slightly less than nil!   😋

[Owling_Wolf]

3 hours ago, Billysboy said:

This was my first visit as a 9 year old with my dad and older brother, was stood between bramall lane and the pavilion, shit view. The 1st time on my own was I believe David Fords testimonial (him having played for both clubs) when ammonia was being chucked about on the kop. Then numerous testimonials and county cup games when we would usually steam the shoreham st end. The next competitive one was the Curran goal one where it seemed there was about 6,000 on their end.

We used to go to all the County Cup Finals, home or away, back when.  If only to boo Tony Currie!  😁

[fOWLmouth]

Is there anybody who remembers when things became really bad with that lot?A mate of mine reckons he used to see people walking around Sheffield with the scarves of both teams sewn together.Apparently they would go to home games on alternate Saturdays.

Hard to believe,but he swears by it.

[Reesh]

36 minutes ago, fOWLmouth said:

Is there anybody who remembers when things became really bad with that lot?A mate of mine reckons he used to see people walking around Sheffield with the scarves of both teams sewn together.Apparently they would go to home games on alternate Saturdays.

Hard to believe,but he swears by it.

The above is true, my uncle used to watch us one week and them lot the other week in the 50s/60s

[KrolMong]

My dad used to alternate between Barnsley and United in the late 50’s and 60’s.

Hated Wednesday BUT… took me to Hillsborough in the mid 80’s. He always said he had no interest in me going to watch the Pigs or the Dingles.

[OwlMR]

On 13/11/2024 at 12:14, 80s Owl said:

Can anyone remember a friendly where Palmer got sent off at Lane, I'm sure it was a game where they gave away fans the North Stand seats.

 

Think that was the first time I visted 1994 Steel City Cup lost 3-2 don't remember too much about it other than them playing 'Always look on the brightside of life' on the way out. Now you've mentioned Palmer getting sent off that rings a bell too.

[fOWLmouth]

23 minutes ago, KrolMong said:

He always said he had no interest in me going to watch the Pigs or the Dingles

Did he say why?

[Hirstys 12th Pint]

On 13/11/2024 at 11:14, 80s Owl said:

Can anyone remember a friendly where Palmer got sent off at Lane, I'm sure it was a game where they gave away fans the North Stand seats.

Think that was August 94.  Seem to remember watching it in a bar in Tenerife. 

We also played a friendly at Lane one pre season - 1989 ish.  Sure it was Craig Shakespeare's debut.

 

[Owling_Wolf]

1 hour ago, fOWLmouth said:

Did he say why?

Social Services intervention?  

[Owling_Wolf]

2 hours ago, Reesh said:

The above is true, my uncle used to watch us one week and them lot the other week in the 50s/60s

Think that wasn't particularly uncommon in 1950s-ish.  Some of my friends parents did, so I was told in the '60s and '70s.   Roads then were relatively awful and there were no motorways, though nowhere as much traffic.  On my cul-de-sac at Frecheville / Hackenthorpe in the early 1960s there was just one car and one motorbike & sidecar amongst 20 to 30 houses, so if you were going to away matches it would probably have been by train.  Maybe some chose to watch the home matches alternately.   I can't imagine doing it personally!

[fOWLmouth]

Some of us still use combinations.

[Andyben]

How's Grommit 

[fOWLmouth]

It’s better than George and Mildred,which some people have shouted.

I do occasionally take the dogs out in it.

[Andyben]

Just now, fOWLmouth said:

 

It’s better than George and Mildred,which some people have shouted.

 

...not since about 1984 I bet 

[fOWLmouth]

You do have to be a certain age to remember that ‘comedy’.

This is the sixth combo I’ve had,the earliest from 1981 when the ex was pregnant.

[Owling_Wolf]

On 18/11/2024 at 17:13, fOWLmouth said:

Some of us still use combinations.

My older mate in the original post in this thread: his mum & dad travelled all over the north of England in one of those watching Wednesday.  They must have been keen!