Sheffield UnitedHardy Blades

Sheffield United Football Club were formed on 22 March 1889, when they became an offshoot of the Sheffield United Cricket Club. They were the first English sports club to use 'United' in its name and are among the very rare select clubs formed to inhabit a sporting venue that was already in existence and which could be utilised for the professional game. 

Bramall Lane has always been the home of Sheffield United, but before their inception it also played host to both Sheffield FC and Sheffield Wednesday, after initially opening as a cricket ground. It is one of only two grounds, along with The Oval, to host both cricket and football internationals and the FA Cup Final.

Sheffield has long been associated with steel manufacturing, hence the match between United and fierce rivals Wednesday being referred to as The Steel City Derby. The Oxford English Dictionary entry for the city says: ‘The name of a manufacturing city of Yorkshire, famous for cutlery’. The term ‘Blades’ or ‘Cutlers’ was formerly used as a nickname for all senior Sheffield football clubs; particularly when teams were playing away. 

A popular headline in the newspapers of the time when United and Wednesday played each other was ‘a Clash of Blades.’ The name ‘Blades’ was used far more by United supporters than the name ‘Cutlers’, whereas the Wednesday supporters, always thought it was their right to use the name ‘Blades’ since they were the older club.

In the early days, the two teams would be differentiated by the grounds they played at, with United being referred to as ‘Laneites’ (in reference to Bramall Lane), while Wednesday would be called ‘Groveites’, as they played at Olive Grove. In 1907, Wednesday came to be referred to as ‘The Owls’, in reference to their new ground in Owlerton, meaning that United could claim the ‘Blades’ nickname for themselves. 

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