The opponent: Sheffield United
A club whose nickname proudly reflected the city's steel making tradition are a little way short of where many Blades fans believe their rightful home in the football hierarchy actually is. The club's nickname was taken from the steel produced in Sheffield and turned into cut-throat razors. These were the stock tools of the local barbers and the practice of swathing cuts from shaving with crepe bandages gave the club their traditional red and white striped shirts (ever wondered why a barber has a red and white sign outside their shops?) It was from this that the nickname of The Bleeds was taken and which, in the fullness of time, has been transmogrified into The Blades of current usage. I can understand why they felt the need to change it, “Up The Bleeds” sounds painful. Bramall Lane in Sheffield is said to be the oldest football ground anywhere in the world, the first professional match being played in 1862 between Hallam and Sheffield Club, some 16 years later the world’s first ever floodlit match was played at Bramall Lane. It is fair to say today’s opponents have some history.
With Sheffield having a population of some 513’000, they have a who’s who of famous supporters, from managers and players to well known celebrities. The list starts with the manager of the 6 fingered banjo players up the road, Chris Wilder as well as Alan Hodgkinson, who is Poxfords goalkeeping coach and banana supplier in chief. Olympic stomach of the finest proportions, Jessica Ennis, Sky Sports News presenter, Alex Hammond, former managers, Neil Warnock and Mickey Adams and Red Hot Chilli Peppers Bassist, Michael ‘Flea’ Balzary, who declared his love for them at The Reading Festival in 2007. Sheffield have a rich music history, with artists such as The Arctic Monkies, Pulp, Moloko, The Longpigs and Def Leppard hailing from The Steel City. Other Sheffielders include David Blunkett, Peter Stringfellow, Naseem Hamed and the legend that is Gordon Banks.
Today’s Sheffield Telegraph talks about the mother of missing Ben Needham saying she will never give up, Sheffield’s own Xfactor sicknote, Lucy Spraggan on dominating the world, and my personal favourite, Jessica Ennis confessing she nearly bought a portion of chips just before the Olympics, but bottled it when she saw a poster of herself advertising Powerade just outside the shop.
What are they saying about us? – “Ill be there on tuesday with a couple of mates, one whom lives in Swindon and has a few connections with the club, Di Canio has been on a mump for a while,bemoaning his lack of funds for players,some relationships are strained by all accounts,lets hope we can take advantage"
http://boards.footymad.net/forum.php?tno=463&fid=221&sty=2&act=1&mid=2113835647“Di Canio a character?
No.
Characters that the game actually needs are the likes of Warnock and Holloway, great football managers with passion and personality. Di Canio is an arrogant, self-centered, egotistcal arse hole. I can barely understand what he says half the time. How long has he lived/worked in this country and his English is still fuucking shiite? Do not like him one bit”
http://boards.footymad.net/forum.php?tno=463&fid=221&sty=2&act=1&mid=2113840670Sheffield United Last 6 – DWWWWW (Unbeaten so far this season)
The Threat – So far this season the main man for Sheffield United has been Nick Blackman scoring 9 goals in all competitions, and I would imagine the County Ground faithful giving a warm welcome to Dave Kitson.
The irrelevant stats – The blades are now unbeaten in 20 league games, Huddersfield came to the CG last year and soon found out records don’t stand for much, if the right Swindon turn up. So far this season in 8 away games they have scored 11 times and conceded 8. Of the 11 games they have scored first, they have won 7 and drawn 4, so getting an early goal could prove to be massive.
A warm welcome too – Danny Wilson. Never really had any problem with him, he seemed a nice guy and always had time to talk. Things could have been so different if it was not for a bobble on a shit Wembley surface but League 1 does really seem to be his level. He may well never lose the tag of being a manager that normally has 1 good season followed by a dreadful one, but as a man, he always seemed to come across as a gentleman. LJF, I really did like Lecsy, when a few fans in the Town End showered him in praise you could see the difference it made to his game. If ever there was a confidence player it was him, and he is one of those players you just can’t help but wish all the best.
The Odds – Swindon
11/10 Draw
12/5 Sheffield United
12/5 (Odds from SkyBet)
First Goalscorer - Collins 6/1, Blackman 6/1, Rooney 13/2, Williams 13/2, Benson 13/2, Kitson 15/2, Storey 8/1, Ferry 18/1, TAH 40/1 a massive 40/1. Someone has to beat United eventually, a 3-0 thrashing will get you 20-1 or if you feel a bit more pessimistic, 5/1 on the 1-1 Draw.
Sid Says – The not so trusty and not the slightest bit mystic sticked one seemed to dump himself on 1-1, although he did deliberate between this and 0-1, so make of it what you will.
The Prediction – Keeping in tradition with my current positivity, this will be a 2-1 victory to Town, 1st goal from TAH (40/1 remember) and a late late winner from Andy Williams, sending the majority of the 9’487 frozen fans home happy and Paolo telling Wilson and 940 Blades that we are going up, and they are going nowhere.
And Finally – A recent survey showed people in Sheffield have the worst teeth in Britain. They may bristle, but will have to brace themselves to the facts: Sheffielders were found to have on average more fillings, more missing teeth, and to brush for a shorter time, than anyone else in the land. The best teeth in Britain?......... Brighton
