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For the football club that plays in Hong Kong, see Sheffield United (Hong Kong).
Sheffield United Football Club (pronounced /ˈʃɛfild yuˈnaɪtɪd/) is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire. They currently play in the English Football League Championship. They play at Bramall Lane in Sheffield, and play in red and white striped shirts. Their nickname is 'The Blades'. The club emblem is said to have been designed by former player Jimmy Hagan.[1] They have the nickname The Blades due to Sheffield's worldwide reputation of steel production.[2] The emblem was first used for the 1977–78 season, replacing the city's coat of arms that had been used since 1966. Like all clubs, Sheffield United have a range of songs and chants sung by their fans, including the most notable: their unofficial anthem, The Greasy Chip Butty Song, which is sung before each half,[3] and often after the game if the team has performed well. Sheffield United won the League in 1898 and the FA Cup in 1899, 1902, 1915 and 1925. They were beaten finalists in the FA Cup in 1901 and 1936. Their best performance in the League Cup was reaching the semi finals in 2003.
[edit] HistoryMain article: History of Sheffield United F.C. For more details on this topic, see Sheffield United F.C. seasons.  Sheffield United formed on 22 March 1889 as a football and bandy club[4] at the Adelphi Hotel, Sheffield (now the site of the Crucible Theatre) by the President of the Cricket Club Sir Charles Clegg, as a way of keeping the Sheffield United Cricket Club together during the winter close season, following the departure of Sheffield Wednesday to their new ground at Olive Grove and generating income revenues from Bramall Lane over the winter. Sir Charles Clegg was incidentally also the president of Sheffield Wednesday FC. 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.. [edit] Ground Main article: Bramall Lane Sheffield United play at Bramall Lane, near the centre of Sheffield. Bramall Lane is the oldest major ground anywhere in the world, having hosted its first game in 1862,[5] a match between Hallam and Sheffield Club. Bramall Lane also hosted the worlds first ever floodlit football match on 14 October 1878 with two teams picked from the Sheffield Football Association. The power for the lights was provided by two generators. The crowd was 20,000 and the score 2-0. 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 3,000 seat corner stand,[6] was an all-seater stadium holding 32,609.[7] In March 2009 the club received were officially granted permission to expland the stadium once again, over two phases. The first phase would see the Kop being extended to increase the grounds capacity up to approximately 37,000. It would see the removal of the main supporting pillars and a giant screen installed as part of the stands roof. The second phase will see the Valad Stand (formerly Arnold Laver Stand) also extended, bringing the total capacity to 40,000 all seater. The expansion also has a secondary focus of being available for selection for World Cup matches in 2018 or 2022, if England's bid is successful. [edit] Kits, colours and crestSheffield 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[disambiguation needed] 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.[8] 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.[9] 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. In August 2008 the club unveiled a new sponsor, the country of Malta to be represented on the shirts by visitmalta.com, the tourism board of the Mediterranean country.[10] Macron, an Italian sportswear company supply Sheffield United's kits and sportswear. The four year deal was signed for a seven-figure sum. The 2009/2010 season is Sheffield United's 120th anniversary, and to mark this Macron has designed a 3rd kit for the Blades for that season. This shirt is black and has the names of every player to have ever played for the club woven into the material. Sheffield United shirts can be seen in several films most notably in When Saturday Comes starring Sean Bean, but also, The Full Monty and Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins. [edit] Shirt sponsors and manufacturers
[edit] Players
[edit] Current squad
[edit] Out on loan
[edit] Notable former playersFor more details on this topic, see List of Sheffield United F.C. former players.
[edit] Reserve and Academy teams
[edit] International linksIn January 2006, Sheffield United became the first foreign club to take over a Chinese team[12] when they purchased the football club Chengdu Wuniu, based in the city of Chengdu, China.[13] 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. 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.[14] 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.[15] The Blades also have operating/business and exchange of ideas links with Central Coast Mariners[16] of Australia and White Star Woluwé[17] of Belgium. The Australian Valad Property Group were sponsors of the South Stand at Bramall Lane. From the 2009-10 season, the South Stand sponsors are GACWorld [edit] RivalriesSheffield 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 41, and 37 draws.[18] Sheffield United's other rivals are mainly other teams from Yorkshire, such as Leeds United, Barnsley, Rotherham United and Doncaster Rovers. Sheffield Wednesday 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 United have not done the league double over Sheffield Wednesday since the 2005–06 season.
[edit] SupportersSheffield United derives support from a broad cross-section of the community. The majority of football fans in the S2 postcode of the city (where the ground is located) are Sheffield United fans, particularly the Sharrow, Heeley, Highfield, Manor and Park Hill areas of the city. There is also a lot of support in the S3 areas, close to the city centre, S8 and around the Gleadless area, a strong contingent from the Dearne Valley, with a large supporters club from Swinton[19] in particular. The club usually run two or three special student deals each season, and so also have a small student following, based in the suburbs of Crookes and Broomhall. [edit] Famous supportersSupporters of note include former manager Neil Warnock,[20] actor Sean Bean,[21] the Sports Minister Richard Caborn, MP,[22] the singer Paul Heaton,[23] musicians Joe Elliott and Antony Genn, television presenter Anna Walker,[24] author G. P. Taylor,[25] Olympic Laser Class Sailing gold medalist Paul Goodison has followed Sheffield United since he was a youngster[26] and Alex Quinn (Sky Sports News presenter). As a boy Argentinian legend Juan Sebastian Veron dreamed of playing for the Blades.[27] [edit] ChantsLike many English clubs, Sheffield United supporters have a wide variety of chants and songs, the most famous of which is The Greasy Chip Butty Song. Many others are intended to berate their local rivals, Sheffield Wednesday, the most famous of which are (to the tune of "Singing the Blues): "Never felt more like Swinging a pig/from Hyde Park Flats to Wadsley Bridge/United! You've got me swinging a pig/As you do, as you do, as you do!" and "No pigs fans in town/No Hillsborough to sadden my eyes/Jack Charlton is dead/and the pig's fans have fled/and the year is 1889!". They can also be heard to sing "Are you Wednesday in disguise" to poorly-playing teams—an attempt to undermine both the opposition and Sheffield Wednesday.[28] A popular chant at the moment is "Oh when the Blades go marching in!" this is usually sung for a long period of time whilst playing away from home. Songs played before kick off at Bramall Lane include 'Meet Her At The Love Parade' by Da Hool, 'We took Pelham' by Deadly Avenger and 'United' by Judas Priest and. These songs are known to fans as the 'Countdown To Kick-Off'. . Another popular chant is (sung to the tune of "I am sailing"): We are Bladesmen, we are Bladesmen, super Bladesmen, from the Lane. We are Bladesmen, super Bladesmen, we are Bladesmen, from the Lane". [edit] League historyFor more details on this topic, see Sheffield United F.C. seasons. 
Pos = Position; P = Played; W = Won; D = Drawn; L = Lost; F = Goals For; A = Goals Against; Pts = Points [edit] HonoursFor more details on this topic, see Sheffield United F.C. records.  Note: the leagues and divisions of English football have changed somewhat over time, so here they are grouped into their relative levels on the English football league system at the time they were won to allow easy comparison of the achievement
[edit] Managerial historyFor more details on this topic, see Sheffield United F.C. staff.
[edit] Assistant Managers
[edit] Bibliography
[edit] References
[edit] External links
Categories: English football clubs | Sheffield United F.C. | Sports teams and clubs in Sheffield | Premier League clubs | Football League clubs | Sport in Sheffield | Publicly traded sports companies | Football (soccer) clubs established in 1889 | South Yorkshire football clubs | FA Cup winners | Sports clubs established in 1854 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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