History of Sheffield United
Sheffield United is one of two professional football teams in the city of Sheffield nicknamed The Blades due to the cities strong links with the metal and especially cutlery industry. United have played professional football for over 120 years in all Divisions including top flight football where they became one of the founding teams in 1992 for FA Premier League.
Origins
Sheffield United was formed in 1889 by the President of Sheffield Cricket Club Sir Charles Clegg, after realising the potential financial gain to be had in owning a club after hosting previous football matches at the Bramall Lane Cricket ground. Nearly 20,000 people came to watch a exhibition match of local talent between Sheffield and Hallam in October 1878 and was in fact the first ever floodlit football match using four lamps hung 30 feet high with the power of 8000 candles. Gate receipts totalled an impressive £300 and Charles Clegg understood the rising popularity of the new sport and recognised a potential income to fund Sheffield Cricket team during the winter months.
The First Squad
Passion and rivalry have always accompanied our idea of football and this was ever present even at its beginnings. As the United match programme of 1934-35 ran a series of articles about the social history of the club and comments on the local rivalry.
“Feelings arose well nigh to human hate and passion, which football is capable of rousing. It is scarcely an exaggeration to say that business bargains and relations were influenced, private friendships shatter and even families divided owing to the claims of jealous football clubs…”
Due to the nature of the supporter’s contempt for each other United sought players from outside Sheffield and took a great deal of interest in Scottish signings. The Scottish had not lost to England in ten years and were attributed with the first professionalism of football and many football clubs regarded the Scots as superior. The first United squad included seven Scots, alongside players drawn locally and from outside including Norwich, Staveley and Gainsborough. Players were drawn to the club by attractive job offers in factory work owned by the United directors in an early form of “Shamatuerism”. Sheffield United did source good local talent and although adamant rivals signed players over from Wednesday including Jack Hudson and Billy Mosforth, the latter continued to be capped for England nine times.
“Feelings arose well nigh to human hate and passion, which football is capable of rousing. It is scarcely an exaggeration to say that business bargains and relations were influenced, private friendships shatter and even families divided owing to the claims of jealous football clubs…”
Due to the nature of the supporter’s contempt for each other United sought players from outside Sheffield and took a great deal of interest in Scottish signings. The Scottish had not lost to England in ten years and were attributed with the first professionalism of football and many football clubs regarded the Scots as superior. The first United squad included seven Scots, alongside players drawn locally and from outside including Norwich, Staveley and Gainsborough. Players were drawn to the club by attractive job offers in factory work owned by the United directors in an early form of “Shamatuerism”. Sheffield United did source good local talent and although adamant rivals signed players over from Wednesday including Jack Hudson and Billy Mosforth, the latter continued to be capped for England nine times.
First Matches
Sheffield United began its new football career almost secret with it’s first game ever played in August 1889 against Sheffield FC essentially a trial match played behind closed doors. Their next game they played away at Nottingham Rangers beating them 1-0 scored by Dundee born Robertson who also became the first United player to be sent off. Further friendly matches continued against Lincoln and Heeley away until on September 28th 1889 Sheffield United ran out to a home crowd of 3,000 paying supporters only to loose 4-0 to Birmingham St Georges.
The United kit was a prime example of the kits worn by teams at the time, with dark heavy shorts and plain white shirt that at the time was cheap and affordable. 1891 they introduced a thin red stripe, reasons why still remain a mystery some argue it was introduced a subtle way to distinguish opposition player who very easily could have a similar white kit. Others believe that because Wednesday used the blue stripe akin to Hallam FC in repost United took up the red stripe akin to Sheffield FC and a more pronounced stripe was introduced in 1894.
Champions 1897/98
Sheffield United joined the newly formed Second Division in 1892 only to be promoted after their first season, the following three seasons in the First Division was one of consolidation with the tem finishing 10th, 6th and 12th respectively. With the start of the 97’ season United programme stated the aim of the club as being, “to gain the Championship of the League”, and as being runners up last season they had a real chance.United had become a real spectators team pulling in large audiences to not only watch the football but the characters on the pitch such as Bill “Fatty” Foulke the heavyweight goal keeper, Ernest Needham and Walter Bennett.
In their first home game of the season against Derby a 2-1 victory drew in crowds of 2,500 and a month later 10,000 watched a 4-3 victory over Stoke. Sheffield managed a staggering unbeaten run of 14 matches until a mid season slump and a draw against rivals Wednesday in front of 37,289 fans. But after regaining form in the New Year, Sheffield United beat league rivals for the top spot Aston Villa in a monumental game in front of 43,000 spectators. Overall United won 17 of their 30 league games finishing ahead of Sunderland the only time Sheffield United have been crowned English Champions.
In their first home game of the season against Derby a 2-1 victory drew in crowds of 2,500 and a month later 10,000 watched a 4-3 victory over Stoke. Sheffield managed a staggering unbeaten run of 14 matches until a mid season slump and a draw against rivals Wednesday in front of 37,289 fans. But after regaining form in the New Year, Sheffield United beat league rivals for the top spot Aston Villa in a monumental game in front of 43,000 spectators. Overall United won 17 of their 30 league games finishing ahead of Sunderland the only time Sheffield United have been crowned English Champions.
FA Cup Winners
1902:
Sheffield United have struggled to maintain the footballing prowess it once owned only managing runner up in the season of 1896-97 and 1899-1900. Despite this they had the consolation of travelling to Crystal Palace in 1902 to play Southampton in a match that had to be replayed. In the first game Alf Common scored for United and hit a spectator whom he believed had kicked him but after being urged by FA Secretary Frederick Wall to apologise the spectator refused his apology. Southampton scored and equaliser three minutes from time which was believed to be offside but the referee decided that it had in fact hit a Sheffield United player first therefore playing the opponent onside. Nevertheless Sheffield United managed a 2-1 victory over Southampton crowning them FA cup winners.
1915:
In 1915 the FA Cup Final was being played whilst the rest of the world was engaged in the first global conflict, many soldiers on leave at the time attended the match lending the name The Khaki Cup Final. Sheffield United faced Chelsea at Old Trafford after beating the likes of Blackpool, Liverpool, Oldham and Bolton Wanderers. The final attracted 49,557, with the original ground of Crystal Palace being occupied as a troop camp, ironically the majority of the crowd were troops many that would not return home after their tour of duty after men at the Somme and Ypres were found with match day programmes on them. Chelsea were a relatively young team only forming 10 years previous and were no match for the experienced United who defeated them 3-0 with goals from Simmons, Fazackerly and Kitchen. Although a crushing victory the mood was sombre and the celebrations muted with the ongoing overseas events, many commentators claimed that United could of well dominated English football if it wasn’t for the disruption caused by the war.
1925:
The final piece of silverware claimed by Sheffield United that wasn’t attributed to promotion from lower leagues was their FA victory over Cardiff. Sheffield United won by a single goal scored by Fred Tunstall and was the first time a non English team had played in an FA Cup Final since Queens Park of Glasgow played and lost against Blackburn in 1885.
Sheffield United have struggled to maintain the footballing prowess it once owned only managing runner up in the season of 1896-97 and 1899-1900. Despite this they had the consolation of travelling to Crystal Palace in 1902 to play Southampton in a match that had to be replayed. In the first game Alf Common scored for United and hit a spectator whom he believed had kicked him but after being urged by FA Secretary Frederick Wall to apologise the spectator refused his apology. Southampton scored and equaliser three minutes from time which was believed to be offside but the referee decided that it had in fact hit a Sheffield United player first therefore playing the opponent onside. Nevertheless Sheffield United managed a 2-1 victory over Southampton crowning them FA cup winners.
1915:
In 1915 the FA Cup Final was being played whilst the rest of the world was engaged in the first global conflict, many soldiers on leave at the time attended the match lending the name The Khaki Cup Final. Sheffield United faced Chelsea at Old Trafford after beating the likes of Blackpool, Liverpool, Oldham and Bolton Wanderers. The final attracted 49,557, with the original ground of Crystal Palace being occupied as a troop camp, ironically the majority of the crowd were troops many that would not return home after their tour of duty after men at the Somme and Ypres were found with match day programmes on them. Chelsea were a relatively young team only forming 10 years previous and were no match for the experienced United who defeated them 3-0 with goals from Simmons, Fazackerly and Kitchen. Although a crushing victory the mood was sombre and the celebrations muted with the ongoing overseas events, many commentators claimed that United could of well dominated English football if it wasn’t for the disruption caused by the war.
1925:
The final piece of silverware claimed by Sheffield United that wasn’t attributed to promotion from lower leagues was their FA victory over Cardiff. Sheffield United won by a single goal scored by Fred Tunstall and was the first time a non English team had played in an FA Cup Final since Queens Park of Glasgow played and lost against Blackburn in 1885.
