It is the sort of fixture that means more than just another game and provides a stage for players to write themselves into folklore. The Steel City Derby is fiercely contested and has survived the curse of modern football. There is no watering down of the atmosphere, and no half-and-half scarves have been seen on the streets of Sheffield.
As Wednesday fans, we have fond memories of some famous victories over the years, such as the Boxing Day Massacre, Wembley 1993, the derby double under Laws and the Mind the Gap season. But I will look at some lesser-known fixtures and credit more obscure goalscorers from this long-standing and bitter rivalry.
Who Put the Ball in the United Net?
The first goal scored against the Blades in a competitive fixture was by inside forward Fred Spiksley in a 1-1 draw on 16th October 1893. Of course, we have no footage of this goal, but we know it was better than the one United scored.
Wednesday Won 5-0
And we will fight forever more… well, not quite actually. During World War One, the Football League was replaced with regional leagues such as the Midland Section Subsidiary Tournament. This allowed football to continue on a non-official basis with minimal travel.
For instance, in 1917/18, The Wednesday topped a group with the Blades, Barnsley and Rotherham. Although much more serious matters were taking place, with some players enlisting, these games did help provide distraction and recreation during tough times.
So, on 16th March 1918, Wednesday stuffed the Blades 5-0 in front of 13,500 spectators. Due to a lack of official records, no goalscorers or reports exist. As a result, the game, like others played during the World Wars, does not carry the same weight as normal fixtures. I guess we will just have to beat them 5-0 again sometime.
Not Enough to Save His Reputation
If the name Darren Potter is mentioned, it generally brings a negative reaction, as his time here was not exactly impressive. The derby games he played in offered a chance to make himself a hero and reverse previous memories.
The fact is, he did score an impressive goal against Sheffield United in front of a packed Hillsborough on 18th April 2010. At the time, Wednesday were mired in relegation trouble, and a win would have been crucial and galvanising. With the game still goalless, he fired a volley home in front of the Kop to send Wednesday into a crucial lead.
So, if we had held on, it could have been a famous winner. Sadly, the game finished 1-1, and we were relegated a few weeks later. The goal has become somewhat forgotten, and his reputation at Hillsborough never recovered.
Nearly a Hero
Adam Bolder was only at Sheffield Wednesday for 13 games and burst into life briefly at Bramall Lane. He scored his only two goals for us to put us within touching distance of a first derby double in 94 years. Both goals were close-range efforts, but he was the right man in the right place twice. Suddenly, he was on course to secure his spot in derby-day folklore.
However, in typical Wednesday fashion, we managed to draw 2-2, and the 94-year wait for a derby double would continue. This was a real shame for Bolder because, if we had held on, the feat would be fondly remembered.
The random player stepping up in a crucial game always holds that sense of allure for me. There will always be the big players delivering in these matches, but one of these games can be the high point of a lesser player’s career. However, in the end, he goes down as another derby-day goalscorer. After this game, his time at Hillsborough continued without much incident.
A big thank you to Patrick McKenna for his contribution to WAWAW.NEWS. We are delighted to have him writing for the site, and readers can expect to hear much more from Patrick in the weeks and months ahead.