Steel City derby explained

Steel City derby
Most Wins:Sheffield United (53)[1]
Total:148
Map Location:Sheffield
Map Label1:Sheffield United
Map Label2:Sheffield Wednesday
Map Label2 Position:left
Map Mark2:Blue pog.svg
Coordinates1:53.3703°N -1.4708°W

The Steel City derby, or the Sheffield derby is a local derby between Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday, the two professional football league teams in the city of Sheffield, England.[2] [3]

the teams have met 148 times in competitive games, with United winning 53 and Wednesday 48.

The derby returned for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons following United's relegation from the Premier League, however Wednesday's relegation from The Championship in 2025/26 means that the date of the next meeting between the sides is unclear.

United currently hold an eight game unbeaten run in the fixture, including four wins in the last four derby matches.[4]

History

The teams first met on 15 December 1890 at Wednesday's Olive Grove ground, with The Wednesday playing a friendly match against the newly formed Sheffield United that the home team won 2–1.[5]

The first competitive Steel City Derby fixture took place on 16 October 1893 during the 1893–94 English First Division season (following United's promotion to the First Division the previous season), it ended 1–1.[6]

Most Steel City derbies have taken place in the top two tiers of English football, with only two seasons (1979–80 and 2011–12) featuring both teams in the third tier.

Alan Quinn became the first player to score a goal for both clubs in a Steel City derby match. He scored for Sheffield Wednesday in their 3–1 defeat to United at Bramall Lane in February 2003. He signed to United from Wednesday in 2004 and scored the winning goal for Sheffield United in a 1–0 win over Sheffield Wednesday at Bramall Lane on 4 December 2005.

Head-to-head statistics

[1]

CompetitionGames
played		United
wins		Drawn
games		Wednesday
wins		United
goals		Wednesday
goals
League122473936168150
FA Cup93331413
EFL Cup301225
Full Members' Cup100123
Total (official)135504342186171
Wharncliffe Charity Cup100112
Football League (Midland Section)123451523
Total (overall)148534748201196

Honours

scope=colCompetitionscope=colUnitedscope=colWednesday
First Division14
Second Division15
League One10
Fourth Division1N/A
FA Cup43
EFL Cup01
FA Charity ShieldN/A1
Total814

Comparative table positions

Matches played

League
SeasonDivisionTierUnited vs WednesdayWednesday vs United
DateVenueScoreAtten.DateVenueScoreAtten.
1893–94First Division116 October 1893Bramall Lane1–113 November 1893Olive Grove1–2
1894–95First Division112 January 1895Bramall Lane1–027 October 1894Olive Grove2–3
1895–96First Division126 December 1895Bramall Lane1–17 September 1896Olive Grove1–0
1896–97First Division126 December 1896Bramall Lane2–02 March 1897Olive Grove1–1
1897–98First Division127 December 1897Bramall Lane1–116 October 1897Olive Grove0–1
1898–99First Division126 December 1898Bramall Lane2–13 October 1899Hillsborough1–1
1900–01First Division115 December 1900Bramall Lane1–029 April 1901Hillsborough1–0
1901–02First Division11 March 1902Bramall Lane3–02 November 1901Hillsborough1–0
1902–03First Division11 September 1902Bramall Lane2–311 October 1903Hillsborough0–1
1903–04First Division112 December 1903Bramall Lane1–19 April 1904Hillsborough3–0
1904–05First Division18 April 1905Bramall Lane4–210 December 1904Hillsborough1–3
1905–06First Division121 October 1905Bramall Lane0–218 April 1906Hillsborough1–0
1906–07First Division14 May 1907Bramall Lane2–13 November 1906Hillsborough2–2
1907–08First Division19 November 1907Bramall Lane1–37 March 1908Hillsborough2–0
1908–09First Division126 December 1908Bramall Lane2–1Hillsborough1–0
1909–10First Division16 November 1909Bramall Lane3–319 March 1910Hillsborough1–3
1910–11First Division125 February 1911Bramall Lane0–122 October 1910Hillsborough2–0
1911–12First Division14 November 1911Bramall Lane1–19 March 1912Hillsborough1–1
1912–13First Division11 March 1913Bramall Lane0–226 October 1912Hillsborough1–0
1913–14First Division125 October 1913Bramall Lane0–128 February 1914Hillsborough2–1
1914–15First Division14 September 1914Bramall Lane0–12 January 1915Hillsborough1–1
1919–20First Division14 October 1919Bramall Lane3–027 September 1919Hillsborough2–1
1926–27First Division115 January 1927Bramall Lane2–028 August 1926Hillsborough2–3
1927–28First Division1Bramall Lane1–1Hillsborough3–3
1928–29First Division12 February 1929Bramall Lane1–122 September 1928Hillsborough5–2
1929–30First Division128 September 1929Bramall Lane2–247,0381 February 1930Hillsborough1–154,459
1930–31First Division16 September 1930Bramall Lane1–136,7383 January 1931Hillsborough1–333,322
1931–32First Division12 April 1932Bramall Lane1–137,87221 November 1931Hillsborough2–125,823
1932–33First Division14 February 1933Bramall Lane2–332,60824 September 1932Hillsborough3–324,804
1933–34First Division13 March 1934Bramall Lane5–132,31821 October 1933Hillsborough0–128,049
1937–38Second Division226 February 1938Bramall Lane2–150,82716 October 1937Hillsborough0–151,893
1938–39Second Division229 October 1938Bramall Lane0–044,9094 March 1939Hillsborough1–048,891
1949–50Second Division221 January 1950Bramall Lane2–051,64417 September 1949Hillsborough2–155,555
1951–52Second Division28 September 1951Bramall Lane7–352,0455 January 1952Hillsborough1–365,384
1953–54First Division112 September 1953Bramall Lane2–045,46323 January 1954Hillsborough3–243,231
1954–55First Division118 September 1954Bramall Lane1–037,3085 February 1955Hillsborough1–236,176
1958–59Second Division221 February 1959Bramall Lane1–043,9194 October 1958Hillsborough2–046,404
1961–62First Division116 September 1961Bramall Lane1–038,4973 February 1962Hillsborough1–250,937
1962–63First Division16 October 1962Bramall Lane2–242,68715 May 1963Hillsborough3–141,585
1963–64First Division114 September 1963Bramall Lane1–135,27618 January 1964Hillsborough3–042,898
1964–65First Division12 January 1965Bramall Lane2–337,1905 September 1964Hillsborough0–232,684
1965–66First Division118 September 1965Bramall Lane1–035,65512 March 1966Hillsborough2–234,045
1966–67First Division14 February 1966Bramall Lane1–043,49024 September 1967Hillsborough2–243,557
1967–68First Division12 September 1967Bramall Lane0–136,2586 January 1968Hillsborough1–143,020
1970–71Second Division23 October 1970Bramall Lane3–239,98312 April 1971Hillsborough0–047,592
1979–80Third Division35 April 1980Bramall Lane1–145,15626 December 1979Hillsborough4–049,309
1991–92First Division117 November 1991Bramall Lane2–031,83211 March 1992Hillsborough1–340,327
1992–93Premier League18 November 1992Bramall Lane1–130,03921 April 1993Hillsborough1–138,688
1993–94Premier League123 October 1993Bramall Lane1–130,04422 January 1994Hillsborough3–134,959
2000–01First Division216 December 2000Bramall Lane1–125,1561 April 2001Hillsborough1–238,433
2001–02First Division229 January 2002Bramall Lane0–029,3647 October 2001Hillsborough0–029,281
2002–03First Division217 January 2003Bramall Lane3–128,1791 September 2002Hillsborough2–027,075
2005–06Championship23 December 2005Bramall Lane1–030,55818 February 2006Hillsborough1–233,439
2007–08Championship28 April 2008Bramall Lane2–231,76019 January 2008Hillsborough2–030,486
2008–09Championship27 February 2009Bramall Lane1–230,78619 October 2008Hillsborough1–030,441
2009–10Championship218 September 2009Bramall Lane3–229,21018 April 2010Hillsborough1–135,485
2011–12League One316 October 2011Bramall Lane2–228,13626 February 2012Hillsborough1–036,364
2017–18Championship212 January 2018Bramall Lane0–031,12024 September 2017Hillsborough2–432,839
2018–19Championship29 November 2018Bramall Lane0–030,2614 March 2019Hillsborough0–031,630
2024–25Championship210 November 2024Bramall Lane1–031,12716 March 2025Hillsborough0–133,827
2025–26Championship222 February 2026Bramall Lane2–130,45723 November 2025Hillsborough0–332,740
Cup
SeasonCompetitionRoundDateVenueScoreAtten.
1899–1900FA Cup2nd Round17 February 1900Bramall Lane1–128,374
2nd Round Replay19 February 1900Hillsborough0–223,000
1924–25FA Cup2nd Round31 January 1925Bramall Lane3–240,256
1927–28FA Cup5th Round18 February 1928Hillsborough1–157,076
5th Round Replay22 February 1928Bramall Lane4–159,447
1953–54FA Cup3rd Round9 January 1954Hillsborough1–161,250
3rd Round Replay13 January 1954Bramall Lane1–340,847
1959–60FA Cup6th Round12 March 1960Bramall Lane0–261,180
1980–81League Cup1st Round first leg9 August 1980Bramall Lane1–125,588
1st Round second leg12 August 1980Hillsborough2–023,989
1989–90Full Members' Cup2nd Round21 November 1989Hillsborough3–230,464
1992–93FA CupSemi-final3 April 1993Wembley Stadium2–175,364
2000–01League Cup3rd Round1 November 2000Hillsborough2–132,283

Non-competitive matches

Eligible games – Friendlies
VenueDateAttendanceCompetitionWinnerScoreNotes
Olive Grove15 December 189010,000FriendlyWednesday2–1First ever meeting between the two sides
Bramall Lane12 January 189115,000FriendlyUnited3–2First United win
Olive Grove23 April 18913,250Wharncliffe Charity CupWednesday2–1Tournament went uncompleted
Olive Grove17 October 18921,500FriendlyDrawn1–1First drawn game
Hillsborough9 August 199413,724Steel City Challenge TrophyUnited2–3Inaugural match for the trophy
Bramall Lane5 August 199513,254Steel City Challenge TrophyWednesday1–3Last meeting between the sides under Dave Bassett's time at United
Bramall Lane27 August 19967,271Steel City Challenge TrophyUnited4–1Last non-competitive match

Famous matches

The most famous match at Bramall Lane was on 8 September 1951, an encounter United won 7–3 in front of a crowd of 51,075. Wednesday scored after just ninety seconds through Thomas, but goals from Derek Hawksworth and Harold Brook gave United a 2–1 interval lead which would have been greater if McIntosh in the Wednesday goal had not saved a Fred Furniss penalty. Dennis Woodhead equalised for Wednesday after sixty minutes, but in rapid succession, Alf Ringstead, Hawksworth and Ringstead again, and Fred Smith scored for United, Woodhead pulled one back for Wednesday before Brook made the score 7–3.

In February 1967, broadcasting history was made when the derby at Bramall Lane was shown live on Pay-TV. United’s Bill Punton scored the only goal in the first pay-per-view League game on British television, and only the second to be televised live.[7] The coverage was available to around 700 subscribers in the Sheffield area, who had to pay ten shillings (50p) for the privilege of watching.

The "Boxing Day Massacre" was a match played on 26 December 1979. Sheffield Wednesday won 4–0, with goals from Ian Mellor, Terry Curran, Mark Smith and Jeff King. The United side at the time were top of the league, while Wednesday were 4th in the table. Sheffield Wednesday were promoted at the end of the season.

The two teams met in the 1992–93 FA Cup semi-finals. The game was scheduled to be played at Elland Road while the other semi-final between North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur was to be played at Wembley. However The Football Association was forced to move the Steel City derby to Wembley due to extreme pressure from the fans of both teams. The match itself proved to be a classic, with Wednesday winning 2–1 after extra time. Chris Waddle and Mark Bright scoring for Wednesday, and Alan Cork scoring for United. The match was watched by 75,364 spectators.[8]

The match at Hillsborough on 24 September 2017, saw United claim their then biggest win at Hillsborough with a 4–2 victory in front of a crowd of 32,839. Goals for United came from John Fleck in the 3rd minute, Mark Duffy in the 67th minute, and two (in the 15th and 77th minute respectively) from Leon Clarke against his former side, with Gary Hooper in the 47th minute (scored in the first half as two minutes were added on) and Lucas Joao (65') scoring for Wednesday.[9] This game was nicknamed the 'Bouncing Day Massacre' by the United fans, due to a chant by the Wednesday fans following Joao's goal that ended abruptly as a result of Mark Duffy's goal shortly afterwards.[10]

On 22 February 2026 Wednesday were condemned to the earliest relegation in EFL history following a 2–1 derby win for United at Bramall Lane. Wednesday had a negative points tally with only a solitary win all season, having suffered a chaotic campaign which saw them put into administration by controversial owner Dejphon Chansiri and be deducted 18 points by the EFL. Goals from Patrick Bamford and Harrison Burrows sealed the Owls' fate, returning the club to League One after three seasons in the Championship.[11] [12]

Resurgence in the Steel City derby

After Sheffield Wednesday's relegation from the Premier League after the 1999–2000 season both teams frequented the same league for seven of the next ten years. This caused the local rivalry between the two teams to increase and to cause an emergence of crowd trouble in 2003[13] 2008[14] [15] and 2019.[16]

Before the 2000–01 season both teams were only in the same league for six seasons between 1970–71 and 1999–00 (twenty-nine seasons), although this period did see one FA Cup semi-final meeting in 1993 and a Zenith Data Cup (Full Members Cup) meeting in 1989.

Off-pitch relationship

Supporters of the two Sheffield clubs have a fierce but healthy relationship. This goes right back to 1889 after Sheffield Wednesday, formed in 1867, had vacated Bramall Lane due to a dispute over rent. To compensate for the loss in revenue, the Cricket committee took the decision to form another football club, thus Sheffield United were established and Bramall Lane subsequently became their home.

The clubs themselves do appear to have an amicable relationship, and on 15 July 2011 both Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday held a joint conference called "Supporting Sheffield" in which they announced a joint shirt sponsorship deal with two local Sheffield based companies for the 2011–12 League One season. The two local sponsors were Westfield Health (a Not for Profit healthcare organisation), who were the home kit sponsor for the Blades and the away kit sponsor for the Owls, and the Gilder Group (a Volkswagen car dealer), who were the away kit sponsor for the Blades and the home kit sponsor for the Owls. United and Wednesday both made a six figure sum from the sponsorship deal.[17] The deal was the first of its kind in English football with The Telegraph likening the deal to Glasgow rivals and neighbours Celtic and Rangers who have frequently shared shirt sponsors in the past.[18]

Played or managed for both clubs

Players to have played for both clubs:

Scored in the derby match for both clubs:

100+ appearances for both clubs:

Managed both clubs:

(Managed United first, later Wednesday)(Managed Wednesday first, later United)

Played for Wednesday, managed United:

Played for one, coached the other:

Coached both teams:

Other connections:

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sheffield United football club: record v Sheffield Wednesday . Association of Football Statisticians. 11v11.com . 22 February 2026.
  2. News: The Steel City showdown . 16 October 2008 . BBC Sport. 25 August 2009.
  3. News: Smith . Peter . Stoke v Port Vale named in top 30 English football rivalries, below Vale v Crewe . 30 August 2021. Stoke Sentinel . 9 September 2019.
  4. Web site: Sheffield United football club: record v Sheffield Wednesday . 2026-02-23 . www.11v11.com.
  5. Sheffield United the first 100 years. Clarebrough, D. 1989,
  6. Web site: United vs Wednesday – Facts & Figures. Blades-Mad. 6 February 2009.
  7. News: Wilson . Neil . 11 February 1967 . Five Men and a Million Pound Soccer Problem . 26 February 2024 . . 13.
  8. Book: Rollin, Jack. Rothmans Football Yearbook 1993–94. Headline Book Publishing. 1993. 0-7472-7895-4.
  9. News: Sheffield Wednesday 2–4 Sheffield United. BBC Sport. 24 September 2017.
  10. News: Sheffield United: Fans remember the 'Bouncing Day Massacre' one year on. The Star. 24 September 2018. 6 March 2019.
  11. News: Sheffield United 2-1 Sheffield Wednesday: Owls relegated from Championship. Ian . Woodcock. 22 February 2026 . BBC Sport . 22 February 2026.
  12. News: Ian . Woodcock. How Sheff Wed's earliest-ever relegation unfolded . 22 February 2026 . BBC Sport . 22 February 2026.
  13. News: FA investigates crowd trouble. 3 February 2003. BBC Sport. 25 August 2009.
  14. News: Fans clash at Steel City Derby. 9 April 2008. Johnston Publishing. Sheffield Star. 25 August 2009.
  15. Web site: Atmosphere report (Sheffield United – Sheffield Wednesday 08 April 2008). 10 April 2008. FootballDerbies.com. 25 August 2009.
  16. News: Sheffield derby: Fans blast policing as Wednesday and United draw. BBC News. 5 March 2019.
  17. News: Both Sheffield United and Wednesday forecast friction over sponsorship link-up. 19 July 2011. Johnston Publishing. Sheffield Star. 15 July 2011.
  18. News: Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday to share shirts sponsors this season. 19 July 2011. Telegraph Media Group. The Telegraph. 15 July 2011.

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