While Wembley is being redeveloped, the england football team have been playing their matches at different grounds around the country. I heard last night on BBC that a friendly was being played in Ipswich this coming September. Why havnt they used Hillsborough for any qualifiers or friendlies. I know for a fact Hillsborough has a bigger capacity than Ipswiches ground..Does anyone know why? :?

Hillsboro - too many memories from the Liverpool semi, not sure but I don't think it has hosted one since.


I voted BDTBL

Bootyful down town Bramall Lane

Ive not voted yet. I didnt want ppl to get the impression that I was a Blades/Pig :-)

Im a blade personally but Im just asking on behalf of Sheffield really. It could be the bad memories of the ill fated match but they have played in Sheffield until 1998. I think. I personally think that the old 4 sided stadiums with no corners are the better stadiums. Not every 4 sided stadium is the same, which makes them very unique whereas the moderns ones of today are all the same and really dont have many characteristics which distinguishes them from other grounds of a similar design. :lol:

Hillsborough can hold 40,000. Thats more than Middlesboroughs 35,000 that saw the match last night. We hosted early matches in Euro 96. I can't see them choosing us for friendlies/qualifiers though, even though Sheffields near central location would be ideal. The simple fact is that Sheffield is too unfashionable to be considered.

Originally posted by "mikey"

Hillsboro - too many memories from the Liverpool semi, not sure but I don't think it has hosted one since.


I voted BDTBL

Bootyful down town Bramall Lane

I don't think it's hosted an England game but it was used for Euro 96 and I think they had a league cup final reply there.

Not a great fan of football anymore but I think I might go and see England if they were playing in Sheffield. It makes perfect sense to spread the games around the country so all the England fans get chance to see their team. When England used to play at Wembley the stadium used to be only half full for International friendlies. This is not a great atmospehre for England to be playing in. I believe spreading these matches around the country fuels better turnouts. Hillsborough would be more than satisfactory for hosting such matches.

****The simple fact is that Sheffield is too unfashionable to be considered****

Maybe that is true mate, but what I find hard to understand is that what makes it "Unfashionable?" C'mon! Teeside is well not a nice place from what ive seen of their oil refineries etc..Yea Sheffield wld be an ideal location centralised in the country and at the heart of the motorway network. If there is anything big going on, its strange how Sheffield is never associated with it, for instance the Iq Test, Weather, Major Cities (I know it is but there is alot of people who dont agree) I know it was used for Euro 1996 but why have attitudes changed towards Sheffield as a whole since then? :?:

I don't know but it is obvious that the rest of the country doesn't really like Sheffield. Few know where it is, or that its actually the 4th biggest in England. It can't be blamed on being 'up north' because so are Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, etc, all more popular and 'fashionable' with outsiders than Sheffield. The funny thing is, when these outsiders actually move to Sheffield for work or University, they actually like it and end up staying permanently.

Yes, its all larger than the cities up north with the exception of Leeds and Birmingham (which is below us) but still north bound in comparison to London. Though from personal experience I wouldnt really say Liverpool is fashionable..I think its a trash heap personally but thats my opinion. Well whatever it is, something has swayed the opinion of the Football Association because it takes a dim view of Sheffield, one thing is for sure though. Sheffield probably has the best police presence when it comes to Football matches after Hillsborough and definatly has gain valuable knowledge in comparison to other cities.

Hillsborough is bigger than most of the grounds the FA pick for England games, but we still dont get one. I think the FA hate sheffield :(.
Id deffiently go and watch them if they came..

The fact that Sheffield is overlooked for International games is even more surprising when you consider Sheffields Geoff Thompson holds such a high position at the FA.

Really? I didnt know that. You would think he wld have some control and power to choose the venues. Maybe he cant stand the place. Who knows ;-) just because he comes from Sunny Sheff doesnt mean to say he's all for it. Isnt the sports minister from Sheffield too? Cant recall his some, begins with C. That also brings me onto the point of why Don Valley stadium isnt used very often. I can remember is was used last year by for a championship event which Norwich Union sponsered. I also watched some of it on tv. Isnt Sheffield the only "National City" of sport? Why is it used for sport so little then? :o :x

Yer all paranoid!

The FA are sharing the fixtures between grounds that wouldn't normally get them.

Hillsborough staged fixtures in the two major competitions we have hosted - The '66 World Cup and Euro '96. It has also staged cup matches.

If there were games at Hillsborough, people would be saying, how come they never stage them at places like Ipswich, but always the same old big grounds like Hillsborough!

Don't think paranoia is the issue rarstar, when did ENGLAND last play in Sheffield ?
Recent years, has seen England play at Sunderland , Newcastle, Middlesborough, Old Trafford (twice), Anfield (twice), Villa Park (twice), Leeds, Leicester, West Ham, Tottenham, Southampton, Derby, Ipswich (soon). Some of these grounds were also used in 1966 World Cup and Euro 96 !

Quite right there "Michael_W". That is exactly the point I am making. Alright we did host Euro96 and the WorldCup66 games. Im trying to find out when the actual England team last played in Sheffield. I certainly dont think it was during 1996, it was mainly used for foreign teams such as Croatia. England played all there games at Wembly. Maybe Hillsboro is on the list for forthcoming fixtures involving England but only time will tell. It better be quick or else we'll have no time left! It has to come around some day? :?

I'd rather it be more centrral! Birmingham would be better IMHO!

I really don't think that the FA, or anyone else, for that matter are singling out Sheffield.
Maybe the reason they haven't played fixtures here is because we are central - we can get to most other grounds with relative ease?
If they were planning to play one in the area, I think Nottingham or Derby would be a better choice, or even Barnsley.