Where do both Sheffield clubs draw their support?

[daniel3982 10]

As a neutral (well Sunderland fan) I'm intrigued as to where both Sheffield teams draw their support from and how it is split. Ie was one working class and the other more middle class, along religious grounds like Glasgow or purely geographical?

 

If it's the latter how is it split? Would north Sheffield be more Wednesday and South Sheffield more United? Which areas of the city would you say were more Blades & which more Owls? Would Woodseats be mostly Blades & Walkley most Owls? Or is the whole of Sheffield pretty jumbled up and support just comes down to family ties/friends etc?

 

Please keep it civil too!

[scoobydotcom 10]

I would say Wednesday's support spreads out wider around the South Yorkshire area than United's does

[Runningman 148]

Both clubs have been in existence for well over 100 years.

Folks have moved around the area in those years, I don't think you can generalise about who is situated where.

Religion certainly doesn't come into the equation neither does class distinction.

 

In my view you start supporting the team your Father did, the choice isn't yours, it's a hereditary situation.

 

Remember also that Wednesday had a 14 year head start on United and also began their years at Olive Grove around where they gathered support, then moved to the north of the city where they gathered more support. They gathered support during those years which was passed down to their kids.

 

I can't understand and never will why Wednesday through their history have had the greater support when you look back at the dark days of their existence. Hard to evaluate why and you Forum Stalkers, don't bother coming back with some barmy comments. This is a good intelligent thread which inevitably will be spoilt !!

[sheff66 10]

Dronfield is an interesting case in point I reckon it must be a clean 50/50 split up here

[Stoatwobbler 10]

Dronfield is an interesting case in point I reckon it must be a clean 50/50 split up here

 

I think there's more United in Dronfield then Wednesday.

[Gazza58 10]

Both clubs have been in existence for well over 100 years.

Folks have moved around the area in those years, I don't think you can generalise about who is situated where.

Religion certainly doesn't come into the equation neither does class distinction.

 

In my view you start supporting the team your Father did, the choice isn't yours, it's a hereditary situation.

 

Agree with all that, yes you do support the team your dad/grandad did and you dont have a choice,same as my kids/grandkids they had no choice either.

[SteveBlade 10]

I honestly think that it's 50/50 now for anyone under the age of about 20, maybe United have slightly more? Over then I think Wednesday probably shade it.

[Shandai 10]

I grew up and have moved back to the Manor\Arbourthorne and I would say it is slightly weighted more towards SUFC and i've always thought that SUFC was slightly more working class but that's probably just a perception because of where I grew up.

[ReginaldD 10]

As others have said comes down to family ties. And when a youngster doesn't have parents into football but they are they seem to pick whoever is doing well at the time. So the number of young people you see with a particular shirt fluctuates, when I was at school in the 90's loads more people supported Wednesday than United. But a few years ago when United were in the Prem and we were languishing around Champ/League 1 all the kids I saw seemed to be wearing United shirts.

 

Little things help too like if United/Wednesday commnunity scheme go into a school and offer free tickets that can hook the kids in, maybe that is geographical as the community schemes may only go to certain schools.

[ReginaldD 10]

I grew up and have moved back to the Manor\Arbourthorne and I would say it is slightly weighted more towards SUFC and i've always thought that SUFC was slightly more working class but that's probably just a perception because of where I grew up.

 

I'll scond the thought about SUFC being more working class, though may just be my perception of knowing a lot United fans around Manor /Arbourthorne. Though you go to the other side of the city and say Parsons Cross etc is full Wednesday fans so Wednesday are just as working class. So maybe just about personal perceptions.

 

Would be interesting if the clubs had viewable figures of their members postcodes, age, ethnicity etc.

[melthebell 863]

 

In my view you start supporting the team your Father did, the choice isn't yours, it's a hereditary situation.

thats true, i support wednesday, my dad did, however my uncle and his kids support the blades

obviously mi dad and uncle came from the same place originally so not sure why they supported different teams, to be different from the other i suppose, mi uncle says it was mi dad being awkward plus he likes blue lol

[Waddle 10]

I would say the Owls draw more support from Rotherham, Donny and Chesterfield and the Blades more from the city itself. Growing up in a secondary school in the 80's on the Rotherham/Sheffield border, support was split 50% Owls, 40% Blades and 10% other local clubs. I'm ignoring the obvious Liverpool, Man u glory hunters