# Steel City derby

The Steel City derby is a local derby between Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday, the two professional football league teams in the city of Sheffield, England.
As of 16 March 2025, the teams have met 146 times in competitive games, with United winning 51 and Wednesday 48.
Following Sheffield United's relegation from the Premier League in the 2023–24 season and Sheffield Wednesday successfully avoiding relegation to League One, the Steel City derby returned in the 2024–25 Championship season.

## 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.
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.
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

    As of 16 March 2025
| Competition | Games played | United wins | Drawn games | Wednesday wins | United goals | Wednesday goals |
| League | 120 | 45 | 39 | 36 | 163 | 149 |
| FA Cup | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 13 |
| EFL Cup | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| Full Members' Cup | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Total (official) | 133 | 48 | 43 | 42 | 181 | 170 |
| Wharncliffe Charity Cup | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Football League (Midland Section) | 12 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 15 | 23 |
| Total (overall) | 146 | 51 | 47 | 48 | 196 | 195 |

## Honours

| Competition | United | Wednesday |
| First Division | 1 | 4 |
| Second Division | 1 | 5 |
| League One | 1 | 0 |
| Fourth Division | 1 | 0 |
| FA Cup | 4 | 3 |
| EFL Cup | 0 | 1 |
| FA Charity Shield | N/A | 1 |
| Total | 8 | 14 |

## Matches played

League :
| Season | Division | Tier | United vs Wednesday | United vs Wednesday | United vs Wednesday | United vs Wednesday | Wednesday vs United | Wednesday vs United | Wednesday vs United | Wednesday vs United |
| Season | Division | Tier | Date | Venue | Score | Atten. | Date | Venue | Score | Atten. |
| 1893–94 | First Division | 1 | 16 October 1893 | Bramall Lane | 1–1 | | 13 November 1893 | Olive Grove | 1–2 | |
| 1894–95 | First Division | 1 | 12 January 1895 | Bramall Lane | 1–0 | | 27 October 1894 | Olive Grove | 2–3 | |
| 1895–96 | First Division | 1 | 26 December 1895 | Bramall Lane | 1–1 | | 7 September 1896 | Olive Grove | 1–0 | |
| 1896–97 | First Division | 1 | 26 December 1896 | Bramall Lane | 2–0 | | 2 March 1897 | Olive Grove | 1–1 | |
| 1897–98 | First Division | 1 | 27 December 1897 | Bramall Lane | 1–1 | | 16 October 1897 | Olive Grove | 0–1 | |
| 1898–99 | First Division | 1 | 26 December 1898 | Bramall Lane | 2–1 | | 3 October 1899 | Hillsborough | 1–1 | |
| 1900–01 | First Division | 1 | 15 December 1900 | Bramall Lane | 1–0 | | 29 April 1901 | Hillsborough | 1–0 | |
| 1901–02 | First Division | 1 | 1 March 1902 | Bramall Lane | 3–0 | | 2 November 1901 | Hillsborough | 1–0 | |
| 1902–03 | First Division | 1 | 1 September 1902 | Bramall Lane | 2–3 | | 11 October 1903 | Hillsborough | 0–1 | |
| 1903–04 | First Division | 1 | 12 December 1903 | Bramall Lane | 1–1 | | 9 April 1904 | Hillsborough | 3–0 | |
| 1904–05 | First Division | 1 | 8 April 1905 | Bramall Lane | 4–2 | | 10 December 1904 | Hillsborough | 1–3 | |
| 1905–06 | First Division | 1 | 21 October 1905 | Bramall Lane | 0–2 | | 18 April 1906 | Hillsborough | 1–0 | |
| 1906–07 | First Division | 1 | 4 May 1907 | Bramall Lane | 2–1 | | 3 November 1906 | Hillsborough | 2–2 | |
| 1907–08 | First Division | 1 | 9 November 1907 | Bramall Lane | 1–3 | | 7 March 1908 | Hillsborough | 2–0 | |
| 1908–09 | First Division | 1 | 26 December 1908 | Bramall Lane | 2–1 | | | Hillsborough | 1–0 | |
| 1909–10 | First Division | 1 | 6 November 1909 | Bramall Lane | 3–3 | | 19 March 1910 | Hillsborough | 1–3 | |
| 1910–11 | First Division | 1 | 25 February 1911 | Bramall Lane | 0–1 | | 22 October 1910 | Hillsborough | 2–0 | |
| 1911–12 | First Division | 1 | 4 November 1911 | Bramall Lane | 1–1 | | 9 March 1912 | Hillsborough | 1–1 | |
| 1912–13 | First Division | 1 | 1 March 1913 | Bramall Lane | 0–2 | | 26 October 1912 | Hillsborough | 1–0 | |
| 1913–14 | First Division | 1 | 25 October 1913 | Bramall Lane | 0–1 | | 28 February 1914 | Hillsborough | 2–1 | |
| 1914–15 | First Division | 1 | 4 September 1914 | Bramall Lane | 0–1 | | 2 January 1915 | Hillsborough | 1–1 | |
| 1919–20 | First Division | 1 | 4 October 1919 | Bramall Lane | 3–0 | | 27 September 1919 | Hillsborough | 2–1 | |
| 1926–27 | First Division | 1 | 15 January 1927 | Bramall Lane | 2–0 | | 28 August 1926 | Hillsborough | 2–3 | |
| 1927–28 | First Division | 1 | | Bramall Lane | 1–1 | | | Hillsborough | 3–3 | |
| 1928–29 | First Division | 1 | 2 February 1929 | Bramall Lane | 1–1 | | 22 September 1928 | Hillsborough | 5–2 | |
| 1929–30 | First Division | 1 | 28 September 1929 | Bramall Lane | 2–2 | 47,038 | 1 February 1930 | Hillsborough | 1–1 | 54,459 |
| 1930–31 | First Division | 1 | 6 September 1930 | Bramall Lane | 1–1 | 36,738 | 3 January 1931 | Hillsborough | 1–3 | 33,322 |
| 1931–32 | First Division | 1 | 2 April 1932 | Bramall Lane | 1–1 | 37,872 | 21 November 1931 | Hillsborough | 2–1 | 25,823 |
| 1932–33 | First Division | 1 | 4 February 1933 | Bramall Lane | 2–3 | 32,608 | 24 September 1932 | Hillsborough | 3–3 | 24,804 |
| 1933–34 | First Division | 1 | 3 March 1934 | Bramall Lane | 5–1 | 32,318 | 21 October 1933 | Hillsborough | 0–1 | 28,049 |
| 1937–38 | Second Division | 2 | 26 February 1938 | Bramall Lane | 2–1 | 50,827 | 16 October 1937 | Hillsborough | 0–1 | 51,893 |
| 1938–39 | Second Division | 2 | 29 October 1938 | Bramall Lane | 0–0 | 44,909 | 4 March 1939 | Hillsborough | 1–0 | 48,891 |
| 1949–50 | Second Division | 2 | 21 January 1950 | Bramall Lane | 2–0 | 51,644 | 17 September 1949 | Hillsborough | 2–1 | 55,555 |
| 1951–52 | Second Division | 2 | 8 September 1951 | Bramall Lane | 7–3 | 52,045 | 5 January 1952 | Hillsborough | 1–3 | 65,384 |
| 1953–54 | First Division | 1 | 12 September 1953 | Bramall Lane | 2–0 | 45,463 | 23 January 1954 | Hillsborough | 3–2 | 43,231 |
| 1954–55 | First Division | 1 | 18 September 1954 | Bramall Lane | 1–0 | 37,308 | 5 February 1955 | Hillsborough | 1–2 | 36,176 |
| 1958–59 | Second Division | 2 | 21 February 1959 | Bramall Lane | 1–0 | 43,919 | 4 October 1958 | Hillsborough | 2–0 | 46,404 |
| 1961–62 | First Division | 1 | 16 September 1961 | Bramall Lane | 1–0 | 38,497 | 3 February 1962 | Hillsborough | 1–2 | 50,937 |
| 1962–63 | First Division | 1 | 6 October 1962 | Bramall Lane | 2–2 | 42,687 | 15 May 1963 | Hillsborough | 3–1 | 41,585 |
| 1963–64 | First Division | 1 | 14 September 1963 | Bramall Lane | 1–1 | 35,276 | 18 January 1964 | Hillsborough | 3–0 | 42,898 |
| 1964–65 | First Division | 1 | 2 January 1965 | Bramall Lane | 2–3 | 37,190 | 5 September 1964 | Hillsborough | 0–2 | 32,684 |
| 1965–66 | First Division | 1 | 18 September 1965 | Bramall Lane | 1–0 | 35,655 | 12 March 1966 | Hillsborough | 2–2 | 34,045 |
| 1966–67 | First Division | 1 | 4 February 1966 | Bramall Lane | 1–0 | 43,490 | 24 September 1967 | Hillsborough | 2–2 | 43,557 |
| 1967–68 | First Division | 1 | 2 September 1967 | Bramall Lane | 0–1 | 36,258 | 6 January 1968 | Hillsborough | 1–1 | 43,020 |
| 1970–71 | Second Division | 2 | 3 October 1970 | Bramall Lane | 3–2 | 39,983 | 12 April 1971 | Hillsborough | 0–0 | 47,592 |
| 1979–80 | Third Division | 3 | 5 April 1980 | Bramall Lane | 1–1 | 45,156 | 26 December 1979 | Hillsborough | 4–0 | 49,309 |
| 1991–92 | First Division | 1 | 17 November 1991 | Bramall Lane | 2–0 | 31,832 | 11 March 1992 | Hillsborough | 1–3 | 40,327 |
| 1992–93 | Premier League | 1 | 8 November 1992 | Bramall Lane | 1–1 | 30,039 | 21 April 1993 | Hillsborough | 1–1 | 38,688 |
| 1993–94 | Premier League | 1 | 23 October 1993 | Bramall Lane | 1–1 | 30,044 | 22 January 1994 | Hillsborough | 3–1 | 34,959 |
| 2000–01 | First Division | 2 | 16 December 2000 | Bramall Lane | 1–1 | 25,156 | 1 April 2001 | Hillsborough | 1–2 | 38,433 |
| 2001–02 | First Division | 2 | 29 January 2002 | Bramall Lane | 0–0 | 29,364 | 7 October 2001 | Hillsborough | 0–0 | 29,281 |
| 2002–03 | First Division | 2 | 17 January 2003 | Bramall Lane | 3–1 | 28,179 | 1 September 2002 | Hillsborough | 2–0 | 27,075 |
| 2005–06 | Championship | 2 | 3 December 2005 | Bramall Lane | 1–0 | 30,558 | 18 February 2006 | Hillsborough | 1–2 | 33,439 |
| 2007–08 | Championship | 2 | 8 April 2008 | Bramall Lane | 2–2 | 31,760 | 19 January 2008 | Hillsborough | 2–0 | 30,486 |
| 2008–09 | Championship | 2 | 7 February 2009 | Bramall Lane | 1–2 | 30,786 | 19 October 2008 | Hillsborough | 1–0 | 30,441 |
| 2009–10 | Championship | 2 | 18 September 2009 | Bramall Lane | 3–2 | 29,210 | 18 April 2010 | Hillsborough | 1–1 | 35,485 |
| 2011–12 | League One | 3 | 16 October 2011 | Bramall Lane | 2–2 | 28,136 | 26 February 2012 | Hillsborough | 1–0 | 36,364 |
| 2017–18 | Championship | 2 | 12 January 2018 | Bramall Lane | 0–0 | 31,120 | 24 September 2017 | Hillsborough | 2–4 | 32,839 |
| 2018–19 | Championship | 2 | 9 November 2018 | Bramall Lane | 0–0 | 30,261 | 4 March 2019 | Hillsborough | 0–0 | 31,630 |
| 2024–25 | Championship | 2 | 10 November 2024 | Bramall Lane | 1–0 | 31,127 | 16 March 2025 | Hillsborough | 0–1 | 33,827 |
Cup :
| Season | Competition | Round | Date | Venue | Score | Atten. |
| 1899–1900 | FA Cup | 2nd Round | 17 February 1900 | Bramall Lane | 1–1 | 28,374 |
| 1899–1900 | FA Cup | 2nd Round Replay | 19 February 1900 | Hillsborough | 0–2 | 23,000 |
| 1924–25 | FA Cup | 2nd Round | 31 January 1925 | Bramall Lane | 3–2 | 40,256 |
| 1927–28 | FA Cup | 5th Round | 18 February 1928 | Hillsborough | 1–1 | 57,076 |
| 1927–28 | FA Cup | 5th Round Replay | 22 February 1928 | Bramall Lane | 4–1 | 59,447 |
| 1953–54 | FA Cup | 3rd Round | 9 January 1954 | Hillsborough | 1–1 | 61,250 |
| 1953–54 | FA Cup | 3rd Round Replay | 13 January 1954 | Bramall Lane | 1–3 | 40,847 |
| 1959–60 | FA Cup | 6th Round | 12 March 1960 | Bramall Lane | 0–2 | 61,180 |
| 1980–81 | League Cup | 1st Round first leg | 12 August 1980 | Bramall Lane | 1–1 | 25,588 |
| 1980–81 | League Cup | 1st Round second leg | 9 August 1980 | Hillsborough | 2–0 | 23,989 |
| 1989–90 | Full Members' Cup | 2nd Round | 21 November 1989 | Hillsborough | 3–2 | 30,464 |
| 1992–93 | FA Cup | Semi-final | 3 April 1993 | Wembley Stadium | 2–1 | 75,364 |
| 2000–01 | League Cup | 3rd Round | 1 November 2000 | Hillsborough | 2–1 | 32,283 |

## Non-competitive matches

Eligible games – Friendlies :
| Venue | Date | Attendance | Competition | Winner | Score | Notes |
| Olive Grove | 15 December 1890 | 10,000 | Friendly | Wednesday | 2–1 | First ever meeting between the two sides |
| Bramall Lane | 12 January 1891 | 15,000 | Friendly | United | 3–2 | First United win |
| Olive Grove | 23 April 1891 | 3,250 | Wharncliffe Charity Cup | Wednesday | 2–1 | Tournament went uncompleted |
| Olive Grove | 17 October 1892 | 1,500 | Friendly | Drawn | 1–1 | First drawn game |
| Hillsborough | 9 August 1994 | 13,724 | Steel City Challenge Trophy | United | 2–3 | Inaugural match for the trophy |
| Bramall Lane | 5 August 1995 | 13,254 | Steel City Challenge Trophy | Wednesday | 1–3 | Last meeting between the sides under Dave Bassett's time at United |
| Bramall Lane | 27 August 1996 | 7,271 | Steel City Challenge Trophy | United | 4–1 | Last 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. 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.
On 3 April 1993, the two teams met in the FA Cup semi-finals. The game was scheduled to be played at Elland Road while the other semi between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur was to be played at Wembley. However The Football Association was forced to move the fixture 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.
The 2017-18 Steel City Derby at Hillsborough on Sunday 24 September 2017, saw United claim their biggest win at Hillsborough with their 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. 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.

## 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 2008 and 2019.
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. 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.

## Played or managed for both clubs

Players to have played for both clubs:
* Earl Barrett
* Danny Batth
* Carl Bradshaw
* Leigh Bromby
* Franz Carr
* Leon Clarke
* Richard Cresswell
* Terry Curran
* David Ford
* Derek Geary
* Paul Heald
* Ben Heneghan
* David Johnson
* Marvin Johnson
* Caolan Lavery
* Max Lowe
* Gary Madine
* Brian Marwood
* David McGoldrick
* Jon-Paul McGovern
* Tony McMahon
* Nathaniel Mendez-Laing
* Owen Morrison
* Joe Mattock
* Chris O'Grady
* Alan Quinn
* Neil Ramsbottom
* Carl Robinson
* Wilf Rostron
* Bernard Shaw
* Simon Stainrod
* Keith Treacy
* Imre Varadi
* Alan Warboys
* Dean Windass
Scored in the derby match for both clubs:
* Alan Quinn
100+ appearances for both clubs:
* Leigh Bromby
Managed both clubs:
* Steve Bruce (Managed United first, later Wednesday)
* Danny Wilson (Managed Wednesday first, later United)
Played for Wednesday, managed United:
* Nigel Clough
* Teddy Davison
* Ian Porterfield
* Paul Heckingbottom
Played for one, coached the other:
* Sam Ellis
* Phil Henson
* James Beattie
* Mike Trusson
* Alan Hodgkinson
Coached both teams:
* Frank Barlow
* Danny Bergara
* Willie Donachie
* Adam Owen
Other connections:
* Derek Dooley, played for and managed Wednesday and was then had a variety of roles at United including Commercial Manager, Managing Director, Chairman and Vice President
* John Harris, managed United and scouted for Wednesday