Hillsborough - Sheffield Wednesday stadium
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- Ground Layout
Last Update:
August 7, 2024
Although the ground has not had the level of new investment some other clubs have recently received, it is still a beautiful ground oozing character. It has four large separate stands, all of which are covered and are roughly the same height, giving a uniform feel to the stadium. On one side is the North Stand. This large single-tiered stand was opened in 1961. It was hailed as an architectural marvel, as at the time it was the largest cantilever stand ever built in Britain and only the second such type of stand to have been constructed (the first was at the Old Showground in Scunthorpe). The two-tiered South Stand on one side of the ground is the largest of the stands and is superb looking. It was originally opened in 1914 and was designed by the famous football ground architect Archibald Leitch. A second tier and new roof were added in 1996, to expand capacity for the European Championships, for which Hillsborough was a host venue. In keeping with the original look of the stand, a triangular gable incorporating a clock adorned with a copper football was placed on the new roof. The stand has a large lower tier with a small upper tier above. At the back of the lower tier is a row of executive boxes. The team dugouts and director box are located on this side.
At one end is the Spion Kop. This was previously a huge open bank of terrace that was at one time the largest in Britain. It gained a roof in 1986 and was made all-seated in 1993. Opposite is the West Stand or Leppings Lane End. This two-tiered stand was opened in 1966, in time for the Club to host some World Cup games played that year. Like the Kop, it has several large supporting pillars. One corner of the ground is filled with seating between the North & West Stand, this area is uncovered. On the other side of the West Stand is a large video screen, under which is tucked a Police Control Box. Unusually for such an old ground, it doesn’t have a set of floodlight pylons. Instead, the stadium is illuminated by lights running across the front of the stand roofs.
The main entrance to Hillsborough Stadium is via a bridge that goes over the River Don. Once across the bridge, fans can then make their away around the perimeter of the stadium to locate the stand and turnstile they need to enter the ground.
Outside the ground near the main entrance is a memorial to the 96 fans who died at Hillsborough in 1989, at the FA Cup Semi-Final between Liverpool & Nottingham Forest.
45k Wednesday fans singing ‘Hi Ho Sheffield Wednesday’ at Wembley after securing promotion to the Championship on this day last year.
Some atmosphere, that 😮💨 #SWFC pic.twitter.com/VCQ1JvxlZF
— Bᴇɴ Rᴏʙᴇʀᴛsᴏɴ🗽 (@IAmBenRobertson) May 29, 2024
Away fans are normally placed in the upper tier of the West Stand (the Leppings Lane) end of the ground, where up to 3,700 away supporters can be accommodated. If there is a particularly large following (or for an FA Cup Tie) then the corner described above may also be made available, plus the lower tier of the West Stand. This can take the allocation up to 8,000. Alternatively, if a small away support is expected then the open corner between the Leppings Lane & North Stand is only made available. There are several supporting pillars in the West Stand, which could impede your view. On the concourse food on sale includes; A range of Pies (£3.50), Sausage Rolls (£2.70), Burgers (£3.80) and Hot Dogs (£3.80). The turnstiles open 90 minutes before kick-off for Saturday fixtures and at 6.30 pm for evening matches. I had an enjoyable day out at Hillsborough, where I found the atmosphere around the ground to be relaxed. I thought the ground was certainly one of the best in the League, if not the country, in terms of setting and attractiveness.
Lee Hicklin adds; ‘About a hundred yards down Leppings Lane there is a programme and football memorabilia shop, which is worth a visit’. Whilst Clive Plank informs me; ‘If you go to the front of the stadium into Herries Road, then on the right there is a Bieres Pork Sandwich Shop. You cannot miss it because there is always a queue (but they get through very quickly and efficiently). It does the most scrumptious pork sandwiches with buns from regular to jumbo and kingsize complete with crackling and all the works.’
Card Payments are accepted for food and drink inside the stadium. In fact, in some of the home stands, cash is no longer accepted.
- Railway Hotel – 19 Penistone ROad, S6 1LP
- The Norfolk Arms – 2 Ringinglow Road, S11 7TS
- The Red Lion – 95 Penistone Road, S35 8QH
- The New Barrack Tavern – 601 Penistone Road, S6 2GA
- The Red Deer Pub – 18 Pitt Street, S1 4DD
- The Wellington – 1 Henry Street, s£ 7EQ
- Fat Cat – 23 Alma Street, s£ 8SA
- Kelham Island Tavern – 62 Russell Street, S3 8RW
- The Howard Pub – 57 Howard Street, S1 2LW
The Club had previously announced plans to increase the capacity at Hillsborough to almost 45,000. This was primarily through the proposed expansion of the Leppings Lane End, including the building of an additional tier and the ‘filling in’ of the corner between this and the South Stand. This was in the hope that England would win the bid to stage the 2018 World Cup (Hillsborough was listed as one of the potential venues). However, the failure of this bid, means that plans have been shelved for the time being. They may be ‘dusted off’ if the Club gains promotion to the Premier League.
When you’re talking about Sheffield Wednesday’s stadium history the one really obvious thing that springs to everybody’s mind is the Hillsborough stadium disaster; that occurred in April 1989 where 96 people lost their lives. You cannot ignore that tragic incident when talking about Sheffield Wednesday’s stadium but if we’re talking about the places where the Owls have played previously there is a fair few grounds to chalk off.
Sheffield Wednesday’s first home ground was Highfield before the club bounced around numerous places including Myrtle Bar and Sheaf House. A home stadium that might surprise a few though is that they also played their hosted matches at Bramall Lane, which is now home to their city rivals, United. Their first permanent stadium though was Olive Grove; it was home to them for over 10 years.
Leave the M1 at Junction 36 and follow the A61 into Sheffield. Continue along the A61 for approximately eight miles. You will see Hillsborough Stadium on your right. This is not the shortest route to the ground, but this is the easiest and avoids Sheffield City Centre.
Car Parking
There is some street parking to be had if you arrive early, although some roads near Hillsborough are permit-only, so make sure to check for warning signs before you park. Otherwise, there are some unofficial car parks along the A61 that charge in the region of £4. Gary Rickett-Ambrose adds; ‘There is a car park directly behind the Kop and the Wednesday Club shop. It is called the Wednesdayite car park and is open to fans of both teams. It costs £7 for visitors and its postcode is S6 1QE’.
Alternatively, you may find it easier to park at Meadowhall Railway Station, near to the well-known Shopping Centre (unless of course, it is in the run-up to Christmas or the January sales when the shopping centre is very busy), just by Junction 34 of the M1, where you can park for free and then take a yellow tram to Leppings lane, which costs £3 return and takes about 35 minutes. There is also the option of renting a private driveway near the Hillsborough Stadium via YourParkingSpace.co.uk.
Post Code for SAT NAV: S6 1SW
Sheffield Railway Station is located over three miles away from the ground. Either get a taxi up to the ground (which costs around £10), or a bus from the bus station which is a one-minute walk away (as you leave the railway station entrance turn right. Cross over at the pedestrian crossing, and follow the signs). Head for the far side of the terminus. Bus No.53 to Ecclesfield runs regularly to the ground (every ten minutes), the journey time is about 30 minutes.
Sheffield Tram
Jeremy Dawson informs me; ‘If arriving by train, then by far the easiest way to get to the ground is by Supertram, which has a stop right next to the railway station and they run every ten minutes during the day. Leaving the station on a blue tram, going towards Malin Bridge, you will reach the Hillsborough stop, where it is then around a ten-minute walk to the ground. Alternatively, you can take another Supertram from Hillsborough this time on the yellow line to Leppings Lane which is right by the ground.’ You can also take the same blue tram from the railway station into the City Centre and change there onto a yellow tram (destination Middlewood) for the Leppings Lane stop. The journey time of the Supertram is around 20 minutes. You can buy an all-day ticket onboard (they have conductors) for the Supertrams which works out cheaper than buying two single tickets. The day ticket also has the added advantage that you can use it to visit some of those excellent Real Ale pubs located around the city, however, don’t blame me if you then don’t subsequently make it to the match! Called a ‘Dayrider’ it costs £3.90 for Adults and £2 for Children. For more details please visit the SuperTram website. The SuperTram also accept ‘PlusBus’ tickets, which you can purchase as an ‘add-on’ when buying your train ticket.
Like several Clubs, Sheffield Wednesday operates a category system, whereby the most popular games cost more to watch. However, the Club have a staggering seven different categories (A – G) of ticket pricing.
Adult: £27-£59
Concession: £17-£49
U17: £15-£20
U11: £10-£15
U5: £5
Official Programme £3
Sheffield Wednesday vs Sheffield United rivalry: There is no doubt that the biggest derby game is for Sheffield Wednesday; that’s the Steel City derby. The two clubs are located near to each other but delve further back into the history books and you’ll find that Wednesday turning their back on Bramall Lane as a stadium was the catalyst to form Sheffield United.
Other rivals for Sheffield Wednesday include Leeds United, Rotherham United, Barnsley, Chesterfield and Doncaster Rovers. None of those games come close to matching the heat generated when the two Sheffield clubs lock horns though.
For details of disabled facilities and club contact at the ground please visit the relevant page on the Level Playing Field website.
Record Attendance
72,841 v Manchester City
FA Cup 5th Round, 17th February 1934.
Modern All-Seated Attendance Record
39,640 v Manchester United
Premier League, 2nd February 2000.
Average Attendance
2023-2024: 25,915 (Championship)
2022-2023: 25,378 (League One)
2021-2022: 22,470 (League One)
2020-2021: 0 (Covid) (Championship)
2019-2020: 23,733 (Championship)
Official Web Sites:
www.swfc.co.uk
Our Wednesday forum
Unofficial Web Sites:
London Owls
Anzowls,
Owls Online
Owlstalk
Vital Sheffield Wednesday
SheffieldWednesday.com
Wednesdayite (Supporters Society)
If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, please e-mail me at: [email protected] and I’ll update the guide.
Thanks also to Alex Manners for providing the video of his review of the Hillsborough Ground Sheffield Wednesday. Visit his YouTube Channel to view other videos of ground visits he has made.
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Images
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Images
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Images
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Sheffield Wednesday v Bolton Wanderers
Championship League
Saturday 10th March 2018, 3pm
Jack Tyldsley (Bolton Wanderers fan)
Sheffield Wednesday v Charlton Athletic
Championship
Wednesday 26th February 2020, 7.45pm
Dan Maguire (Doing the 92)
Sheffield Wednesday v Millwall
EFL Championship
Saturday 2nd January 2020, 3pm
Brian Moore (Millwall)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Hillborough Ground?
An easy train trip from where I live so as a regular away supporter it was nice to have a little later start than normal. Also, the Sheffield Tap bar at the Railway Station is one of my favourite real ale pubs.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
A quick trip by train then a cab ride to match was £8 which is virtually the same as the Tram fare would have been for the three of us!
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
The Sheffield Tap is the venue of choice for any real ale fans and there are always plenty of taxis outside the station to get you to the stadium.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Hillsborough Stadium?
A big old fashioned stadium, somewhat modernised but not a soulless bowl, thank God!
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
0-0 and a fully justified scoreline Zzzzzzzzz! Pies, what pies?! No food when we arrived at ten to three. Staff apologetic but told what little they had received had sold out quickly. £33 a ticket pah, pathetic. Even worse the PA system was incomprehensible and very low volume. Considering what happened in this stand many years ago, the inability to make clear emergency/evacuation announcements is not acceptable as a safety issue. (I have since written to the club and the stadium manager has advised me that he is taking action to rectify this – so fair play to them for the positive and quick response).
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The usual poor organisation at the chaotic tram stop. Someone may seriously get injured here one day. Another example of poor treatment of paying customers in football. Boy are fans taken for granted in this industry. Annoyed? Too right I am.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I enjoyed my drinks at the Sheffield Tap and an away point was fine but it was ruined by the other issues mentioned in my review.
Sheffield Wednesday v Brentford
Championship Saturday
7th December 2019, 3pm
Mike O’Daly (Brentford)
Sheffield Wednesday v Swansea City
Championship
Saturday 9th November 2019, 3pm
Gareth Taylor (Swansea City)
Sheffield Wednesday v Bristol City
Championship
Monday 22nd April 2019, 3pm
Myk Garton (Bristol City)
Sheffield Wednesday v Blackburn Rovers
Championship
Saturday 16th March 2019, 3pm
Robert Bury (Blackburn Rovers)
I was looking forward to visiting Hillsborough as it had been a stadium on my hit list for a few years having never previously been before and previous clashes in my personal life stopping me attending sooner. I always look forward to visiting old grounds with character like this rather than the new identikit stadiums you get these days.
The journey was relatively easy albeit not straightforward considering it was the wettest day known to man. That’s saying something if a Lancashire lad is saying its wet trust me! The M66 on our route had closed due to flooding meaning a little detour through Rochdale was required. The stadium itself is very easy to find if you are coming from the northerly route. As we were coming from the north side of Sheffield we left the M1 at Junction 36 and the A61 then takes you pretty much straight to the stadium if you keep going straight at any junction you encounter. We parked on an industrial unit at a cost of a fiver, pretty standard and easy to spot with numerous well-advertised units doing the same.
After we parked up we walked to a nearby pub called The Railway which was only five minutes walk from our parking spot. The pub had a good mix of home and away fans and although we didn’t get enough time to start talking with the home fans the atmosphere in the pub was relaxed and positive. The prices were slightly expensive in my opinion but not as much to put me off.
After a pint, we walked on to the ground, barely a 10 minute walk from the pub. Along the way we spotted a chippy close to the ground along this road which smelt amazing, we, unfortunately, didn’t have time to join in, a decision I later came to regret. Next to the chippy was an off licence which had a good sizable gathering of home fans who were drinking cans I can only guess where purchased from the shop. It was almost as if it was being used as a cheap bar instead of the pub. I found this quite odd but liked it, a little odd quirk of differing fans, stadiums and their matchday traditions.
On approaching the stadium you can see it is quite old and tired looking, but it is one of the larger stadiums in the division. We got a little lost at this point trying to find the away turnstiles. Upon asking a steward it seems you have to turn down the road between the shop and chippy I mentioned to get around the back to Leppings Lane. Walking down these terraced streets brings back memories of the past, and I loved it. You can almost hear the fans of days gone by walking down the street.
Once we had got into the stadium we headed for a pie and a pint. The organisation and service on this concourse were the poorest I have experienced in trips to over 30 different stadiums. It took ages for them to serve the person in front of me whilst the staff bumbled about looking for a particular pie. There were no boards telling us what was on offer and the pricing. Only one till out of about eight accepted cash and I only found this out once at the front of the queue. The pie I received was a Chicken Balti pie and was the driest pie I have ever had. Those of our group that were drinking said that the pint they had was very flat too. A very poor experience sadly.
The game itself started in true Rovers fashion with us conceding early doors. Although we ended up controlling large parts of the game we ended up losing 4-2. The scoreline flattered the home team but we had only ourselves to blame with the standard of our defending that day. The home fans were not particularly vocal but then that seems to be the trend in our modern game sadly and nothing unusual.
I noted that the stadium has a seemingly uncovered area that was full in between the Kop and North Stand. On what was the wettest day of the year I applaud those fans who braved the elements to stand in that corner. I noticed that in-between the North Stand and away end there is a larger uncovered corner section too that can be used for away fans from time to time I hear. If you end up in this area I would advise a very large umbrella if it is raining!
After the game, the traffic was slow as you would expect until you get further towards the M1 but nothing to complain about. I did notice on the way home that there is a memorabilia shop on Leppings Lane that I am kicking myself for not having a look in, I heard afterwards that it is interesting and worth a look. All in all, despite the loss a good day out but Sheffield could do better to look after their visitors on the concourse.
Sheffield Wednesday v Sheffield United
Championship League
Saturday 4th March 2019, 7.45pm
Alex Smith (Neutral)
Sheffield Wednesday v Reading
Championship League
Saturday 9th February 2019, 3pm
William Biss (Reading)
Sheffield Wednesday v Norwich City
Championship League
Saturday 3rd November 2018, 3pm
John Clarke (Norwich City)
Sheffield Wednesday v West Bromwich Albion
Championship League
Wednesday 3rd October 2018, 7.45pm
Steven Roper (West Bromwich Albion)
Sheffield Wednesday v West Bromwich Albion
Championship League
Wednesday 3rd October 2018, 7.45pm
Rob Armstrong (West Bromwich Albion)
Sheffield Wednesday v Villarreal
Pre-Season Friendly
Saturday 28th July 2018, 3pm
Ian Rose (Doing The 92)
Sheffield Wednesday v Villarreal
Pre-Season Friendly
Saturday 28th July 2018, 3pm
Sam Goody (Neutral – Groundhopping)
Sheffield Wednesday v Bolton Wanderers
Championship League
Saturday 10th March 2018, 3pm
Sam (Bolton Wanderers fan)
Sheffield Wednesday v Bolton Wanderers
Championship League
Saturday 10th March 2018, 3pm
Matt Lawton (Bolton Wanderers fan)
Sheffield Wednesday v Barnsley
Football Championship League
Saturday 28th October 2017, 12.30pm
Tom Bellamy (Barnsley fan)
Sheffield Wednesday v Leeds United
Football Championship League
Saturday 1st October 2017, 12.15pm
Shaun (Leeds United fan)
Sheff Wednesday v Nottingham Forest
Football Championship League
Saturday 9th September 2017, 5.30pm
Liam (Nottingham Forest fan)
Sheffield Wednesday v Newcastle United
Football League Championship
Saturday 8th April 2017, 5.30pm
Christopher (Newcastle United fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Hillsborough?
With Newcastle United going well in the league and close to sealing promotion, it was a game not to be missed. Not only this but I had heard that Hillsborough has a decent atmosphere and is a traditional old ground. However thoughts of Hillsborough will always be linked to the disaster that took place there in 1989 when 96 fans lost their lives. The disaster subsequently shaped the way of UK stadia over the last 25 years or, great from a safety point of view, but bad in the way it's lead to soulless all seated bowl stadiums. No matter what era of football you grew up in, Hillsborough is a major factor behind and the stadium is always going to be known for that. As a football fan there is a mix of great sadness, and curiosity associated with the stadium because of it. As it happens the match itself was played near the time of the anniversary, and our manager (Rafael Benitez), the former Liverpool manager laid a wreath at the memorial ahead of kick off.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I got one of the supporter coaches down so all that was done for me. However our bus was stopped as it came off the M1 and we waited for half an hour for a Police escort. Apparently they were waiting for other busses to arrive before leading us in together. In the end the Police decided to take our bus in on it's own.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Locals said there were no pubs in the area allowing away fans in. There is an Asda Store just over the bridge from the away end where you can pick up drinks and snacks. Also just over the bridge is a nice little chip shop, not the largest menu, but affordable and good chips.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Hillsborough Stadium?
The Leppings Lane End that we were housed in, isn't much to look at. Once though the turnstiles (which I found had more room than some newer grounds) you go up a gangway bridge which is very much like something that you would find in a railway station in a rundown town centre.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Inside the concourse the atmosphere was bouncing, which was once of the reasons behind me considering this the best away day for atmosphere that I have been too. As more fans arrived it did get more cramped, especially down to the end of the kiosks which was selling alcohol. It is worth noting that the majority of the kiosks do not accept cash, it's card and contactless payments only. I'm not sure if other kiosks towards the other end accepted cash or not. As I had been to the chip shop across the road I never got anything to eat or drink in the ground itself, so can't comments on the food and prices. From our seats we had a decent view, although there is a couple of supporting pillars but if your in the upper stand then the obstruction is minimal. This is where you can once again see how much of a traditional old school ground Hillsborough is. The match itself was decent, by no means a classic, and one of our poorer performances. We lost 2-1 which was disappointing. the Wednesday fans were in decent voice, especially once they had established a lead. Our fans were singing throughout and the atmosphere was certainly the best away atmosphere I have been too.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
It's worth noting that the away coaches will all be parked on the street outside of the ground afterwards, this was not made clear to us and I had to ask a Police Officer of this before heading into the ground. Those who forget to ask may be unsure of the situation until the match has ended. With all the busses being parked on the road outside the ground then this means that for the most part you will have to wait for every supporter to board their bus before going. Also, even though the police closed off roads they never made a full escort all the way to the M1, so getting away can take a little time.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Despite the result and the performance by our team, Hillsborough was a great day out. At the time of writing we are looking likely to gain automatic promotion, and if this is the case then I wouldn't mind it Sheffield Wednesday were promoted via the play offs as I'd like to go back, on the condition Wednesday start letting us beat them for a change. All in all I'd certainly recommend Wednesday away as a must for fans of any clubs who come across them.
Sheffield Wednesday v Barnsley
Football Championship League
Tuesday 13th December 2016, 7.45pm
Tom Bellamy (Barnsley fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Hillsborough ground?
I first visited Hillsborough in January 1966 when Sheffield Wed played Manchester United, and even though I supported Barnsley, who were then in the old fourth Division, this was my chance to see the players like the great George Best, Bobby Charlton and Dennis Law. I have been to Hillsborough many times since. Tonights game against my team Barnsley was one of many I have seen over the years and I was really looking forward to another exiting game which we always seem to get between these two sides. Barnsley hadn't won here since 2009 when the score was 1-0 to the Reds. I was there for that game and the six games after where the Owls had won four and there was two drawn games. I was really hoping we would turn the tables having had a good run of form ourselves.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
In the past I have usually travelled to the game on the supporters coach, but tonight I decided to take the car along with my daughter and her friend. I parked opposite the Kop End in the official car park at a cost of £7. The journey took longer than it would normally be perhaps because of the build up towards Christmas, and the fact that Barnsley were taking about 2,400 supporters to the game.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Because we arrived at Hillsborough 45 minutes before the kick-off we decided to head straight to the ground, where once inside we each had a beer.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of Hillsborough?
Hillsborough has not changed at all over the last 25 years. It's probably ready for an overhaul but it still has character with the big cantilever North Stand looking over the ground and the giant covered Kop End. Our seats were in the Upper Tier West Stand on Leppings Lane. We had a great view being three rows from the back.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself was very eventful which I expected, but it was marred by a Barnsley player being sent off after just coming on as a substitute in the 80th minute. There was a lot of controversy over the decision but it didn't affect the scoreline as the Owls were already 2-0 up, having taken their chances with a goal in each half, although Barnsley did have a number of chances but to no avail. "A bad day at the office" you might say ! The stewards were very friendly and although they checked our bags before we went in there was no problem. All the facilities inside the ground were adequate if somewhat dated.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We had no problems getting away from the ground, and the car park. All the traffic was slow moving which I expected and once we got onto the A61 dual carriageway northbound it was plain sailing.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Very entertaining, and eventful game but not the outcome we wanted. If both teams are in the Championship League again next season I will look forward to another visit to Hillsborough and hope for a better result.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Ipswich Town
Football Championship League
Saturday 5th November 2016, 3pm
Josh Houston (Ipswich Town fan)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting Hillsborough?
I had always wanted to visit Hillsborough, but never got around to doing so. This season I decided to go and I looked forward to it as I enjoy visiting historic football grounds.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We parked at the Sheffield Speedway/Greyhound Racing Stadium. It cost us £5 and was completely safe and reliable. The walk to the ground was only about five minutes. It allowed you to see the pre-match atmosphere around the stadium.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
The home fans were no bother, I had a discussion with one home supporter about the expensive price of both of our clubs tickets. Food was cheap around the ground, I had Chips with Gravy for just £2 at a place called Tracy's Sandwich Bar which is located just outside the away stand.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Hillsborough Stadium?
My first impressions of Hillsborough. was that it was very outdated. It showed a lot of its character outside the stadium, you could see that it was built on a hill. When we got to the away end (the West End) it looked very outdated and looked like it needed doing up. But I realised keeping it like that gave the ground more character.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The atmosphere created from the home supporters was pretty disappointing as I was expecting them to be much louder than they were. The game itself was a poor one, we were lucky as they were not playing their best. We nicked it close to the end which was very pleasing for us travelling supporters. I have to say our winning goal was extremely lucky. At the ground I bought a Chicken Balti pie for £3 which I thought was quite expensive. The pie itself was very nice as I would expect for paying that much money. Stewards at the ground were very nice and helpful, the toilet facilities were very good for an old ground.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
As it's a busy city like Sheffield I suggest you wait around for a bit after the game as the traffic is quite bad leaving the city.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
It was an expensive away day but it was worth it, I advise all fans to visit Hillsborough stadium before one day it becomes more modernised.
Sheffield Wednesday v Preston North End
Championship League
Saturday 4th October 2015, 3pm
Paul Willott (Preston North End fan)
Hillsborough. Formerly just another name of a big ground in the north of England. Now forever indelibly linked by association to one of the biggest ever sporting tragedies in the UK. For that reason alone there was a cloud over the potential for a great day out, even though it was our first away day of the season, and one of the gems of being promoted last season was the chance to travel to bigger and better grounds to support our team. Some younger fans may not bat an eye-lid at the significance of that fateful day in April 1989, but football changed forever that day and every time I visit Hillsborough I am mindful of what happened, and my thoughts on it and the blame game that still gets played out to this day.
Here is not the place to open a debate on what happened that day however, and as life goes on we had to get our head around the match ahead and the fact that this season we still as yet hadn’t really adjusted to life at the higher level. On the flip side to that coin, If we were to try hard and play well, then I wouldn’t moan about the result either way and historically Hillsborough had been a happy hunting ground for me following Preston.
Nonetheless, we arose from our slumbers and breakfasted before donning our jackets and scarves to jump in the car and start the journey up to the steel city from our home in Kent. The journey was fairly uneventful and trouble free as we ploughed a steady furrow up the A1 till we deviated in a westerly direction along the A57 and over the M1 and onwards into the southern satellite suburbs of the greater Sheffield.
For me, it’s a poignant drive; that section on the A57 used to pass through a heartland of coal mines and slag heaps, now all gone, and then closer to Sheffield one or 2 former landmark heavy industry plants are no more, just like the Tinsley railway yard and depot just out of sight from the A57. The Tinsley marshalling yard was one of the biggest in the UK, and its attached depot even in the 80s had the second biggest allocation of diesel locomotives in the UK , second only to Toton in Nottinghamshire. Nothing remains of it now, save for a few sparsely used sidings. For Susan, my partner it was equally poignant as it was her first ever visit to the steel city and was soaking it all up. There were also some magnificent (and quite worrying) cloud formations clearly banking up on the Pennine as we descended towards Sheffield. The reward for being the early riser was not only a smooth trouble free drive, but also the pick of some free on-street parking near the ground almost immediately after we’d coasted past the façade of the Main Stand which I’d never knowingly seen before and found suitably impressive.
We meandered down to the away end, the sadly notorious Leppings Lane end, where the façade is, errr, sadly not quite as impressive as the Main Stand. In truth, it really is looking quite tired, tatty, and in desperate need of some TLC. We opted to enter the turnstiles fairly promptly to get an optimum choice of seating which for us was unreserved ; the stewards merely asked that we stayed within the centre blocks. I opted to try the meat and potato pie which was so scrumptious I simply had to go and purchase another one!! It's worth noting at this point that the meshing at the food counter has either been removed permanently or is only erected for certain fixtures. In the area we were seated, the stewarding was friendly and low key and I happily engaged in friendly banter with some of them on the favourite topic of pie eating!
The Not So Impressive Leppings Lane End Exterior
Hillsborough, despite that gloom of 1989 attached to it, is a great ground once inside. Looking to our left was the North Stand, an edifice of some notable history being one of the early cantilever structures built at UK football grounds and it belies its age as its in great looking condition. Along its roof are a set of low rectangular frames upon which half of the grounds floodlights are mounted. Directly opposite us sat the Kop End, a two-tiered stand affair. Interestingly it has an odd looking walkway heading in a southerly direction at an odd angle up and across the second tier. A work colleague of mine suggests that this would follow the line of the old terrace banking before the rebuild of the stand into an all-seater ground as he recalled the away terrace rising in height towards the city or south side. It is an impressive looking and distinctive stand. To the right of us as we looked at the pitch sat the Main Stand which, like the Cantilever stand opposite it belies its age. It was substantially rebuilt in the 1990's with an extra tier and yet charmingly retains its old fashioned Leitch gable that has been incorporated into the design of the new roof over the structure.
The overall impression, in stark contrast to the first impressions of the exterior of the Leppings Lane End, is of a fine stadium that has retained individual character despite becoming an all-seater ground, with an immenseness about it to have you believe that it could actually hold more than the notional 40,000 or so capacity it currently has.
The Kop End especially has an aura of vastness about it, and as the crowd grew in the build up to kick-off, the other clue to the grounds heritage was given away in the absolute flood of last minute entrants to the home stands; men who for years know to the minute how long it will take them to walk from the chippy or favourite pub in time to take their pew just before kick-off and not miss a minute of the match. Such tradition is so sadly swept away when clubs relocate from much loved former homes. There is a corner of seating in the open air between the Leppings Lane End and the North Cantilever stand, which I’m led to believe is used if small numbers of away fans are visiting and the larger Leppings Lane end kept closed……….all I can say to that is bring your umbrella if it rains!
The match got underway with the home side asking most of the questions during the first 45 minutes whilst Preston seemed to concentrate on a dogged defensive display. Indeed, with the way the team seemed structured, we could have played till midnight and not threatened the Wednesday goal, yet we looked secure at the back and there was no shortage of industry and huff-and-puff in the midfield. Just when it looked that we’d get to half-time at 0-0, a suicidal piece of defending from Chris Humphrey playing the ball needlessly across his own goal area from a relatively secure position gave the Wednesday a brilliant platform to attack and Kieran Lee gleefully smashed in a certain gimme. It would have been harder to miss.
I consoled myself at half-time with another pie…..
Early in the second half, just as it looked like we were about to change things up front, a second suicidal move with a Preston defender bizarrely trying to save a corner gave another gilt edged chance that the Owls happily took, and I sensed the game had gone from our grasp. Fortunately I was wrong. Our manager, Simon Grayson opted to bring on Jordan Hugill and Eoin Doyle to replace the front two, one of whom was a former Wednesday man Steve May, and the change was quite invigorating. We started to impose ourselves on the game somewhat and after several good chances were created , Alan Browne converted one to really light up the match as a contest. This did seem to stir up a confrontation between some of the stewards and a section of our supporters, but as it was quite some distance from where we were, I have no idea as to what was the cause.
Kop Stand
For several periods we really had Wednesday rocking at the back, and there was at least one lucky goal line clearance that kept the home side with their noses in front. Still, as the seconds ticked down, we never gave up, and as a last corner was won, even our keeper Jordan Pickford raced up to join the push to try and get a point out of the match. Sadly, it wasn’t to be, as Wednesday managed to defend the corner, and Lewis McGugan looked up and cheekily chipped the desperate Pickford still running back as fast as he could but in vain and the home fans erupted as well they might. They’d been on the ropes hanging on to their slender lead and suddenly the 3 points were effectively in the bag for them.
Some of our fans weren’t best pleased with Pickford; but as I observed to my partner, I’d rather we lost the game 3-1 trying to get something out of it than just tamely playing the game out to limit the damage. We had done everything we could to try and nick something, and sadly this time it just didn’t quite work out for us. I had no complaints.
As we exited the ground, it was disappointing to note several quite serious flashpoints erupt between home and away fans, something I’ve never seen on previous visits to Hillsborough and it was clearly more than just handbags at 10 paces. We jumped in our car, and as it was facing in a Westerly direction and away from the ground and the congestion, I simply drove off in that direction without giving it much thought to start with. After a few miles of steadily gaining a little height, it dawned on me that I could strike the A628 and treat my partner Susan to a drive over Woodhead, something that she’d also never seen before and as the weather was clear and there was plenty of daylight it was what we ended up doing. Not only is at very scenic drive, it’s also a poignant one for railway afficionados as the lamented and closed Woodhead route still leaves plenty of evidence of its existence even to this day following its corporate vandalism style closure in the early 1980's. As we had no time pressures, it was a very good choice as the late afternoon sunlight on the moors provided some quite atmospheric scenery to enjoy before we descended towards the M60 and then onwards towards home reflecting on the days match.
North Stand
We agreed that the lads had played with industry and endeavour in the first half without being ambitious up front and were unlucky really to shoot ourselves in the foot just before half-time, and that after the second goal we’d given it a really good go. On another day, we might have nicked something, but as we stalwarts know, that’s football for you, you don’t always get your just desserts and you’ve just got to grin and move on to the next match.
As I’ve said before, I don’t mind us not winning if we’ve at least tried hard, and today was just such a day. I guess I was a little wistful though, as I’d secretly harboured hopes that we’d nick a win before the match as I’d only ever seen us win here before today’s match and I’d thought that maybe Stevie May would be the one to inflict some damage on our behalf upon his return to his former employers………but it was not to be. I was satisfied that if we just kept our heads up going forward, our luck would turn and we’d start to get some results, as Sheffield Wednesday in no way outclassed us.
Most importantly of all, I’d won our internal pie eating competition 3-2
Plus Points for Hillsborough
1. A great aura inside the stadium that gives that “big ground” feeling
2. A ground that although modernised still has character and a uniqueness about it
3. Fantastic pies
4. Good public transport; although I didn’t use it on this occasion, Sheffield has a great tram system that connects Hillsborough with both the city centre, the main railway station, and the Meadowhall shopping complex
Minus points for Hillsborough
1. A very shabby exterior to the West stand (Leppings Lane End) lets a great ground down badly
2. The permanent tag of what happened in April ’89 attached to the aforementioned stand
Sheffield Wednesday v Middlesbrough
Championship League
Saturday 29th August 2015, 3pm
Adam Featherstone (Middlesbrough fan)
Why were you looking forward to visiting Hillsborough?
I much prefer going to older grounds so I was looking forward to the short trip to Hillsborough. A lot of people who have been there have said it is a proper old fashioned stadium with a lot of character which appealed to me. It is arguably one of the most famous in the country, unfortunately partly due to the disaster in 1989 and as away fans are housed at the Leppings Lane End it has always been somewhere I have wanted to visit.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The journey down from where I live in Leeds was a doddle. I drove the short trip down the M1, then onto the A61 which pretty much takes you right to Hillsborough. I parked in a residential area north of the stadium which was free. It was then about a 15 minute walk to the away turnstiles, which I didn't mind. There is some parking in the streets surrounding the ground but you would need to get there early. But by parking there you may be delayed as after the game has ended I noticed the Police were making cars wait to leave, until the departing crowd had died down.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
I didn't arrive early enough to go to any boozers but there seemed plenty at that side of the ground which had sets of home and away fans in them. Given the game was an early season one plenty of fans took the opportunity to sit in the beer gardens and it all looked friendly.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
As I had expected Hillsborough is a tired old ground and could arguably do with a lick of paint here or there. The away end in particular is rather grim looking with a grey corrugated metal outer with rusty gangways taking fans into the concourse. Having said that I much prefer that to the newer characterless stadiums that seem to be coming the norm nowadays. Once inside the away end there are some minor obstructions of the pitch with supporting pillars but it isn't too frustrating.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game was a very entertaining one given that it was still early in the season with both teams fielding a number of new faces. Boro however were too strong for The Owls on the day and ran out fairly comfortable 3-1 winners. The atmosphere was quality as ever at Boro away games. I was slightly disappointed with the home fans however as I have always been impressed with Wednesday fans when they have come to the Riverside but they just seemed a bit flat at home.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting out of the ground and back to the car was very easy. Sadly a couple of home fans decided to be idiots and tried to goad away fans into a confrontation. There was a bit of a skirmish but not much more than handbags in the end. Once in the car there was a bit of traffic which is to be expected given that you aren't that close to a motorway but could have been worse.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
A good day out and was nice to visit a proper old famous ground. Made all the more pleasing with three points and a convincing performance from the Boro.
Sheffield Wednesday v Newcastle United
Pre-Season Friendly
Wednesday July 30th 2014, 7.45pm
Matty Desforges (Neutral fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I had visited Hillsborough two occasions before as a neutral fan, usually to watch a higher division of football than Sheffield United (my local club). I was itching to get to a match after the Summer break and with the prospect of a Premier League side in town, I decided to go.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I caught the 53 bus from the city centre straight to Hillsborough (stopping directly outside the Kop Stand entrance). However it was very slow, due to a large amount of traffic on Penistone Road.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Due to the slow bus, I arrived later at the stadium later than anticipated. There was just enough time to buy my ticket and get inside the stadium to watch the teams come out. I have to say that the queue the tickets moved very quickly, however I would recommended for league games to buy a ticket in advance, as it is cheaper than paying on the day.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
I sat in the South Stand and Hillsborough itself is a very nicely set out stadium, with plenty of character. However parts of it are showing their age and it could do with some refurbishment in parts. As expected Newcastle fans came in their hordes to watch the game and as expected, made more noise than the home supporters.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game finished in a 1-0 victory to Newcastle, with a goal coming from the counter attack mid way through the second half. The away fans caused a bit of bother by setting off a flare within 5 minutes of the kick off. This resulted in a few Newcastle fans being chucked out, but other than there were no other problems. Massive respect to both sets of fans who gave a standing ovation in the 17th minute for the two Newcastle fans that died in the recent Ukranian plane crash.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting away from the ground was fairly easy, however the bus again took a bit of time back along Penistone Road before entering the city centre.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Good to get a game in before the season started, and watch a Premier League side too (unfortunately they don’t come to Sheffield much anymore!). I would recommend Hillsborough as a good away day!
Sheffield Wednesday v Bolton Wanderers
Championship League
Saturday April 26th 2014, 3pm
Cameron Ormerod (Bolton Wanderers fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
This game was the penultimate game of the season. With both teams having nothing to play for, I was expecting a drab affair.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
We got on a train from Bolton, changed at Manchester Oxford Road and got on the train to Sheffield. The journey itself wasn't too boring or long, relatively fine. Hillsborough itself is located 3 miles from the railway station so we got on the supertram which is popular with all fans judging from the amount of football shirts being worn by people on board. The tram journey is around 20-30 minutes and you get off at Leppings lane, a 2 minute walk from the ground.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
On exiting Sheffield railway station there are 2 pubs named the Howard and the Globe, both admit away supporters. We went in both but out of the two I would recommend the Howard as it is much bigger and can accommodate lots of fans without you feeling cramped. Near the tram stop there is a number of food establishments which were all packed out so we decided eating in the ground would be the best course of action.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The ground itself looks huge compared to other Championship grounds. However it does look a little aged and could do with a revamp. I also thought the surrounding areas of the ground were not pleasing to the eye.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game, which I was expecting to be quite boring, was actually a great game (from us Bolton fans's perspective) 3 goals in 30 minutes sealed the fate of the game, however Sheffield Wednesday did pull one back in the second half. The atmosphere in the away end sounded electric however talking to some Sheffield Wednesday fans after the game, it seemed we didn't sound so loud to the other fans. The home crowd didn't make much noise. The food on offer was average.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
The tram stop is quite busy after the game however the trams which are used by fans are virtually empty so the ques are normally gone as everyone can fit on one tram.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Sheffield Wednesday is a good away game and I would recommend anyone who has not taken an away trip to Hillsborough to do so. However I do think the prices are a bit high, £27 is a lot for a Championship club, no matter how big the club or its ground is.
Sheffield Wednesday v Charlton Athletic
Championship League
Monday April 21st 2014, 3pm
Anthony Earl (Charlton Athletic fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
To be honest I was not really looking forward to our visit to Hillsborough much due to us being in a relegation battle and the fear of losing and dropping into the bottom 3 playing on my mind.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Being a bank Holiday Monday the traffic was pretty light and we made good time after setting off from sunny Southend we arrived in Sheffield in less than 4 hours with a quick stop for breakfast. The ground was very easy to find after leaving the M1 with plenty of signs and parking available opposite the ground at a cost of £5.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
We got there fairly early with a few hours to spare so we visited The New Barrack Tavern which was a 10 minute walk away from the ground in the direction of the City Centre. The Pub was very welcoming and we had no problems getting served although we were not in colours.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
This was my third trip to Hillsborough but it still has that charm that the older grounds do. We had a quick drink and hot dog on the concourse before taking our seats. Our seats were in the upper tier of the stand and due to a very small travelling fans we was allowed to sit or stand where we wished.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game started off in explosive fashion with Wednesday racing into a 2 nil lead within 8 minutes and looking like they would score every time they entered our half. We managed to pull on goal back to make it 2 – 1 after just 10 minutes. They game settled down after this as we managed to bring the scores level at 2 – 2 just before half time. We started the second half much brighter and the comeback was complete on the hour mark as Marvin Sordell fired home for the Addicks, his third goal of the day for the match ball. We managed to hold on to take a vital three points.
The atmosphere in the home end was a bit flat but to be fair for them it was a nothing end of season game. The 200 odd Charlton fans made a bit of noise as you would expect with a comeback.
I found the stewards helpful and friendly as I always have at Hillsborough.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
As we was parked in a car park opposite the ground we was in our car and on the road within 15 minutes of the full time whistle and after a bit of heavy traffic getting onto the M1 we was away and happy with 3 points.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall a very enjoyable trip to Hillsborough which is one of the great old grounds with History which is always worth a visit.
Sheffield Wednesday v Leeds United
Championship League
Friday October 19th 2012, 7.45pm
Josh Grainger (Leeds United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
This was my first away trip of the season, and was particularly looking forward to it for a number of reasons. Since I did a project at school on the Hillsbrough disaster, I've always been interested in this tragedy. I often visit family in Sheffield, and drive past the ground every time I visit the city, however have never been inside, and was looking forward to doing so. Also this was probably Leeds' biggest derby of the season and I was looking forward to the atmosphere that me and 5,000 other Leeds fans would make.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The game had been moved to a Friday night for policing/television reasons, and so the traffic was particularly bad on my drive from my home in Newcastle to the ground itself, this traffic worsened as we got closer to the stadium, however still made it to the seats, half an hour before kick off. The ground itself is fairly easy to find, it's quite a bit out of Sheffield city centre, unlike Bramall Lane however there are plenty of signposts as you approach it.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
We jumped out the car on the main road in front of the stadium, and walked towards the away end (Leppings Lane), despite our Leeds shirts being on full show, there were no problems with the home fans. As we entered the ground, I saw some fans being turned away as they didn't have their membership cards as well as their tickets, they were told to bring both, however I still felt it was slightly harsh to turn them away.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The ground is quite big from the outside, and is one of the more traditional stadiums in English football, we walked through the turnstiles in the Leppings Lane (away end) and we entered another outside area/pen. This was quite surreal and emotional as this was the very area where Liverpool fans had passed through on that fateful day in 1989. I noticed that a Liverpool scarf was tied to a pillar, which was a poignant note.
We walked up the stairs to our seats and despite the outside of the away end looking very old, the inside was slightly more modern. Our seats were in the upper tier of the stand next to an empty corner occupied by police, and fairly close to the Wednesday fans. The view was partly obstructed by a number of pillars. The rest of the ground seemed massive from the inside, and it was nice to see such an old fashioned ground similar Elland Road.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The game itself was as you'd expect a local derby to be, tackles flying in etc. The Leeds fans as ever made a constant noise, however credit to the home support who also sang fairly loudly, however helped by the presence of a drummer (shouldn't allow them into the ground if you ask me). Wednesday scored toward the end of the first half, which quietened the away support slightly. 10 minutes or so into the second half, things turned unsavoury with coins, bottles and even some seats being thrown at a group of Wednesday fans who had been baiting the away support. Several riot police were brought in to separate the fans and as this going on, Leeds scored a late equaliser which stimulated more scenes in the away end. A few Leeds fans ran onto the pitch, one even hit the Wednesday keeper, more missiles were thrown toward the home end, and in truth the police and stewards were overwhelmed. It took a while for order to be restored.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We were let out the ground almost straight away after the game and there was a heavy police presence outside to greet us. I didn't get any hassle from the home fans as I walked back to the car.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Some of the scenes were unsavoury to say the least. However it was a great atmosphere and at the end of the day no-one was seriously hurt. It was a more memorable away trip, however one I thoroughly enjoyed, and won't be forgetting in a hurry.
Sheffield Wednesday v Wycombe Wanderers
League One
Saturday May 5th 2012, 3pm
Mark Tills (Wycombe fan)
With it being the last game of the season and Wycombe unfortunately already down, I travelled to Hillsborough simply to experience the ground and most probably a promotion party!
Having travelled to Bramall Lane earlier on in the season, I have to say I was amazed at how far from the city centre the stadium is. We took the train from High Wycombe (changing at Banbury) and I have to say the prices were extortionate – however you travel, do not go by train as it's not worth it. Once into Sheffield, I'd recommend going by Supertram – it's relatively cheap, I think it cost me £3.50 return, and takes you directly into Hillsborough.
There was a real carnival atmosphere and it felt, to be honest, as if we were all supporting the same cause. I went to a burger van outside the away stand – cheap, cheerful, good enough.
The away stand, from the outside, looks terrible. It's looking horribly run down and Wednesday could really do with knocking it down and starting again. We did take a look around the ground and although not the nicest looking from the outside, it's size is astonishing and standing under the South Stand was a great experience with the ground looming over you. We were placed in the North-west Corner and, in all honesty, the concourse was minimal but was adequate – I assume the 'normal' facilities on the West Stand were much better. The rest of the ground is huge – showing its age, with a few supporting pillars, but nonetheless incredibly big. It's hard to appreciate such a big ground until you've visited it, really.
The game itself was crazy. Wednesday won 2-0 and I have to admit that I've never felt an atmosphere like it. The ground was rocking, and most Wycombe fans joined in the party. It was nice to see a good club like Wednesday do well and the fans were clearly enjoying themselves. I didn't feel intimidated by 38,000 fans at all – they all seemed friendly and cared little about us in the corner. The ground isn't perfect and I don't think is the nicest ground to look at in terms of individual stands as none of the four are particularly beautiful, but it is the size of the ground that makes it special. Wycombe were predictably woeful but a result wasn't really what anyone expected in the away end. I would argue the atmosphere is probably nothing like this normally, but if you attend a game like this one it is really something special, and I can only go on what I have felt.
Obviously the ground was packed but we left earlier (most home fans waited for their lap of honour) and so we got to the Supertram early and we were away without any trouble at all.
A special day. Not nice seeing promotion happen to any other team normally, but I enjoyed seeing Wednesday go up. Hillsborough is a magnificent stadium fit for Premiership football without doubt, and I hope Wednesday fans can continue to put 38,000 in it. When it's full, like it was, it is a truly spectacular stadium and worth a visit every day of the week.
Sheffield Wednesday v Blackpool
FA Cup 3rd Round
Tuesday February 7th 2012, 7.45pm
Dom Bickerton (Neutral fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I was really excited for this game mainly because I'm a big fan of the FA Cup and Hillsborough has to be one of my favourite grounds. I'm actually a Stoke City fan, but I have been at University in Sheffield for the last four years and in that time I've developed a soft spot for Sheffield Wednesday, so on the odd occasion I'll go and watch the Owls and take in the great atmosphere. Me and a mate (who's also a Stokie and at Uni in Sheffield) decided to take advantage of the £10 ticket price for this game and made a really good night out of it.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Having lived in Sheffield for some time, getting to the ground was no problem for me. I got the tram (£3 return) from the city centre up to Leppings Lane and made the short walk to the Kop. For anyone that has never been to Hillsborough or the city of Sheffield, the tram system is very easy to understand and shouldn't cause you any problems. (Oh, and you pay for your ticket on the tram, so don't worry about being stopped without a ticket)
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
Due to my poor timekeeping, I got to the ground about 15 minutes before kick off but still had plenty of time to go and get a quick pint from the bar at the back of the Kop end. Service was quick and luckily for me I knew one of the bar staff, so managed to get a free pint! I've been told that alcohol isn't available to away fans, but there are plenty of pubs within walking distance of the ground, so I shouldn't think that it would be too hard for away fans to find a nice watering hole somewhere.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
Going to Hillsborough is like stepping back in time. From the old-fashioned turnstiles to the general design of the ground, everything just oozes character. The Kop is absolutely massive and I can imagine that it would create a very imposing atmosphere if it was sold out. The ground has a lot of history and it's hard not be impressed by the individuality and sheer size of the place – a special mention goes to the fantastic looking gable on top of the Main Stand. There's also a somewhat eerie feel to Hillsborough – it's very hard not to look over at the Leppings Lane end and be reminded of the terrible events that occurred in 1989. Overall the ground is a spectacular, moving place to visit and without doubt one of the best grounds in the UK.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
This match was understandably never going to have the best atmosphere and attendance due it being televised, Wednesday putting out a very weak team (promotion to the Championship is their obvious priority this season) and the sub zero temperature. Despite these factors the Wednesday fans in the upper part of the Kop were in good voice and it clearly spurred the team on in the opening minutes of the game. Wednesday had two very good chances early on, but were caught out on the break and Matt Phillips struck his 10th goal in 10 games to put Blackpool 1-0 up after seven minutes. This early goal seemed to drain the confidence of the Wednesday players and fans alike. Seven minutes later the somewhat goal shy striker Lomana LuaLua curled in an absolute peach of a goal which pretty much sealed the win for Blackpool within the first 15 minutes of the match. Wednesday were fairly fortunate to get to half time 2-0 down.
At half time I stayed in my seat and tried to keep warm, like many others I wasn't prepared to venture out of the back of the stand to queue for refreshments in the freezing cold. Blackpool continued to dominate in the second half and on 54 minutes Sylvestre scored an absolute cracker into the goal in front of the 600 or so Blackpool fans who had the made the trip – they were in good voice all game and I take my hat off to them.
I was a bit disappointed with the home fans towards the end of the game; many left very early on in order to get a tram away from the ground quickly – during weeknights the tram runs less often than normal, so there's usually a procession of fans leaving early, desperate to get to the tram before it gets too crowded at the tram stop – me and my mate found it quite funny once we realised that after the 75 minute mark there were more Stoke fans than Wednesday fans on our row! Despite the large number of home fans leaving early the game was still a good spectacle and Blackpool ran out worthy 3-0 winners.
After the final whistle the stewards, who kept a low profile throughout the game, helped to direct fans out of the ground through the exits in the corner of the stands and did a good job of calming down some rather daft, young Wednesday fans who'd clearly been watching too many films about football hooligans.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
After leaving the ground we walked back to the Leppings Lane tram stop which was very crowded, so me and my mate went and got some food from a nearby takeaway while we waited for a later tram that wouldn't be so busy. For anyone that doesn't fancy trying to get onto a stuffed tram or wait in the cold, there is a KFC and a few takeaways next to the tram stop, so there's no need to brave the crowds and the elements.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall, it was a great night out that only cost £13 for the ticket and transport which is an absolute bargain. The match was good to watch and Hillsborough is always well worth a visit to go and take in some proper grass roots football. I would advise any big football fan to go and visit this great stadium, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
Sheffield Wednesday v Colchester United
League One
Saturday October 22nd 2011, 3pm
Philip John Williams (Colchester United fan)
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
I’ve lived in Thailand for over 20 years and obviously I rarely get the chance to see my beloved Colchester United play. However, I was back in the UK for a couple of weeks visiting the family in Birmingham and a day out at Hillsborough was too good an opportunity to miss.
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I was on something of a ‘tour of the north’ and had actually spent the previous night in Chesterfield. As an interesting aside, I stayed in a B&B in the shadow of Chesterfield’s old ground, Saltergate. I walked around the old place and it was very sad to see it in such a dilapidated condition. They obviously haven’t managed to sell the land yet.
Sheffield is only a dozen miles from Chesterfield so getting to Hillsborough took barely 20 minutes. There are plenty of places to park near the ground itself and I ended up sticking the car in Hillsborough Leisure Centre for a fiver. A tad pricey I suppose but with a boot full of luggage, I needed somewhere secure.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
I asked the security guard at the car-park to recommend a place for a pint and some pub grub and he pointed us in the direction of at least two pubs. However, upon further inspection, they were both full of home fans and didn’t look particularly welcoming. So we ended up in a KFC. It was either that or something from a burger van because we just couldn’t be bothered to stray too far from the ground having already parked the car up.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
As this website rightly says – Hillsborough is a beautiful traditional old football ground and I hadn’t been there for over 20 years. It was so great to see it again. We went and had a look at the football memorial and we also chatted to the lovely guy who runs the football programme shop near the away end. Then at 2.30pm we eventually took our seats in the stadium. The 200-300 travelling Colchester fans had been given the bottom section of the South Stand. I thought the view of the pitch was okay but partly obscured by the goal-net and being a six-footer, I could have done with a little more leg-room to be honest.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
Sheffield Wednesday were lying third in the division having played six and won six at home. Colchester were lying in twelfth. On paper it was a banker home win, but Colchester have been something of a bogey side to the Owls down the years and have got some good results at Hillsborough. After we had dominated the first 20 minutes, I was left wondering whether today was going to be our day again. We managed to get to half-time goal-less but Wednesday came out in the second half a different team and we were 2-0 down with barely 65 minutes gone. Then it became a case of damage limitation. Final whistle and 2-0 to Wednesday was a very fair result.
There were only 17,000 people there, which technically meant that the stadium was half empty – but it didn’t look or feel that way.
The crowd did manage to create some noise at times but you got the distinct feeling that the Wednesday supporters felt all they had to do was turn up in order to get the three points. In contrast, the Colchester away support was pretty pathetic in terms of getting behind their own team.
The stewards were fantastic! We had a great natter with them before the game and they filled us in on what it had been like to be a Wednesday supporter for the last twenty years or so. They were obviously very proud of their club despite the fact they were languishing one or two divisions lower than where they should be. Yes, a friendlier bunch of stewards you would be hard pushed to meet.
The half-time refreshments were okay (usual fayre) and the toilet facilities were fine.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Straight back to the car after the game and we were on the M1 south back to Birmingham within 15 minutes. Very easy journey home.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Fantastic day out. OK, we lost – but the result didn’t seem to matter. It was the chance to see a decent football match on a gorgeous sunny October day at one of Britain’s greatest football grounds, a stadium steeped in football history.
Sheffield Wednesday v Exeter City
League One
Saturday May 7th 2011, 3pm
Steve Ellis (Exeter City fan)
1. Why were you looking forward to going to this ground?
I was looking forward to going to this ground as it is one of those places with a big but also infamous history, but also after a good season with Exeter I was hoping to see them sign off in style.
2. How easy was your journey and finding the ground?
I travelled up by train, leaving Exeter at 6.20am, arriving in Sheffield about 4hours later. Finding the ground was very easy as it was a short tram ride from the city centre up to the Leppings Lane End.
3. What did you do before the game, pub, chippy….home fans friendly?
Arriving early I was able to book into my hotel before going up to the ground. After having had a drink at The Bankers Draft, a Wetherspoons pub which was reasonably priced, I then took tram up to Leppings Lane, where there was another Wetherspoons, called the Rawson Spring which again was reasonably priced and also seemed to be the local for many Owls supporters, all of who were very friendly. Away fans would probably be okay in this pub, if they aren't wearing visiting colours or red and white!. I also met some familiar faces from those that travelled down to Exeter for the reverse fixture earlier in the season. From there I headed up to the ground where I also found the memorial and paid my respects to the 96 Liverpool fans.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end and then other sides of ground?
On arriving at the stadium it is easy to see how old it is and how much work needs to be done, but get inside the age does not show that bad. Yes it is a very tight ground where the stands are almost on the pitch but that itself adds to the atmosphere.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, refreshments etc.
Once the game started the atmosphere was buzzing from both sets of supporters, a real end of season party feel was about the game. Stewards were helpful and for a football ground refreshments were averagely priced and toilets were clean. After going 1-0 down we (Exeter) won the game 2-1 with goals from Danny Nardiello and a spectacular first of the season to Troy Archibald-Henville, then to raptious cheers the City manager came on to end his career as a player.
At the end of the game City fans paid tribute to striker Adam Stansfield who died from cancer at the start of the season and it was good to hear the owls fans also joining in that tribute.
6. Comments on getting away from the ground after the game.
Getting away after the game was easy as it was the return tram ride back to the city then a short walk back to my hotel to prepare for the night out. Overall what turned out to be a great day, turned into a great weekend too!