Steel City Derby: Throughout the Decades | OneFootball

Sunday sees the 145th Steel City Derby with the Blades facing the Owls at Bramall Lane for the first time in over half a decade.

Looking through the Derby’s history from the first game to the most recent in 2019, the Steel City Derby’s head-to-head record is one of the closest in the country.

The 1890s – The Beginning of the Battle

On the 23rd of April 1891, the Blades and the Owls faced off against each other for the first time in the Wharncliffe Charity Cup. With Wednesday coming out on top winning 2-1.

Despite, this early blow Wednesday would only beat the Blades once more before the turn of the century with Blades wins and a series of draws making up the thirteen ties between the sides in the 1890s.

The Blades won the final Steel City Derby of the 19th century 2-1 as revenge for how the decade started.

Summary of the Decade:

Blades Wins = 6

Draws = 5

Owls Wins = 2

1900 – 1909  – A decisive decade with the Owls edging it

The first decade of the 20th century had fewer stalemates (4) despite the increase to 21 Steel City Derbies.

The new century saw two early games between the two following a 1-1 draw in the FA Cup on the 17th of February leading to a replay on the 19th which the Blades won 1-0.

Wednesday improved as the decade continued and between December 1907 and December 1908 won three consecutive Derbies including a 1-0 win on Christmas Day 1908.

Summary of the Decade:

Blades Wins = 8

Draws = 4

Owls Wins = 9

1910 – 1919 – Wartime Derbies

The amount of derbies surprised me in this decade given that the majority of football was suspended as an effect of the First World War.

Yet, the 1910s saw 25 Steel City derbies the most of any decade throughout history. The sides played 11 Steel City Derbies in League Division One before the 2nd of January 1915.

Of these 11 games, Wednesday dominated Derby Day success winning 7 of the games, whilst the Blades only won the first game of the decade.

With the league suspended for WWI, the Steel City Derby continued as part of the Midland Section – Principal Tournament as 12 Derbies took place between October 1915 and March 1918.

Wednesday continued to dominate the 1910s winning five of the games including a 5-0 win in the penultimate game of the Tournament.

With the war ending in November 1918, the League resumed in the final year of the decade. With Wednesday and United, each getting a win in the final two Steel City Derbies of a decade where the rivalries on the football pitch were put to one side.

Summary of the Decade:

Blades Wins = 8

Draws = 7

Owls Wins = 13

1925 – 1929 – The Roaring Blades

A decade of great extravagance in both the U.S. and the UK waited until halfway through to have its first Steel City Derby.

The Blades began to take back the Derby winning 4 times and starting the decade with three consecutive Derby wins. The first on 31st January 1925, in the FA Cup was part of the Blades’ journey to our most recent FA Cup honour.

Wednesday only won once with half of the ten games of the 1920s ending in draws.

Summary of the Decade:

Blades Wins = 4

Draws = 5

Owls Wins = 1

1930 – 1939 – Another Blades Success

The 1930s continued the Blades run of being the more successful of the two sides in the Derby since the First World War.

During the 13 games of the decade, the Blades won four consecutive Derbies between 21st October 1933 and 26th February 1938.

The decade rounded out with a 1-0 Wednesday win in what would be the final Steel City Derby for over a decade.

Summary of the Decade:

Blades Wins = 5

Draws = 5

Owls Wins = 3

17th September 1949 – The Only Derby of the 1940s

Due to the outbreak of WW2, only one Steel City Derby took place as the official leagues only returned to pre-war conditions by the 1946-1947 season.

On 17th September 1949, Wednesday beat the Blades 2-1 in League Division Two.

Owls Wins = 1

1950 – 1959 – The Highest Scoring Steel City Derby

On 21st January 1950, the Blades beat Wednesday 7-3 leading to the highest scoring Steel City Derby of all time with 10 goals.

Interestingly, the definitive results between the sides also finished 7 Blades wins to 3 wins for the Owls. With just one draw between the sides.

Summary of the Decade:

Blades Wins = 7

Draws = 1

Owls Wins = 3

1960 – 1968 – Hardest To Call Decade

The Beatles’ messages of peace and love appeared to rub off on the Steel City Derby because the Sixties was the first decade to see an equal number of wins, draws and losses (5).

Fittingly, with the equal nature of the Sixties, the final Steel City Derby of the decade saw a 1-1 draw between the two.

Summary of the Decade:

Blades Wins = 5

Draws = 5

Losses = 5

1970 – 1979 – The Stalemate Continues

The 70s saw another decade of equal results. The Blades won the first Derby in 1970, before a 0-0 draw in 1971.

The final game in 1979, in League Division Three, saw Wednesday beat the Blades 4-0, a premonition of the Blue and White side of Sheffield’s 1980s success.

Summary of the Decade:

Blades Wins = 1

Draws = 1

Losses = 1

1980 – 1989 – The Cup Decade

Three of the four 1980s’ derbies, were cup games. Wednesday beat the Blades twice, once in the League Cup in 1980 and once in the Zenith Data Systems Cup in 1989.

The other two games of the decade ended in draws meaning the eighties were the first decade with multiple Steel City Derbies where one side didn’t get a victory. Unfortunately, it was the Blades.

Summary of the Decade:

Draws = 2

Owls wins = 2

1991 – 1994 – The First Premier League Steel City Derby

The nineties was a time of revolution in English football with the birth of the Premier League in 1992. During the decade, there were seven Steel City Derbies.

The first Premier League clash between the Blades and the Owls saw a 1-1 draw.

As well as being the decade to see the first Premier League Steel City Derbies, the nineties is currently the only decade to see the rivalry in the Premier League.

Summary of the Decade:

Blades Wins = 2

Draws = 3

Owls Wins = 2

2000 – 2009 – A new Millenia of Steel City rivals

(Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

Similarly to the nineties, the winner of the 2000s was too close to call.

The 14 games led to four wins for both the Blades and the Owls as well as five draws.

Wednesday won the first Derby of the new Millennium 2-1 in the League Cup in November 2000.

Summary of the Decade:

Blades Wins = 5

Draws = 4

Owls Wins = 5

2010 – 2019 – The Dullest Decade

(Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)

Before we carry on, yes I am aware that the Bounce Slayer occurred in the 2010s. This alone gives the Decade a memorable and nostalgic glow for all of us Blades.

But, outside of Duffy’s heroics and a Wednesday win in 2012, the 2010s saw five draws. Three of which and the most recent three Steel City Derbies all ended 0-0. It appears Duffy didn’t only slay the bouncing at Hillsborough. He also took the spring out of the decade’s remaining Sheffield Derbies.

Summary of the Decade:

Blades Wins = 1

Draws = 5

Owls Wins = 1

Takeaways

Firstly, if you’ve made it this far, thank you.

Secondly, you may remember from the intro that I mentioned how close the Steel City Derby throughout the decades has been. In the 144 games between the two the Blades edge it. Just. We have won 49, the Owls have won 48, and the remaining 47 have ended in a stalemate.

The closeness means that we aren’t just fighting for bragging rights in the office on Monday morning. We’re fighting to remain the victors of the combined Steel City Derbies.