Divide of a steel city

[Guest cheekymonkey]

On April 23, 2007 a new book, written partly from an Owl perspective, and partly from the perspective of the blunts, will hit the stores. Many of you may have seen the two principle authors speak about this book on local media, and no doubt many of the more blinkered of you will aready have dismissed it as another "hoolie book", but that is far from being the case.

Whilst it is true that there are stories of clashes involving the EBRA/OCS and the SRA/BBC, these tales are in the minority, and most of the book focuses on the history of the Steel City Derby. from 1889 to the present day.

The principle Owls author is Mr Anthony Cronshaw, who has followed the fortunes of our beloved club for almost 50 years. I have assisted Tony, both in a writing and editing capacity, but the credit must go to Tony for putting together a book that will define a sporting rivalry. I cannot comment on the Blades side of the tale, as I have not seen it, but the Owls side is a bloody quality read, and here is a taster.

The following text is the Intro, written by myself, and should not be reproduced anywhere else as the copyright is owned by the authors.

The city of Sheffield sits nestled between seven hills, and has lifeblood of five rivers to feed it. The town was already becoming a giant of the industrial revolution long before it achieved city status in 1893, and has for centuries carried a reputation for quality steel and steel products unmatched by any other city in the world, but Sheffield is not only a giant of industry, it also a giant of the sport of Association Football, and its pedigree in the development of the game, loved around the world, is just as impressive as its industrial achievements, although maybe not as well-known.

The worlds oldest football club (Sheffield F.C), oldest ground (Sandygate Road), first ever football tournament (Youden Cup), first floodlit match (Bramall Lane – 1878), and first ever county Football Association (Sheffield & Hallamshire FA), are among the gifts that the steel city has given to the world of sport. The city is also one of the few in England that can boast two professional teams, but it also a city so often ignored by the mainstream media, especially where its football teams are concerned. Sheffield may lack the glamour of London, or Manchester, but what it lacks in glamour it makes up for in grit and determination. The people of Sheffield have an intense streak of stubborn pride inbuilt into them. Maybe that comes from hundreds of years of fierce independence from the path of conformity, or maybe it is just pig headedness? Either way the citizens of Sheffield are not afraid to say what they think and they are also not afraid to embrace the things they love, and be damned with the consequences.

One thing that the people of Sheffield love with a passion is the game they helped to build, football. They love the game, and they love their football teams, Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United, even though history shows that the clubs rarely give back, in terms of success, anywhere near what they take, but we love them just the same. I recently stumbled across a website where some 36 percent of people surveyed said that the football rivalry in Sheffield does not match that in other large British cities. All I can say to that is those surveyed have obviously never taken in the spectacle of a full-blooded steel city derby. They have never felt the passion flooding down onto the field from both the blue and red side of the stadium. They have never seen the looks of joy and despair on the faces of those hard-nosed South Yorkshire folk at the final whistle, when their team has won or lost. A steel city derby can match the passion of almost any sporting fixture anywhere in the world, and it is a fixture that can deeply divide families and workplaces, almost to breaking point.

In this book we will examine the history of the steel city derby, both on and off the field of play. We will look at the bitter rivalry played out by 22 men chasing a ball, and we will look at the bitter rivalry played out by hundreds of warring football supporters. In every context the struggle for supremacy, between red and blue, is absolute, and to the people of Sheffield, it is never just a game!!!

[Guest cheekymonkey]

also going on is a book signing at the embassy mansfield road , monday 23rd april there is a band (electric zoo) on and disco also guest appearances from ex wednesday players.

tickets are £3 which is refunded against purchase of the book!

please note these are from the wednesday side of the book and the blades are arranging there own gatherings.

verything is on track to launch on the 23rd, the burguoyne lined up for a pre-launch on the 21st before and after coventry game, trick shots for sunday 29th and old crown on 6th may..