Normally these two fellas get on like a house on fire.

But not when Wednesday play United in the Sheffield derby.

In the blue corner is Garry Dickinson, and in the red John Stittle - both solicitors at Sheffield firm Taylor & Emmet.

And all this week they've been bantering away at each other.

Garry, 49, from Ridgeway has been following the Owls since 1965 - and he's only missed a handful of games ever since.

Not only that but he even had trials for the club - under Len Ashurst - but admits he wasn't good enough to wear the blue and white stripes.

Now he deals with trials of another sort - but has always maintained his love of the Owls.

He said: "I'm Wednesday daft and always will be.

"And as derby day approaches I just get worse.

"John is just as bad as I am except he's crackers about the other lot.

"He has been ribbing me that United have won more derbies than Wednesday - but I tell him we won the one that mattered, you may remember a certain game at Wembley."

John, 48, a lifelong Blade and member of the 92 club having visited every league ground, also works as a volunteer on United home games for Hospital Radio.

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He says the 200 or so Taylor & Emmet employees are 50-50 when it comes to Wednesday and United.

"Everyone is bubbling about this one and you're either a Blade or an Owl - there's no in between," he said.

"I saw my first game in 1969 and the derby has always been the highlight.

"There's nothing better than beating Wednesday."

Garry and John, who lives in Dore, will be sharing a box in the South Stand and they reckon they won't be saying much to each other - until full time at least.

Said John: "It's the first derby at Hillsborough that I have been to in the company of a Wednesdayite.

"Normally I'm in the Leppings Lane jumping about with the rest of the Blades when we score the winner."

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