Sheffield United are known as ‘the Blades’ but what did they used to be called?

‘The Blades’ was historically a name used by many sporting teams across Sheffield because of the city’s worldwide fame for cutlery and knives and it was even reportedly adopted and used by Sheffield United FC’s fierce rivals Sheffield Wednesday FC before they became known as ‘the Owls’.

But it was Sheffield United fans who made ‘the Blades’ tag their own after the club was formally founded in 1889 – some years after Sheffield Wednesday – and Sheffield United’s badge proudly boasts two cutlass swords in keeping with club nickname.

Sheffield United, which now plays in the English Football League’s second tier – The Championship – was formed in 1854 as an offshoot of Sheffield United Cricket Club, similarly to Sheffield Wednesday FC’s cricket club roots.

However, United may not have been the first to use the nickname ‘The Blades’ it is commonly believed the original Sheffield United Cricket Club was the first English sports club to use the term ‘United’.

United's original nickname was “The Cutlers” from 1889–1912 and despite rivals Wednesday adopting the nickname ‘The Blades’ in their early years, by 1907 Wednesday became ‘The Owls’ after setting up at a new ground in Owlerton, and United would claim ‘The Blades’ tag.

After playing in the Midland League and Northern League, Sheffield United became founder members of the Football League Second Division in 1892 and were crowned English Football Champions in 1897-98.

They won the FA Cup four times in 1899, 1902, 1915 and 1925 and were a founder member of the Premier League in the 1992–93 season during which they scored the first ever goal of the competition.

Sheffield United dropped into League One in 2011 and spent six seasons in the third tier before making it back to the Premier League in 2018–19 but the Blades have not lost their cutting edge as promotion back to the Premiership looks likely as they sit in second spot in the Championship.

Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane has always been it’s home ground after it had been a cricket ground and it is regarded as the oldest in the world to still host professional football matches.