South Yorkshire Police prepared for busy derby day
Both games, where local rivalry is high, are to be played tomorrow, with Wednesday's game at Barnsley kicking off first at 12.15pm before the United v Leeds fixture at Bramall Lane starts at 12.30pm.
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Hide AdPolicing plans are in place to try to prevent rival fans clashing before or after the games.
Superintendent Paul McCurry, of South Yorkshire Police, said: "South Yorkshire is set for a weekend of super sports as the local football teams play off against each other."On Saturday, South Yorkshire’s football teams - Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield United, Barnsley FC, Rotherham United and Doncaster Rovers - will all play for their positions in the league."The games will take place throughout the day, starting off with Barnsley v Sheffield Wednesday at 12.15pm, Sheffield United v Leeds at 12.30pm and both Doncaster v Charlton and Scunthorpe v Rotherham kicking off at 3pm."Each of the games will be exciting events for sports fans across the region and we have been finalising plans to ensure the matches will be safely enjoyed by everyone."As part of these plans, we have been working closely with the local clubs to identify and eliminate potential problems that could arise ahead of the games."
He urged fans to arrive at the games early for security checks."Saturday is expected to be a busy day and I would advise those attending the games to plan in extra time as possible travel delays are expected. There will also be searches and turnstiles at the football grounds so I would again ask fans to consider this when planning their journeys, " said Supt McCurry."These measures will be in place are to prevent crime and disorder and ensure the safety of everyone at the events."We are lucky enough to have five great football teams in South Yorkshire and our aim remains ensuring everyone enjoys what will no doubt be a superb day of sport."