Sheffield United's Sheffield Wednesday win brings out modern football joy sponges amid particular irony
Sheffield United's Sheffield Wednesday win brings out modern football joy sponges amid particular irony
As the full-time whistle blew and a third successive Sheffield United victory over their biggest rivals was officially confirmed, Chris Wilder made a beeline for Barry Bannan while various players and staff members jubilantly raced around him. After a word with Liam Palmer, expressing his respect at the way they have led their Wednesday group through a torrid time, he made his way towards the Leppings Lane end.
What followed, according to the Celebration Police who have become one of the most tedious parts of modern football (and there’s a long list) was something akin to winning the FA Cup. What complete and utter nonsense.
United, to recap, had just beaten their arch-rivals 3-0 on their own patch. It was the biggest winning margin since 1979; the biggest ever on away soil, for either side. It was United’s third derby-day win in a row, Wilder’s third at Hillsborough.
It extended his own personal record to seven derbies without defeat. Wednesday still haven’t scored against United since 2017 and have never looked less likely than yesterday. It was, by any objective measure, a day to celebrate.
And yet there has been talk of United going over the top in front of their own fans - who, let’s be frank, have not quite been through the ringer as much as their blue-and-white counterparts but haven’t had it easy this year, either.
With a few fistpumps and arm-waves towards the away end, a few players pushed forward to soak up the acclaim individually - something Wilder has done in almost every United victory in recent times, by the way - and a team photo in front of their supporters? Come off it.
Sheffield United's Sheffield Wednesday win brings out modern football joy sponges - and ex-Owls man has a nerve
“We can enjoy the win today and then tomorrow, it's back to work,” said double hero Tyrese Campbell after the game. “Focus on beating Portsmouth and then, as I said, keep going game by game. We can't look too far ahead.
“But it's a big, massive game. As the gaffer said before the game, he doesn't need to motivate us for this type of occasion. Everyone should be up for that. We've worked so hard and there's a lot of pressure on the game. So I feel like we deserve to enjoy it, without taking it too far, and then we're just straight back to work tomorrow.”
No matter the state of the opposition - and for all the talk of Wednesday’s ‘young squad’, the average age of their starting XI was older than United’s - there is no such thing as a bad derby-day win.
United worked hard during the international break, looking for a spark to ignite their season, and that all paid off on the day. The margin of victory could have been even greater. Did anyone expect them to just slink off the pitch and get back on the bus?
Even former Wednesday man Josh Windass chimed into the debate, despite being partial to a bit of ‘housery himself. If he’d ever won at Bramall Lane during his time at Wednesday it’s not too hard to imagine him lapping up every minute; it’s not even that long ago, remember, that one Owls group of players were hailed as they threw their shirts into a jubilant crowd after holding United to a goalless draw at Bramall Lane.
One Wednesday supporter memorably left some beers on the doorstep of Owls defender Daniel Pudil after that game, with a note calling him a “hero” for helping hold the Blades. God forbid, one or two of United’s players may have enjoyed a drop or two last night after making history. If they did, let’s hope the Celebration Police don’t get wind of it.