“So many musicians wanted to be footballers but weren’t good enough!” – Speaking to Shinobi, a Godfather of South Yorkshire grime, about his Sheffield Wednesday story

In the latest edition of The Star’s look at the Owls’ list of famous fans, we spoke to Shinobi, AKA Jordan Gladwin, about his SWFC story – from being thrown over the turnstiles by his giant dad at Hillsborough to playing his part in the formulation of ‘Owls Against Racists’ earlier this year.

“My dad is a big Wednesdayite,” he explained. “Big both in terms of the fact that he loves the club but also he’s well over six foot. He’s a big massive black guy, and there weren’t too many of them about at Hillsborough. He used to chuck me over the turnstiles – I’d get in for free – and we’d be at the back of the North Stand.

“I cried, as a 29-year-old man, in the toilets at London City airport…” – The Sheffield Wednesday story of Milburn's Joe Carnall

“My first game, I just remember it being freezing cold, it was raining and saying, ‘Dad, I want to go home’. I’m pretty sure we could stand back then, and I couldn’t really see, and I didn’t really enjoy it at first. But I quickly realised it was going to be one of the things that I ended up loving most about life.

“It’s the one thing I’ve loved for almost thirty years now… The first game I really remember was Spora Luxembourg at home in the UEFA Cup, and I was on the bottom of the away end. I know I went to games before that, but that’s one I remember well – we battered them at home.

“David’s Hirst was a top bagsman in the country at that point, and they’re my earliest memories I think.”

And if he had to name his favourite memory?

“The day at Wembley in 2016 was amazing. I went there really believing that we were going to smoke Hull and go up to the Premier League. That’s the vibe I was on that season, I was gassed.

“Also the Wednesday v United semifinal was a massive memory for me… I remember going to school afterwards at Meersbrook Bank and telling everyone how Chris Waddle had banged that freekick in. I remember at the game seeing them bringing Alan Cork on and thinking, there’s no chance these beat us today.

“It’s just a pity about the two finals that year, they were devastating for me. I really thought we’d beat Arsenal and win a cup. Even after the first one I thought we’d get them in the second.

“If I had to pick a memory it’d be that semifinal I think. Just all of Sheffield taking over London.”

But how was it for a young person of colour going to Hillsborough back in the early 90s? Did he ever feel like he didn’t fit in?

“At the time, no…” he says. “My dad is like six foot something, he’s a really big guy. He’d go there and everybody knew him. Everybody would greet him. It’s different when you’re known, I think. They’re not going to make man feel away when my dad is built like he is – I never noticed anything until I started going to games as an adult.

“When I grew up I started noticing that there weren’t too many black Wednesdayites, even though I do know a few, and I do have mates who are black or Asian Wednesday fans. I don’t think that’s too different to most clubs across the UK though. There are only a few down in London where there are a lot of black fans to be honest.”

With 11 players of colour and a plethora of nationalities in the current Wednesday first team, and countless others coming through the youth ranks, this Wednesday side’s probably as diverse as it’s ever been.

For Wednesdayites of different ethnicities, that’s a big deal.

Gladwin said, “I love that to be fair… I love that one of our best players, Dominic Iorfa, has everybody behind him. Everybody loves him. It’s not just about him being fast or athletic, it’s about him being a genuinely good player. Having people from different ethnic backgrounds, it makes me feel happier going to games.”

And that, really, is why he got involved with ‘Owls Against Racists’. Not to try and shut anybody down, but to show fans – and players – that they people alongside them.

He explained, “The people who have got involved are big people… We wanted to show that not all Wednesday fans are like the vocal minority. We didn’t want our players, obviously we have a lot of black players now, to be looking into the crowd and seeing people who they thought didn’t agree with their cause.

“It was about spreading our message, and badges have flown out. There’s nothing we can really do, but it was about awareness for us.”

Over the years, Shinobi has met plenty of stars of the music industry, but as a general football fan, and more specifically Sheffield Wednesday, his love for the game will always sit above that.

He said, “Music and sport go hand in hand with each other… The link between hip-hop and sport is growing because of how relevant it is now. It’s what the athletes are listening to.

“And there’s respect both ways, I think. The athletes are starstruck by artists, but it’s the other way around too. I could bump into Iorfa, or see Kadeem Harris drive past and I’ll be telling my son all about it. I’m more gassed off meeting Kieran Lee than some big artists, and I think so many musicians wanted to be footballers but weren’t good enough! That’s definitely myself anyway.”

More Owls news

“A bit chippy” - What happened in post-match bust-up at Hillsborough

Some fisticuffs, bloody Börner and a crazy clean sheet stat…

“The usual reaction is, why Wednesday?” – The Sheffield Wednesday story of broadcaster, Sophy Ridge

Thank you for reading this article, one of dozens we publish every single day to provide you with the best, most up-to-date and most informative coverage of YOUR club. This depth of coverage costs, so to help us maintain the high-quality reporting that you are used to from the football team at The Star, please consider taking out a subscription to our new discounted sports-only package. You'll find all the details at www.thestar.co.uk/subscriptions/sports.