Saturday 12th April 2025 ko 15:00

Championship

SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY 0

OXFORD UNITED 1 (Long 79)

Att 25,646

Entry £33

Programme £3.50

If you’re going to visit all the iconic football grounds in England I’d suggest that Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough would be close to the top of just about any list. The ground dates from 1899, and post World War II became one of the country’s pre-eminent grounds. The first of 26 FA Cup semi finals here here took place in 1915.

Most of what you see here dates from the 1960’s with the exception being the the Main South stand being built in 1913-15. That is the work of the sainted Archibald Leitch and the stand with its signature gable should be seen in the same exalted company as the stands at Rangers, Fulham and Raith Rovers. In a different day with different visitors I’d have bought a seat there. But of course, I am an Oxford United fan…

But even after 36 years the 1989 Hillsborough Disaster casts a shadow on the place. A friend of mine was here on that day, in the Nottingham Forest end, but for grace of God and a FA decision, he could have been in the Leppings Lane End. As of course could any football fan, back then you just had to be in the wrong place in the wrong time, and be policed wrongly too.

You should visit the Hillsborough Memorial, but after as an away fan you’ll walk round to the Leppings Lane End and immediately see the issue with the entrance then, and to a lesser extent now. There is limited space, part of the North Stand, and all of the Leppings Lane West Stand are accessed by a space constrained by the River Don to one side and then end of a parade of terraced houses to the other. The turnstiles are narrow, the concourses are narrow, and of course you feel the ghosts of the 96  who didn’t make it home to Liverpool.

Nevertheless this remains a wonderful place to watch a game, but it was obvious as we arrived at Middlewood Park & Ride, parked the car for free then took the tram one stop south, that Sheffield Wednesday are not a happy club. The ire of the fans is directed at chairman and owner Dejphon Chansiri, the Thai businessman’s 10 years in charge has seen a rapid turnover of managers, transfer embargoes, and a stint in League 1. Even now the rumour is that manager Danny Röhl has had enough and is being courted by Southampton, Leicester who knows? The 10th anniversary of his tenure was marked by a “Turn your back on Chamsiri” protest in the 10th minute.

Despite a dreadful start to the season Wednesday’s form had picked up sufficiently to make this game close to irrelevant to them. That upturn had included a win at Oxford, the aftermath saw United manager Des Buckingham sacked. Most of us found the dismissal of both a local son and a Wembley hero a painful parting. His replacement Gary Rowett galvanised the squad and made the team difficult to beat, and former Owl Will Vaulks long throws became a vital weapon. Never more so than here, with one spinning off Marvin Johnson for 12 season “Mr Oxford United” defender Sam Long to head in at the back post.

The win went a long way to securing Oxford’s presence in the Championship in a season where just about every expert predicted we’d finish 24 and last. Sorry to disappoint them…