Blue Monday

Sheffield United 1 v Birmingham City 1

The Championship

Saturday 1 October 2022

SUFC 2022/23 Game #16

Sheffield Wednesday U21 0 v Sheffield United U21 3

Professional Development League

Monday 3 August 2022

Played at Hillsborough

SUFC 2022/23 Game #17

One of the Carrier Bag Firm cars raced through Hillsborough Corner around 9pm. Against my better judgement, I'd decided to have one last glance over my shoulder.

"The fucker's open"

That's the Northern Monkey MicroPub on Middlewood Road. My exclamation was (I feel) justified because, when I needed it, at 4:30pm, it was firmly shuttered.

On paper, there's a neat little beer scene developing out there on Middlewood Road. Not, my natural stomping ground, you'll understand. So, I'd been hoping to see some action around that U21 - you're a pig, no you're the pig - derby. Of course, the real problem was - it's a Monday. Never a good day for late afts abvs.

Any readers know what's chicken? What's egg? Are some pubs shut on Monday because there'll be no punters? Or. Are there no punters on Monday because the pubs are shut? Philosophy drinking, love it.

Look, we hear enough moaning from the pub game, imploring punters to come out and support them. I was up for all four S6 micros tonight (technically afternoon). And all four were shuttered shut. That's a moan.

Northern Monkey

Brass Monkey

The Pangolin

The Beekeeper

Instead, I was able to grab two beers ticks in;

The Horse And Jockey

250 Wadsley Ln, Wadsley, Sheffield S6 4EF

First time I've ever been in. Used to be a Stancil pub dinnit? Maybe True North now? Anyway. Three True North on Cask. And a Triple Point on Keg. Amongst the usual industrials.

True North Brew Co, Session Pale on Cask at 3.6%

Ella Hop I'm hearing. Nice beer. I was hoping for something a bit more vibrant, some more citrus if I'm honest. But, nice beer. Floral & a bit of ginger. Thin in the mouth.

True North Brew Co, Blonde on Cask at 4%

Lovely balance. There's some lovely icing sugar in the finish. Very easy drinking. Some vanilla flying about.

I know they've done it before. Although not at a game I've actually been to myself. But, they've gone for segregation at Hillsborough tonight. It's like a very small social experiment. My assessment was - that meant there were more Unitedites there than you'd normally expect. But, fuck sake, it also brings out an (admittedly small) amount of pointing and gesturing between the sets of fans.

I was amazed (hint - not amazed) to hear both sets of fans calling the other - pigs. Who knew? I mean, they were only young lads. Doing their thing. Laughing their laughs. It's no big deal. And if you think I'm wrong…

"Outside. Now"

which was a phrase & gesture doing the rounds.

The Young Blades were a little flat in the first half. But, a goal on 50 moved it all forward. And United dominated from there.

Jebbison was impressive. Although, having put the shoulder in, and outpaced his man, he really should have scored in the first half. He teamed up well with Louie Marsh. Sometimes laying it to Louie arriving at pace. Sometimes arriving at pace as Louie laid off.

'dre Brooks in more of a free role than I've seen him in previously. Very, very happy to take on mazy runs with the ball glued to his feet. He scored the third on 89. Wicked deflection on a long ranger.

The second goal came straight after the first. The pigs who weren't playing in Red n White failed to clear a corner and Marsh knocked it home.

But, really, the opening goal had everything. And encapsulated a lot of United's on the night good points.

Potter wins it deep in his own half. Plays it forward to, I think, Marsh. But, whoever it's really meant for, it bobbles off Marsh & a defender wide and deep, Dan J is also alive to it, proper centre forward barges his marker more or less on the sideline, that makes the ball fall into Marsh's run, he plays it back to Peck, he channels his Sander Berge and helps it on to Sachdev, he's just inside the corner of the box, and the cross is swept in at the far post by Louie Marsh, that's his third involvement in the moooove.

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