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Play up Wednesday! The song of 1924...


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To put you in the picture

The city and herries gang controlled all throwing rings, the main one under the five-arches, even by todays standards Massive amounts of money were won and lost, remember in those days gambling was illegal. Wednesday watchers looked out for police; manic wednesdayites would hold police back near the five-arches, until all bets could be settled.

The 'wednesday watchers' were the nutters, they got a few shillings, and nearly always got beat to poo poo by the cops....but it gave the crowds time to scramble. Gang owners made thousands.

Because of big money involved, rival gangs set up, most nortorious were the sky edge gang, there affinity to a football club is unknown, although it is thought they were also wednesdayites, because the gang leader Sam Garvin was seen at hillsborough at all home games...but of course he could have been there on 'business'...no one knows

Anyhow it lead to the sheffield gang wars, sheffield became known as 'little chicago'

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To put you in the picture

The city and herries gang controlled all throwing rings, the main one under the five-arches, even by todays standards Massive amounts of money were won and lost, remember in those days gambling was illegal. Wednesday watchers looked out for police; manic wednesdayites would hold police back near the five-arches, until all bets could be settled.

The 'wednesday watchers' were the nutters, they got a few shillings, and nearly always got beat to poo poo by the cops....but it gave the crowds time to scramble. Gang owners made thousands.

Because of big money involved, rival gangs set up, most nortorious were the sky edge gang, there affinity to a football club is unknown, although it is thought they were also wednesdayites, because the gang leader Sam Garvin was seen at hillsborough at all home games...but of course he could have been there on 'business'...no one knows

Anyhow it lead to the sheffield gang wars, sheffield became known as 'little chicago'

Was little Chicago down Attercliffe? IIRC, may have been around Princess Street.

BTW, agree about that book, great read. The authorities ended up getting a tough nut copper who cleared the Glasgow gangs and then moved on to Sheffield. His name was Shillito. His style of policing was no holds barred. They moved him onto The Met in London where I believe he started the Flying Squad, AKA 'The Sweeney.

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Little Chicago was Sheffield, plenty of violence and corruption, not much gun stuff though, all stabbings/ razors, the only difference!.

Yes Shilito, the uk version of untouchable he did rid Glasgow of gangsters and later formed the sweeney.

Princess street is where the murder of the cop occured, which the fowlers were later hung for, although it is very doubtful they were the real culprits. The evidence was very poor and today they would have walked free, both denied any involvement all the way to the gallows

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The Moonie gang is the most famous or infamous, but in reality Moonie was only the front man for the 'godfather'

Moonie controlled the West Bar and Hillsborough gang but the true boss was never disclosed or ever found out.

The money made from illegal betting and vice is quite staggering even by todays standards, many times gang members were raided by police and several thousands of pounds found on their property, equiv today of £100,000 +

And there were 3 main gangs in sheffield each with a hundred or so members on the payrol.... and a few chancers who took liberties (most of them were cut down, literally) ...loads of dosh to be made

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My mum sings a song " Dooley the centre forward " to the Rudolph the red nosed reindeer tune.

Quite good lyrics, and I really wish I could remember them!

Like this?

Dooley the centre forward,

Has a very awkward style,

And if you go to Hillsborough,

You can see it sticking out a mile.

All of the Wednesday officials,

Used to laugh and call him names,

They never let poor Derek,

Play in any first team games.

Then one Saturday afternoon,

Taylor came to say,

Derek with your hair of flame,

You can play in the Barnsley game.

Then how the officials loved him,

And they shouted out in glee,

Dooley the centre forward,

You'll go down in history.

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Was little Chicago down Attercliffe? IIRC, may have been around Princess Street.

BTW, agree about that book, great read. The authorities ended up getting a tough nut copper who cleared the Glasgow gangs and then moved on to Sheffield. His name was Shillito. His style of policing was no holds barred. They moved him onto The Met in London where I believe he started the Flying Squad, AKA 'The Sweeney.

True I also have this book.

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Forgot that one.

Trot, trot, trot, trot Trotter, score a little goal for me.

Trot, trot, trot, trot Trotter, i want one before my tea.

I haven't had one since sunday?, and now it's half past three.

So, Trot, trot, trot, trot Trotter, score a little goal for me.

An old lad used to sing that in the drawing office at Osborn Mushet along with many others bless him,

strange man, had season tickets for both us and them.

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If we can get the Ultra's to learn (or should that be re-learn) "Play Up Wednesday" and "Roll Along Sheffield Wednesday" they would make sure the rest of the crowd soon caught on. Then we would have two songs of our own that no one else has got.

ULTRAS WEDNESDAY EXPECTS EVERY ONE OF YOU TO DO YOUR DUTY! :dry:

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