Not from Sheffield - but the reason why I support Wednesday

[Belfast Owl 2]

Born and bred in Doncaster.

Supported them since I was about two because I had a very close relationship with my cousin,

Hardly surprising if you are from Doncaster

[Nookiebear]

Born and bred in and around Cambridge. I first started supporting the Owls in 1986 when I just started secondary school. I'd always been into football, especially the World Cups and Euro Championships, but never really had a team. My family all supported Ipswich and having started secondary school where pretty much everyone had a team (man utd) I thought I'd choose one. Now being an avid panini monster and always having a soft spot for the beautiful foil badge with the wee owl, they became my team. Funny enough, I've since met a friend of my brothers, also from the South who supports Wednesday for exactly the same reason. It was an inspired choice, because 5 years later I was at Wembley cheering the owls on in the league cup final. It was one of the only times I actually looked forward to going to school on the Monday. It was great striding into class wearing my Owls hat and scarf and ribbing the Man utd fans. Up the mighty Owls!

[Guest Mossy]

My dad took me to my first game in boxing day 95 away game against leicester (i am from leicester so it was only down the road) and we won 1-0... I've cursed graham hyde for making me a wednesday fan the last 14 years haha

[whatdial]

I was born in Blackburn, but lived in Sheffield between the ages of 4-8. I remember asking my Dad to get me a Wednesday shirt so he got me the mid 80's purple away one - even though he is a massive Blackburn Rovers fan. I have never looked back.

We moved to Milton Keynes - which was full of Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and United fans in the late 80's until about 93 and i think my first game was Luton away when Sheridan scored that freekick where he flicked it up and volleyed it in. Great goal! Worst thing about living down south was that i was there going to school full of Gooners when we lost both finals...i was gutted.

Never mind as that year i moved back up North to Rossendale, Lancs. As i was only 12 my Dad took me with him to Blackburn Rovers and I had a season ticket with them for about 3-4 years - i couldnt get to Sheffield on my own then - but my Dad still took me to Hillsborough about 5 times a season. I remember one game - Warhurst's first against us and i was sat in the Blackburn end in my normal seat. I think we took the lead - somehow i think Graham Hyde scored, but that cant be right, and i went mental jumping up and down. Unfortunately, they equalised but the draw was a fair result i think. My worst day was the 7-2 hammering we took there - i was in the away end doing the conga - but school the next day was awful. Carbone scored a cracker that day! That didnt last long though as we stuffed them 4-1 a year later and i bumped into one of my mates walking out of the ground...he wasnt happy hahaha!

I have moved down Staffordshire now, but still follow the Owls. You can take the boy out of Sheffield - but you can't take Wednesday out of the boy!!!!

UTO!

[Guest Owls Fan in Vermont]

I became an Owls Fan by way of a friend who actually played for the Blades. His heart wasn't into it, he was really a loyal Owls Fan, and I had to know why. It's simple really; the Owls have heart, and that's all I needed to know.

[Guest hull owl 79]

I have not one connection to do with Sheffield, Yorkshire or to be fair anywhere up north. Infact I am a Londoner born & bred.BUT...When I was about 6 or 7, I never used to like football, infact I hated it so much, I used to make my dad switch over to some cartoons whenever he had the footy on. That really annoyed him as you could imagine, but with a little help from my mum, in the end, as I so often do, I got my own way. Kids eh?Anyway, whenever the news channel was on, and they would go to the sport and announce all the football scores, for some reason I would sit there in silence listening to the guy reading out all the results. At that time Wednesday were in the Premiership. Whenever the man read out the name SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY, I would sit there with a little grin on my face, as it sounded funny, you have to remember I was only what 6 or 7 at the time??? Each week, I used to always look out for that name, Sheffield Wednesday. Every week, the guy would say Arsenal 3-0 Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield Wednesday 1-4, Newcastle 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday, and so on, although thats probably at bit OTT as we werent that bad back then, but the name SW really made me chuckle. I got more and more into it, it came to a point where I would watch the whole news every week, just to make sure I wouldnt miss the results. One day, I then decided to make my mum buy me the Merlin Premiership sticker album, so I could learn all the Wednesday squad. I remember Andy Booths name sticking out the most, and I remember being chuffed to bits when I got his picture sticker. I carried on looking out for their results, and kept on collecting the stickers, and I started to get more into it, that when I was about 10, I made my dad take me to my first Owls game, a visit to sunny Upton Park, to see us beat them 2-1??? I think, cant remember exactly, but I think that was the score. It was such a special occasion for me, had never been to a football match prior to that. From then onwards, I started to get even more into supporting the Owls and more into it and even more into it, until my parents brought me my first Wednesday shirt from Christmas that year, born and bred in London you could imagine all the abuse I got from Spurs, West Ham, Chelsea, Arsenal fans etc......... I wasnt to be detered though, and kept on wearing my blue and white owls kit every thursday for football training. I'm one of those type of people, that doesnt care what others think, which is good to a certain extent. As time moved on, Wednesday became a massive part of my life, and although I annoyed my parents, by asking to go to this game and that game, I knew it wasnt possible, as London to Sheffield is around 200 miles away, and with my dad supporting Chelsea, he was never going to be willing to take me to that many games, although he did his best, and took me to maybe 8 or 9 a season, all the london away games and a few home encounters too, which I thank him for, because how many fathers would do that for their son, when they dont really like football themselves? You have to take in the cost too, petrol money, staying over money, match tickets, food, drink, match programme etc.......... so it wasnt easy!However that has all changed this year, I was urged to join 'The London Owls' who go to every game, and although I cant make everyone due to college commitments and money, I do my best and have already made 7 games this season with the LO and my 8th one is coming up next week against Hull. I am mad on Wednesday now, its a disease but a good one, If I had it my own way, id attend every game, but it isnt possible at the moment. The London Owls are absolutly brilliant, not only is it a way of going to see my beloved Owls, but I have made some Wednesday mates out of it, who go regular, so its pretty good to be honest. Best decision I ever made!!Anyway just to finish off, the play-off final last season, has got to be my best Wednesday moment, 41,000 Owls all singing "Who needs Mourinho?-weve got Paul Sturrocko"! just made the hairs on my back stand up, and again, I have my dad to thank for taking me, as at that time, I was unaware of the London Owls. It was bloody amazing :bigemo_harabe_net-139: So there you have it - the story on how I became an Owl. Lets hope for a nice win at the lane tomorrow, and maybe, just maybe we can shut those pigs up once and for allSam

you sir are a ledgend

[Guest hullowls]

My dad lived about 2 minutes from hillsborough when he was younger and was a massive wednesday fan, So i kept it in the family. I remember my first game was at home to Hull City we won 5-1 and David Hirst scored 4, i have never looked back since. Still enjoy the waking up on a saturday excited about going to the match the same a i did when i was younger.

[punkskaphil]

No connections to Sheffield for me either. I was born in Kent but lived my whole life in East Surrey. Dad's from North London and is an avid Arsenal fan (but doesn't go to games anymore), and Mum's side of the family are all Palace fans (my nearest professional team). When I was about 3 years old I decided - for no reason I can remember - that I liked owls. I started collecting any owl-related that I could find. About 3 years later my dad told me one morning that I should support Wednesday because of that, even though I wasn't really interested in football back then. I remember going to school that morning, excited to tell my best mate (a Charlton fan) that I was going to support Wednesday. For some reason I had it in my head that the shirt would be all red and the badge would have a really intricate embroidered brown owl on it. My mate had just started collecting the Panini Football '87 stickers and he had a spare of Lawrie Madden which he gave me. I can remember being really shocked to see the blue-and-white stripes and the stylised owl (which I loved). I started collecting the stickers too, and I think I completed the Wednesday page.My uncle (a Palace supporter) and my dad took me to my first game in January 1990 (I was 10 years old). We had to stand with the Palace fans on the Holmesdale Terrace in freezing wind. I'm small for my age, and I managed to get in for free because I could sit on my dad's shoulders going through the turnstile. Nigel Worthington scored for us in the first half, and Mark Bright equalised for Palace in the second before getting himself sent-off five minutes later. The most disappointing thing was my expectation of a fantastic stadium with plush seats and double-tiered stands all the way around, and then walking onto the top of the Holmesdale and looking out in disbelief!I've stuck with Wednesday ever since, going to as many matches in and around London as I can, and I first went to Hillsborough in December '94 to see us play Palace again. Bartman scored the only goal of the game. For many years I was the typical bad omen - at one stage I went seven years without seeing us win - and we'd nearly always concede in the last minute at nearly every game I went to. When I was 18 a group of friends and I managed to find a loophole in Palace's ticketing system that allowed us to purchase a season ticket in advance at an unadvertised student rate of only about £65, and then Palace won the Play-off Final againts the Blunts (which we all went to), so we ended up with super-cheap Premiership season tickets. Despite this Wednesday were still my team, even though I was going to Palace matches for a year. Of course, the only team Palace did the double over that season was Wednesday - thanks to a Clinton Morrison goal in the very last minute of the season!Eventually I saw us win again at Brentford a few years ago, 3-0. Since then my luck hasn't been quite so bad. I manage to get to about 5 or 6 games each season, including at least one trip up to Hillsborough. I wish I could go to every game, but finances and work commitments just don't allow it. I also try to get to away grounds that I haven't visited before (Peterborough so far this year).And I still collect owl-related things.

[Guest York-owl]

a bit like you same in 1980 i was collecting football stickers when i open my first packet i pulled out the sheffield wednesday badge and fell in love with it,also loved the name sheffield wednesday.as i live in york i was to young to go to games(i was 8 in 1980) i did not get to my first owls game till 1989(southampton drew 1-1) same year went to my first away game at liverpool(lost 5-1 but we scored best goal of the match dean barreck)

[DundeeOWLS]

I only really got in to football when I was around 9 or 10, I never really followed a club but I enjoyed playing. I was born and brought up in Bedford and most kids supported the london clubs or of course Man "un" UTD. My dad is from Palo Alto near San Francisco USA he got posted over here ( US AIR FORCE) married my mum had me and they stay in Bedford to this very day.When my dad got out of the Air Force he started a job in Bedford and met a guy from Sheffield, now my dad being a septic tank had never seen a football or ummm soccer match before so this kind guy from Sheffield offered to take him along to a game(not sure what game)and after that he was hooked. I started getting Wednesday Shirts for birthdays and Christmas and started going to the games with my dad we would mainly go to the away games around London but I would always pester him to get up to Hillsbourgh. It was always funny to me as I am used to being the only Wednesday supporter and going to Hillsbourgh and seeing all them Wednesday Fans would take my breath away!!Now all grown up and in the Marines I get asked this question so many time's " Why do you support Sheffield Wednesday"?Ill Tell you why Your Team Picks you not the other way around, its not about where your from its about what the club means to you and Wednesday is my life, I may not get to many games any more but they are the first thing on my mind when i wake up and the last thing on my mind when i go to sleep i feel sick when we lose and overjoyed when we win. I have to say one last thing it was the fans that really made me proud to be a Wednesday Fan Iv taken my mate who support Millwall. Spurs,Gunners,Luton and they all have said that we were the best fans they have seen.Long live the Owls

[Guest HullSWFCfan]

What a brilliant story and touching in a kind of way!I was born in the Rotherham Shire, (Brinsworth) my first game was at the bramall lane v's Rotherham,........................... and that's how I became a Wednesdayite.I subsequently migrated to Australia 14 years later! Pretty simple really (I'm a simple kind of guy) I think! :yahoo:

Really good story, enjoyed reading it, makes me proud to be a blue and white.By the way, I was once at an epic 4-4 draw between SWFC and Chelsea, in the 1980s but can't remember exactly when. It was an FA Cup tie, Wednesday were 3-0 up at half time, coasting, then went 3-4 down. Chelsea player Paul Cannoville walked through the whole Wednesday defence to score and myself and everyone else on the awesome and beloved old uncovered kop, under those massive floodlights, couldn't believe what we had just seen.Mel Sterland scored a pen for us to level the match but we got stuffed in the replay at Stamford Bridge. Your dad may have been at one of the games.Anyway, I think its really good that you have discovered Wednesday (a great club with proud tradition and fabulous supporters) and the London Owls. Hope you get many great matches and memories in the seasons to come.

[HOOTIE AND THE SHIT TU]

I only really got in to football when I was around 9 or 10, I never really followed a club but I enjoyed playing. I was born and brought up in Bedford and most kids supported the london clubs or of course Man "un" UTD.

My dad is from Palo Alto near San Francisco USA he got posted over here ( US AIR FORCE) married my mum had me and they stay in Bedford to this very day.

When my dad got out of the Air Force he started a job in Bedford and met a guy from Sheffield, now my dad being a septic tank had never seen a football or ummm soccer match before so this kind guy from Sheffield offered to take him along to a game(not sure what game)and after that he was hooked. I started getting Wednesday Shirts for birthdays and Christmas and started going to the games with my dad we would mainly go to the away games around London but I would always pester him to get up to Hillsbourgh. It was always funny to me as I am used to being the only Wednesday supporter and going to Hillsbourgh and seeing all them Wednesday Fans would take my breath away!!

Now all grown up and in the Marines I get asked this question so many time's " Why do you support Sheffield Wednesday"?

Ill Tell you why Your Team Picks you not the other way around, its not about where your from its about what the club means to you and Wednesday is my life, I may not get to many games any more but they are the first thing on my mind when i wake up and the last thing on my mind when i go to sleep i feel sick when we lose and overjoyed when we win. I have to say one last thing it was the fans that really made me proud to be a Wednesday Fan Iv taken my mate who support Millwall. Spurs,Gunners,Luton and they all have said that we were the best fans they have seen.

Long live the Owls

True.

I was lucky/unlucky enough to have been born on the doorstep. Whenever I read these stories about people's dedication to our team, I fill up with pride.

Keep the stories coming.

[Daz]

What a bloody cracking thread this is.

Proud to be an owl alongside all you guys!

Some great stories here.

[Owls2k]

I have not one connection to do with Sheffield, Yorkshire or to be fair anywhere up north. Infact I am a Londoner born & bred.

BUT...

When I was about 6 or 7, I never used to like football, infact I hated it so much, I used to make my dad switch over to some cartoons whenever he had the footy on. That really annoyed him as you could imagine, but with a little help from my mum, in the end, as I so often do, I got my own way. Kids eh?

Anyway, whenever the news channel was on, and they would go to the sport and announce all the football scores, for some reason I would sit there in silence listening to the guy reading out all the results.

At that time Wednesday were in the Premiership. Whenever the man read out the name SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY, I would sit there with a little grin on my face, as it sounded funny, you have to remember I was only what 6 or 7 at the time???

Each week, I used to always look out for that name, Sheffield Wednesday. Every week, the guy would say Arsenal 3-0 Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield Wednesday 1-4, Newcastle 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday, and so on, although thats probably at bit OTT as we werent that bad back then, but the name SW really made me chuckle.

I got more and more into it, it came to a point where I would watch the whole news every week, just to make sure I wouldnt miss the results.

One day, I then decided to make my mum buy me the Merlin Premiership sticker album, so I could learn all the Wednesday squad. I remember Andy Booths name sticking out the most, and I remember being chuffed to bits when I got his picture sticker.

I carried on looking out for their results, and kept on collecting the stickers, and I started to get more into it, that when I was about 10, I made my dad take me to my first Owls game, a visit to sunny Upton Park, to see us beat them 2-1??? I think, cant remember exactly, but I think that was the score. It was such a special occasion for me, had never been to a football match prior to that.

From then onwards, I started to get even more into supporting the Owls and more into it and even more into it, until my parents brought me my first Wednesday shirt from Christmas that year, born and bred in London you could imagine all the abuse I got from Spurs, West Ham, Chelsea, Arsenal fans etc.........

I wasnt to be detered though, and kept on wearing my blue and white owls kit every thursday for football training. I'm one of those type of people, that doesnt care what others think, which is good to a certain extent.

As time moved on, Wednesday became a massive part of my life, and although I annoyed my parents, by asking to go to this game and that game, I knew it wasnt possible, as London to Sheffield is around 200 miles away, and with my dad supporting Chelsea, he was never going to be willing to take me to that many games, although he did his best, and took me to maybe 8 or 9 a season, all the london away games and a few home encounters too, which I thank him for, because how many fathers would do that for their son, when they dont really like football themselves? You have to take in the cost too, petrol money, staying over money, match tickets, food, drink, match programme etc.......... so it wasnt easy!

However that has all changed this year, I was urged to join 'The London Owls' who go to every game, and although I cant make everyone due to college commitments and money, I do my best and have already made 7 games this season with the LO and my 8th one is coming up next week against Hull. I am mad on Wednesday now, its a disease but a good one, If I had it my own way, id attend every game, but it isnt possible at the moment.

The London Owls are absolutly brilliant, not only is it a way of going to see my beloved Owls, but I have made some Wednesday mates out of it, who go regular, so its pretty good to be honest. Best decision I ever made!!

Anyway just to finish off, the play-off final last season, has got to be my best Wednesday moment, 41,000 Owls all singing "Who needs Mourinho?-weve got Paul Sturrocko"! just made the hairs on my back stand up, and again, I have my dad to thank for taking me, as at that time, I was unaware of the London Owls.

It was bloody amazing :bigemo_harabe_net-139:

So there you have it - the story on how I became an Owl.

Lets hope for a nice win at the lane tomorrow, and maybe, just maybe we can shut those pigs up once and for all

Sam

Just re found this google searching, amazing story

UTO's!!

[Guest owlzaboutdat]

]I was born and bred in Northern California and had only played 1 football match let alone watch 1 but when I left America with the armed forces and came to southeast England I began to get interested. I had problems coming to terms with the violence that surrounded football at the time and I will always remember seeing a man with a dart stuck in his head on the front page of the Sun newspaper. I thought then I would never go to a match let alone take my young son as I felt that dart could have struck anyone. After going on a few European holidays and some further away I began to meet loads of northerners who were not surprisingly into their footy in a big way. One family in particular had 2 sons and 1 played for Wednesday youth and the other for the Blades (piggies). The 2 boys were very competitive but they were a really nice family who invited my family up north for a Christmas party. We became good friends and in 1993 I was invited to my first match at Wembley to see the Blue & White Wizards take on the Gooners of London. The atmosphere was something that I could never put into words and in all of the different games that I have been too, (Baseball, Basketball or American Football) nothing compared to the loyalty, dedication and admiration for a team that I witnessed. I WAS HOOKED. I have followed Wednesday tirelessly since. My most popular line is "I wasn't born a Wednesdayite......But I'll Die a Wednesdayite. I've got 3 highlights that will always stand out and they are watching John Harkes score at Wembley, watching Wednesday win promotion at Cardiff and taking my Grandson at 4months old to his first match and having it on the scoreboard when we destroyed Dion Burtons Norwich on his last match. Oh ok there was another time when I was pictured in the program in my Wednesday top and scarf on the Great Wall of China.

We've had another disappointing season but I'm confident we will have much more to cheer about this season. Who needs the Premiership with the ridiculous prices they charge. See you at Weenie's next season and don't be shy, i'm the 6'5" black american usually with Tango or Lee "Chopper" Calvert [/font]

[HOOTIE AND THE SHIT TU]

My dad lived about 2 minutes from hillsborough when he was younger and was a massive wednesday fan, So i kept it in the family. I remember my first game was at home to Hull City we won 5-1 and David Hirst scored 4, i have never looked back since. Still enjoy the waking up on a saturday excited about going to the match the same a i did when i was younger.

I remember that day too, 1st of September 1990, I missed the game as I was getting married.

[DundeeOWLS]

]I was born and bred in Northern California and had only played 1 football match let alone watch 1 but when I left America with the armed forces and came to southeast England I began to get interested. I had problems coming to terms with the violence that surrounded football at the time and I will always remember seeing a man with a dart stuck in his head on the front page of the Sun newspaper. I thought then I would never go to a match let alone take my young son as I felt that dart could have struck anyone. After going on a few European holidays and some further away I began to meet loads of northerners who were not surprisingly into their footy in a big way. One family in particular had 2 sons and 1 played for Wednesday youth and the other for the Blades (piggies). The 2 boys were very competitive but they were a really nice family who invited my family up north for a Christmas party. We became good friends and in 1993 I was invited to my first match at Wembley to see the Blue & White Wizards take on the Gooners of London. The atmosphere was something that I could never put into words and in all of the different games that I have been too, (Baseball, Basketball or American Football) nothing compared to the loyalty, dedication and admiration for a team that I witnessed. I WAS HOOKED. I have followed Wednesday tirelessly since. My most popular line is "I wasn't born a Wednesdayite......But I'll Die a Wednesdayite. I've got 3 highlights that will always stand out and they are watching John Harkes score at Wembley, watching Wednesday win promotion at Cardiff and taking my Grandson at 4months old to his first match and having it on the scoreboard when we destroyed Dion DUBLINS Norwich on his last match. Oh ok there was another time when I was pictured in the program in my Wednesday top and scarf on the Great Wall of China.

We've had another disappointing season but I'm confident we will have much more to cheer about this season. Who needs the Premiership with the ridiculous prices they charge. See you at Weenie's next season and don't be shy, i'm the 6'5" black american usually with Tango or Lee "Chopper" Calvert [/font]

Just fixed that for ya!!

[Guest wellingtongirl]

im born and bred in chesterfield......not too far from sheffield, but my work commitments mean i cant go to as many matches as i'd like.

the reason i originally began supporting the owls was *admits in shame* Chris waddle's legs!! . . such a girly answer i know, but who couldnt resist watching those calf muscles week in week out. and i'v followed them ever since.

in my younger days i went to every home game and just about every away games with the boyfriend, but then *admits in shame again* i started dating a blade (oh please, i know! dont remind me !!!! ) so my attendance dropped a little.........thankfully that relationship didnt last too long, and i soon got back on track .

[Guest SWFC in NZ]

Hi, my story is quite different from those above. I am a premiership refugee. I was born in New Zealand and raised in Australia. During the mid eighties Craig Johnston was given heaps of time on telly as he scored in the 86 FA Cup final for Liverpool, so I started supporting them, although it wasnt until the mid 90s when I started following them properly,i.e. watching games, buying shirts etc.

Over the last few years though I have become disillusioned with following a premiership club. I just cant stand the constant clamor for cash above all else, the players who dont give a damn about the shirt, the cashed up loons coming in and turning teams with no history into big clubs (Chelsea, Man CIty) or failing miserably and bailing, leaving the club they owned on its knees (Portsmouth). The recent ownership carry-on at Liverpool was the final straw for me.

And so it is time to move on. I want to follow a far more down to earth club that the fans can relate to and feel a part of. I can find that following Wednesday. When I was younger, in better days for Wednesday, I really liked the name of the club, and followed their results. Now I will follow Wednesday as a fan. It doesnt hurt that I have some Blades-supporting mates, so wont it be nice when they go down and we go up this season?

Thanks for reading

[Guest matthenshaw11]

Chris Waddle. Simples. Europe's greatest ever footballer !