Sheffield United and Bramall Lane - The Home of Football - Sheffield - Things To Do Reviews

So - time to review the single point in the universe around which everything else revolves: Bramall Lane Football Stadium.

This is the home of Sheffield United Football Club and also the single most important building in the city.  It's stood there for over 150 years and shines like a beacon with it's aura of invincibility.  Women swoon.  Men swoon as well.  Small children do cartwheels down the street as they approach it...

OK - perhaps not but it is the heart of this fine city.  Some people will tell you that there are two football teams in Sheffield.  They sir, are liars! [Are you not counting Sheffield FC either then? - Ed]  There are a group of grubby trolls in a pit village on the outskirts of Sheffield that also purport to play the beautiful game but let us not dwell on such vileness for a moment longer than we must.

If you want to watch a football match (and yes that's football not soccer - we'll have no Americanisms here) then Bramall Lane is the only place to go.  If you want to feel the groundswell of passion and emotion as it sweeps around the thousands of people inside then there really is no substitute.

All that said I've supported Sheffield United for more years than has been healthy and what you come to realise is that generally we are rubbish, players will leave, invariably we'll lose and most of the time they'll leave you frustrated, annoyed and vowing never to come back.

Occasionally we'll have a purple patch and get a bit of success.  Most Sheffield United fans will tell you this is only ever fleeting.  What keeps us coming back - apart from the stoicism of Yorkshiremen - is the humour, camaraderie and those little moments of ecstasy when for once it all goes right and we do something good.

Currently we're struggling against relegation from the Premiership so if you fancy seeing a team lose to the likes of Manchester United then this is the place to do it.

The ground has undergone some major modernisation work in recent years, changing it from a bit of a run down crumbling sixties monolith to a plush, modern arena (mostly).

Ticket prices are unfortunately on the high price these days (apart from the odd cup game.)  This isn't anything amiss on Sheffield United's part - it’s the way the game is going in England and actually we're one of the cheaper grounds in the top flight.  To be honest I'm not exactly sure how much a single ticket is as I have a season ticket and get a big discount by going to every game but don’t expect to get much change from thirty pounds.

As we're currently in the Premiership tickets are in great demand so you'd need to buy well in advance - tickets can be bought online or on the phone from the box office.

Two tips:

Sheffield United play in red and white.  Don't cheer loudly for the opposing team if sat amongst the home fans or you might find yourself forcibly ejected.  Or punched in the face.  Or both.

Don't eat the food in the stadium - it's always been rubbish.  You're better off buying something from the burger vans outside.

For those wishing to come and worship full details of fixtures and tickets can be found on the SUFC website.

Come on you Blades!!!