The first ‘scared of tomorrow’ thread actually worked in some kind of reverse psychology way when Wednesday won the derby at Hillsborough. I think I’m going to have work wonders this time though.

We knew before that United generally have a better squad than us- better players in most positions and with a lot more resources, and I didn’t believe even Robson would be tactically inept enough to make them lost against us. Thankfully I was proved wrong, but I can’t see Blackwell making the same mistakes. United have won 5 in 6 and seem to be playing pretty well, whereas we are playing for the most part pretty poorly, having to come from behind in a lot of games and grinding out draws.

Three of our youngsters have been pretty much the shining lights in the last month or so in Wood, Beevers and McAllister, but Beevers missed Saturday’s game and McAllister is now out for the season. Kavanagh seems to be a pale imitation of the player we had on loan the first time and clubs seem to be getting wise to Songo’o now.

At a time when we really need a win I'm finding it hard to see us getting anything out of the game. If Laws starts with Kavanagh and Bolder in midfield together then we’ll definitely lose, probably 2-0, if not, we may just scrape a draw with a large helping of luck.

Are you going, noj? I'd take an umbrella.

I'd be delighted with a draw, but I can't see us getting that. We've a slight chance if Beevers plays, but if he doesn't I fear a massacre. Beattie's playing for a transfer now and he will tear us to pieces.

Unfortunately/fortunately not Bombanero.

I'd be delighted with a draw too, but like you don't think it's going to happen. I'd like to see Laws put BoB in the midfield but I don't think that's going to happen either, and I suspect our midfield will be overrun.

I don't expect to get anything out of the game. Unfortunately it's all going wrong, with us drawing our 'must win' games and losing form players to injury (thank you again Stoke). We're now relying on a central midfield of the misfiring Kav / Bolder / Wallwork and a makeshift defence. Laws signing all those forwards on loan looks a bit like negligence from here.

If I'm going to listen to this, I should really start drinking.

Does anybody like Kevin 'Blackie' Blackwell, btw? He seems to be trying way too hard with his mind game bollocks, patting Laws on the head and pretending some of their players are injured. I miss Colin.

Beevers plays. Still crapping myself.

Ben Sahar doesn't exactly fill me with confidence, I have to say.

If anyone wants a decent commentary for the Champions League, try this:
http://mfile.akamai.com/6095/live/reflector:20370.asx?bkup=20372

Adam fucking Bolder?

shit.

2-1 to wednesday now, bolder with two for wednesday, beattie i think with the other.

Trouble everywhere in the not-sold-out brammall lane, they should have to play behind closed doors after reducing our allocation and selling to all and sundry.

gutted now, would have settled for that before.

2-2, killed their playoff hopes. not that bad.

was that good for you Bomba?

Ah, bollocks. Still trying to look at it objectively a point is a very good result for us there; just a shit way to get one.

What's the deal with Blackwell's mind games? No, Kevin I'm not particularly arsed if Stephen Quinn is injured or not, he's hardly Ronaldo.

Sahar shows some really good touches sometimes and looks brilliant, whereas othertimes he just seems to get shrugged off the ball. A sign of his age I guess.

ger: it was much better than expected, but still a bit disappointing.

Would have been the first win there since 1967, the first double since 1913. But still, a decent point.

Apparently the trouble didn't even involve wednesday fans, the blades being thick and bored just wanting a ruck according to a United forum.

ah shit, there was fighting? Not good. Havent looked... does that point help Weds. in any way?

WE've drawn six in a row now, and we're still down there. The team are pretty awful and losing Mccallister (tigerish 18 year old midfielder, now injured) was a bit of a blow, but then if he'd been fit Bolder wouldn't have played, and he got both goals last night.

There is usually trouble at derby matches, but it tends to be the part time big men who pick off smaller, younger wednesday fans outside the ground. They only gave us 3,000 tickets this time, the lower tier of the away end with their fans above us, and by all accounts it was a total fucking shambles with bottles of piss, coins and saliva landing among the wednesday fans.

Because of the ticketing system (at Hillsborough you had to buy tickets for three matches, at Bramall Lane anyone could buy a ticket), there were loads of wednesday fans in the United stands. But the United idiots just wanted a ruck and were battering anyone and everyone on their kop last night. Here are a couple of posts about from that united forum:

QUOTE:
I witnessed scenes on the kop last night which quite honestly made me sick to the stomach to even breathe the same air as some of our loyal blades brothers. Granted, any wednesday fan who sat on the kop should have expected trouble in some capacity but to see the beating that some poor sole recieved was nothing more than cowardly mindless thuggery. Even the stewards who tried to save this lad were set upon, even the police took a beating......thank god we scored when we did as it was the only thing that calmed the situation. Husbands, wifes and children all witnessed these appalling events.....kids were in tears and all i could hear was dozens of fookwits chanting kill the pig. FFS you shamefull scum......god help our great club and the future of our society, if this is what it means to be a loyal supporter. I am not naive enough to think that this is anything new, but the days of like minded individuals going at it outside the ground seem to have passed, and now i have to witness packs of animals venting their frustations in the most appalling manner in my home end......It seems the rivalry took a nasty turn last night and i for one am ashamed to call myself a blade this morning. I just hope the person set upon is still breathing and his family are bearing up. I also hope that CCTV got the whole thing on film and those responsible never set foot in BDTBL ever again.

QUOTE:
Funny how you hear different stories.

A friend of mine who sat near this said it started thus.

One fan who's always mouthy got a bit upset when the 2nd goal went in. A women told him to shut up and that what caused it too kick off.
This Bloke and five others started fighting with other Blade fans be it women or children. Stewards stood and watched before going in and getting pasted and Police probably took one look and thought they look hard and hid for a bit.

My friend had to pull one child to safety. The childs mother was tears trying to find the kid after it quietened down. My friend managed to get her attention.
For the innocent people involved the night wasn't over as the stewards allowed the same group back in later and several people were informed they were going to get a beating at some point or other even if they had nothing to do with the orginal incident.

My friend said it was the scariest incident he'd been in in recent years and spoilt the night for him.

I refused to respond to this thread before the match because to do so would of course have jinxed us. I am quite certain that us getting out of jail was entirely down to the fact that I made no predictions or comments!

The report today in the local paper plays down the trouble which surprises me a little given SY Polics's usual attitude towards anything to do with football.
http://www.thestar.co.uk/headlines/Fans-clash-at-Steel-City.3961009.jp