| Sheffield United | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stadium: Bramall Lane | ||||||
|
Competitive match results1 | |||||
| Venue | W | D | L | F | A | |
| @Bristol Rovers: | 7 | 5 | 1 | 26 | 15 | |
| @Sheffield United: | 2 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 24 | |
| Neutral venues: | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total: | 9 | 8 | 7 | 38 | 39 | |
| 1Match results from the Football League, FA Cup, League Cup, Football League Trophy and Full Members Cup. Last updated 21:49, November 4, 2012 (UTC). | ||||||
After being formed in 1889, Sheffield United were inaugural members of the newly formed Football League Division Two in 1892, winning promotion to the First Division at the end of their first season in the competition. It wasn't until 1956, after The Blades were relegated from the top flight and Rovers were promoted from Division Three, that the clubs met for the first time, a game that saw Rovers win 3–1 at Eastville Stadium.
Sheffield United provided Rovers' opposition in the final of the 1972 Watney Cup, in what was The Pirates' first national cup competition triumph. After finishing 0–0 at 90 minutes, the game went straight to a penalty shoot-out, which Rovers won 7–6.
In all the two sides have faced each other 23 times, with Rovers winning nine times and Sheffield United seven. Rovers had never lost a competitive match at home to The Blades until their FA Cup first round match in November 2012.
Records[]
- Last meeting: 3 November 2012 – Bristol Rovers 1–2 Sheffield United
- Biggest win: 8 April 1978 – Bristol Rovers 4–1 Sheffield United
- Heaviest defeat: 14 April 1984 – Sheffield United 4–0 Bristol Rovers
- Highest aggregate score: 20 April 1959 – Sheffield United 5–2 Bristol Rovers
Players at both clubs[]
The list of players who have been on the books of both Sheffield United and Bristol Rovers includes:
- Darren Carr played for Rovers and The Blades in the 1980s
- Keith Curle played for Sheffield United late in a career that began with Bristol Rovers
- Mark Foran left Sheffield United in 1996 and joined Rovers four years later
- Brian Gayle had a spell at Rovers after having previously played for Sheffield United in the 1990s
- Barry Hayles had a very brief stay with Sheffield United in 2004, having left Rovers in 1998
- Will Hoskins had a loan spell at Sheffield United after leaving Rovers in 2011
- Francis Joseph
- Phil Kite joined Sheffield United in 1990, six years after leaving Rovers
- David Lee joined Sheffield United on loan in 1997 and signed for Rovers the following year
- Tom McAlister had a loan spell with Rovers in 1981, having started his career with The Blades in the 1970s
- David Staniforth joined Rovers from Sheffield United in 1974
- Jordan Stewart had a loan spell with Rovers early in his career and later went on to spend just under a year at Bramall Lane
- Gareth Taylor played for Rovers and Sheffield United in the 1990s
- James Thomas was loaned to both Sheffield United and Bristol Rovers by Blackburn Rovers
- Alan Warboys joined Rovers from Sheffield United in 1972
- Steve Yates joined Sheffield United in 2002, nine years after leaving Rovers
Past meetings[]
| Date | Competition | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 October 1956 | Division Two | Bristol Rovers | 3–1 | Sheffield United |
| 16 February 1957 | Division Two | Sheffield United | 0–0 | Bristol Rovers |
| 7 September 1957 | Division Two | Sheffield United | 2–0 | Bristol Rovers |
| 11 January 1958 | Division Two | Bristol Rovers | 2–2 | Sheffield United |
| 13 December 1958 | Division Two | Bristol Rovers | 1–1 | Sheffield United |
| 20 April 1959 | Division Two | Sheffield United | 5–2 | Bristol Rovers |
| 14 November 1959 | Division Two | Bristol Rovers | 3–2 | Sheffield United |
| 2 April 1960 | Division Two | Sheffield United | 1–1 | Bristol Rovers |
| 3 December 1960 | Division Two | Sheffield United | 2–3 | Bristol Rovers |
| 22 April 1961 | Division Two | Bristol Rovers | 3–1 | Sheffield United |
| 5 August 1972 | Watney Cup | Bristol Rovers | 0–0 (7–6 pens) |
Sheffield United |
| 18 December 1976 | Division Two | Sheffield United | 2–3 | Bristol Rovers |
| 14 May 1977 | Division Two | Bristol Rovers | 3–1 | Sheffield United |
| 26 November 1977 | Division Two | Sheffield United | 1–1 | Bristol Rovers |
| 8 April 1978 | Division Two | Bristol Rovers | 4–1 | Sheffield United |
| 25 November 1978 | Division Two | Bristol Rovers | 2–1 | Sheffield United |
| 31 March 1979 | Division Two | Sheffield United | 1–0 | Bristol Rovers |
| 29 March 1983 | Division Three | Bristol Rovers | 2–1 | Sheffield United |
| 2 May 1983 | Division Three | Sheffield United | 2–1 | Bristol Rovers |
| 3 December 1983 | Division Three | Bristol Rovers | 1–1 | Sheffield United |
| 14 April 1984 | Division Three | Sheffield United | 4–0 | Bristol Rovers |
| 3 September 1988 | Division Three | Sheffield United | 4–1 | Bristol Rovers |
| 14 January 1989 | Division Three | Bristol Rovers | 1–1 | Sheffield United |
| 3 November 2012 | FA Cup | Bristol Rovers | 1–2 | Sheffield United |
Videos[]
Highlights of the Watney Cup final between Bristol Rovers and Sheffield United in 1972:
