Sheffield Special

A look at some of the upcoming action in and around my adopted home city and a good time to do so as there are some interesting local derbies taking place this week and no competition on Saturday afternoon from either Sheffield Wednesday or United as the Owls host Birmingham City on Friday evening while the Blades are away at Peterborough United on Saturday.

Prior to that, Dronfield Town make the short journey (Dronfield is a small town situated between Sheffield and Chesterfield which also currently plays host to Sheffield FC and Sheffield FC Ladies of whom more later on) to Sandygate (above picture) on Wednesday evening to take on Hallam FC in the Northern Counties East Football League (NCEFL) Division One.

Usual admission prices to the world's oldest ground are £5 Adults, £2.50 for OAPs, Children, Students and Concessions and both the tea hut and clubhouse are well worth a visit for a bite to eat and a pint.

On Saturday afternoon, Stocksbridge Park Steels take on Witton Albion in the Northern Premier League Division One South.

I like Bracken Moor, situated high above the steel town of Stocksbridge, around eight miles or so from Sheffield and easily accessible from the city on the Link Bus that connects to the Supertram system at Middlewood.

Usual admission prices at Steels are £7 Adults, £6 Concessions, £2 for 10-16-Year-Olds and free for accompanied Under-10's.

Back to Sheffield FC and the world’s oldest club will be taking on Barnsley-based NPL Division One South leaders Shaw Lane AFC this Saturday at the Coach and Horses in Dronfield (the town has its own railway station on the Sheffield to Chesterfield line).

Ambitious plans are in place for Sheffield to come back to their home city but for the meantime this is both their home and that of Sheffield FC Ladies who are looking to build on a positive first season in the Women’s Super League.

The FA WSL2 Spring Series begins this Sunday with a local derby between Sheffield and newly-relegated Doncaster Rovers Belles.

Admission to the 2pm kick-off is priced at £4.50 for Adults and £2 for Concessions with the first ever competitive meeting of the two sides given some added spice by Monday's 4th Round FA Cup draw which paired them together.