Sheffield pair should share

Sheffield MP Clive Betts has backed a ground-share

By Andrew McKenzie BBC Sport Online

Sheffield MP Clive Betts believes the city's football crisis could be solved by the two sides jumping into bed together.

Both Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United have stumbled upon troubled times.

On Friday, United announced yearly losses of £1.8m and a debt of £13m, while Wednesday have seen their debt rise to £23m.

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Previous suggestions that the two clubs should merge have been shot down by fans of both sides.

I would probably be almost as resistant to sharing grounds as to merging the clubs

Andrew Nicholson,
Sheffield United supporter

But Betts - the MP for Sheffield Attercliffe and a staunch Wednesday fan - thinks he may have a solution.

"One thing I'd be prepared to look at is a ground share," Betts told BBC Sport Online.

"You can go to Milan and you have AC and Inter sharing a stadium. They are two distinct clubs, they compete with each other but they have the same ground.

"What we have in Sheffield at present is two stadiums - United's has never been absolutely top quality, Wednesday's was but now it's showing its age.

"There's no doubt about it, those clubs that have built new grounds have had an upsurge in support.

Should Sheffield pair share? Have your say

"I might see that as a possibility if the finances stacked up."

Betts' suggestion met support from Barry Birks, acting chairman of the Wednesday Independent Supporters Association.

"We know quite a few Wednesdayites have voiced that privately, and within our own organisation we have thought that this might be a way forward," he said.

"What we'd be worried about is that it would be a soft-centred prelude to some sort of merger. We don't want to lose our own individuality.

The two rivals have hit hard times recently

"What you've got to start overcoming is years and years of hostility. But I personally wouldn't dismiss it out of hand.

"There are a lot of attractive possibilities about building a brand new stadium. I feel a bit jealous of some of the internationals that have been played around the country.

"I've got lots of memories about Hillsborough. Wednesday have played there for over 100 years now and I would be sad to leave.

"But I'd rather see football in Sheffield remain viable with two football clubs than see them both go to the wall if that was the option.

However Andrew Nicholson, joint chair of the Blades Independent Fans Association, was not so keen on the idea.

"I would probably be almost as resistant to sharing grounds as to merging the clubs," he said.

No sense

"An integral part of Sheffield United is Bramall Lane. It's one of the oldest grounds in the country, we own it outright and we have no need to share a ground.

"So we're certainly not going to consider sharing grounds just to help alleviate Wednesday's financial problems.

"There's no question of it ever being a good idea for us financially. If Wednesday have got financial problems then I suggest they look for a new ground.

"We are redeveloping Bramall Lane into one of the best grounds in the country so that's another reason why there would be no sense in selling our ground."