A Big Day

This post is something of a departure for me as I don't usually write about football! The big day was my granddaughter's not mine though I found it rather exciting as well:) Kaitlyn now plays for Sheffield United Girls Under 11 team and yesterday all the women's and girl's teams went to Bramall Lane to have team photographs taken - the first time the women have been allowed this privilege. Stephen wasn't able to take her so I stepped in instead. We arrived very early as although I know the way to the ground from my own house I've never done it from my son's house so I wanted to have time to get lost! As it happened I didn't get lost at all but went straight there. This gave me chance to take one or two photographs without lots of other people milling about. So here is Kaitlyn about to go in through the Players Entrance. This was pretend but in fact that's the way we did go in eventually.

The statue is of Derek Dooley a much loved and respected former Director and Chairman of Sheffield United who died in 2008.

Kaitlyn's team sitting in the dug out waiting to go onto the pitch for the official photographs. Two of the girls are missing as they were away on holiday. Kaitlyn is third from the right on the front row.

Walking down from the dressing rooms through the tunnel and out onto the pitch.

The Kop which is where my sons and I always sat on our regular outings to watch Sheffield United when they both still lived in Sheffield. We still go occasionally and hopefully will manage to get to a few games this season. I must say I never expected to walk down the players tunnel and out onto the pitch and see the Kop from this perspective though.

These elephants are all over Sheffield at the moment, they are part of a huge public art event and I've seen them in the city centre , the railway station and Weston Park Museum as well as this one. There are 72 of them altogether.
However back to Bramall Lane which is a very historic ground - the oldest football ground in the world as a matter of fact. It was built as a cricket ground in 1855 and is one of only two grounds (the other being the Oval) which has hosted England football internationals (five games prior to 1930), an England cricket test match (a single Test, in 1902, against Australia) and an FA Cup Final (the 1912 replay, in which Barnsley beat West Bromwich Albion, 1–0). W.G Grace played here in 1872 and it was one of Yorkshire's County grounds until 1973. The cricket pitch is now under the South Stand which is behind the girls in the dugout photo. The first football match was played here on December 29th 1862 between Sheffield FC and Hallam FC. Sheffield FC was founded in 1857 and still exists,it is the oldest independent football club in the world. So there you are - some sporting history as well as an exciting morning for Kaitlyn and Granny:)