Cans & Megabus – Your indispensable guide to Sheffield Wednesday v Sunderland!

No Tom Walsh this week, so Jimmy Reay is here to take you to South Yorkshire!

OK, first things first, this is not the usual Cans & Megabus guy. Unfortunately the main correspondent on these matters and our man on the continent Tom Walsh is unavailable.

He was vague with the details – something to do with a walrus meant he wouldn’t have time to do a Cans & Megabus this time. Believe it or not each article takes him several days to write.

Given our most recent foray into South Yorkshire (Saturday’s trip to Rotherham in case you’d forgotten), I bet you all can’t wait for this one!!

So, Sheffield Wednesday…

How Do I Get There?

For those in cars and on busses it’s pretty straightforward. Basically just garn down the A1(M) and M1 then exit at Junction 36 (Sheffield North/Barnsley). Once off, follow signs for Sheffield on the A61 – there’ll be signs for the ground after a bit too. It’s basically on the way into Sheffield from that junction and it’s a pretty big stadium. You can’t miss it.

If you like ‘technology’, you can plop S6 1SW into yer SatNav/phone navigation app. But where’s the fun in that?

For those on the train, simply go to your station of choice, and get a train to Sheffield. Simple.

Once there, you can get a tram to Hillsborough from the station, or walk into town for some pints and get t’tram from there instead. Buses and taxis are available too, but as a former resident of Sheffield myself, I can confirm the tram is both mint and by far the easiest way to get to Hillsborough from Sheffield City Centre/Train Station.

What’s the ground like?

It’s pretty big, very old and can be quite loud when it’s full, basically. Sheff Wed have seen their attendances drop somewhat over the past few seasons, although they are averaging nearly 23k at home this season so far. I’ve no idea how many they’re expecting on Tuesday, but the main thing is we Red & White Wizards have done the usual and sold out our away end, so it’ll be good in there at least.

Away fans are located in the second tier of the West Stand of Hillsborough, behind the goal.

Yer thirsty?

Options for refreshments on Tuesday can be split into two camps, and basically depend on how much time you’ve got, and whether you’re heading there via Sheffield City Centre.

For those on the train I echo Mr Walsh’s recommendation of the Sheffield Tap at the station itself. It’s up there with the best pubs in the city, and is dead convenient for both train and tram; you could be at Hillsborough in 20 mins from leaving there if you time the tram right. There are numerous other decent pubs in and around the city centre too – The Graduate by the Winter Gardens and Head of Steam and the Brown Bear by the Crucible are safe bets.

For those in’t car or on’t bus and so most likely to land straight into Hillsborough itself, there are numerous options too.

There’s a big Spoons called the Rawson Spring which is just like any other Spoons – safe bet for a cheap pint and a cheap scran, you can walk to the ground from there easy too.

Other pubs round there include the New Barrack Tavern, the Hillsborough Tap and The Park; none are hostile to away fans (except those from Sheffield United, Leeds, Rotherham, Barnsley and Doncaster you’d imagine), and so getting into any of them shouldn’t be a problem.

To anyone going, see you there and mine’s a Stella.

Jimmy Reay

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