Sheffield United and Hull City have met four times previously in the FA Cup before this Sunday's showdown at Wembley and will be our first meeting outside of Yorkshire. Our first ever professional meetings came during the Second Division campaign of 1934/35 when Hull recorded a 4-3 victory at Bramall Lane before the Blades saw revenge in a 3-0 win at their former Boothferry Park home.
Over the years United have recorded 5-0 (1950) 6-0 (1959) and a 7-0 (1935) victory over our opponents but it wasn't until 1982 when the two teams met in the World's oldest cup competition. In November the pair was drawn together in the First Round, United were slightly the favourites having won promotion from the old Fourth Division months previous whilst the Tigers were languishing in the basement of the football pyramid but were forced into a replay having drawn 1-1 in Hull.
United won the replay by two goals to nil with a very brief report in The Times newspaper stating; 'Goals by Morris and Edwards gave United victory at Bramall Lane and earned them a trip to Boston United, of the Allience Premier League, in the second round.' The Blades went onto beat Boston United (5-1) in a replay before falling to the hands of Stoke City (2-3) - again after a replay. Manchester United beat Brighton & Hove Albion by four goals to nil in the final.
The Cities of Hull and Sheffield would have to wait until the 2008/09 season until the cup would draw them together again. United had progressed to round five after beating London based duo Leyton Orient (4-1) and Charlton Athletic (2-1) whilst Hull City, who were then a Premier League outfit had seen off Newcastle United (1-0) in a replay following a 0-0 result at the KC Stadium before beating Millwall by two goals to nil. The story of our meeting together follows...
14 February 2009 - Sheffield United 1 Hull City 1
Kamil Zayatte earned Hull City a replay as Sheffield United proved more than a match for the Premier League side. United, without several first-team regulars, had stung Hull with Greg Halford heading them into an early lead before Phil Brown's side hit back. The Sheffield side, with just two defeats from their last 12 games, broke the deadlock in the seventh minute with the simplest of goals. Midfielder Nick Montgomery played a short pass to David Cotterill and as Andy Dawson slipped, the ex-Wigan wide man picked out Halford at the far post who headed in from close range.
Hull, out for revenge after a 2-0 defeat at Bramall Lane in April, were almost level after winning a corner. Dawson picked out Australia international Richard Garcia and the midfielder's strike from ten yards spun the wrong side of the bar. Next Brazilian forward Geovanni's weaving run from midfield was halted on the edge of the United area. Striker Caleb Folan almost found a way through as he chased a long ball downfield sweeping past centre-back Matt Kilgallon but Paddy Kenny spotted the danger and was quickly off his line to clear.
United captain Chris Morgan lasted just 31 minutes before being substituted with a recurrence of a hamstring problem and four minutes later Hull were level. Zayatte first beat Sun Jihai to Dawson's curling free-kick and the ball flew past Kenny from five yards. Garcia had a header blocked on the line by Kenny before Cotterill caught out Hull on the break, crossing quickly to sub Danny Webber whose header was deflected over the Hull bar.
Midfielder Bernard Mendy outpaced Gary Naysmith to hammer in a fierce strike which was blocked by Kenny at his near post. Stephen Quinn has a chance to settle the issue eight minutes from time after neat work by Cotterill but dragged his shot wide.
26 February 2009 - Hull City 2 Sheffield United 1
After making seven changes to his starting line-up, Phil Brown saw his Hull City side make it through to the sixth round of the FA Cup thanks to a scrappy 2-1 win over Sheffield United. A spectacular own goal from Kyle Naughton gave Hull the lead midway through the first half, but a Billy Sharp strike saw the scores level at half-time. However, Hungarian Peter Halmosi became the match winner on 55 minutes, as he calmly sent the ball into the bottom corner from five yards.
The visitors had a chance early on as Brian Howard lofted a cross from the right onto the head of the rising Greg Halford, but the Sunderland loanee could only send the ball just wide from six yards. Kamil Zayatte then came close for the home side as Halmosi whipped in left-footed corner on to the head of the defender, but his glancing effort from close range whistled just over the bar. Caleb Folan was next to come close for the Tigers, but his close-range header from a Dean Marney corner flew just over the visitors' crossbar.
Hull took the lead in controversial circumstances on 24 minutes. While attempting to clear a looping cross from Nathan Doyle, Blades defender Naughton fired a header on to the underside of his own crossbar, with referee Peter Walton ruling that the ball had crossed the line before bouncing back out. However, United were back on level terms within ten minutes as Halford sent in a curling cross from the right towards Lee Hendrie, who nodded the ball back across the box to Sharp, who made no mistake from five yards to register his sixth goal of the season.
Halmosi had his Hull side back in front ten minutes into the second half, as veteran Nick Barmby floated a cross from the right onto the left foot of the ex-Plymouth man, who neatly slotted the ball home from close range to bag his first ever goal for the Tigers.
Hull substitute Manucho had a decent chance midway through the second half as Barmby slipped him a neat through ball from the right. However, the Manchester United loanee was beaten to the ball by keeper Paddy Kenny, who showed enough awareness to run out and snuff out the danger.
The Tigers were eliminated by Arsenal by two goals to nil in round six.
Results
| 20 Nov 1982 | Hull City vs. Sheffield United | D | 1-1 | Round 1 |
| 23 Nov 1982 | Sheffield United vs. Hull City | W | 2-0 | (Replay) |
| 14 Feb 2009 | Sheffield United vs. Hull City | D | 1-1 | Round 5 |
| 26 Feb 2009 | Hull City vs. Sheffield United | L | 1-2 | (Replay) |