A story of how a Sheffield couple had to hide which of the city’s top teams the husband supported until after they were married has gone viral on social media – as the city prepares for Sunday’s derby match.

Jenny, 82, a Sheffield Wednesday fan, had to lie to her dad when she was only 13 years old after meeting United supporter Geoff.

She told her father that Geoff was an Owl because she knew he wouldn’t allow him in the house if he supported the Blades.

The dad only found out after the pair got married.

There’s no doubt that the match on Sunday 16 March at 12.30pm will cause some friendly rivalry between the couple, as it will do to the rest of the city.

Sheffield Wednesday fan Richard Parker, 58, first became aware of the derby as a kid, and even then, could tell it was something huge within the city. He said: “The whole city seemed to come alive, and you could feel the excitement everyhwere.”

Mr Parker also added that this game is larger than just a football match. He said: “It’s not just about football. Win and you’re buzzing for weeks, lose and you dread going to work on Monday.”

He also believes the game is quite underrated nationally and the atmosphere is as intense as anywhere else.

He said: “It gives people something to rally around. The rivalry adds excitement and energy to Sheffield.”

A Sheffield United fan on TikTok who wished to stay unnamed added that this derby in particular ‘feels bigger’. It’s the first Steel City Derby at Hillsborough since 2019 and given Sheffield United are chasing the title, there is a lot on the line.

They said: “My dad supports Wednesday and we don’t get along very well when this game is coming up”.

The viral FaceBook post of Jenny and Geoff can be found here.