Rivalry with Sheffield.

[devilsdude]

I'm a devil's fan and have followed them for 15 years.
I have always known panthers and steelers to have a good old proper rivalry..

1 thing that bugs me is I don't really no the main reason why?

Is it because your neighbours and live with in a few miles of each other?
Has someone from the opposing club done the other club bad?
I know no-one likes steelers Coz there arrogant stuck up bunch.

But I'm just interested to know why you hate each other so much. Lol.

[wannabe2]

Why do Cardiff and Swansea hate each other so much, Panthers and Steelers I think it’s a local thing and please tell me if I am wrong. Steelers are a younger club compared to Panthers, and they came into the league as the new kids on the block, and as cocky as poo poo. However they soon became successful which never endeared anyone to them. Two big Arena teams, two big followings, 40 miles down the road,same as Cardiff to Swansea, and you have a recipe for rivalry. It’s a good thing for both, as both fill their Arena when the enemy is in town, and long may it continue. We couldn’t manage without each other, so in a funny way cheers all.

[The Flying Shirt]

In recent years it's just a fake rivalry stirred up for the sheep by Moran and Simms to sell seats.

[jdizpt8]

When I first became a fan some 20 years ago I didn’t know of the rivalry but the more I went the more murmurings I heard and I think for me the first time I was fully aware was the bench clearance game. Since that day I detested everything about the club, players, staff, fans, management, owner. Even seeing a steelers shirt I’d instantly have that build up of hate. I think it the past 3 - 4 seasons it’s become very tame and is used a money maker as previously stated in the thread. I’d love for something to happen this year to really being the fire back. Gagnon did his best last season going after the 5 on the ice but it’s just lost it’s appeal.

Bring back the rivalry boys!

[Jord v4]

Jul 21, 2018 18:24:06 GMT The Flying Shirt said:

In recent years it's just a fake rivalry stirred up for the sheep by Moran and Simms to sell seats.

Very much this. Hardly a rivalry these days. The barn gets filled due to the hangers on who see this as the best fixture.

[wgray]

Jul 21, 2018 17:30:20 GMT wannabe2 said:

Why do Cardiff and Swansea hate each other so much, Panthers and Steelers I think it’s a local thing and please tell me if I am wrong. Steelers are a younger club compared to Panthers, and they came into the league as the new kids on the block, and as cocky as poo poo. However they soon became successful which never endeared anyone to them. Two big Arena teams, two big followings, 40 miles down the road,same as Cardiff to Swansea, and you have a recipe for rivalry. It’s a good thing for both, as both fill their Arena when the enemy is in town, and long may it continue. We couldn’t manage without each other, so in a funny way cheers all.

I think you’ve pretty much hit the nail on the head, I first started watching the Panthers as a lad in 03/04, the rivalry then seemed very intense and I had, and still do have, a lot of hatred for Sheffield. I feel that the club and their fans portray a very arrogant image, as though they feel it’s their right to win, but I suppose when you’ve won as much as they have, in as short a time, that’s what happens.

[Shaggy]

Stale.

[devilsdude]

OK thanks for your replies.

I'm sure this year should bring the rivalry back with the big body's and fighters u have in your team lol.

I can see farmer growing a set of balls again too. 🤣🤣

[spik]

devilsdude. You just about answered your own querie at the start and wannabe did the rest.

The biggest laugh for me was when we were away in Sheffield and they gobbed on about signing one of our players from us and were going to play him against us that same day.
We hadn't even given up the rights to him going and they had to drop him from the team sheet probably that day, as he was still a Panther by rules.
That's the gaul of the club. We had a good laugh at their expence as they showed him off with a steelers shirt for the pics on the ice. But we knew he'd be sitting down after that.

[kievthegreat]

Jul 21, 2018 18:35:56 GMT devilsdude said:

OK thanks for your replies.

I'm sure this year should bring the rivalry back with the big body's and fighters u have in your team lol.

I can see farmer growing a set of balls again too. 🤣🤣

I always find the idea of Farmer 'not having balls' and 'being chicken', etc... odd. I find more often than not he's willing to fight people, but that when he does fight he's just useless and gets hammered. He's also happy to throw hits, play niggly, sometimes dirty and if anything  has a problem with temper and can be cajoled into taking silly penalties at inopportune moments (that cross-check to rutherford anyone?). However not having balls isn't an attribute I'd accuse him of.

[kievthegreat]

Jul 21, 2018 18:48:31 GMT spik said:

That's the gaul of the club. 

[PantherB]

In the very recent past the rivalry has definitely declined to the point where it is essentially a rivalry only in the stands.

Both clubs have seen a large turnover of players to the point where there may be two or three max on either team who have experienced the rivalry when it's been at a strong point. Now there is only Lee and Phillips who have experienced the Panthers rivalry when it's been tasty. Got the Panthers returnee's of Billingsley and Pither who are aware of the rivalry but since Steelers have had a complete change of roster, any player they had a grudge against is gone.

Most recently I'd say rivalries have grown on the ice between us and Belfast. I know for sure that our players despised many of the Belfast players last season. The Panthers-Blaze rivalry was always a fun one until they split the conferences. The years of Noble and Stewart.

[wgray]

Jul 21, 2018 19:28:00 GMT PantherB said:

In the very recent past the rivalry has definitely declined to the point where it is essentially a rivalry only in the stands.

Both clubs have seen a large turnover of players to the point where there may be two or three max on either team who have experienced the rivalry when it's been at a strong point. Now there is only Lee and Phillips who have experienced the Panthers rivalry when it's been tasty. Got the Panthers returnee's of Billingsley and Pither who are aware of the rivalry but since Steelers have had a complete change of roster, any player they had a grudge against is gone.

Most recently I'd say rivalries have grown on the ice between us and Belfast. I know for sure that our players despised many of the Belfast players last season. The Panthers-Blaze rivalry was always a fun one until they split the conferences. The years of Noble and Stewart.

It is very much a rivalry between our fan bases. I think that on ice, hockey has now come to the point where we don’t have the players who are willing to do something daft to ignite the hatred. Gagnon came close last season but the days of Neickar et al are long gone and I think that is the same in every hockey league now unfortunately. Maybe that is a reflection of society today.

[shinobi]

Jul 21, 2018 17:07:56 GMT devilsdude said:

I'm a devil's fan and have followed them for 15 years.
I have always known panthers and steelers to have a good old proper rivalry..

1 thing that bugs me is I don't really no the main reason why?

Is it because your neighbours and live with in a few miles of each other?
Has someone from the opposing club done the other club bad?
I know no-one likes steelers Coz there arrogant stuck up bunch.

But I'm just interested to know why you hate each other so much. Lol.

It started in 1993-94 season; it was their first season in the top flight and there was a fight between Paul Adey & Ivan Matulik, with the latter pulling hair of his opponent. Steelers won the game, maybe 5-4 and the rivalry was born. It was a genuine & sincere one initially, almost bordering on hatred, even at the line ups, players were baiting one another & that filtered through to the fans.

As others have said, it’s been hyped up to flog tickets in recent seasons but in all honesty, it’s died a death.

[texpef]

Started before then Shin... panthers had Damps as coach who spent years bringing on the youth development to the point we could compete and beat the best the rest of the league had to offer and then along came Sheffield with their spending power who essentially re wrote the rules.. (anyone remember they had two dual nationals when only one was allowed?) and basically bought success at what was perceived at the expense of Nottingham... Then they went and took damps and our best players and went on a spree of basically buying success... at one point they had the 3 best brits in the league non of which came from Sheffield.
And it didn't get any better from here.... ISL remember...

From one of the better clubs in the country and best supported we became one of the ISL alsorans… and it can be attributed directly to steelers joining the league...

[wasteoftime]

How many banners have they got in there barn through cheating?

[tootootrain]

Jul 22, 2018 6:25:52 GMT wasteoftime said:

How many banners have they got in there barn through cheating?

At least one from their Grand Sham season.

[Deleted]

I've always said it was never the players fault that they broke the wage cap that year !! Hell even Simms didn't know just how bent and underhand some of the stuff Darren Brown got upto (hense spending time at the queens pleasure)

Blaisdell loved spending money and it wasn't until the play offs came that he realised what was happening.

It's still the best roster this country has ever seen !! And that's from a Panthers fan

[pantherlee]

Which roster? This is all before I started so I’m not completely familiar

[iginla]

Jul 22, 2018 8:51:10 GMT @pidge said:

I've always said it was never the players fault that they broke the wage cap that year !! Hell even Simms didn't know just how bent and underhand some of the stuff Darren Brown got upto (hense spending time at the queens pleasure)

Blaisdell loved spending money and it wasn't until the play offs came that he realised what was happening.

It's still the best roster this country has ever seen !! And that's from a Panthers fan

It should be the best roster Pidge.
With the wage money they spent that year,reportedly over £1 million imagine how much that would equate to in today’s money.
Many times more than anybody spends on player wages these days in the EIHL,it’s no wonder they did the grand slam.

For me the hatred stems from Simms,can’t stand the man,but also the Steelers fans.
Something happens to them when they put on that awful orange shirt and turns them into one eyed,my team can do no wrong, Steelers are above everybody else kind of fans.
Odd really considering Sheffield people are generally very nice,kind,friendly,salt of the earth kind of people.
It’s Simms and that shirt that turns them into something i really don’t like.

[Deleted]

Jul 22, 2018 9:28:05 GMT iginla said:

Jul 22, 2018 8:51:10 GMT @pidge said:

I've always said it was never the players fault that they broke the wage cap that year !! Hell even Simms didn't know just how bent and underhand some of the stuff Darren Brown got upto (hense spending time at the queens pleasure)

Blaisdell loved spending money and it wasn't until the play offs came that he realised what was happening.

It's still the best roster this country has ever seen !! And that's from a Panthers fan

It should be the best roster Pidge.
With the wage money they spent that year,reportedly over £1 million imagine how much that would equate to in today’s money.
Many times more than anybody spends on player wages these days in the EIHL,it’s no wonder they did the grand slam.

For me the hatred stems from Simms,can’t stand the man,but also the Steelers fans.
Something happens to them when they put on that awful orange shirt and turns them into one eyed,my team can do no wrong, Steelers are above everybody else kind of fans.
Odd really considering Sheffield people are generally very nice,kind,friendly,salt of the earth kind of people.
It’s Simms and that shirt that turns them into something i really don’t like.

That Manchester Storm roster of the late 90s was pretty decent too. That was over £1m as Kurt Kleneindorse pretty much confirmed it. Simms still denies that 2000/1 roster didn't cost near 1m although I thought Shayne Mccosh earnt near 200k alone !

[wasteoftime]

We put more money into begging buckets than we did through the gate, the gratitude we got was SFA.

[The Flying Shirt]

Jul 21, 2018 18:52:39 GMT kievthegreat said:

Jul 21, 2018 18:35:56 GMT devilsdude said:

OK thanks for your replies.

I'm sure this year should bring the rivalry back with the big body's and fighters u have in your team lol.

I can see farmer growing a set of balls again too. 🤣🤣

I always find the idea of Farmer 'not having balls' and 'being chicken', etc... odd. I find more often than not he's willing to fight people, but that when he does fight he's just useless and gets hammered. He's also happy to throw hits, play niggly, sometimes dirty and if anything  has a problem with temper and can be cajoled into taking silly penalties at inopportune moments (that cross-check to rutherford anyone?). However not having balls isn't an attribute I'd accuse him of.

We shared a table with Falmer and a few others while eating at Birmingham airport while flying out to Zurich last year (due to lack of space with the place being pretty full) and I asked him straight why the lack of agitating and getting under players skins and he was quite honest. He said that he was under CN's STRICT instructions not to and to just concentrate 100% on his game or be benched. Farmer has definately developed as a player now but I think that he is one of the best agitators in the league and if he could do that without losing the plot with his game side he would be very effective. Perhaps the ability to do that will come with age.

[devilsdude]

I find steelers fans are stuck up and wear tinted glasses.
When they lose its everyone's fault but there own.

What bugs me also is there music when they score.
Why do they keep singing we are number 1 say we are number 1 when they haven't been for 2 years now??

[The Flying Shirt]

Jul 22, 2018 9:52:57 GMT devilsdude said:

I find steelers fans are stuck up and wear tinted glasses.
When they lose its everyone's fault but there own.

Pretty much all teams in the league do that or else find a reason to try to blame the ref/s

Jul 22, 2018 9:52:57 GMT devilsdude said:

What bugs me also is there music when they score.
Why do they keep singing we are number 1 say we are number 1 when they haven't been for 2 years now??

Because they know that give it a year or two they will be again. Pretty much nailed on.