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By Finley Chung
Bethany Patrick becomes the latest member of the Her Game Too family, joining as an ambassador for her beloved Sheffield Wednesday.
From getting her first football top at the 2006 World Cup, to the miracle playoff game versus Peterborough two seasons back now, Bethany has seen her love for football weave in and out, but it remains firmly back in her life these days.
Reflecting on her first memory of enjoying football, Bethany states “ I remember going to a sports shop with my childhood best friend to get “BETHANY #7” on matching England shirts (we had the same name!). Football has weaved itself in and out of my life ever since.
“However, the strongest memory I have of football coming to the forefront of my life was once again the World Cup in 2018: it was the first summer I spent in Manchester as a student, and social life suddenly revolved around the game, meeting friends and planning where we’d watch, and which games we couldn’t miss. It was the first time I felt like I connected with football as community, which has got stronger in my life ever since."
Now, ask any football fan in England what the most mad game they have ever seen, and most will answer with the second leg of the League One Playoff Semi Final of 22/23 between Sheffield Wednesday and Peterborough. The Owls produced one of the most stunning comebacks of recent times, recovering from a four goal deficit to eventually progress to the final, and promotion via penalties in one of the most memorable English Football League ties anyone will ever witness.
It’s safe to say, It’s Bethany’s highlight of following Wednesday, as she recounts that glorious S6 night in incredible levels of detail for us.
“I don’t think any occasion Wednesday-supporting life will ever top getting to witness The Miracle of Hillsborough. After hosting (a quite dour) house party to watch the 4-0 loss to Peterborough the 2022/23 League One Playoff semi-final, I was so dejected when I realised I had tickets to watch the home leg the following week. Over the following days, I bargained with myself endlessly about whether I’d make it to Hillsborough that night, eventually settling on meeting up with my wonderful friend and fellow adopted-Mancunian Owl Holly and taking the train together. After all, I was attached to the squad that had given us an amazing season, and what’s the worst that can happen? I could at least give them a wave off, on what was inevitably their final game together and reminisce about the wonderful high points of that season in the third division.
“On our train to Sheffield together, we got this feeling of “what if?” Something felt like it was in the air that evening. My mum gave us a lift to Hillsborough and chuckled that we had turned up, before sympathising with our sentimental side and adoration of Darren Moore. We took our seats on the Kop, and something just felt different – the manager’s message on the big screen, the loudest “Hi Ho” we’d ever sung together, and the biggest roar on the referee’s whistle. Everything that night was meant to be. Just when the momentum felt like it was falling, the game would ignite again – especially when Reece James cranked the game back into life to make the aggregate score 4-3, and again on Palmer’s last minute effort to make it 4-4. I don’t think I’ve ever celebrated a goal like it – I burst into tears and hugged Holly, I couldn’t believe we’d done it.
"Extra time was a blur - I can remember simply smiling and sighing and thinking, "we've done all we can." I've never seen us go a goal down and still feel so proud. We'd overturned a four goal deficit in 90 minutes and we're Sheffield Wednesday - we're unlucky. That night, however, we had other ideas, and that sneaky "what if?" feeling kicked in again. Of course we could do it - a Paterson rebound in the final minute took us to penalties. "Again, my memory of the penalties is hazy - but we shot towards the Kop net below us, and I can remember Jack Hunt's winning spot kick taking ages to hit the back of the net before we all erupted again. Most of my recollection of the following moments exist in a shaky video on my phone, where I and 30,000 other Wednesdayites are bellowing in joy and disbelief, before Que Sera Sera erupts over the speakers.
"Emotionally and physically exhausted, Holly and I head back into Hillsborough and part ways at the tram stop. It's a balmy summer evening and the adrenaline didn't wear off for days - as I sleep in my childhood attic bedroom just off Hillsborough corner, I well up as I hear Wednesdayites celebrating nearby sing our most famous songs in the street, all littered with one chant in particular - "We're going to Wem-ber-ley" Fighting for Equality is something that has run in Bethany's family for generations, and alongside her fantastic work as the secretary for the Sheffield Wednesday Women's Supporters Group, joining HerGameToo seemed to be a no brainer for our Wednesday fan. "Community in football has been revelatory in my adult life, and completely repositioned the sport from just a game, to an integral part of my social fabric and everyday life. My mum's side of the family especially has always instilled in me to strive for change and fight for justice - my grandmother protested at Greenham Common and these stories have been told to me my whole life. "I am currently the secretary for Sheffield Wednesday Women's Supporters Group, and believe that community and collaboration are vital in achieving goals - which is why I am very excited to work alongside an incredible network of women and allies at Her Game Too alongside the incredible women and allies I already get to work with at SWFCWSG. I have long admired the work of Her Game Too before our Women's Supporters Group even existed, and to strengthen our ties as an ambassador makes me even more excited to work towards our common goals together. International Women's Day is a key date for us here at HGT, with Bethany already earmarking the day, alongside many of our other team members as a day of celebration.
"By working across SWCWSG and Her Game Too, I'm looking forward to building on our successes in 2023/24 with an enriched network locally, nationally and beyond. My highlight of last season was working with Her Game Too and Kick It Out for International Women's Day and our #KeepingSCoRE campaign - I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm really looking forward to the 8th March again, to celebrate all of our achievements and hard work together!"
Sadly, like many of our team members, Bethany has unfortunately been the victim of abuse simply for being a Woman going to Football, something which boils my blood when I hear of stories such as this, as Bethany bravely recounts the worst discrimination she has experienced.
"The worst discrimination I've personally experienced was the catalyst for the formation of the Sheffield Wednesday Women's Supporters Group. On our designated International Women's Day fixture in 2023, we played Bolton Wanderers on a Friday night, and as my partner and I walked home from the match, we were harassed by other Wednesdayites on a passing tram, who spat at us out of the window and sexually harassed me as we walked past."
However, this ended up being the catalyst for the formation of the Sheffield Wednesday Women's Supporters Group.
"After we got home, I refreshed Twitter to see other girls had uploaded images and videos of the same group harassing other women as they passed them on their own way home. I reached out to as many of them as possible, and connected with other female Wednesdayites for the first time. The WSG launched from discussions following this and made me realise the power we have to eradiate this kind of behaviour, as well as more covert sexism in football." As with many of our new joiners, Bethany ended this Q&A by saying just how in awe she was of the campaign and the stunning work that is done, and how she can't wait to be a part of it and improve the community feeling and togetherness for her beloved Wednesday. "I have been in awe of the organisation for so long, I don't know where to start! Recently I've been especially happy to see the club partnering with clubs and organisations across the game, as well as branching out into to other sports - community is everything."
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