Founding members of the Premier League, Sheffield United have a long and trophy-filled early history, but recent years haven't been so kind on the fortunes of the Blades.

Sheffield United are an English professional football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. They currently compete in the Premier League, having finished second in the Championship in the 2022/23 season.

Formed in 1889 by Sheffield United Cricket Club as a team intended to replace Sheffield Wednesday in Bramall Lane, the Blades went on to become a major force in the early years of English football's professional history.

The club earned its nickname from Sheffield's production of cutlery in the steel city and their ground Bramall Lane is the oldest major professional football stadium in the world.

Sheffield United won the top flight title in 1897/98 and the FA Cup in 1899, 1902, 1915 and 1925 - their last major trophy triumph.

Nevertheless, the Blades have occasionally appeared in the Premier League, most recently under the guidance of manager Chris Wilder in a two-season stay in the top flight between 2019 and 2021.

They also secured promotion to the Premier League ahead of the 2023/24 season. under Paul Heckingbottom.

But Heckingbottom was sacked with the club at the bottom of the Premier League and Wilder returned.

 

Sheffield United glory years

Sheffield United picked up the First Division title in the 1897/98 season, beating Sunderland to the crown by five points.

In 1899, they beat Derby County 4-1 in the FA Cup final at Crystal Palace in London to lift the trophy for the very first time in their history. However, it would not be the last.

Three years later in 1902, Sheffield United lifted the FA Cup again, beating Southampton 2-1 in a replay after a 1-1 draw in the initial fixture. The Blades would next win the trophy in 1915, beating Chelsea 3-0 in the final at Old Trafford in Manchester.

In 1925, Sheffield United picked up one last FA Cup trophy, beating Welsh club Cardiff City 1-0 at Wembley Stadium.

Between 1919 and 1930 Harry Johnson wrote himself into Sheffield United folklore by becoming the club's all-time top scorer with 201 goals in 313 games.

The Dave Bassett era

Sheffield United were a relatively stable club until the 1970s, when they were relegated to the second tier of English football and then the third.

In 1981, they hit a new low as they dropped to the fourth tier. Ian Porterfield took over as manager and won Division Four in his first season in charge, then took them up again into Division Two two years later on a shoestring budget.

Portfield was sacked in 1986, and United dropped back into Division Three, but that led to the arrival of managerial legend in the making Dave Bassett.

He achieved back to back promotions and established the club in the top flight of English football. As a result they became founding members of the Premiership when it was established in the 1992/93 season.

But still working with a small budget Bassett couldn't keep the club in the Premiership and they fell back into the second tier at the end of the 1993/94 season.

After failing to regain promotion Bassett resigned in December 1995.

Sheffield United in the Premier League era

Sheffield United were among the founding members of the Premier League in 1992 and they reached the semi-finals of the 1992/93 FA Cup. In 1994, they were relegated to the second tier once again.

Division One had, by this stage, become the name for the second tier rather than the first. Sheffield United were struggling in the bottom half of Division One when Neil Warnock took charge as manager in December 1999. At the time, the Blades were in severe financial trouble, worsening Warnock's woes.

In 2002/03, Sheffield United had a successful season, albeit one of near misses. They made the semi-finals of both domestic cups and the final of the promotion play-offs, where they were resoundingly beaten 3-0 by Wolverhampton Wanderers.

But in the 2005/06 season, Sheffield United regained promotion to the Premier League.

However, despite putting up a decent fight, they were relegated at the end of the 2006/07 season amid controversy over West Ham's signing of Carlos Tevez, who ultimately was crucial in the Irons securing survival ahead of the Blades.

Warnock resigned as Sheffield United manager after the club dropped out of the Premier League.

 

Fall and rise again

After three seasons in the Championship, Sheffield United dropped back into League One - the third tier of English football at the end of the 2010/11 season.

In 2014, Sheffield United made the semi-finals of the FA Cup, but were beaten by Hull City. The following season, the Blades once again punched above their weight and made the quarter-finals.

Many expected the Blades to return to the Championship within a season but the club struggled and remained camped in League One until winning the title in the 2016/17 season with 100 points, steered their by lifelong Sheffield United fan Chris Wilder in the managerial hot seat.

After just two seasons in the Championship, Sheffield United were promoted to the Premier League as runners-up in 2018/19 season.

"If you'd told me when I signed for the club back in League One that we'd get promoted to the Premier League, I wouldn't have believed you," commented Billy Sharp, the striker who captained the club to both promotions under Wilder.

"My first season didn't go well but since the gaffer came in he's been phenomenal - by far the best manager this club has ever had. I don't think any fan will disagree with me.

"I look at Dave Bassett and Neil Warnock as great managers of this club but he tops the lot for me."

Sheffield United were the surprise package of the 2019/20 Premier League season, finishing in ninth place.

But they suffered major second season syndrome the following campaign - relegated in last place with just seven wins and 23 points.

Wilder left the club during the relegation season after reported disagreements with the board.

He was the sixth Sheffield United manager to surpass 200 games in charge of the club and his departure marked the end of a glorious five-year spell for the South Yorkshire club.

Former Watford and Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic was tasked with returning the club to the Premier League but he lasted just six months before he was sacked after winning just six of 19 Championship games.

In November 2021, the Blades turned back to Paul Heckingbottom, who was in caretaker charge of the club when they were relegated from the Premier League.

The former Leeds, Barnsley and Hibernian manager steered the Blades to fifth place in the 2021/22 Championship season and thus into the play-offs, although they lost to Nottingham Forest in the semi-finals.

He enjoyed greater success in the following campaign, guiding Sheffield United to second place and promotion to the Premier League. They secured 91 points, 10 fewer than league leaders Burnley but 11 clear of Luton in third.

However after a tricky start to the 2023/24 campaign, which included an 8-0 home thrashing by Newcastle and a 5-0 defeat at Arsenal, Heckingbottom was sacked on December 5.

The club slipped to the bottom of the Premier League table, with just five points, after an embarrassing 5-0 defeat at fellow-strugglers Burnley, their 11th reverse in 14 matches.

Former manager Chris Wilder returned to the club on the same day after leaving his first spell in March 2021.

Club owner Prince Abdullah saud that Wilder was “the best guy on planet earth to take over the club right now in these circumstances”.

He said: “Chris is very optimistic he can save the season, he doesn’t think it’s easy, but he thinks it’s still possible.

“When you look at the table it’s a very special year, a very weird year when it comes to the standing."

Sheffield United fanbase

Sheffield United is a well-supported club who boast many famous supporters such as actor Sean Bean, Olympian Jessica Ennis-Hill and former England cricket captain Joe Root.

In 2015, Ennis-Hill was at the forefront of protests against the signing of convicted rapist Ched Evans, leading to her name being removed from a stand at Bramall Lane. Evans was found not guilty in an October 2016 retrial.

Sheffield United rivalries

Near neighbours Sheffield Wednesday are the main rivals of Sheffield United.

Matches with Yorkshire rivals Leeds, Barnsley, Rotherham and Doncaster are also hotly contested.

The miners strikes of the 1980s created a rivalry with Nottingham Forest, while the Carlos Tevez affair has created a more recent backlash against West Ham.

Sheffield United finances

Abdullah bin Musa'ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, a Saudi prince and businessman, is Sheffield United's current owner.