Playoffs

[Ranmoorblade]

If we get to Wembley we need to organise our support so the atmosphere doesn't resemble an afternoon picnic, like it usually does there.

Just make sure you don’t do it or we’ll never hear the end of it when it fails.

 

[Ricky]

Just make sure you don’t do it or we’ll never hear the end of it when it fails.

..... with the people taking the piss often being the same ones who supported it.

We need some man of men Blade of Blades Twitter Blade Blademan who all the cool, hard Blades can be seen to go along with.

 

[Mumbo]

I think our defence was the weak point as we’ve consistently scored goals but it’s now looking very solid
Great chance of promotion is all I’m saying but just between me and my 8 year old son who’s been with me to the game today
We’ll be playing match attax with blades players next year.

 

[Dkc]

The teams that win the play off final are teams that want it the most, have lots of bottle and play to win. one!

Sorry mate, that's bollocks. Often the shitter, team wins the PO Final.

 

[nopigfansintown]

Budget wise we are bottom 8. To say we are are top 2 is an amazing feat.

Clubs with a bigger budget than Sheffield United: West Brom, Norwich City, Derby County, Forest, Middlesborough, Bristol City, Birmingham City, Aston Villa, Hull City, QPR (big wages), Swansea City, Sheffield Wednesday, Stoke City, Reading (players on huge wages).

Players with a lower budget to United: Rotherham, Ipswich (gaining ground with big January investment), Bolton, Millwall, Wigan, Blackburn Rovers (arguable due to 7 million investment in Brereton), Brentford, Preston (arguable due to January exploits), Wigan.

It doesn't tell the full story though. The real telling factor is net spend. Last year we lost two million. This year our transfer business has been funded by Evans, Leonard and Brooks sales totalling 14 million; a few small fees on top of that and some loans out. The fees we've paid are Norwood 1.9 million and Egan 4 million, as well as a plethora of loan deals (Johnson, Dowell, Henderson, Woodburn, Madine) and several free transfers (Washington, Mcgoldrick, Bryan, Cranie). I doubt if our net spend is very high at all, and I'm pretty sure it will be lower than most of the teams with a so called "a lower budget than United" on the second list. We have a wizard running us!

 

[nopigfansintown]

Budget wise we are bottom 8. To say we are are top 2 is an amazing feat.

Clubs with a bigger budget than Sheffield United: West Brom, Norwich City, Derby County, Forest, Middlesborough, Bristol City, Birmingham City, Aston Villa, Hull City, QPR (big wages), Swansea City, Sheffield Wednesday, Stoke City, Reading (players on huge wages).

Teams with a lower budget to United: Rotherham, Ipswich (gaining ground with big January investment), Bolton, Millwall, Wigan, Blackburn Rovers (arguable due to 7 million investment in Brereton), Brentford, Preston (arguable due to January exploits), Wigan.

It doesn't tell the full story though. The real telling factor is net spend. Last year we lost two million. This year our transfer business has been funded by Evans, Leonard and Brooks sales totalling 14 million; a few small fees on top of that and some loans out. The fees we've paid are Norwood 1.9 million and Egan 4 million, as well as a plethora of loan deals (Johnson, Dowell, Henderson, Woodburn, Madine) and several free transfers (Washington, Mcgoldrick, Bryan, Cranie). I doubt if our net spend is very high at all, and I'm pretty sure it will be lower than most of the teams with a so called "lower budget than United" on the second list. We have a wizard running us! Our last two years we've posted losses totalling 7.5 million which theoretically allows us to lose 31.5 million this year. We'll be absolutely nowhere near that, whilst most of the division will be a hair's breadth from exceeding the 39 million allowed losses, or exceeding them and facing sanctions.

 

[Ainsley Harriott]

 

[SuperDuperBlades]

Fuck the playoffs. It's auto for me.

 

[Chali 2na]

Wolves fan here, just checking up on next season's rivals. I'd just add that forget about budget as it won't determine your season, as what really counts is consistency on the field and points in the bag. The 9 point gap to Bristol City is massive at this stage of the season, so just focus on the gap to 3rd instead. I don't think Norwich have the strength in depth to stay where they are and Albion, my early season tip for promotion, will surely start to drop points now that their star performer Harvey Barnes has gone and their creativity has gone with him. Automatic is there for the taking and I'm sure Wilder knows it even if he's keeping quiet about it.

"Wolves fan here

...

just add that forget about budget as it won't determine your season"

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

We’d end up playing hull. And lose. Oh, the sweet irony.

The pigs will beat us in the play offs which will show how unfair the play off system is as they will have finished 30 points behind us.

 

[BladeInIreland]

Wolves fan here, just checking up on next season's rivals. I'd just add that forget about budget as it won't determine your season, as what really counts is consistency on the field and points in the bag. The 9 point gap to Bristol City is massive at this stage of the season, so just focus on the gap to 3rd instead. I don't think Norwich have the strength in depth to stay where they are and Albion, my early season tip for promotion, will surely start to drop points now that their star performer Harvey Barnes has gone and their creativity has gone with him. Automatic is there for the taking and I'm sure Wilder knows it even if he's keeping quiet about it.

Our “depth” lost to Barnet.

 

[Broomhall Blade]

If we are to go up it has to be automatic,
given our record in play offs and against the other sides that could be in them.
Lets say its us Derby, WBA, and Middlesbrough in the play offs, there is nothing between those sides, all could beat each other.
It will all come down to fine lines, dodgy Ref decision, wonder Goal etc.
Normally there is at least one side that you would choose to play in the 1st play off game, i just can't see one here.
We will never have a better chance of automatic promotion than this season.
Do i think we can get automatic i think the next, i think the next 5 games will tells if we can.

 

[GreasyChipBeattie]

Normally there is at least one side that you would choose to play in the 1st play off game, i just can't see one here.

I can..... it's us

 

[Millhousesblade1889]

I can..... it's us

Agreed, teams will want to play us. If I had a choice it would be Derby....they’re a good team but seem to bottle the big occasion with a young squad.

I wouldn’t want to play West Brom they have big game players, when they turned it on 2nd half I thought they were the best team to visit BDTBL this season.

 

[Northyorksblade]

You always bang on about this, it really upsets you doesn't it. So do something about it, get a drum or a trumpet or something. Personally I think our support is well above average in support levels.

How about some vuvuzelas like the QPR fan in the Mexican hat? A couple of thousand of those and some clappers and we'd be well away.

 

[Fanny magnet]

Wolves fan here, just checking up on next season's rivals. I'd just add that forget about budget as it won't determine your season, as what really counts is consistency on the field and points in the bag. The 9 point gap to Bristol City is massive at this stage of the season, so just focus on the gap to 3rd instead. I don't think Norwich have the strength in depth to stay where they are and Albion, my early season tip for promotion, will surely start to drop points now that their star performer Harvey Barnes has gone and their creativity has gone with him. Automatic is there for the taking and I'm sure Wilder knows it even if he's keeping quiet about it.

Holgate looked pretty handy for them yesterday though

 

[Northyorksblade]

Clubs with a bigger budget than Sheffield United: West Brom, Norwich City, Derby County, Forest, Middlesborough, Bristol City, Birmingham City, Aston Villa, Hull City, QPR (big wages), Swansea City, Sheffield Wednesday, Stoke City, Reading (players on huge wages).

Players with a lower budget to United: Rotherham, Ipswich (gaining ground with big January investment), Bolton, Millwall, Wigan, Blackburn Rovers (arguable due to 7 million investment in Brereton), Brentford, Preston (arguable due to January exploits), Wigan.

It doesn't tell the full story though. The real telling factor is net spend. Last year we lost two million. This year our transfer business has been funded by Evans, Leonard and Brooks sales totalling 14 million; a few small fees on top of that and some loans out. The fees we've paid are Norwood 1.9 million and Egan 4 million, as well as a plethora of loan deals (Johnson, Dowell, Henderson, Woodburn, Madine) and several free transfers (Washington, Mcgoldrick, Bryan, Cranie). I doubt if our net spend is very high at all, and I'm pretty sure it will be lower than most of the teams with a so called "a lower budget than United" on the second list. We have a wizard running us!

Don't Leeds have a budget?

 

[nopigfansintown]

Don't Leeds have a budget?

Add 'em to the top list.

 

[blade53]

There is no reason why we should play down our chances of automatic promotion . We have been at the top or in the top six all season and have proved that we have what it takes to stay there . We had a bit of a dip but stuck in there and now we are back in the top 2 on merit. Strength of squads & money spent mean nothing if you can't get the balance right like we have . Every other manager in the league rates us , and their fans. Plus we have a manager who is the envy of the league. When Dave Basset took us up we had a team of misfits & nobody gave us a chance. We have the same momentum and belief in the team that they had then.

 

[davidblade]

Fuck the playoffs. It's auto for me.

Wilder won’t settle for anything less, he’s got the bit between his teeth now.

 

[FlamingLip]

If we get to Wembley we need to organise our support so the atmosphere doesn't resemble an afternoon picnic, like it usually does there.

Against hull our support was top drawer.

 

[mancunianblade]

Not qualifying for the playoffs from this position would be a failure.

That really is testament to the quite remarkable job which Chris Wilder and his team have done. There isn’t a better management team than them in the EFL.

Made a few changes for you

 

[Boxer Blade]

Our support at Wembley for the semi against Hull was brilliant, our support in the play off finals has always been brilliant, then something always happens and it goes down the pan, we kick off.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

View attachment 48107

And a Bassett boy is in charge.

 

[Danny_Blade]

If we are to go up it has to be automatic,
given our record in play offs and against the other sides that could be in them.

I know we have an atrocious record when it comes to the play offs but it has absolutely no bearing for the future. I think a lot of people find it hard to detach the two, that's probably why the superstition comes in because of our many play off losses.

Imo the club is in a completely better state (bar money) than its ever been in compared to past play off failures.

If we go up whether automatically or through the play offs this time we have genuine quality throughout most of the team, a manager with a strong desire to win and who plays attacking football.

 

[Ricky]

Against hull our support was top drawer.

I disagree, enough were giving it a go and it was better than the play off finals (thanks to us being in our natural underdog habitat... and the small matter of us scoring early) but there wasn't a concentrated area of supporters getting chants going regularly. It's always an uphill battle when spread across a big stadium, especially one as terrible as Wembley.

 

[Blend-it-like-Harris]

Can't agree with this Thread Title at all...... chill out folks; sit back and enjoy the ride. Leave the angst till next season when we will no longer be so obviously top 6 quality but have to concentrate on surviving our 1st season back in the Prem.

 

[Danny_Blade]

Sorry mate, that's bollocks. Often the shitter, team wins the PO Final.

Actually you are right some years the lesser quality teams can can sneak into the top 6 and then go on to win.

Teams like Blackpool and Huddersfield are at least two that spring to mind within the last ten years. I was surprised but at the same time pleased that they'd gone up, especially Hudders for an obvious reason.

But overall I just think that if we drop into the play offs this season (which wouldn't be a failure of course) I think we just a have such an overwhelming desire, very high intensity attacking football that would see us beat off whoever we'd face and get over that line!

 

[RammyBlade]

If we get to Wembley we need to organise our support so the atmosphere doesn't resemble an afternoon picnic, like it usually does there.

You mean make sure we dont get lumbered with the end where its like a furnace and drains the life out of the fans. I would hope that if we get there that it pisses it down with rain !

 

[Danny_Blade]

Clubs with a bigger budget than Sheffield United: West Brom, Norwich City, Derby County, Forest, Middlesborough, Bristol City, Birmingham City, Aston Villa, Hull City, QPR (big wages), Swansea City, Sheffield Wednesday, Stoke City, Reading (players on huge wages).

Teams with a lower budget to United: Rotherham, Ipswich (gaining ground with big January investment), Bolton, Millwall, Wigan, Blackburn Rovers (arguable due to 7 million investment in Brereton), Brentford, Preston (arguable due to January exploits), Wigan.

It doesn't tell the full story though. The real telling factor is net spend. Last year we lost two million. This year our transfer business has been funded by Evans, Leonard and Brooks sales totalling 14 million; a few small fees on top of that and some loans out. The fees we've paid are Norwood 1.9 million and Egan 4 million, as well as a plethora of loan deals (Johnson, Dowell, Henderson, Woodburn, Madine) and several free transfers (Washington, Mcgoldrick, Bryan, Cranie). I doubt if our net spend is very high at all, and I'm pretty sure it will be lower than most of the teams with a so called "lower budget than United" on the second list. We have a wizard running us! Our last two years we've posted losses totalling 7.5 million which theoretically allows us to lose 31.5 million this year. We'll be absolutely nowhere near that, whilst most of the division will be a hair's breadth from exceeding the 39 million allowed losses, or exceeding them and facing sanctions.

Pigs may be richer than us but surely can't have had a bigger budget than us this season and last season being at the FFP limit? They've not signed many players over the last couple of seasons, just a few dirt cheap ones.

But anyway I agree with your general point.