Deadbat
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2016/17 SUFC SCHOOL REPORT
As I have traditionally done at the end of the last few seasons; it is that time again when I write a review of the campaign and also compile a school report for the different sections of the club. I will look at how they have fared and what are the prospects for next season for each respective department of the club. This time should be a lot better to write than it has in previous years!
Some of this I wrote a few weeks ago so apologise for any omissions or developments that may have been missed in this (added the Evans story breaking for instance)
I will begin with the review and a breakdown of the board and manager/s.
Over the next few weeks I will add to this with breakdowns of the players/squad at the club and do the same. Will look at contract situation (may be wrong with some of these so again come in if I have got any wrong) and what might happen to each are of the team.
Feel free to add comments/disagree/debate.....after each post I make.
I have graded the board, the manager, players and the fans; in a traditional school report style of A+ to F- (every player who started at least one game not including the Checkacrap trophy). Should really mark the new GCSE style numbering 1-9 but that would get really confusing! Maybe in future years I will just give a mark out of 10 for the season – might be much easier!
However, I have had to grade players based on the games they did play so some players who played a lot more may still get a lower grade despite disproportionate number of games in comparison.
Of course whilst I have seen all the home games; I have only seen a few away so that needs factoring into my analysis.
If I have missed anyone then please say. Feel free to weigh in with critique, opinions and even in some cases agreements!
Season review
The previous season had ended with United finishing in a desperately disappointing 11th. They were 21 points off the top place and 8 points off 6th. The fresh optimism and enthusiasm emanating from new man Nigel Adkins had seen many United fans feel they had got the right manager and would finally get out of the division. A crushing 4-0 defeat on opening day set the scene for a real let down. United had some decent runs but never quite convinced and at times the football was so pedestrian. A number of signings did not come off with players like Martyn Woolford, Connor Sammon and Dean Hammond were complete disasters. Indecisive goalkeeping and defending continued to plague the United side. Billy Sharp had done his best but even a late run never saw United come that close to the playoffs. Adkins cliché ridden business speak started to really grate on United supporters who saw that there was no substance to his comments. The product on the pitch served up was at times diabolical. It was slow, plodding football with a largely defensive style. We did not look like scoring at times in games and saw some dreadfully tepid performances.
The final day defeat saw the team do their lap of honour in front of only a few hundred fans; most of those had only stayed to vent their ire at the team. The enduring image of the season may have been the video where a fan called them a disgrace to the club and the city. Adkins had failed to bring in the right player and it took too long for him to properly address the mess of the bloated squad Nigel Clough had left. Players did leave but it was too late and the likes of Collins, Long, McEveley, Flynn and Baxter (before another drug ban) still were around as regulars most of the season. That said it all.
There was talk that we may not make another change thinking it had not worked before and that Adkins may get another shot. However, McCabe did not hang around and just 4 days after that Scunthorpe defeat, Adkins and his management team were jettisoned. The extremely successful Chris Wilder had been in talks with Charlton but United moved quickly to take him to the Lane citing his success in recent years at lower league level and his affinity with the club. McCabe was wanting to get United’s identity back and the match with Adkins had clearly not worked. There was no long search this time as in the previous summers and Wilder brought over his long-term assistant Alan Knill along with head of Sport Science Luke Prestridge.
Wilder quickly installed Billy Sharp as captain and opted to release most of the out of contract players. He also transfer listed a number of other players in a bid to shake up the side. McEveley, Flynn, Baxter (suspended anyway), Mark Howard, Bob Harris, Jamal Campbell Ryce, Harrison McGahey, Terry Kennedy, Callum McFadzean and Florent Cuvelier all were released. He also put on the list Paul Coutts, Kieron Freeman, James Wallace, Kieron Wallace, Diego De Girolamo and Martyn Woolford. Also transfer listed was Dean Hammond who had activated the extra year in his contract foolishly given to him by Adkins. Wilder said he wanted to give a chance to the likes of Stefan Scougall and Marc McNulty and had offered another contract to George Long.
The mass outcomings meant Wilder had to act to bring in players. His first signings were left back Chris Hussey from Bury and Mark Duffy from Birmingham; who had starred on loan at Burton. He also brought on midfielder John Fleck from Coventry. Weeks went by without any new defenders coming in but then he signed Jack O’Connell from Brentford and also James Wilson from Oldham. An experienced player he knew well Jake Wright also signed from Oxford before journey man frontman Leon Clarke came in a week before the season for a nominal free from Bury. You still sensed they were a few short but the pre-season form and football gave some sign of promise although they had lost to both Halifax and Derby amongst wins against Grimsby and a number of non-league sides also. Wilder was determined the side would play with more tempo but it would surely take time to improve the fitness levels and
August
A sunny August afternoon at Bolton saw a huge United away following of 4,500 fans watch Wilder’s new look side. United began really well and should have been ahead but were stunned by a long-range Jay Spearing strike which flew past George Long, who had penned his new contract the previous week. United huffed and puffed but never looked like scoring. In the week they sold Che Adams to Birmingham, an outgoing that had been rumoured all summer. They played in the League Cup and should have easily beaten Crewe but despite Leon Clarke’s goal they lost 2-1. The following Saturday they needed a late Billy Sharp goal to rescue a point at home to Rochdale. New loannee Harry Chapman came on for the closing stages.
It had been a poor start and this continued when they were 3-0 down after 20 minutes at home to Southend at the Lane in a night match only a few days later. Boos rang out from the home crowd as new look defenders Wilson and O’Connell looked all at sea in front of a hapless Long who had was making a number of glaring errors. The Sharp-Clarke partnership was not really working. The midfield lacked creativity and the early season pressing had not been maintained. Wilder made changes moving on the seemingly disinterested and high earning John Brayford, to his former manager Clough in a loan move to Burton. Woolford’s contract was cancelled and in came a new goalkeeper Simon Moore from Cardiff.
Moore made his debut at Millwall coming in for Long and also returning were out of favour Kieron Freeman and Paul Coutts and these three were the stand out players in another loss. Despite a Scougall goal, a late penalty due to a Jack O’Connell hand ball saw the Blades lose out. United were rock bottom of the table and Wilder seemed a forlorn figure as he trooped down the tunnel at the Den.
United finally got off the mark with a win coming from behind to beat Oxford at the Lane thanks to Sharp and a Wilson header. A Checkatrade trophy game (0-0 draw with Leicester – lost on penalties) afforded some fringe players a chance to stake their claim.
Toward the end of the month and the transfer deadline, Wilder shuffled things around with a number coming in and going out. Daniel Lafferty came in on loan from Burnley to provide options down the left with the disappointing start from Hussey. Also, coming in was young defender Ethan Ebanks Landell from Wolves as Wilder sought to give the defence more height and muscle with the incoming centre backs not totally convincing thus far.
Marc McNulty was allowed to go on loan to Bradford whilst Caloan Lavery signed as a free agent although due to his age United had to pay a fee to rivals Wednesday. Right on deadline day young striker Dominic Calvert Lewin was a surprise departure with Premier League Everton taking a punt on the raw, pacey striker. United finished the month in 20th place.
September
After that first win against Oxford, United followed this up by beating Gillingham in front of the Sky cameras. The Blades fell behind to a Bradley Dack free kick but Kieron Freeman’s first of the season (there would be plenty more to come) levelled and then late on a handball literally gifted Billy Sharp the chance to win the game. It was a well-deserved win in the best performance of the season. Ebanks Landell came on for his debut but the performances of Jake Wright were starting to have an impact on the side.
The following week United won at Wimbledon in a 5 goal thriller but another game United controlled from pretty much start to finish. The momentum was with Wilder’s side now and two 1-0 wins against Peterborough and Bristol Rovers were sandwiched by an enthralling 2-2 draw at league leaders Scunthorpe. United were now in 7th place.
October
The month of October began with a late leveller at Fleetwood with new cult hero Ebanks Landell the saviour. After a defeat to Walsall in the Checkatrade at the Lane, United then had two comprehensive wins against Port Vale 4-0 (Ebanks Landell with two more) and a 3-0 victory at Shrewsbury with a Sharp brace and a first goal from Lafferty.
Another entertaining away draw, this time at Bradford saw 6 goals shared with Sharp again amongst the goals but the Blades having to show more fighting spirit to claw things back after having led twice. Sharp scored a winner a week later against MK Dons with future Blade Samir Carruthers impressing for the visitors. United were now in 4th place and were slowly making inroads on the leaders.
November
A resounding 6-0 win opened the FA Cup campaign with Aaron Ramsdale making his debut for the Blades and Harry Chapman scoring a hat trick. They then won 4-2 at Grimsby in the Checkatrade trophy with a number of young debutants including 16 year old Regan Slater who scored.
United won in front of the cameras again, a thumping 4-1 win at Chesterfield but again only after going behind. The second half performance really signalled United as a force with some superb team goals and some really incisive football. United were now not only winning games but winning them playing some really entertaining football.
The following week saw United face two sides who both somehow got reduced to 9 men each. Shrewsbury were seen off in more narrow fashion than perhaps should have been the case with Sharp and Scougall with the goals and then the following Tuesday, United laid siege to Bury but simply could not score. That was until Ebanks Landell turned in Coutts clever run and cross deep into stoppage time at the Kop end to signal hysteria around the stadium.
United were back on the road at the Valley but this time a late goal undid United as Charlton scored a leveller to gain an underserved point from United. The Blades had dominated this game yet again but failed to take their chances. The month ended with the first defeat for 15 games as Walsall left with the points after a smash and grab job. Billy Sharp’s late penalty miss added to a disallowed goal for the same man saw United somehow fail to take anything from a game they once again dominated. United finished the month in 3rd place.
December
Following an FA Cup defeat at Bolton in which United chose to rest a few key men, the Blades then got back to winning ways with a resounding victory over Swindon. It was another powerful performance in which United really took the opponents to the cleaners. Caolan Lavery scored his first United goal with Mark Duffy scoring two, making it 5 for the season for the influential midfielder.
Sky continued to be a good luck charm as United won again on the road on TV. A ridiculous scenario at Coventry as fans protested with pitch invasions, whistles and barrages of objects on the pitch saw the game held up several times. United were not at the best in difficult circumstances but Sharp did the business again and got a late winner adding to his earlier strike to seal a vital 2-1 win.
Two successive home games over Xmas/New Year saw two different types of wins. A gritty 2-0 win over Oldham with two more Sharp goals coming relatively late was then followed by a more controlled performance against Northampton but again the Blades left it late. This time Kieron Freeman was ‘Johnny on the spot’ as his late opportunistic strike again sent the Kop into raptures and sent the Blades to the top of the league.
United’s midfield axis of Duffy, Fleck and Coutts were too good for most opponents as United regularly controlled midfield. With Sharp scoring (doubts emerged over whom may be his best partner – if anyone at the club) for fun and the defence tightened up by Ebanks Landell, Wright and the much improved O’Connell, United seemed well set and finished the month in 1st place.
January
A big away following at Bury saw United come back again from conceding but three goals saw off the struggling Shakers. Sharp and Freeman scored again in between an on goal made by the increasingly influential Lavery. The following Saturday United faced an in-form Southend in the toughest test for some time but blew the Shrimpers away with a superb performance. United fans were now really starting to believe.
New signing Samir Carruthers who had been brought in from MK Dons made his debut from the bench. Freeman scored again as did centre backs Ebanks Landell and O’Connell, with Lavery also netting.
Nemesis Walsall stopped the latest unbeaten streak as they had done in November giving United their heaviest defeat since Southend in the opening weeks and beating the Blades for the third time! The 4-1 defeat seemed to come out of nowhere.
This blip was followed by an unconvincing performance against Gillingham where they needed to come back to draw after more poor defending and then a really disappointing performance at the Lane saw Fleetwood win surprisingly comfortably. United had now gone 3 games without a win but remained on top just although the likes of Bolton and Scunthorpe had games in hand at this stage. Right at the end of the month United had to reluctantly accept a bid from the Premier League for talented young keeper Aaron Ramsdale but were able to bring in both James Hanson from Bradford and also Jay O’Shea from Chesterfield. Joe Riley also came in on loan from Manchester United to give further competition.
As I have traditionally done at the end of the last few seasons; it is that time again when I write a review of the campaign and also compile a school report for the different sections of the club. I will look at how they have fared and what are the prospects for next season for each respective department of the club. This time should be a lot better to write than it has in previous years!
Some of this I wrote a few weeks ago so apologise for any omissions or developments that may have been missed in this (added the Evans story breaking for instance)
I will begin with the review and a breakdown of the board and manager/s.
Over the next few weeks I will add to this with breakdowns of the players/squad at the club and do the same. Will look at contract situation (may be wrong with some of these so again come in if I have got any wrong) and what might happen to each are of the team.
Feel free to add comments/disagree/debate.....after each post I make.
I have graded the board, the manager, players and the fans; in a traditional school report style of A+ to F- (every player who started at least one game not including the Checkacrap trophy). Should really mark the new GCSE style numbering 1-9 but that would get really confusing! Maybe in future years I will just give a mark out of 10 for the season – might be much easier!
However, I have had to grade players based on the games they did play so some players who played a lot more may still get a lower grade despite disproportionate number of games in comparison.
Of course whilst I have seen all the home games; I have only seen a few away so that needs factoring into my analysis.
If I have missed anyone then please say. Feel free to weigh in with critique, opinions and even in some cases agreements!
Season review
The previous season had ended with United finishing in a desperately disappointing 11th. They were 21 points off the top place and 8 points off 6th. The fresh optimism and enthusiasm emanating from new man Nigel Adkins had seen many United fans feel they had got the right manager and would finally get out of the division. A crushing 4-0 defeat on opening day set the scene for a real let down. United had some decent runs but never quite convinced and at times the football was so pedestrian. A number of signings did not come off with players like Martyn Woolford, Connor Sammon and Dean Hammond were complete disasters. Indecisive goalkeeping and defending continued to plague the United side. Billy Sharp had done his best but even a late run never saw United come that close to the playoffs. Adkins cliché ridden business speak started to really grate on United supporters who saw that there was no substance to his comments. The product on the pitch served up was at times diabolical. It was slow, plodding football with a largely defensive style. We did not look like scoring at times in games and saw some dreadfully tepid performances.
The final day defeat saw the team do their lap of honour in front of only a few hundred fans; most of those had only stayed to vent their ire at the team. The enduring image of the season may have been the video where a fan called them a disgrace to the club and the city. Adkins had failed to bring in the right player and it took too long for him to properly address the mess of the bloated squad Nigel Clough had left. Players did leave but it was too late and the likes of Collins, Long, McEveley, Flynn and Baxter (before another drug ban) still were around as regulars most of the season. That said it all.
There was talk that we may not make another change thinking it had not worked before and that Adkins may get another shot. However, McCabe did not hang around and just 4 days after that Scunthorpe defeat, Adkins and his management team were jettisoned. The extremely successful Chris Wilder had been in talks with Charlton but United moved quickly to take him to the Lane citing his success in recent years at lower league level and his affinity with the club. McCabe was wanting to get United’s identity back and the match with Adkins had clearly not worked. There was no long search this time as in the previous summers and Wilder brought over his long-term assistant Alan Knill along with head of Sport Science Luke Prestridge.
Wilder quickly installed Billy Sharp as captain and opted to release most of the out of contract players. He also transfer listed a number of other players in a bid to shake up the side. McEveley, Flynn, Baxter (suspended anyway), Mark Howard, Bob Harris, Jamal Campbell Ryce, Harrison McGahey, Terry Kennedy, Callum McFadzean and Florent Cuvelier all were released. He also put on the list Paul Coutts, Kieron Freeman, James Wallace, Kieron Wallace, Diego De Girolamo and Martyn Woolford. Also transfer listed was Dean Hammond who had activated the extra year in his contract foolishly given to him by Adkins. Wilder said he wanted to give a chance to the likes of Stefan Scougall and Marc McNulty and had offered another contract to George Long.
The mass outcomings meant Wilder had to act to bring in players. His first signings were left back Chris Hussey from Bury and Mark Duffy from Birmingham; who had starred on loan at Burton. He also brought on midfielder John Fleck from Coventry. Weeks went by without any new defenders coming in but then he signed Jack O’Connell from Brentford and also James Wilson from Oldham. An experienced player he knew well Jake Wright also signed from Oxford before journey man frontman Leon Clarke came in a week before the season for a nominal free from Bury. You still sensed they were a few short but the pre-season form and football gave some sign of promise although they had lost to both Halifax and Derby amongst wins against Grimsby and a number of non-league sides also. Wilder was determined the side would play with more tempo but it would surely take time to improve the fitness levels and
August
A sunny August afternoon at Bolton saw a huge United away following of 4,500 fans watch Wilder’s new look side. United began really well and should have been ahead but were stunned by a long-range Jay Spearing strike which flew past George Long, who had penned his new contract the previous week. United huffed and puffed but never looked like scoring. In the week they sold Che Adams to Birmingham, an outgoing that had been rumoured all summer. They played in the League Cup and should have easily beaten Crewe but despite Leon Clarke’s goal they lost 2-1. The following Saturday they needed a late Billy Sharp goal to rescue a point at home to Rochdale. New loannee Harry Chapman came on for the closing stages.
It had been a poor start and this continued when they were 3-0 down after 20 minutes at home to Southend at the Lane in a night match only a few days later. Boos rang out from the home crowd as new look defenders Wilson and O’Connell looked all at sea in front of a hapless Long who had was making a number of glaring errors. The Sharp-Clarke partnership was not really working. The midfield lacked creativity and the early season pressing had not been maintained. Wilder made changes moving on the seemingly disinterested and high earning John Brayford, to his former manager Clough in a loan move to Burton. Woolford’s contract was cancelled and in came a new goalkeeper Simon Moore from Cardiff.
Moore made his debut at Millwall coming in for Long and also returning were out of favour Kieron Freeman and Paul Coutts and these three were the stand out players in another loss. Despite a Scougall goal, a late penalty due to a Jack O’Connell hand ball saw the Blades lose out. United were rock bottom of the table and Wilder seemed a forlorn figure as he trooped down the tunnel at the Den.
United finally got off the mark with a win coming from behind to beat Oxford at the Lane thanks to Sharp and a Wilson header. A Checkatrade trophy game (0-0 draw with Leicester – lost on penalties) afforded some fringe players a chance to stake their claim.
Toward the end of the month and the transfer deadline, Wilder shuffled things around with a number coming in and going out. Daniel Lafferty came in on loan from Burnley to provide options down the left with the disappointing start from Hussey. Also, coming in was young defender Ethan Ebanks Landell from Wolves as Wilder sought to give the defence more height and muscle with the incoming centre backs not totally convincing thus far.
Marc McNulty was allowed to go on loan to Bradford whilst Caloan Lavery signed as a free agent although due to his age United had to pay a fee to rivals Wednesday. Right on deadline day young striker Dominic Calvert Lewin was a surprise departure with Premier League Everton taking a punt on the raw, pacey striker. United finished the month in 20th place.
September
After that first win against Oxford, United followed this up by beating Gillingham in front of the Sky cameras. The Blades fell behind to a Bradley Dack free kick but Kieron Freeman’s first of the season (there would be plenty more to come) levelled and then late on a handball literally gifted Billy Sharp the chance to win the game. It was a well-deserved win in the best performance of the season. Ebanks Landell came on for his debut but the performances of Jake Wright were starting to have an impact on the side.
The following week United won at Wimbledon in a 5 goal thriller but another game United controlled from pretty much start to finish. The momentum was with Wilder’s side now and two 1-0 wins against Peterborough and Bristol Rovers were sandwiched by an enthralling 2-2 draw at league leaders Scunthorpe. United were now in 7th place.
October
The month of October began with a late leveller at Fleetwood with new cult hero Ebanks Landell the saviour. After a defeat to Walsall in the Checkatrade at the Lane, United then had two comprehensive wins against Port Vale 4-0 (Ebanks Landell with two more) and a 3-0 victory at Shrewsbury with a Sharp brace and a first goal from Lafferty.
Another entertaining away draw, this time at Bradford saw 6 goals shared with Sharp again amongst the goals but the Blades having to show more fighting spirit to claw things back after having led twice. Sharp scored a winner a week later against MK Dons with future Blade Samir Carruthers impressing for the visitors. United were now in 4th place and were slowly making inroads on the leaders.
November
A resounding 6-0 win opened the FA Cup campaign with Aaron Ramsdale making his debut for the Blades and Harry Chapman scoring a hat trick. They then won 4-2 at Grimsby in the Checkatrade trophy with a number of young debutants including 16 year old Regan Slater who scored.
United won in front of the cameras again, a thumping 4-1 win at Chesterfield but again only after going behind. The second half performance really signalled United as a force with some superb team goals and some really incisive football. United were now not only winning games but winning them playing some really entertaining football.
The following week saw United face two sides who both somehow got reduced to 9 men each. Shrewsbury were seen off in more narrow fashion than perhaps should have been the case with Sharp and Scougall with the goals and then the following Tuesday, United laid siege to Bury but simply could not score. That was until Ebanks Landell turned in Coutts clever run and cross deep into stoppage time at the Kop end to signal hysteria around the stadium.
United were back on the road at the Valley but this time a late goal undid United as Charlton scored a leveller to gain an underserved point from United. The Blades had dominated this game yet again but failed to take their chances. The month ended with the first defeat for 15 games as Walsall left with the points after a smash and grab job. Billy Sharp’s late penalty miss added to a disallowed goal for the same man saw United somehow fail to take anything from a game they once again dominated. United finished the month in 3rd place.
December
Following an FA Cup defeat at Bolton in which United chose to rest a few key men, the Blades then got back to winning ways with a resounding victory over Swindon. It was another powerful performance in which United really took the opponents to the cleaners. Caolan Lavery scored his first United goal with Mark Duffy scoring two, making it 5 for the season for the influential midfielder.
Sky continued to be a good luck charm as United won again on the road on TV. A ridiculous scenario at Coventry as fans protested with pitch invasions, whistles and barrages of objects on the pitch saw the game held up several times. United were not at the best in difficult circumstances but Sharp did the business again and got a late winner adding to his earlier strike to seal a vital 2-1 win.
Two successive home games over Xmas/New Year saw two different types of wins. A gritty 2-0 win over Oldham with two more Sharp goals coming relatively late was then followed by a more controlled performance against Northampton but again the Blades left it late. This time Kieron Freeman was ‘Johnny on the spot’ as his late opportunistic strike again sent the Kop into raptures and sent the Blades to the top of the league.
United’s midfield axis of Duffy, Fleck and Coutts were too good for most opponents as United regularly controlled midfield. With Sharp scoring (doubts emerged over whom may be his best partner – if anyone at the club) for fun and the defence tightened up by Ebanks Landell, Wright and the much improved O’Connell, United seemed well set and finished the month in 1st place.
January
A big away following at Bury saw United come back again from conceding but three goals saw off the struggling Shakers. Sharp and Freeman scored again in between an on goal made by the increasingly influential Lavery. The following Saturday United faced an in-form Southend in the toughest test for some time but blew the Shrimpers away with a superb performance. United fans were now really starting to believe.
New signing Samir Carruthers who had been brought in from MK Dons made his debut from the bench. Freeman scored again as did centre backs Ebanks Landell and O’Connell, with Lavery also netting.
Nemesis Walsall stopped the latest unbeaten streak as they had done in November giving United their heaviest defeat since Southend in the opening weeks and beating the Blades for the third time! The 4-1 defeat seemed to come out of nowhere.
This blip was followed by an unconvincing performance against Gillingham where they needed to come back to draw after more poor defending and then a really disappointing performance at the Lane saw Fleetwood win surprisingly comfortably. United had now gone 3 games without a win but remained on top just although the likes of Bolton and Scunthorpe had games in hand at this stage. Right at the end of the month United had to reluctantly accept a bid from the Premier League for talented young keeper Aaron Ramsdale but were able to bring in both James Hanson from Bradford and also Jay O’Shea from Chesterfield. Joe Riley also came in on loan from Manchester United to give further competition.
