Three big moments/matches in our promotion season

[1973Blade]

As in all promotion campaigns there were plenty of twists and turns along the way. But I think these were three key moments:
1. United 3 Blackburn 0, 20th August. Such a convincing win, we really looked a class side that day. For those who like stats, we had 22 shots on goal, missed six big chances and had an Expected Goal of 3.44 to their 0.10. It really made a statement to the rest of thr league. If I have one criticism in this fantastic campaign it is that we didn't really hit this level of performance again.
2. United 2 Norwich 2, 22nd October. In particular Davies late penalty save from Pukki. It was the worst run of results of the season, this was our sixth league game without a win. However we had shown fighting spirit in coming back from two goals down, particularly after Adam Davies' early blunder. If Pukki had scored that penalty it would have been a big setback. As it was, we then went on a really good run.
3. Reading 0 United 1, March 7th. United's position in second place was coming under increasing pressure with Middlesbrough cutting the gap. We consoled ourselves with the fact that we had a game in hand. If we had failed to capitalise on that game in hand it would have set nerves jangling even more. As it was an Ndiaye goal on the hour gave us the points and the league table looked a lot more reassuring afterwards!

 

[71Blade]

I'd thrown in the Burnley home 2nd half I didn't see that coming at half time.. that was a statement half of football

 

[William Carey]

What about Swansea game? Was poor all night and Khadra and Brewster nicked it in the final kick of the game

 

[JackSUFC]

Have to mention some tight away wins which have been so important along the way. Exactly the type of wins that earn you promotion.

Swansea 0-1 Sheffield United: 90+4 on the board, Brewster breaks away and slots in Khadra, who keeps his cool to finish. Those two may not have contributed much over the season but they gave us one of our most satisfying last minute winners in memory.

Bristol City 0-1 Sheffield United: A grim Tuesday night where we were second best and rode our luck. A rare attack and even rarer Ndiaye header gives us an important, smash and grab win.

Sunderland 1-2 Sheffield United: An awful performance a few days before at home to Luton, during a run of poor results, left most of us thinking we’d blown it. Especially as Boro were on fire at that point and looked likely to overtake us. To come from 1-0 down and claim three points at that stage was huge.

Norwich 0-1 Sheffield United: Usually a tough place to go and the type of fixture where I never fancy us to go and win. We get the better of a tight and scrappy game of few chances with a scruffy goal. Big character shown.

Another one wasn’t in the league but Blackburn in the cup. A result I believe gave us the lift to go to get promotion after that bad run of results.

 

[Bookers boots]

Might be an unpopular view but to me a turning point was Blades 0 Luton 1 absolutely devastated after that game but as I said to my mate in the pub afterwards " you learn more from defeat than victory" and I truly think that has been the case

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

It's been a weird season.

I can remember every single match from the 2018-19 promotion season but hardly any from this one.

I'm not used to us being promoted back to the Premier League this quickly.

Completely different mood and feeling to when we got promoted with Chris Wilder.

 

[Roygbiv]

Sunderland away was huge. Coming off the back of arguably the worst performance of the season and looking completely shot. Baldock, Doyle and McAtee all introduced into the team at The Stadium Of Light and we never looked back

 

[Redstripe]

Might be an unpopular view but to me a turning point was Blades 0 Luton 1 absolutely devastated after that game but as I said to my mate in the pub afterwards " you learn more from defeat than victory" and I truly think that has been the case

I was going to say the Sunderland away match but you’re probably right with this.
I just couldn’t see a way that we’d still be top two the weekend after Luton.

 

[Scarebus]

Norwich 0 - 1 Sheff Utd.

iirc, at half time Boro were beating Huddersfield, and we were drawing 0-0 with Norwich. They were 1 point behind us on the live table. Lost 4-2 to push the gap out to 6 points. And that was the end of that.

 

[Carlton Blade]

Not losing to Blackpool at home
McBurnie getting his goal at Luton

 

[sheepbridge]

Might be an unpopular view but to me a turning point was Blades 0 Luton 1 absolutely devastated after that game but as I said to my mate in the pub afterwards " you learn more from defeat than victory" and I truly think that has been the case

Absolutely agree. If was after this that McAtee and Doyle became fixtures in midfield and gave us the energy, skill and belief to attack teams from the midfield. The Luton game was shocking and consisted of us having to lump it forward. A draw or a half decent performance might have not caused the change, so I agree that it was probably a blessing in disguise, but it certainly didn't feel like it at the time!

There were quite a few really, as this thread has shown, but the ability to go on good runs after bad results and people / other fans were doubting us was something special.

 

[SheepdipBlade]

A different one - but a key result at the time seemed Huddersfield 4 - Boro 2 that really burst their bubble at a time when we were all looking over our shoulder.

In terms of the overall league it seemed huge.

 

[Bristol Blade]

Losing to Luton was this season’s 3-3 at Villa. Both seemed like terrible results at the time but the effect they had in galvanising us for the run-ins was huge.

 

[diode_blade]

For me it was the Tottenham cup game that was the biggest kick for the run in.

 

[coaxingstar71]

The Watford home game felt quite important at the time. We dug out (another) ugly 1-0 win and I'm sure Boro and Luton dropped points that day.

 

[1973Blade]

Might be an unpopular view but to me a turning point was Blades 0 Luton 1 absolutely devastated after that game but as I said to my mate in the pub afterwards " you learn more from defeat than victory" and I truly think that has been the case

Very true. In Wilder's promotion season, the Villa away game could have been a turning point. Losing a three goal lead could have knocked moral, but instead we became aot more solid at the back. The Luton game could have had a similar affect.

 

[1973Blade]

Losing to Luton was this season’s 3-3 at Villa. Both seemed like terrible results at the time but the effect they had in galvanising us for the run-ins was huge.

I've just posted something similar without seeing your comment!

 

[Blade56]

Bit left field but inline with the Luton result a big influencer on our season was Middlesborough‘s emergence from the shadows. Hecky admitted when we got 14 points clear and a game in hand he played not to lose. The name Carrick preoccupied us and seemed to strike fear into any Blade (although I think they were within 6 points of us when he took over and its now 11 with a game in hand so he’s not that good). Hecky later said he had to change the way we approached games as that lead diminished slowly week-by-week. They came close and we focused on them but Luton were the sleeping tiger and proved it by beating us on out turf. Then the Reading result and the shock of them losing to Huddersfield gave us purpose.

TBH I don’t feel it’s been our most convincing promotion season. The table shows an unusual level of parity because there’s a lot of good teams, not big names but good teams. Think our differentiator was the quality of key players (although not always evident) like Berge, Anel, Robinson, Egan and the emergence of Doyle, McAtee and Ndiaye (we thought we couldn’t survive without MGW). Concerning is the drop in form of some of our younger players like Bogle and Lowe.