It could be argued that George Utley's greatest impact on the game of football in England was that regarding the award of testimonial and benefit games. Usually players were awarded a benefit game for long service and allowed to choose a match, excluding derby games and large visiting clubs, from which to receive the gate receipts as recognition of their services.
Utley challenged this in 1920 and was granted a benefit match against the then mighty Sunderland after only being at the club for four years, eventually receiving around £1,000. The board had been willing to make an exception for Utley, citing his importance to the team and wishing to ensure he stayed with the club.
This extraordinary move by the club caused unrest in the dressing room and nine of the first team signed a letter to the United directors, written by Billy Gillespie, complaining that this preferential treatment was unfair. The game went ahead a few days later without Utley although ironically Billy Gillespie scored twice in a 3–1 win in front of over 36,000 spectators. Utley stayed at Bramall Lane for another two years.
The Football League discovered the unrest this benefit had caused at the club and changed the rules governing such matches. They stipulated that testimonials could only be played after an agreed period of time stated within a players contract when agreed or upon their career being unexpectedly cut short. This ruling remains to this day