Balham
S24SU Seer
Sheffield United 0-0 Coventry City
Saturday, 20 November 2021
Another game against Coventry memorable for two things: firstly as the last home game in the ill-fated Slaviša Jokanović era and secondly as Balham Jnr Snr's first ever United game. He got very, very bored.
GK 18 Wes Foderingham: left United the way he joined, on a free transfer. Joined West Ham last summer to fulfil the easiest role in football: the Premier League third choice goalkeeper
DCL 22 Ben Davies: not Tottenham's Ben Davies, or the other Ben Davies to play for us, this Ben Davies was on loan from Liverpool. Highly rated as a youngster but never quite fulfilling that promise, personal issues reduced his appearances at the Lane. Moved on to Rangers in the summer of 2022 but hasn't really nailed down a place and is on loan at big spending League One Birmingham City this season.
DC 12 John Egan: Allez Allez Allez. Reported club record £4m signing Egan spent 6 years with United, securing two promotions to the top flight. His last season with us was curtailed by a serious foot injury and he was released when his contract expired in the summer of 2024. Surprisingly joined Burnley on a one-year deal in September but only made one start and joined Hull on loan in January but has failed to make an impact there either
DCR 6 Chris Basham: I wrote about Bash in the last WATN which was from 2015 but he was and remains a club legend, forced into retirement by a horrific leg injury received at Fulham last season. He'll be back at the Lane for the Big Charity Bash - get your tickets to support a fantastic man and a fantastic cause
WBL 3 Enda Stevens: for 7 months, Stevens made a case to be one of the best left wing backs in the Premier League with his highlights reel of nutmegs showcasing his ability. However, he wasn't the same player after lockdown and struggled with form and injuries. Released on a free in the summer of 2023, he joined Stoke. Still with the Potters now as they battle relegation to the third tier.
MC 4 John Fleck: another one whose form dropped off after the restart which may or may not be connected to an on-field collapse at Reading in the FA Cup just before lockdown. Stayed with United until January 2024 when he was given a free transfer to Blackburn but failed to make an impact at Ewood Park and was released in the summer. Joined Chesterfield in September but has only made 7 appearances for the Spireites in the 6 months since.
MC 24 Conor Hourihane: joined United on loan from Aston Villa for the 2021/22 season and played a part in our run to the playoffs. United chose to not sign Hourihane after his release by Villa at the end of the season so instead he moved to Derby after their relegation to League One. Made 98 appearances over two seasons with the Rams but left in the summer of 2024, joining former club Barnsley. Retired from playing in December to take up the role of assistant head coach, stepping up to become Interim Head Coach in March 2025.
WBR 20 Jayden Bogle: a bargain signing for £4m, Bogle remains one of the best right backs outside the top flight but United chose to cash in last summer when it became clear that he had no interest in extending his stay beyond the expiry of his contract in 2025. Moved to Leeds for £8m and has played a key role in their promotion challenge.
AMC 29 Iliman Ndiaye: a case study in how dreams can go sour, Ndiaye turned down the biggest contract ever offered to a Sheffield United player to join boyhood club Olympique Marseille in a €20m deal in the summer of 2023, fatally holing our Premier League season below the waterline. The move to Provence was not a success with the perpetual crisis surrounding l'OM seeing four managers take the reins in the 2023/24 season and with Ndiaye struggling to make an impact he moved to Everton in a £18m deal last summer. Surely destined for better things, he has been one of the Toffees' better players in another difficult season.
AMC 27 Morgan Gibbs-White: on loan from Wolves for the 21/22 season, eyebrows were raised when he signed for newly promoted FOReST (ironically after missing a penalty in our shoot-out defeat at the City Ground) in a deal which could reach £42.5m. That looks like canny business now as he captains the TSCs towards the Champions League as the bigger Premier League sides continue to flounder.
FC 10 Billy Sharp: the Championship goalscoring GOAT is now at Doncaster Rovers, aiming to fire them to promotion from League Two. Had spells at LA Galaxy and Hull City after leaving the Lane in the summer of 2023 following our promotion back to the top flight.
Subs
17 David McGoldrick (for Ndiaye, h/t): beloved by United fans and one of the most technically gifted players to pull on the red and white in recent times, McGoldrick was released at the end of the 2021/22 season, signing for then-League One Derby for a season before dropping another division in the summer of 2023 to join his boyhood club Notts County. Still at the Magpies and scoring one-in-two this season at the age of 37, including some superlative strikes. May well have to face Billy Sharp in the playoffs with a four way fight for the third automatic promotion place including County and Doncaster.
23 Ben Osborn (for Stevens, 86): utility man Osborn - jack of all trades, master of none - left United last summer after a bit of a charade regarding a potential new contract. Yet another who moved to the club he supports, Osborn is captaining Derby in their battle to avoid relegation back to the third tier.
21 Michael Verrips (GK): was the United benchmark for hopeless goalkeepers until the arrival of Ivo Grbić, Verrips conceded four in a dismal performance at West Brom and was subsequently dropped. Left United for Fortuna Sittard in January 2022, initially on loan before making the move permanent in the summer but he was immediately loaned out again, this time to Groningen for 18 months. Joined Belgian top division side FCV Dender last summer and may well be playing in Europe next season as FCV have qualified for the European place play offs.
7 Rhian Fucking Brewster: still at United, last seen putting the ball in the Wednesday net
14 Oliver The Burke: signed in desperation by United as part of a £7m deal taking Callum Robinson to West Brom but provided little more than comedy value during his time at the Lane. Left on loan to Millwall for the second half of the 2021/22 season before moving permanently to Werder Bremen on a free transfer in the summer. Spent the second half of 2022/23 back on loan at Millwall and the whole of 2023/24 at Birmingham City but has been a regular substitute for Bremen in the Bundesliga this season.
15 Luke Freeman: a case study in why signing the best players in the Championship is not a good Premier League transfer strategy, Freeman joined United from QPR for £4.5m but would go on to only make 16 appearances at the lane. Had a 6 month loan spell in the second half of the at Millwall 21/22 season cut short by a hamstring injury before agreeing a mutual termination of his United deal that summer. Joined Luton in the summer of 2022 but was released by the Hatters after their promotion to the top flight in 2023. Dropped all the way down the divisions to join National League Barnet for the second half of the 2023/24 season but was released last summer and has yet to find a new club.
19 Jack Robinson: somewhat harshly known as Back Off Jack in my United whatsapp group, Robinson is still at the Lane setting the required standards of application and desire even if his trebuchet-esque long throw has been seen less this season. Lost his place to Souttar earlier in the season but has kept winter signing Rob Holding out of the team. Recently triggered a contract extension which will keep him at the Lane until the summer of 2026.
Manager: Slaviša Jokanović. Sacked by United five days after this match after only 4 months in charge with the club languishing in mid-table obscurity. Replacement Paul Heckingbottom led a charge to the playoffs where the club's curse continued with a penalty shoot-out defeat at FOReST. Jokanović was unemployed until July 2022 when he joined Dynamo Moscow; he has been out of work since being fired by the Russian giants in May 2023.
Saturday, 20 November 2021
Another game against Coventry memorable for two things: firstly as the last home game in the ill-fated Slaviša Jokanović era and secondly as Balham Jnr Snr's first ever United game. He got very, very bored.
GK 18 Wes Foderingham: left United the way he joined, on a free transfer. Joined West Ham last summer to fulfil the easiest role in football: the Premier League third choice goalkeeper
DCL 22 Ben Davies: not Tottenham's Ben Davies, or the other Ben Davies to play for us, this Ben Davies was on loan from Liverpool. Highly rated as a youngster but never quite fulfilling that promise, personal issues reduced his appearances at the Lane. Moved on to Rangers in the summer of 2022 but hasn't really nailed down a place and is on loan at big spending League One Birmingham City this season.
DC 12 John Egan: Allez Allez Allez. Reported club record £4m signing Egan spent 6 years with United, securing two promotions to the top flight. His last season with us was curtailed by a serious foot injury and he was released when his contract expired in the summer of 2024. Surprisingly joined Burnley on a one-year deal in September but only made one start and joined Hull on loan in January but has failed to make an impact there either
DCR 6 Chris Basham: I wrote about Bash in the last WATN which was from 2015 but he was and remains a club legend, forced into retirement by a horrific leg injury received at Fulham last season. He'll be back at the Lane for the Big Charity Bash - get your tickets to support a fantastic man and a fantastic cause
WBL 3 Enda Stevens: for 7 months, Stevens made a case to be one of the best left wing backs in the Premier League with his highlights reel of nutmegs showcasing his ability. However, he wasn't the same player after lockdown and struggled with form and injuries. Released on a free in the summer of 2023, he joined Stoke. Still with the Potters now as they battle relegation to the third tier.
MC 4 John Fleck: another one whose form dropped off after the restart which may or may not be connected to an on-field collapse at Reading in the FA Cup just before lockdown. Stayed with United until January 2024 when he was given a free transfer to Blackburn but failed to make an impact at Ewood Park and was released in the summer. Joined Chesterfield in September but has only made 7 appearances for the Spireites in the 6 months since.
MC 24 Conor Hourihane: joined United on loan from Aston Villa for the 2021/22 season and played a part in our run to the playoffs. United chose to not sign Hourihane after his release by Villa at the end of the season so instead he moved to Derby after their relegation to League One. Made 98 appearances over two seasons with the Rams but left in the summer of 2024, joining former club Barnsley. Retired from playing in December to take up the role of assistant head coach, stepping up to become Interim Head Coach in March 2025.
WBR 20 Jayden Bogle: a bargain signing for £4m, Bogle remains one of the best right backs outside the top flight but United chose to cash in last summer when it became clear that he had no interest in extending his stay beyond the expiry of his contract in 2025. Moved to Leeds for £8m and has played a key role in their promotion challenge.
AMC 29 Iliman Ndiaye: a case study in how dreams can go sour, Ndiaye turned down the biggest contract ever offered to a Sheffield United player to join boyhood club Olympique Marseille in a €20m deal in the summer of 2023, fatally holing our Premier League season below the waterline. The move to Provence was not a success with the perpetual crisis surrounding l'OM seeing four managers take the reins in the 2023/24 season and with Ndiaye struggling to make an impact he moved to Everton in a £18m deal last summer. Surely destined for better things, he has been one of the Toffees' better players in another difficult season.
AMC 27 Morgan Gibbs-White: on loan from Wolves for the 21/22 season, eyebrows were raised when he signed for newly promoted FOReST (ironically after missing a penalty in our shoot-out defeat at the City Ground) in a deal which could reach £42.5m. That looks like canny business now as he captains the TSCs towards the Champions League as the bigger Premier League sides continue to flounder.
FC 10 Billy Sharp: the Championship goalscoring GOAT is now at Doncaster Rovers, aiming to fire them to promotion from League Two. Had spells at LA Galaxy and Hull City after leaving the Lane in the summer of 2023 following our promotion back to the top flight.
Subs
17 David McGoldrick (for Ndiaye, h/t): beloved by United fans and one of the most technically gifted players to pull on the red and white in recent times, McGoldrick was released at the end of the 2021/22 season, signing for then-League One Derby for a season before dropping another division in the summer of 2023 to join his boyhood club Notts County. Still at the Magpies and scoring one-in-two this season at the age of 37, including some superlative strikes. May well have to face Billy Sharp in the playoffs with a four way fight for the third automatic promotion place including County and Doncaster.
23 Ben Osborn (for Stevens, 86): utility man Osborn - jack of all trades, master of none - left United last summer after a bit of a charade regarding a potential new contract. Yet another who moved to the club he supports, Osborn is captaining Derby in their battle to avoid relegation back to the third tier.
21 Michael Verrips (GK): was the United benchmark for hopeless goalkeepers until the arrival of Ivo Grbić, Verrips conceded four in a dismal performance at West Brom and was subsequently dropped. Left United for Fortuna Sittard in January 2022, initially on loan before making the move permanent in the summer but he was immediately loaned out again, this time to Groningen for 18 months. Joined Belgian top division side FCV Dender last summer and may well be playing in Europe next season as FCV have qualified for the European place play offs.
7 Rhian Fucking Brewster: still at United, last seen putting the ball in the Wednesday net
14 Oliver The Burke: signed in desperation by United as part of a £7m deal taking Callum Robinson to West Brom but provided little more than comedy value during his time at the Lane. Left on loan to Millwall for the second half of the 2021/22 season before moving permanently to Werder Bremen on a free transfer in the summer. Spent the second half of 2022/23 back on loan at Millwall and the whole of 2023/24 at Birmingham City but has been a regular substitute for Bremen in the Bundesliga this season.
15 Luke Freeman: a case study in why signing the best players in the Championship is not a good Premier League transfer strategy, Freeman joined United from QPR for £4.5m but would go on to only make 16 appearances at the lane. Had a 6 month loan spell in the second half of the at Millwall 21/22 season cut short by a hamstring injury before agreeing a mutual termination of his United deal that summer. Joined Luton in the summer of 2022 but was released by the Hatters after their promotion to the top flight in 2023. Dropped all the way down the divisions to join National League Barnet for the second half of the 2023/24 season but was released last summer and has yet to find a new club.
19 Jack Robinson: somewhat harshly known as Back Off Jack in my United whatsapp group, Robinson is still at the Lane setting the required standards of application and desire even if his trebuchet-esque long throw has been seen less this season. Lost his place to Souttar earlier in the season but has kept winter signing Rob Holding out of the team. Recently triggered a contract extension which will keep him at the Lane until the summer of 2026.
Manager: Slaviša Jokanović. Sacked by United five days after this match after only 4 months in charge with the club languishing in mid-table obscurity. Replacement Paul Heckingbottom led a charge to the playoffs where the club's curse continued with a penalty shoot-out defeat at FOReST. Jokanović was unemployed until July 2022 when he joined Dynamo Moscow; he has been out of work since being fired by the Russian giants in May 2023.
