The sad decline of Sheffield United

Just four years ago Sheffield United were playing in the Premiership, now they’re on the verge of going down to English football’s third tier for the first time in 22 years after losing 3-0 at runaway leaders QPR.

At present, the only comfort to be taken from being a Sheffield United fan is that you’re not a supporter of their crosstown rivals Wednesday, who are currently playing in the division below. Though, they could be joining them if they don’t recover seven points and goal difference on their nearest rivals Crystal Palace.

The signs weren’t good going into the match at Loftus Road having arrived with a record of 11 losses in their previous 17 outings and though signs were shown by the Yorkshire side, they were never really in it against a far superior outfit.

Daniel Bogdanovic blew their best chance of the match minutes into the second period when he blazed over from metres out and shortly after, Alejandro Faurlin blasted in Rangers second to ensure Neil Warnock’s former side have only seven games left to save their status.

If relegation does occur, you feel the club will only have themselves to blame after a sequence of issues on and off the field, which have hindered the Blades progress.

Admittedly, Kevin Blackwell’s departure was the catalyst for such a barren run for this club and though fans at the time were critical of the former Leeds manager’s credentials and his ability to take the team further, you can’t help but think the club wouldn’t be in this current predicament if he was there. A high turnover of coaching and playing staff was soon to follow as United eventually went through four managers in 2010/11.

A gamble was taken on former Premier League champion Gary Speed to lead the club back to the top of English Football and in all honesty, it was a move that didn’t pay off with some indifferent form and results during his four month tenure.

Having offered Speed a contract and with the pressure on United to turn their fortunes around, it was perhaps somewhat of a blessing when the Welsh FA approached the Blades with a view to taking the former Newcastle, Leeds and Everton midfielder to manage their international set up. That was approved and they received a handy compensation package for Speed, rather than being in the position where they might have had to pay out.

What followed was the uninspiring appointment of Micky Adams who had seemingly achieved his level in the Football League chain with Port Vale in League Two. The fourth manager of the season was a born and bred fan of the club and though he has shown signs of turning the club around with impressive home results against Leeds and Nottingham Forest, continuity is still a problem.

Part of the reason they’re struggling to achieve this continuity is possibly due to a high number of loan signings. Borrowing Premier League players can often bring mixed results with an opportunity to bring in some top tier quality often a welcome addition, but at the end of the table that the Blades find themselves in, it’s questionable as to whether players such as Sam Vokes, Shane Lowry and Bjorn Helge Riise have the desire and the drive to fight and keep the club up.

Spending three-million pounds more wisely on a range of squad players instead of Ched Evans who’s unproven and without a lot of first team football might have been more suitable. Reminiscent, perhaps of Watford’s promotion in 1999 when they spend the majority of their budget on Icelandic striker Heidar Helgusson, ironically plying his trade now at QPR.

Poorly disguised financial problems have also marred the club and the cheap option has often become the solution for the Blades. They’re a proud club, a big club, like their rivals from Hillsborough and with apartments and a casino. But with issues on the field in developing a squad and a youth system have they simply become a victim of the “business being more important than the club” adage?

On the field, when things aren’t going your way they’re not going your way and every result possible went against them on the weekend. Scunthorpe look all but down, despite a last ditch managerial change of their own, while this weekend’s opponents Middlesbrough have turned their own corner in recent weeks having previously been in a perilous position themselves. Preston below them seem to have gathered the winning touch and at least have form, while Palace are also extending the gap gradually.

There’s always plenty of surprises at this end of the season and the Blades will be hoping a miracle can get them out of this one.

Let the scrapping begin.