Sheffield United's new heroes must step up to plate after promotion target outlined

Sheffield United’s new heroes must step up and fill the void left by a trio of stalwarts with seven promotions and hundreds of Blades appearances under their belts, after they bade an emotional farewell to Bramall Lane yesterday. Chris Basham, Ollie Norwood and George Baldock all received a touching send-off from Blades fans ahead of United’s final game of the season at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

Max Lowe and Wes Foderingham, who are also moving on this summer, had the opportunity to say goodbye from the pitch in the 3-0 defeat, which could have been much worse but for a number of fine saves from the United goalkeeper. Only a handful of players now remain from United’s iconic 2019/20 Premier League campaign - and two of them, John Egan and Oli McBurnie, are out of contract and could still leave.

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The meeting with Ange Postecoglou’s side represented something of a changing of the guard, starting with the three departing veterans being presented to supporters and ending with the likes of Oliver Arblaster, Andre Brooks and Rhian Brewster - still only 24 years of age - on the pitch. One of boss Chris Wilder’s big challenges in the transfer market will be not only replacing the departing players but also their characters. In the shape of Arblaster and Co., however, there is certainly encouragement.

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“It was a sad day and obviously we didn’t get the result that we wanted to send the boys off with,” striker Brewster told SUTV after the game. “There’s a rebuild and it’s time for some of us that have had a chance or have been here for a little bit, to step up to the plate. Because ultimately we want to be back in this league. It’s the best league in the world and obviously we want to be back in it.

“But we want to be fighting, not just down the bottom where we were this year. We want to be fighting, to be up there and to stay up there. Ultimately we want to come back up straight away, so that’s going to be a challenge for all of us. I think the Gaffer is going to have a busy summer but ultimately I think he’ll get it right. It’ll be a big rebuild and hopefully we’ll be pushing for promotion again.”