The Blades have completed the loan signing of Alan Wright from Middlesbrough. The experienced full-back, who only joined Boro in August, has signed a one-month deal and could stay for a further two months if he impresses at Bramall Lane. Blades boss Neil Warnock revealed he has been a long-time admirer of the 32-year-old and tried to sign him in the summer when he left Aston Villa.
United have made a final contact offer to Michael Brown. The Blades midfielder Brown has been holding out from signing a new contract, deciding instead to keep his options open. United have decided to make a final offer to the midfielder and draw a line under the long running saga. Brown is nearing the end of his current Blades deal, which expires in the summer. Most Blades fans see the midfielder as United's star player and would hope he would be one of the men to lead the Blades to the Premiership, but also accept that the former Manchester City man, who cost just £400,000 in January 2000, is hot property who could soon be moving on. The Blades boss speaking of Brown; said: "I'm honestly not that bothered about it - I'm relaxed about it. If he stays he stays, if he goes he goes and good luck to him if he can get a cracking deal in the Premier League or with Rangers. He is certainly good enough to play at that level and he is 26 at the moment, a good age. If he leaves and it's a good club, then I will wish him well."
Michael Tonge and Paddy Kenny have signed contract extensions to keep them at the Lane until 2007. Meanwhile, striker Iffy Onuora had spent a month on loan with the Mariners and has now signed until the end of the season. The former Huddersfield, Gillingham and Swindon forward had the remainder of his Bramall Lane contract cancelled.
Blades boss Neil Warnock speaking after United's defeat at the Lane, criticised referee Steve Tomlin's handling of his side's 2-1 defeat at home to Reading. Warnock expressed his displeasure after goals from Adrian Williams and Nicky Forster condemned the Blades to defeat at Bramall Lane. "I asked the referee how he could not see the deliberate block for the first goal," said Warnock. "Ashley Ward was blocked so the player got a free header. I don't know what they get taught - they should be educated all about these things. "There was also only three minutes injury time, despite five bookings and a major injury that lasted at least a couple of minutes. I expected six or seven minutes. I just don't understand the inconsistency."
Reading striker Nicky Forster grabbed a wonder goal as the Blades wasted a chance to snatch back the first division's top spot. United, who had won just one of their last five games, were again the better team on the night, but were robbed by a spoiling Reading team and an incompetent referee. Indeed, it was the referee who cost the Blades the Match with his inability to spot a clear foul on Ashley Ward for Reading 's opener. Reading 's controversial goal came in the seventh minute, when from a Nicky Shorey's corner, Ade Williams was able to direct a free header into the net. Just Seconds before Williams ‘free header'; Ward had been blocked by John Salako with an ‘American Football Style' block - a clear free-kick to everyone but the Referee who allowed play to continue and Williams to score. United were back on level terms just three minutes later when midfielder Stuart McCall touched his free-kick to Michael Brown and his low cross from the right was finished off by Ward from five yards for his third of the season. Brown almost snatched the lead in the 27th minute, steaming in to meet a Mike Whitlow cross only to pull a fierce header inches wide of the near post. Ashley Ward saw a low strike pushed away by visiting keeper Marcus Hahnemann before Reading almost grabbed a second, but the diving Gerrard stopped James Harper's first-time shot from 15 yards. Full back Rob Kozluk had a fierce effort pushed away before Reading took the lead again a minute before the interval with a spectacular strike, Forster cutting inside before powering the ball into the top right hand corner from 25 yards. In the second half United became more direct in their play as the Blades went in search of an equaliser. Brown, still not back to his best after a spell out through injury, spooned the ball over the bar in the 62nd minute. Tonge, then sent a short pass to Lester who shot against Williams arm, but the referee ignored the clear handball. United were camped in the Royals half and Peschisolido and Allison were added to the Blades firepower as the clock ran down. Reading tried all the time-wasting tricks which again went un-checked by the referee. With moments remaining Allison's header put Peschisolido through but the forward could not find an equaliser. A decent performance by the Blades, pity the same cannot be said for the referee performance who ultimately changed the course of the match with poor inept decisions.
Jack Lester grabbed an equaliser four minutes from time as The Blades held Wigan to a 1-1 draw the JJB Stadium. Geoff Horsfield fired Wigan into a fifth-minute lead and missed a chance to double Wigan lead early in the second half. The Blades made the most of their escape when substitute Lester fired home a spectacular equaliser. Wigan had opened the scoring in their first real attack of the game. Nathan Ellington lofted a pass over the defence for Andy Liddell to chase and a pinpoint cross found Horsfield just six yards out and he fired home for the opener. Wigan 's Tony Dinning was extremely fortunate to escape a caution for a wild lunge at a grounded Paul Peschisolido. Michael Brown tested Latics goalkeeper John Filan with a couple of long-range efforts before fizzing a teasing cross across goal that Ashley Ward came desperately close to converting. Horsfield almost made in 2-0 within seven minutes of the restart but his acrobatic volley from a Liddell cross, the same combination that produced this first goal unfortunately fell just wide. United playing some of their best football, were clearly the better of the two teams. There were calls for a Blades penalty midway through the second half when Chris Morgan went down but the referee was unimpressed and waved play on. Liddell threatened with 15 minutes remaining when he cut in from the right, beating three men on the way, but McCulloch could only shoot tamely and the chance had gone. The Blades continued to push forward, and it was just a matter of time before United found the equaliser, such was the Blades dominance, and in the final minutes substitute Jack Lester, on for Stuart McCall, cut in from the left and smashed an unstoppable shot past Filan to the delight of the travelling Bladesmen.
1 8 th October Millwall 2 Sheffield United 0 (Attendance: 10,046)
The Blades lost only their third match of the season here today at the Den. The Den is not the friendliest of places to spend a Saturday afternoon, it was always going to be a difficult place to get a result, and so it proved. Millwall with caretaker manager Dennis Wise ran out deserved winners; a result which knocks United the top spot in the Division. Wise, in his first game in charge following the sacking of Mark McGhee, put himself on the bench but came on in the 84th minute with the Lions were already down to ten men. But he barely broke into a sweat before Rob Styles sent him to join David Livermore for an early bath after Wise was adjudged to have lunged into Chris Armstrong with a late tackle. Livermore went earlier for a second yellow after Neil Harris and Paul Ifill had put Millwall into an unassailable 2-0 lead. Millwall's giant Dutchman Rob Peeters was the Lions early threat, in the 4th minute Peeters was put through by Harris but Rob Kozluk blocked the forward a covering tackle. A missed throw out by Paul Gerrard then let in Peeters again, but a tremendous tackle by Phil Jagielka ended the danger. Then Peter Ndlovu breaking down the flank failed to deliver with United's frontmen waiting to pounce. In the 15th minute a Tonge corner found Whitlow, but the big defender headed wide. The Lion's new manager Dennis Wise was barking out the orders to his players from the touchline, and towards the end of the first period; United nearly conceded a goal with defenders getting into a tangle at the back as Iffil nearly scored the opener. United were losing the game in the middle of the park and were lucky to go in at half time level. Within eight minutes of the second half Millwall took the lead. Abou Fofana sprinted past Kozluk into the penalty area, where the Kozluk brought him down, and Harris made no mistake from the penalty spot, beating Gerrard low to the keeper's right to give Millwall the lead. Gerrard, then pulled off a stunning diving save from Peeters, who connected perfectly with a header from Fofana's free-kick, but he was at fault from the resulting corner when Ifill doubled the Lion's lead. The winger's first shot cannoned back off a defender straight to him, but his second squirmed underneath Gerrard in the 66th minute to put the home team two up. Livermore was dismissed for Millwall with eight minutes remaining for his second bookable offence, and of course Wise managed to get himself dismissed for serious foul play two minutes before the end. In the dying seconds Morgan was thrown up-front as United tried to find a way back. But it was not to be, and United now stand in third spot in Division One.
1 7 th October Blades boss Neil Warnock is to step up the search for a new keeper. Paul Gerrard will shortly return to Everton and, with Paddy Kenny still unavailable, United could be left with just one shot stopper - Kristian Rogers. Gerrard has been in outstanding form since he commenced his loan spell from Everton, but under Football League rules; United are unable to extend his loan spell beyond 3 months. Hopefully, United may be able to make a deal with Everton and sign Gerrard permanently for a nominal fee. Paddy Kenny - United's number one keeper has damaged knee ligaments sustained in the match with Crystal Palace and so wont return until early next year.
1 4 th October West Bromwich Albion 0 Sheffield United 2 (Attendance: 27,195)
Michael Tonge and Ashley Ward fired The Blades back to the top of the table as they knocked West Bromwich Albion off the summit. First-half goals from Tonge and Ward along with an inspired display from goalkeeper Paul Gerrard sealed United's success. It must have been a particularly sweet victory for Blades boss Neil Warnock in the first meeting between the teams since the infamous 'Battle of Bramall Lane' in March last year. The win ended Albion's unbeaten home record after six straight wins. Blades fans were surprised but delighted to see the return of Chris Morgan to United's defence, slotting in at right centre-back with Mike Whitlow moving to his left. United started with a more cautious formation, with just Ward as the lone striker. After 10 minutes; Tonge stunned Albion with a superb finish. The classy midfielder played a hand in creating the goal himself as he exchanged passes with Ward and McCall before curling his shot beyond goalkeeper Russell Hoult from just inside the Albion box. United's lead would have been short-lived but for the heroics of a concentrated Gerrard. The former Everton keeper pulled off outstanding saves to push away a header from Thomas Gaardsoe and turn a low 25-yard shot from Jason Koumas around the post. When Albion did beat Gerrard, striker Rob Hulse could only fire into the side netting from six yards. The importance of that miss, and the inspired form of Gerrard, proved to be a turning point as eight minutes from half-time when Ward pounced. Ward's strike was created by the pace and power of United's talisman Michael Brown. Brown raced clear down the right wing before sending over a cross that Ward calmly slotted home from six yards. Megson sent on Lee Hughes and Danny Dichio to form a three-man attack with Scott Dobie. But the trio could not find a way past the impressive Gerrard who frustrated Hughes by pushing his 53rd minute header over the bar as United eased to the top of the table. An outstanding performance which will have shown their promotion rivals who the real favourites are this time round, and it was a particularly enjoyable night for all Blades fans' tonight at the Hawthorns; as the noisy unwelcoming Baggies fans fell silent long before the final whistle was blown. A great night for everyone connected with the Blades.
The Black Cat’s of Sunderland threw themselves into the promotion race after edging out the Blades in a exciting match at the Lane. The match was an highly charged affair with United clearly the better of the two teams. United without Michael Brown who was injured in training, dictated the pace early on. The Blades top scorer Peter Ndlovu hit a crisp right-foot shot from a tight angle, stopped at the near post by Sunderland goalkeeper Mart Poom and striker Ashley Ward went close with a fierce strike from 15 yards, as United carved out a couple of early chances. Argentinian defender Julio Arca weaved his way past three defenders as Sunderland broke quickly, but dragged his shot from just inside the area over the bar. The little full-back went even closer in the 15th minute only to pull his left-foot strike inches wide of the far post. Michael Tonge almost broke the deadlock in the 34th minute with a twisting run from deep inside the Sunderland half, his vicious shot deflecting off defender Gary Breen and almost dipping underneath the bar. Tonge then went close with a free-kick curling towards the far corner before Darren Williams steamed in to head the ball across the face of the goal for another United corner. Sunderland snatched the lead six minutes later Stewart providing the cross as Kyle stepped in front of his marker beating Paul Gerrard from five yards. Tonge almost snatched an equaliser in the 74th minute after Arca had been booked for foul on Ward. Tonge slammed a free-kick from the edge of the area which Poom failed to hold but as the ball spilled towards Paul Peschisolido the Sunderland keeper pounced to grab it at the second attempt. Sunderland were reduced to ten men in the 85th minute, Arca being red-carded when he pulled back Peschisolido after picking up a caution 13 minutes earlier. United we unlucky not to get something from this encounter, its a defeat which temporally knocks the Blades off top spot. Not to worry though, if we play like this every week and we’ll win a lot more than we lose.