KEVIN Blackwell has vowed to make watching Sheffield United this season a 46-game exercise in entertainment not endurance.
A winning mentality is essential, but the man charged with delivering top-flight football to Bramall Lane is convinced that adopting an expansive, attack-orientated approach is the best way to ensure his team carry the momentum they gathered under his leadership last season into the new campaign.
"Remember the derby game against Wednesday, the one against Hull City too," Blackwell said. "I want people to be excited about coming to watch us play.
"Winning is the most important thing but, whenever possible, I want us to do it in a certain manner too.
"We've got a tremendous crowd here and I know they'll turn out in force for us again.
"People pay good money to come and watch us and they deserve to get something in return for spending their hard-earned cash.
"Yes, there will be times when we have to grind something out, to really roll-up our sleeves and give everything for the cause, but, in the main, I want us to impose ourselves on the opposition, not the other way around."
Blackwell's grand vision faces its first and arguably toughest examination of the competition against a Birmingham City side expected to be among the Blades' main challengers for one of the three promotion berths.
Alex McLeish has invested heavily in an attempt to soften the blow of relegation, with Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, Kemy Agustien, Kevin Phillips and Marcus Bent among the new arrivals.
But Bent's former club know only too well that it takes more than a couple of weeks soaking up the rays on a sun-drenched beach in Dubai to sweep away the crushing disappointment of seeing Premier League status slip from your grasp.
The commitment, not the calibre, of McLeish's players will influence the outcome of a match which is being beamed live across the globe by satellite television.
The Scot's decision to focus much of his activity in the transfer market on his forward line appears to have paid off with Birmingham scoring 18 goals in six friendly fixtures en route to this meeting.
Indeed, such are the wealth of options at McLeish's disposal that even Phillips, signed on a free after parting company with West Bromwich Albion, is unsure who will start against United.
"I can't play week in, week out and at no point did the manager say I was guaranteed a first-team place," he said.
"I understand that. There are so many games in this league.
All I can do is keep myself sharp."
Blackwell will be encouraged by the fact that the form of his own marksmen means United should prove equally difficult to second guess.
James Beattie's absence following knee surgery is a concern but Darius Henderson, Jon Stead, Billy Sharp and Danny Webber have netted 14 between them since United returned to action against Ferencvaros last month.
Blackwell's accomplishments - despite languishing in mid-table when he replaced Bryan Robson, United eventually came within a whisker of qualifying for the play-offs - are reflected by his more considered approach to recruitment.
Henderson, Greg Halford, Sun Jihai, Matt Spring, Justin Haber and David Cotterill have all been signed up, but do not expect United to deviate from the tactics they employed last term.
Robson's legacy, whatever his detractors might say, is a collection of talented individuals with Beattie in particular making no secret that the England legend's presence persuaded him to join United from Everton.
Blackwell's greatest achievement so far - and one which proved beyond his predecessor - has been moulding them into a formidable fighting force.
"When I came here I said it always takes about 12 months to get all of your ideas across," he reflected.
"That's normally how long it takes for a manager to be able to say 'this is my team'.
"But, I tell you what, I already regard this bunch as my team.
"I love them all."
Sheffield United: Preview for the season, including ins and outs and squad numbers. Don't miss Saturday's Green'Un newspaper What do you think? Post your comments below. READ MORE Football headlinesMore BladesMore OwlsMore SpireitesMore RoversMore RedsMore MillersMore Ice HockeyMore rugby leagueMore rugby unionMore boxingSports columnistsAll sport categoriesThe full article contains 732 words and appears in Sheffield Star newspaper.
