Huge blow for Sheffield United & Sheffield Wednesday's promotion rivals after £500k bombshell dropped
Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday could soon face their Championship promotion rivals under new management.
Blackburn Rovers could be about to lose manager John Eustace as they bid to fight Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday for Championship promotion.
Rovers are currently sixth in the Championship, having surprised many in maintaining a serious push for the play-offs. They are unlikely to battle United for a top-two spot but could face them in the end-of-season play-offs, if Chris Wilder’s side fall short of automatic promotion, while Wednesday will hope to catch them in challenging for a top-six place come May.
Eustace was the subject of a formal approach from Championship strugglers Derby County over the weekend, following Paul Warne’s Friday afternoon exit from Pride Park. The struggling Rams dropped into the relegation zone after drawing 1-1 at Norwich City on Saturday, having lost seven in a row under Warne before wielding the axe.
Derby’s interest in Eustace developed rapidly with The Telegraph reporting on Sunday that his release clause, believed to be worth around £500,000, had been triggered. And the Blackburn boss is now expected to hold talks with Pride Park chiefs, with a surprise switch from play-off hopefuls to relegation strugglers looking increasingly likely.
On Sunday evening, The Mirror’s David Anderson wrote on X: “Looks like John Eustace will soon be off to Derby after they made an official approach to Blackburn and triggered his escape clause. He is keen to speak to Derby.”
Blackburn were hosting Premier League outfit Wolves in the FA Cup fourth round as new broke of Eustace's release clause being triggered - a game they eventually lost 2-0 - and are now at serious risk of losing their manager. The Lancashire club have surprised many in fighting for play-off football, with much of the credit going to the man in the dugout.
“I will have to see exactly what's happened and talk to the owners," Eustace told The Lancashire Telegraph following his side’s defeat on Sunday, having only just heard the news. "At the moment, I will be in charge for West Brom [on Wednesday]. I have come here to help rebuild it and help push up the league. I have been very happy here. It's something where I now need to speak to the owners to see what they think as well.
“I am away from my family a lot, I am working my socks off, as everyone is, to make sure Blackburn are very competitive and stay in a healthy position. When I came here, we were on the way down. Now we're on the way up. We've had some disappointing results but it's something I will have to discuss with the owners and see what happens.
“I have just come off the pitch and realised they have made an official approach. I am sure Steve [Waggott, CEO] and Suhail [Pasha, chief operating officer] will want to sit down and talk to me. I'd be disappointed if they didn't. I think if a club makes an official approach, my first conversation has to be with our owners to find out what the situation is. Then we can take it from there. It is about reassurance too.”
Neither United nor Wednesday will have to face Eustace if he does join Derby, who have already played both Sheffield sides twice this season. They will each have to come up against Blackburn, however, who could be under new management.