Chris Basham opens up on “special” Sheffield United return plan as Bramall Lane heroes prepare for last dance
Chris Basham opens up on “special” Sheffield United return plan as Bramall Lane heroes prepare for one last dance
Chris Basham has admitted the prospect of lacing up his boots and pulling on a Sheffield United shirt for one last dance is “special” after details of his deserved testimonial were confirmed this week. A reunion of the 2016/17 League One title-winning side, in which Basham featured so prominently as an overlapping centre-half, will face a Sky Sports XI at Bramall Lane, on Sunday, May 4.
Basham, now 36, was forced into retirement after a serious injury sustained at Fulham during United’s last Premier League campaign and discussions had taken place since about the logistics of a testimonial-style event for an iconic player who spent 10 years at the club, capturing hearts and minds aplenty in the process. His standing is reflected in the players who have since agreed to return to Bramall Lane for his event, including Billy Sharp, Jack O’Connell and current England man Dean Henderson.
All profits from the game will be donated to Weston Park cancer charity, who are hoping to add a breakthrough MRI simulator scanning machine to their already superb treatment for cancer patients. Tickets, priced at £10 for adults and £5 for concessions, are on sale now via United’s box office website.
Speaking this week after the ‘Big Charity Bash’ was announced, the three-time promotion winner said of the game: “There will be everybody that a fan would want to see back, for what they’ve created at this football club, plus a few more guests. I've rung the skipper [Sharp], he’s desperate to play but you never know what’s going to happen in the Football League. I've rang Didzy [David McGoldrick], Enda [Stevens], [John] Egan.
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“Martin Cranie’s going to come back, Kez [Kieron Freeman] is going to come back. I've rung James Beattie, who’s a big name here so we’re going to fight it out for the number six shirt! There are loads of names that we obviously haven’t said as well, who are desperate to take part in the game. We’ll see who the Sky Sports XI put out but as always, the boys will be wanting to win and put on a big performance for the fans, more than anything. Hopefully it will be a special occasion.”
Brought to Bramall Lane in 2014 by Nigel Clough as an energetic midfielder, Basham also filled in at centre-half at occasions and it was in that role that he defined his United career, after being transformed into an attacking centre-half as the Blades rose from League One and into the Premier League in the space of three seasons.
His career was brought to a sad and premature end after a horror injury at Craven Cottage but United invited Basham back to use their Shirecliffe training facilities even after he was released last summer, with the defender subsequently confirming his retirement a few weeks into the current season. He has since been seen on TV screens as a pundit on Blades games but nothing quite replicates the feeling of playing, and Basham is excited for the “special” feeling of pulling on the No.6 shirt one last time.
“I'm definitely going to start the game, and we’ll see how it goes,” Basham added. “I'll not be the marauding Chris Basham that we’ve seen before, but it’ll be definitely something that I want to be part of.
“If not, I'll be on the sidelines against the gaffer and I'll be a little bit scared at times! But we’ll give it a good go. And then I'll obviously finish the game off and then be around the pitch to clap off everybody who takes part in the event.
I love coming back here but to be able to grace the turf again is something that’ll be really special to me. It’s been two years since my injury so it’ll be nice to put the boots back on and get back out there with all the lads.
“I love coming back here but to be able to grace the turf again is something that’ll be really special to me. It’s been two years since my injury so it’ll be nice to put the boots back on and get back out there with all the lads.
“I’m sure Billy Sharp will be wanting to score at the Kop end again, and Didzy will be wanting to link up with him again. And Beatts as well, he’ll be desperate to get a goal. It’ll just be a big event. And obviously, anyone who steps up in the red and white will be wanting to come off victorious at the end of the game.”
Who has agreed to take part in Chris Basham’s Sheffield United return so far?
Provisional squad from the 2016/17 title-winning group: Billy Sharp, Jack O'Connell, John Fleck, Mark Duffy, Paul Coutts, Leon Clarke, Kieron Freeman, Jake Wright, Matt Done, James Hanson.
Provisional additional squad members, depending on their football commitments at the time: Jack Robinson, David McGoldrick, Dean Henderson, Enda Stevens, Oli McBurnie, John Egan, Oliver Norwood, James Beattie, Jamie Murphy, Richard Stearman, Martin Cranie, Gary Madine, Ryan Flynn, Bob Harris, Alex Baptiste, Terry Kennedy, Jake Eastwood.