How Sheffield United promotion hero influenced Harry Souttar's Bramall Lane move in another Blades assist

When news of Sheffield United’s transfer interest first reached Harry Souttar, the giant Australian international defender already had some knowledge of life at Bramall Lane to fall back on. The centre-half is a former teammate of modern-day Lane legend Paul Coutts, with the two knowing each other from a spell together at Fleetwood Town.

But their connection actually goes back a lot further, with both hailing from Aberdeen despite a 10-year age difference, and Coutts - who turned his United career around to become a key part in the Blades’ iconic 100-point League One season - claimed another Blades assist earlier this summer when Souttar arrived in South Yorkshire on a season-long loan deal from Leicester City.

It is a move that has so far paid off for both the Blades and the defender, who made his latest appearance in Sunday’s 1-0 win over Watford and does not appear to be a player who has struggled for game-time in recent seasons since a £15m move to the King Power Stadium from Stoke.

"I'm very good friends with Couttsy, who is obviously a massive figure here, so he was on the phone to me the last couple of weeks before he signed and he was delighted that I came here,” Souttar said. “We're both Aberdeen boys and we played together at Fleetwood Town for a year. He was my captain there and I was roommates with him for a bit as well. So we get on really well.

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“We spoke a lot at Fleetwood about his success at United. He was our best player and he wouldn't have been there if it wasn't for his injury, because he was technically miles above anyone at the club at the time. He was a great player, a great captain, a great leader, and great man, I can't speak highly enough of him.”

Coutts’ Bramall Lane career was effectively derailed by a badly-broken leg he suffered away at Burton Albion soon after United sealed their return to the Championship, and his absence saw United’s push for back-to-back promotions also fall off the tracks as well. But the way he transformed his fortunes, after being placed on the transfer list after Chris Wilder’s arrival at Bramall Lane, earned the respect of many at Bramall Lane and Blades fans have kept a keen eye on his progress in the years since he left South Yorkshire.

“It was just little phone calls, here and then,” Souttar added of the conversations with Coutts. “He was not really trying to ‘sell’ me the club but he's very well respected here. I think he's coming down to watch one of the games soon, so I'm sure I'll catch up with him then"