Sheffield United: Will it be seven in a row at Bramall Lane on Saturday?

Towards the end of last month, within 24 hours of Sheffield United reaching the Premier League, Jade Pennock found herself at their heart of their promotion celebrations.
Jade Pennock in action for Sheffield United: Harry Marshall/SportimageJade Pennock in action for Sheffield United: Harry Marshall/Sportimage
Jade Pennock in action for Sheffield United: Harry Marshall/Sportimage

Sitting alongside Chris Wilder and his staff at gala event in the city, the centre-forward saw exactly what it means to achieve top-flight status. Little wonder, as the curtain prepares to come down on the women's first Championship campaign, the midfielder admits it has only made her even more determined to bring even more success to South Yorkshire next term.

"As the women, we've supported the men all the way through," she said, ahead of Saturday's match against Millwall Lionesses at Bramall Lane (kick-off 5.30pm). "It's great for us to see them go up and we're sure they're going to do really well. We want to be pushing to go up too. We want to be following in their footsteps next year and, fingers crossed, that's what we'll be able to do."

Sheffield United Women play at Bramall Lane this weekendSheffield United Women play at Bramall Lane this weekend
Sheffield United Women play at Bramall Lane this weekend
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Together with one of her team mates, Pennock's presence at the ceremony served as a reminder that United view Carla Ward's side as an integral part of their footballing operation after officially bringing them under the club's umbrella. It was a move which not only helped deliver a place in FA's revamped competition but also brought an extra weight of responsibility too. Pennock and her colleagues are now standard bearers for an institution which, since Wilder's arrival three years ago, has grown used to winning.

The same, after a difficult start as they adapted to the demands of second-tier football, can be said of Ward and her players. The visit of Millwall could see them finish the campaign with a run of seven straight victories after dispatching the likes of Durham, Leicester City and Super League bound Tottenham Hotspur.

"It's our first season in the Championship," Pennock said. "We didn't start off the way we wanted to but we've turned it around and just got our sixth straight win. The aim now is to make that seven."

Tickets for the match are priced just £1.