How Middlesbrough celebrations “lit a fire” in Sheffield United in promotion battle

Boro’s victory at Bramall Lane two months ago threatened to blow the automatic promotion race wide open once again, and at one point Michael Carrick’s men were within four points of the Blades in second place.

But United recovered from a mini-blip to reassert their promotion credentials and now stand one win away from a return to the Premier League - which could come as soon as Wednesday evening when they host West Bromwich Albion at Bramall Lane.

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“One team beat us and thought they were promoted in February, which was interesting,” former Northern Ireland international Norwood, on the brink of his fourth promotion in his last five seasons in the Championship, said. “The noise they were making in the tunnel probably lit the fire in us to say: ‘No, that’s not happening’.

“You can’t get too carried away and you can’t get too low. It’s a different mentality within the group and for us players who’ve been through it, we’ve been guiding the ones who haven’t at times and keeping calm heads. I think we’ve done that really well.

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“We’ve been through it, we understand there are going to be highs and lows. You can’t win every single game in football. It’s near on impossible, especially in the Championship. Our mentality’s been the same all the way through and has been the same from when Hecky took over to now. If we lose a game, pick the bones out of it, park it and move on to the next one. The teams who are most consistent are the most successful.

“It’s a marathon. Some teams set off in a sprint and they’re at the bottom now. Others pick it up; Coventry are a prime example. You can’t underestimate having a group who’ve been through it before and know what it takes. We’ve put ourselves in a position where we can earn the right to go back to the Premier League.

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“We’ve just got to finish the job off now. It’s pretty clear the picture now - go win on Wednesday and you’re back in the Premier League. That’s been the goal for the season from everyone here, all the staff who work here and at the club.

“Everyone’s put every effort to get back there, and we as players get the privilege to go out there and represent the football club. The quicker we can get it done the better… and the quicker we can celebrate.”

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