Oliver Arblaster embodies Sheffield United spirit as dream post-match scenes cut through season of gloom

In the build-up to Saturday's long trip to Bournemouth, manager Chris Wilder admitted that some Sheffield United fans may have fallen out of love with their club as a long and bruising season approaches its final straight. At the final whistle, as the 1,500 noisy travelling Blades hailed their newest hero following a battling point, it felt like some of that love was returning.

Front and centre was Ollie Arblaster, the 20-year-old academy product who followed up his Premier League debut amongst the wreckage of the 6-0 defeat at home to Arsenal earlier in the week with a composed first top-flight start at Dean Court. It could have been a fairytale one, too, with a driving run and shot forcing Neto to palm wide, but United fans had already made up their mind. In another lifetime, as a boyhood Blade, he could have been in that away end. Instead he was in front of it, soaking up its acclaim. "Ollie, Ollie, Ollie, Ollie Arblaster," they chanted.

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Outsiders, and even the odd social media troll who claims to support United, may sneer at the idea but having a home-grown hero in the ranks, someone who intrinsically knows what it means to represent the red and white shirt, just seems to make an intangible difference. For years Unitedites felt represented on the pitch by the likes of Carl Bradshaw, Mitch Ward and Dane Whitehouse, with boss Chris Wilder himself making that dream journey from punter to pitch.

Billy Sharp won three promotions with his boyhood club as club skipper, with the mantle passing to the likes of Arblaster and Andre Brooks as youngsters whose passion for the club is ingrained rather than acquired. "Everyone knows I support Sheffield United," Arblaster said after his coming-of-age moment at Bournemouth. "I'm a player here and I want to play for Sheffield United. That's my commitment now. I thought the fans were excellent who made the journey down.

"Everyone's really proud of me, my family have been watching and I've had a lot of messages but it's just the start I feel, and kick on in the next game. To commit my future is something I was keen to get done, I'm just glad I'll be playing for Sheffield United. no matter what league it's in, we'll give it our all and I can't wait for many more games to come hopefully.

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"I thought the lads were excellent because it's never easy coming off a big defeat on Monday night. One thing you just can't question about Sheffield United, and it's not a Sheffield United thing, is to give up. You could see no one was giving up and the attitude, from the first minute ... you could see we're all still together and still fighting."

Those will be words to Unitedites' ears but Arblaster will know he has to back them up. It is not enough to have watched United as a youngster; the likes of he and Brooks have earned their ascension to the senior squad, and recent contracts. The fact they have United in their blood is merely a bonus. Both will play a big part at Bramall Lane, this season and beyond, as the Blades look to rebuild in the summer.

"Obviously we're all massively disappointed in there," said Arblaster after United surrendered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 after conceding a 91st-minute equaliser. "To concede 2 set pieces is really hurting but I think you couldn't question our effort, our commitment out there. A few lads have come back from injury and not played a lot of minutes, at the end the energy was just sucked out of everyone. But you could see everyone sticking together.

"It's been a mad week for me. Just being out there, playing in the Premier League and hearing the fans chanting my name is what I've dreamt about. Hopefully it's the first of many."