Revealed: How Sheffield United's new boys were helped to settle in

As the pair made their way through the car park towards the Steelphalt Academy’s canteen, where members of Chris Wilder’s squad were gathering for breakfast before venturing back out into the rain, Sharp was busy outlining something to his team mate ahead of another gruelling session.

It is a role - captain, cajoler and dressing room commander-in-chief - the 34-year-old centre-forward has performed many times before. And with four other players arriving at the Premier League club during last month’s transfer window, Sharp’s ability to help new faces integrate quickly are once again in demand.

“Billy runs things in there,” said Oliver Norwood, the United midfielder said, gesturing towards the squad’s training quarters. “Sharpy always has a chat and explains what is required of you because this is quite a demanding place in terms of what the fans demand from you.

“I don’t mean that in a bad way. Quite the opposite. They’ll back you to the hilt so long as you run around for 90 minutes and basically give everything. There’s no hiding place at Bramall Lane and you quickly realise that when you come here.

“I’ve seen a few people get swallowed up by it, who maybe haven’t realised their potential. But I wouldn’t say it’s a difficult club to play for. I think it’s a brilliant one to play for.”

The spotlight on United has arguably never been greater with Wilder’s side entering tomorrow’s game against Brighton and Hove Albion chasing Champions League qualification. Sixth in the Premier League table, they could finish the afternoon in fourth with only 11 matches remaining if they convincingly beat the visitors and Chelsea draw with Tottenham Hotspur.

United began their preparations for the fixture in Dubai, before returning to England for the second-half of the mid-season break. It was there, in the Middle East, where Berge, Panos Retsos, Richairo Zivkovic, Jack Rodwell and Jack Robinson were forced to complete the most nerve-wracking part of their induction to life at United.

“Sometimes you dread moving clubs because you know you’re going to have to do the initiation song,” Norwood said, revealing he chose ‘Summer of ‘69’ at his own unveiling before helping United win promotion last term. “It’s embarrassing, being asked to sing in front of 30 or 40 lads tapping their glasses and waving their serviettes at you.

“But it’s a football thing, every club does it, and once it’s over you think ‘I can relax now.’ It’s finally done.”

“It’s important though,” Norwood continued. “It’s frowned upon if you don’t do it and it can be really expensive if you don’t.

“Jags (Phil Jagielka) also did his over there, even though he came in over the summer. He’d been putting it off I think.”

United’s surge through the divisions - they were in League One when Wilder took charge four years ago - has been fuelled by a combination of talent, intelligent recruitment and team spirit.

A famously tight group - unlike many of his top-flight rivals, the manager still encourages his players to socialise together on a regular basis - that has led to accusations it can be difficult for people to win the confidence of Norwood and his colleagues.

Nothing he insisted, noting how the latest wave of new arrivals have already impressed behind the scenes, could be further from the truth.

“Yes, it’s a really strong dressing room and a demanding one,” Norwood acknowledged. “But so long as you’re willing to put the work in, roll-up your sleeves and graft, then you’ll fit straight in here.

“All we ask for is honesty and people who want to go that extra yard for their team mates. All we want is for everyone to be on the same page as us and the manager brings in people who are anyway. If they weren’t like that, they’d be quickly found out.”

“They are all great lads and they all want to be successful,” Norwood added. “It’s a great time to come here, with the way things are going. But I’m sure they’ll all have fitted straight in anyway even if results hadn’t been so good because they’re great lads and have got that outlook.”

Unlike United, who have won their last three outings in all competitions, Albion have found victories hard to come by of late. Fifteenth in the rankings, they travelled north searching for their first since December, when AFC Bournemouth were beaten at the AMEX Stadium.

Norwood, though, is convinced no one at United will be taking Albion lightly.

“I go back to my first game here, which was against Norwich,” Norwood said. “There was a bit of needle with them at the time and that was when, with how the fans were, I realised this was a proper football club. The type of place that demands something of you and the type of place you wanted to be.”