Sheffield United ‘a million miles away’ from where they want to be says Paul Heckingbottom

A valiant second-half comeback from the Blades forced extra time in their semi-final second leg but it was Forest who progressed to the final at Wembley after winning 3-2 on penalties.

Steve Cooper’s side now have the chance to return to the top flight for the first time since 1999.

Meanwhile, Heckingbottom’s Blades are set for a second year in the Championship following last season’s relegation from the Premier League.

"You feel like you are so close to getting where you want to be and then it’s gone now and we start again,” said Heckingbottom, who took over when United were sixteenth in late November before overseeing a fifth-placed finish.

"We are a million miles away again.”

Goals from Morgan Gibbs-White and John Fleck meant the Blades won the second leg at the City Ground 2-1 to take the game to sudden death, with the overall score tied at 3-3.

They could have scored more, but for the heroics of Forest goalkeeper Brice Samba, who twice denied Iliman Ndiaye from close range.

Later, in the penalty shoot-out, he saved spot kicks from Ollie Norwood, Conor Hourihane and Gibbs-White to send his side through to play Huddersfield a week on Sunday.

Heckingbottom added: “Samba, credit to him, he’s made that save and kept them in the tie. Then he saved the penalties.

"Big congratulations to Steve and his staff. They are the moments that hurt, but they are the fine margins.”