Sheffield United: Familiar faces set for pre-season clash
and live on Freeview channel 276
The match, one of two warm-up fixtures taking place behind closed doors, is set to be staged at an as yet undisclosed venue on Tuesday 19 July.
It means United will take part in six matches ahead of their first assignment of the new Championship season - a visit to Watford on August 1st. The first of those takes place in Portugal shortly, with Paul Heckingbottom’s squad set to close a week long warm weather training camp with a meeting against newly promoted Casa Pia a week on Friday.
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Hide AdLike United, Town were beaten in the play-offs last term - losing the League Two showpiece to Port Vale on a day to forget at Wembley. Stephen Quinn and Jamie Murphy, also previously of Bramall Lane, took part in that contest which finished 3-0 in Vale’s favour. Earlier that month, United’s promotion hopes were dashed at the semi-final stage. After their clash with Nottingham Forest ended 3-3 on aggregate, the tie was settled on penalties with Steve Cooper’s men advancing before going on to reach the Premier League.
Clough spent two years in charge of United before departing in the summer of 2015, after they were beaten in League One’s end of season knockouts. Despite being a third tier side at the time, United reached the last four of both major domestic cup competitions during his spell in charge.
Heckingbottom, who is still waiting to unveil his first signing of the transfer window despite being linked with a flurry of names, has also organised games with Lincoln City, Scunthorpe United, Burton Albion and Barnsley ahead of the trip to Hertfordshire. The clash with Lincoln has also been designated a behind closed doors contest. Venues for both that outing and the date with Mansfield are yet to be announced.
United have not outlined why supporters will not be admitted to either that or the contest with Town. However, both matches are expected to be streamed live on the club’s in-house television channel.