Sheffield United fans should be excited about the future after three-in-row achievement

Blades’ youngsters seal third title in a row, suggesting future is very bright at Bramall Lane
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The future looks very bright for Sheffield United at youth level after the Blades’ U21 side were crowned champions of their division yesterday - for the THIRD year in a row.

Results elsewhere means United’s huge 19-point lead at the top of the Professional Development League North can not be matched, in a week in which the young Blades hammered a Burnley side containing a number of first-team players 4-0 at Bramall Lane.

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The young Blades have lost just three times all season, with the likes of Oli Arblaster, Louie Marsh and Will Osula all playing their part and knocking on the door of the first team.

They couldn’t ask for a better pathway, with former U23s boss Paul Heckingbottom in charge of the first-team, and all three have been in and around first-team environments this season to further their early development.

The next challenge will be stepping up to play higher-calibre opposition, with three titles in a row suggesting they have certainly outgrown their current level. But that is on hold until United can achieve category one academy status and secure the relevant upgrades to their training facilities.

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As well as the pathway to the first-team, there is a clear set of standards and values coming the other way and the young hopefuls hoping to break into Heckingbottom’s plans are made completely aware of what is expected of them. In charge of the U23s is former Bradford City coach Michael Collins, with ex-Blades full-back Derek Geary overseeing the academy set-up as a whole.

"We try and mirror the first team as much as we can," Collins said. "I am fortunate to see a lot of what they do with the first team and my job, essentially, is to bring those messages down and make sure the U21 lads are aware of them.

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"They know the standards that Hecky expects. He is very firm in his belief of how he wants to play and how players need to be able to handle that. It's our job, as coaches in the academy, to make sure they are ready for that for when they step up.

“At this level it’s brilliant to win, but we are realistic. The jump to get into his first team is huge, especially with what's at stake. Those lads, if they are going to go up and be around it, they have got to be prepared for that.

“You are going from under-21s football into a promotion chase for the Premier League. That’s one hell of a jump, but we try and mirror how Hecky works. Results have been good, but they are not the be-all and end-all. We want competitive lads pushing as hard as they can."

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