Sheffield United fans told 'These players care, they're not complacent'

The win at Carrow Road, coupled with Middlesbrough’s shock defeat by Huddersfield Town, means United enter the final eight games of the Championship season second in the table and six points clear of Michael Carrick’s third-placed side.

Heckingbottom and his squad refused to conceal their delight following the final whistle, marching across the pitch to milk the applause of a delirious away end before retreating back down the tunnel and switching their focus towards Friday’s game against Wigan Athletic.

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But warning the battle to reach the Premier League is still far from over, with a trip to runaway leaders Burnley also looming on the horizon, Heckingbottom told The Star: “It’s important to celebrate every success because you have to work damn hard to achieve one, especially at somewhere like this. It’s what we play for and it shows the lads care. It tells the supporters they know what it’s all about, that they have got that same passion and that there’s a connection between them. The people who come to watch us, they know that and they appreciate it. The same way we appreciate and value them.”

“Everyone here cares, us as staff too,” Heckingbottom added. “But we know there’s a lot of work to do yet and that nothing is decided. Nothing. The scenes at the end, it just shows that there’s a connection and that we want to enjoy things like this together.”

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The 45-year-old, who acknowledged Luton Town are now a threat to United’s top-flight hopes after they dispatched Watford to draw level on points with Middlesbrough, insisted he was unaware of the result at Huddersfield despite hearing United’s followers chant ‘There’s only one Neil Warnock’ during the closing stages of the contest. Warnock, Heckingbottom’s legendary predecessor, is now in charge at the John Smith’s Stadium.

“We didn’t know until we got back in the dressing room,” he said. “We knew Boro were up at half-time because we heard the PA announcer say so. Obviously we knew something was going on there (at Huddersfield) because of what was being sung. But as far as we knew, it could have been an equaliser. No one on the bench was really talking about it.”

“The only results we focus on are our results,” Heckingbottom added. “Our focus is on what we do. It can’t be on what other people do, because we have got to try and take care of ourselves.”

James McAtee’s strike just past the hour mark proved enough to settle United’s meeting with David Wagner’s men. The German felt the effort should have been disallowed for an offside during the build-up but conceded “We were beaten by the better team” before predicting United will finish second.

“From what I’ve seen, and also the position they are in, yes, I think they will go up,” Wagner said. “From the people they are able to bring on, players with real experience who know what they are doing, I believe United will get to where they want.”

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