Sheffield United legends roll back clock as record Bramall Lane crowd witness day to remember
Sheffield United legends roll back clock as record Bramall Lane crowd witness day to remember
As a fan, former player and now manager of Sheffield United, Chris Wilder has had some unforgettable days and nights at Bramall Lane. But by his own admission, Sunday was right up there. This occasion, though, wasn’t a promotion, or an iconic derby-day win.
Instead it was a day when United gave a proper send-off to decade-long servant Chris Basham, hailed some of their returning heroes and paid tribute to one who tragically couldn’t. On the second minute of the game ref Howard Webb stopped play for a minute’s applause in memory of George Baldock, with many clapping in the direction of the late right-back’s face on a flag draped on the Kop.
But the big winner of the day was Weston Park hospice, a jewel in this great city’s crown who are looking to install a revolutionary cancer scanner that will change so many lives in this region and beyond. Early on in the planning process, Basham anticipated that the attendance may be similar to that of early-season League Cup games, perhaps five or six thousand. A crowd of more than 17,000 broke the record for any testimonial in the Blades’ history. It was a fitting turnout for such a superb cause.
“To go last week again to Weston Park, it touched my heart,” said Basham afterwards. “It meant so much and to have 17,000 people turn out for me and the boys meant the world to me. To have so many people supporting such a great cause and such a great bunch of people ... it was fantastic to see.”
Those in attendance, with many more watching from home on a live stream, were treated to some of the class of 2016/17 turning back the clock. The holy trinity of Paul Coutts, John Fleck and Mark Duffy bonded again instantly in midfield; Billy Sharp did what Billy Sharp does and scored goals.
Only a couple of offside decisions denied him a hat-trick after an acrobatic second that any striker in the country would have been proud of, never mind one aged 39 and playing in a charity game. But no goal at Bramall Lane is ordinary for Sharp and his celebration showed how much it meant, sprinting away before theatrically taunting opposition manager Steve Bracknell who played the pantomime villain so perfectly all afternoon.
Basham, still visibly feeling the after-effects of the horror injury that prematurely curtailed his career, started the game before emotionally making way early on, accompanied by his wife and children. As well as those that Wilder described as “main actors,” unsung heroes of yesteryear such as Martin Cranie, Gary Madine and Bob Harris enjoyed the adulation of the crowd one last time.
At full-time Cranie, an underappreciated member of the squad that got into the Premier League in 2018/19, stood transfixed in front of a packed south stand and looked to be just savouring every single second. Before the game he had been mobbed in the car park by fans eager for autographs and selfies. He played a grand total of 16 times for the Blades, but will forever be a part of its fabric.
It was an afternoon that, without getting too sentimental, highlighted the very best of this football club. So many people behind the scenes ensured the day was a success, led by head of operations Dave McCarthy, but Wilder and Sharp drove it forward in terms of what happened on the field. Both had full focus on promotion battles at their respective clubs, with Sharp helping Doncaster Rovers to the League Two title, but their commitment to the day spoke volumes for their commitment both to Basham and Weston Park.
Afterwards, on the Bramall Lane pitch for one last time, double promotion-winner Coutts talked about the group being more like brothers than former teammates and as they congregated before the game in a hospitality suite, the affection was obvious. Some did great things for this club; some, such as Jake Eastwood and Terry Kennedy, had more fleeting roles. But days like Sunday showed that there will always be a place for them at Bramall Lane.
“The journey we went on was incredible, with players that I love,” said an emotional Wilder afterwards. “I still don't think people the club the respect it deserves in terms of finishing ninth in the Premier League, with a group who have a special bond of brothers. Today just shows what a proper football club Sheffield United is, with everything that's happened on the inside and the outside to make this incredible day happen.
“Walking around at the end was really special, to acknowledge the journey of that team. People achieve things in their careers, and then they go. They may come back as a sub, like Enda did, and they get a round of applause but never really get the acknowledgement that they should get.
“And today was part of that, with a bigger part raising an incredible amount of money for a bit of kid that others have had and we should have had. Hopefully now we're on the way to achieving that.”
The game was entertaining, too, with the United side running out 4-2 winners over a Sky Sports XI featuring a number of guest players and, towards the end, fielding about 22 of them at once in a bid to get back into the game.
United cult hero Paddy Kenny was in inspired form to keep the Blades’ side, and Sharp in particular, at bay, with a stunning save in the second half to tip Coutts’ curling effort onto the bar reminiscent of his prime.
A couple of the YouTubers held their own, too, and it was no surprise to discover afterwards that Lee Jung-Jin, who wore a head-mounted camera throughout the game and scored a couple of goals, counts Real Madrid’s reserve team amongst his former clubs.
A word, as well, for Bracknell, the social media sensation who leaned heavily on his Wednesday allegiances but was a brilliant sport. The game came almost a year to the day since he lost his father to this terrible disease and while the cross-city rivalry in Sheffield is a fierce one, it’s also true that cancer has no colours. Football may be the most important of the least important things, but days like this really put it into perspective.