Sheffield United: Manager delivers important message to the fans as new season starts
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United return to action with a visit to Watford tonight, their first competitive outings since being beaten in the play-off semi-final last term.
New signings Anel Ahmedhodzic, Ciaran Clark and Reda Khadra could all make their debuts against Rob Edwards’ side, who are among the favourites to go up after being relegated from the Premier League three months ago.
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Hide AdAsked by The Star if he had a message for United’s fans before travelling to Hertfordshire, Heckingbottom replied: “Yes, I hope they are as excited about what’s ahead of us as I am.
“I also want even more from them next season, I’ll be honest, because they genuinely don’t know what a difference they made, what a help they were, to the lads last time out.
“I think they know they’ll always get 100 percent from us on the pitch. To protect the club, I’ll always demand the very best, absolutely everything, from the players.
“But there’s going to be times when we’re going to need them, the supporters, to help us win matches and, believe me, that’s something they can do.”
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Hide AdUnited will stage their opening match of the campaign when Millwall travel to South Yorkshire on Saturday and Heckingbottom added: “Away from home, the fans have always been brilliant and also at home. Bramall Lane is so important to us, such an important weapon for our club.
“I’d love the fans to win us games this season. It’s an amazing feeling, genuinely, playing in front of them.”
Having spent two of the previous three seasons at the highest level themselves, and having climbed from 16th to fifth in the table since his appointment in November last term, Heckingbottom confessed on Thursday that anything other than a top six finish will be “disappointing.”
“I know just how powerful our fans can be,” the former Barnsley and Leeds chief said, “Coming here as an away manager. I’d love to have even more control of the crowd, being able to turn the atmosphere really on like a tap. The fans are so important for us.”