Sheffield United’s play-off first leg success was built in the ruins of their disappointment

It could have been very, very different.

When Sheffield United learned a few weeks ago that if they were to reclaim their place in the Premier League it would have to be via the Play-Offs, everyone associated at the club may have been forgiven for having a little huff.

Automatic promotion was well within their grasp but a shocker of a week in early April where they lost three on the bounce meant that Leeds and Burnley would go on to sail away into the top flight sunset and leave four teams beneath them to battle it out for the opportunity to join the promoted pair on their journey.

The disappointment would have buried many a team. To know you were so close but then throw it away with three performances that were alien to that served up for the majority of the season, and in such close proximity .... the wheels could have easily fallen off.

Where Chris Wilder and his coaching staff deserve credit is when in those final few games of the regular campaign they set about turning the remaining games almost into a mini pre-season in preparation for what they hoped would be three massive games to complete their goal.

Players who had been on the fringes were given gametime to ensure that if they were called upon they were ready for action. A few who needed the rest were given it after toiling with the demands of the Championship for so long. And others coming back to fitness were given little cameos to help them prove they can be a factor in these final throes of the season.

That was all coupled with calmness. A serenity around the camp that wouldn't allow the negativity of what they had failed to achieve undermine what remained available to them.

In the past few weeks there have been smiles abound. Wilder, in his press conferences, has been uber-positive - a phrase he used himself to describe the feeling in the camp.

All of this also had Bristol City guessing and on Thursday night it showed. They won't have had a clue how United were going to line-up for that first leg and in which shape.

Rob Holding had been a steady influence for a couple of games and could easily have kept his place. Wilder went with Jack Robinson who would go on to put in a typically Jack Robinson perforamance.

The attack had been shuffled in that time, leaving little opportunity for the Robins to prepare. Kieffer Moore, another player who, like Robinson, had been something of a scapegoat in more difficult spells through the season, led the line and did so superbly. City simply couldn't cope with his physicality.

Kieffer Moore of Sheffield United is fouled by Rob Dickie of Bristol City, resulting in a red card being awarded during the Sky Bet Championship Play-Off Semi Final First Leg match between Bristol City and Sheffield United at Ashton Gate on May 08, 2025 in Bristol, England. (Photo by Harry Trump/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Meanwhile Rhian Brewster - signed for a lot of money to score goals - played in a position over on the right of midfield and his tireless running negated much of Liam Manning's side's threat on that side and also protected Hamza Choudhury who had come in at right back.

When the final whistle went and with the scoreline on Ashton Gate's big screen reading Bristol City 0 Sheffield United 3, little changed in the camp.

No big celebrations but a quick applause to the traveling fans and a few hugs along the way to recognise the success of Part One. Part Two comes on Monday and the mood has already been set.

A triple substitution in the second half showed that United can and will shuffle the pack again - Wilder probably already had that second leg team in his head.

The positivity and calmness he and his staff exuded in the past few weeks maintains the feel-good factor but they know it's only half a job done.

Sheffield United's 'mini pre-season' and Chris Wilder's approach has Blades dreaming of Wembley

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