Alan Biggs on Patrick Bamford and his impact this season on Sheffield United

Patrick Bamford is more than just the surprise package of Sheffield United’s season … he’s also a man full of surprises.

Bramall Lane has opened up a new box of tricks from the former Leeds striker whose recruitment as a free agent was widely regarded as a shot-to-nothing. Well, he’s shot to the role of top gun.

Eye-opener number one for me, rightly or wrongly, is that I’d never previously regarded Bamford as a centre forward in the traditional sense.

Yet that was precisely how Blades boss Chris Wilder saw him, beyond being a clever poacher of goals.

And Wilder’s judgment has been vindicated by a series of strong line-leading displays - besides an excellent strike rate of nine goals so far.

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Then there was Bamford standing in as captain when Japhet Tanganga was suspended. Didn’t see that one coming either, not from his previous.

As Wilder told me with a chuckle: “People 40 miles up the motorway must be wondering what’s going off.”

Maybe the 32-year-old’s sending off for a second yellow card for diving, after starring in the win over Ipswich, was closer to some Elland Road expectations!

But it’s not like Bamford to be without new strings to his bow. As his Wikipedia page records, he plays the violin, piano, guitar and saxophone. Besides being conversational in French, Spanish and German.

No wonder his United displays have marked him out for intelligence as well as effectiveness.

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Bamford dropped to the bench for last Saturday’s win at QPR but “rested” was definitely the more accurate term.

He’s more than earned the right to be United’s number one striker ahead of Tom Cannon and Tyrese Campbell whose re-emergence was marked by a goal at Loftus Road.

Those line-leading shifts, especially solo, are physically punishing but Bamford is clearly revelling in the responsibility, producing a fine all-round game.