Sheffield United's promotion-winning squad will be bonded for life, says an emotional John Egan

Two seasons after being relegated from the top-flight and 11 months since being beaten in the Championship play-offs, Paul Heckingbottom’s side marched back into the top-flight via the shortest possible route following a 2-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion.

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With Heckingbottom also guiding his team into the semi-finals of the FA Cup, second-half goals from Sander Berge and Anel Ahmedhodzic saw second placed United establish an unassailable lead over Luton Town in third with three matches to spare.

Afterwards, a visibly emotional Egan insisted the camaraderie which exists behind the scenes at Bramall Lane has been a driving force behind their climb out of the second tier.

“We’ll be looking back on this in 20 years time and talking about the memories we’ve just made,” the centre-half, a veteran of the last United side to reach the highest level of the game. “Because that’s what we’ve just made out there together - some amazing memories that are going to be with us for life.

“We’re more than just teammates. We’re friends too. And that counts for a lot. I think it’s made a real difference.”

Berge, who insisted he wanted to remain in South Yorkshire during the January transfer window despite attracting interest from Newcastle, opened the scoring soon after the interval when Iliman Ndiaye intercepted a misdirected back pass. Ahmedhodzic put the game beyond Albion’s reach when he turned a George Baldock shot past Alex Palmer.

“The lads deserve it,” Egan said. “No one can take this away from us.”

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