The speech which inspired Sheffield United's win over Sunderland and reinvigorated promotion push

Goals from James McAtee and Tommy Doyle, after Edouard Michut had fired Tony Mowbray’s men in front, saw United record what could be a pivotal victory in the race for automatic promotion from the Championship. Second in the table and now six points clear of third placed Middlesbrough with nine matches remaining, the result at the Stadium of Light calmed some of the fears surrounding a squad of players who had travelled to the North-East being warned their campaign was in danger of imploding after suffering four defeats in their previous six league outings.

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“I talked to the lads, literally just before we went out to warm-up, about the importance of blocking everything out - all of the stuff on social media and that - and just focusing on nothing but ourselves,” Heckingbottom told The Star. “You guts fill me in on some of it but, fortunately, I don’t take any notice of what’s being said. But because I’m not on any of those sites, I probably take it for granted that others can do the same.

“When you live in the city, when you are of a certain age, I suppose of course you’re going to see it and hear it. We beat Reading last week and we’re going up. We lose to Luton at the weekend and we’re not. Boro drop points and we’re back in it again. Now, it’s going to be all about us again.”

“We can’t get dragged into any of that,” Heckingbottom added. “If we do, then it will affect us and there’s far too much work to do yet for us to allow that to happen. This was the first time I really spelled it out to the lads.”

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Heckingbottom’s bold selection calls paid off handsomely, with McAtee and Doyle both writing their names on the scoresheet after Michut’s effort left United facing a huge test of character. Daniel Jebbison and George Baldock, who were also recalled, were praised by the 45-year-old afterwards although he did admit that Tony Mowbray, Sunderland’s manager, will have felt aggrieved that Sander Berge had not been adjudged offside before Doyle’s free-kick reached the back of the net.

He was right, as Mowbray later expressed his frustration at the officials’ interpretation of events and accused them of lacking “humility” when he attempted to question them on the decision afterwards.

“If I’m Tony, of course I’m frustrated,” said Heckingbottom. “But we are due about 10 of those and he (Berge) isn’t blocking their ‘keeper.”

With Middlesbrough being held to a draw by Stoke City 24 hours earlier, United knew the meeting with Sunderland represented an opportunity to reassert themselves in the race for Premier League football next term.

“The Middlesbrough result shouldn’t make a difference for us and it didn’t,” said Heckingbottom, as United’s attention turned towards Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final against Blackburn Rovers. “Am I glad they dropped points? Of course I am. Did the players watch it? Of course they will have done, because that’s human nature. But we can’t get wrapped up in any of that.”

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