Wembley no place for losers as Sheffield United take inspiration from cup winners after Dean Henderson chat

Sheffield United can take inspiration from the cup successes of Newcastle United and Crystal Palace already this season as they look to end their own long Wembley drought against Sunderland this weekend. The Blades have gone exactly a century without a win at the national stadium, with their last success the 1925 FA Cup win over Cardiff.

But they weren’t alone in a long wait for silverware, with Newcastle going 70 years without a domestic trophy before they lifted the Carabao Cup earlier this term before Crystal Palace won the first major honour in their history by beating Manchester City to the FA Cup at the weekend.

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United’s poor past record in the play-offs is not playing on their players’ minds as they look to make history, with boss Chris Wilder also having fond memories of Wembley from his time at Oxford United. He led them back into the Football League via play-off glory back in 2010, at a time when the very future of the club could have been at stake had they not beaten York City on that memorable day.

“It’s not a place for losers, is it?” said Wilder of the experience of Wembley. “Watching the cup final last weekend, you saw the contrast between arguably one of the best teams in the country over the past 10 years against an outsider in Crystal Palace, with the joy and the elation.

“We’ve got some connections there with Dean Henderson, obviously, and I’m delighted for Dean. But Manchester City have won everything that’s to be won in European football and domestic football, but they still felt that disappointment and that pain.

“So it’s no place to lose, as everybody talks about. A lot of people talk about it being the best way to go up. I’ve been consistent with that, I would have rather have gone up automatically, but we have another opportunity awaiting us on Saturday afternoon.”

Henderson was a firm fans’ favourite during his two loan spells at Bramall Lane from Manchester United and has flourished after moving to Palace in a permanent deal, saving a penalty to help Oliver Glasner’s side win the trophy and then dedicating the victory to his late father Dougie who sadly passed away with cancer before the start of this season.

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Wilder remains in contact with the England international, who will no doubt be an interested spectator this weekend when the Blades look to get back into the Premier League at the first attempt by beating Sunderland at Wembley.

“I dropped Dean a text, and I’ve got one back as well,” Wilder added. “I’m delighted for Dean. He was outstanding on the day and he was a major player in terms of them lifting the trophy. And it was good to see as well. I thought from a neutral’s point of view, Newcastle winning in the Carabao Cup and Crystal Palace winning in the FA Cup as well ... I think it’s good for the game.”

And a good omen, perhaps, for the Blades as they look to make their own slice of history on English football’s grandest stage.