Sheffield United icon Billy Sharp rejects claims he 'bottled' taking penalty against Sheffield Wednesday
Blades legend Sharp recently announced his retirement from football
Billy Sharp has rejected claims that he ‘bottled’ taking a penalty against Sheffield Wednesday in the 2018 derby at Bramall Lane.
The Blades were awarded a spot-kick in the first-half when Morgan Fox clipped Mark Duffy in the box. Many expected Blades hero and die-hard United fan Sharp to take it but instead David McGoldrick stepped up and saw his effort tipped around the post by Cameron Dawson. United dominated the match but could not find the breakthrough and it finished goalless.
Sharp, 40, has been reflecting on his career after announcing his retirement. The striker has hung up his boots after 299 goals across 22 years, winning promotions with the Blades, Doncaster Rovers, Southampton and Scunthorpe United.
Explaining why he did not take that penalty against Wednesday, he told BBC Radio Sheffield: “That was out of respect. I wanted that penalty that night, and I think if I had said to Didzy [McGoldrick], ‘Didzy give me the penalty’, he'd have given it to me. But I think I missed one a few weeks before, which didn't bother me, I always wanted to take them after I missed, but there was always a sheet that went up in the changing room, and I had to respect my manager's decision that night. Only he can answer this...Chris Wilder gave the penalty that night to David McGoldrick because he scored one the week before. I think he thought it was the best for that because of the emotion and the connection.”
Sharp, who joked that he hoped McGoldrick missed so he could score the rebound, continued: “Didzy was distraught that he missed that penalty. Part of me feels like I should have grabbed the ball off him. But I had responsibility as captain, and I respected the manager's decision, and I had full belief that Didzy would score. But it wasn't to be that night. That is the explanation. It wasn't that I bottled it because I've never bottled anything in my career, and I've always took on when I've had negative criticism as well.”
As a boyhood Blades fan, it is no surprise that Sharp says he ‘hated’ Wednesday as a youngster. Those feelings are still there, of course, but there is lot of ‘respect’ too.
He said: “When I was a kid growing up, as a Sheffield United fan, I hated Sheffield Wednesday. Listen, I still hate Sheffield Wednesday but in a different way. I respect that club, I've got friends there, the assistant manager Pete Shuttleworth, is there now, I play a lot of padel with him. I want both clubs to be in the Premier League. I've got a lot of respect for that club but I obviously love Sheffield United.”
Wednesdayites like to remind Sharp that he never scored against them in a Sheffield derby, but the Blades icon did net the winner against them for Doncaster Rovers in December 2009.
He said: “People say I've never scored against Sheffield Wednesday for Sheffield United - I haven't. Would I like to have done? Of course, I would. I have got the one for Doncaster and it was the winner, I think people seem to forget that. But listen, it wasn't about me that night. It was about Sheffield United, and it was about us trying to get three points. Fair play to Sheffield Wednesday, they kept us out that night.”
Sharp, who finished his career at Rovers, scored a hat-trick on the final day of last season and had a fourth ruled out for offside which would have been his 300th in total. The forward, who explained that he wanted to end his career on his terms and not have it taken away from him due to injury, has now signed up to play in the Baller League, an indoor six-a-side football competition featuring ex-pros and celebrities.