Fall-outs, derby doubles and seven-hour journeys: Nine memorable Sheffield United Boxing Day games
It's the most wonderful time of the year... for football fans especially.
By Danny Hall
Published 25th Dec 2020, 17:00 BST
There's nothing quite like the tradition of Boxing Day football and for Sheffield United, there have certainly been some interesting games of the 26th of December... both good and bad.
So ahead of tomorrow's clash with Everton, we had a look back through the archives to remember nine classic Christmas crackers. (Sorry).
United's clash with Port Vale wasn't particularly eventful on the field - Vale winning 2-1, Jamal Campbell-Ryce scoring the Blades' goal - but the weather that day is what sticks in the mind of many of the 2,600 Blades fans at the game that day. Heavy snow disrupted the journey home and some returned to Sheffield more than seven hours after leaving Vale Park Photo: MARTYN HARRISON
In the second of his three spells at the Blades, Brian Deane scored a 90th-minute equaliser at Stoke City to send the travelling fans back to Sheffield with smiles on their faces. Peter Thorne thought he had won it for the hosts when he made it 2-1 in the 86th minute, before Deane pounced late on Photo: Steve Parkin
Ian Bennett was a surprise name on the teamsheet for the Blades' Boxing Day clash with Wolves - and no-one was more surprised than the man himself, who'd had an extra bowl of trifle at the hotel and was now told he was playing. Boss Kevin Blackwell had fallen out with Paddy Kenny on Christmas Day and after future Blade Neill Collins put Wolves ahead, James Beattie rescued a point for the Blades - who went on to lose in the play-off final Photo: PA Wire
A memorable Christmas for Carl Asaba as the striker scored twice to seal a 2-1 victory away at Bradford City. Asaba had the Blades 2-0 up 10 minutes into the second half, before future Blades striker Ashley Ward pulled one back on the hour mark. United finished the season 13th, 15 points adrift of the play-offs and 11 clear of relegation Photo: BRUCE ROLLINSON
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