Sheffield United, or the ‘blade’s as they’re nicknamed, are a name, or a team rather, that are synonymous with British football. They are among the oldest teams in the football league, having been founded 135 years ago, and currently reside at Bramall Lane, a venue that has stood the test of time and currently has a capacity of just over 32,000. Their nickname stems from the city’s history of producing cutlery, and they have their derby rivals who share the same city with them called Sheffield Wednesday, with the derby that has become less common lately due to the shifting of leagues between the two clubs being known as the Steel City Derby.
Will Sheffield United go back up?
Today, however, the focus is on what we think bitedge.com rates the chances of the Blades returning to the Premier League. Believe it or not if you can’t recollect, but the club were in fact founding members of the PL back in the 1992/93 season, also being the club that scored the debut goal of the entire league that since then has seen thousands of goals scored. Unfortunately, however, they were relegated a couple of years later, and since then, that seems to have been the trend, bouncing between the Premier League and the Championship, with the most recent example of this being promoted in the 22/23 season, and then in the season just gone, they were relegated again.
A poor season in the PL
So the spotlight is on: what are the chances in the upcoming 24/25 season that they will be promoted back to the Premier League? Well, firstly, we need to have a look to see if there is going to be any transfer activity before the window closes in just over a month’s time. And it won’t be surprising if you see some players wanting to ‘jump ship’ so to speak, as it really was a poor performance from the team overall last season, recording just 16 points in their relegation season from the Premier League, which is the third lowest since its inception (which of course they were part of) many years ago.
And so it was a rather humbling season for the Blades, which of course puts doubts in the back of people’s minds, including the fans, over whether they have the resilience to improve to a level that will see them bounce back immediately.
Points deduction
Well, it’s not looking good for the blades even before a ball has been kicked. The club unfortunately starts the season with a 2-point deduction and an additional 2-point suspension. This is in relation, however, not to the season that they were in the Premier League, but instead to when they were in the Championship during the 22/23 season, the year that they got promoted. Hence the reason that the punishment is only being applied now that they are back in the championship. The reason for this, as you might have guessed, already relates to finances. Despite having earned Premier League TV and prize money in three of the last five campains, the blade defaulted on a number of payments to other clubs, and what they’ve got hanging over them is that if they do this again, the two suspended points get activated.
What are the chances?
However, the underdog story is one that is always possible in football, and the club has a loyal and large following that has stuck with them through the trials and tribulations that the club has endured in the past, so they won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. They likewise want to see their club not only reach the Premier League again but also settle there and not be bouncing between relegation and promotion all the time. We all know just how difficult it is to stay in the Premier League, but at the same time, it’s no secret how lucrative it can be for those who manage to stay up. Being a Premier League club that is settled in the top league also makes the Blades a much more attractive destination for any players that they might be trying to poach from the competition.
In Summary
Hopefully, today we have given you a clear and thorough insight into the current state of affairs at Sheffield United and how they might fare in the upcoming season. As always, there is nothing that can be forecast accurately in football. We could see a season where Sheffield United dominate and get promoted, even with their points deduction. Likewise, with all of the external stuff going on at the club, it would be unlikely, but could we see back-to-back relegations and for the Blades to find themselves in League One just two seasons after they were in the top flight?
