Championship club need to break worst curse in English football to reach Premier League
Sheffield United head into their clash with Bristol City on Thursday with the worst play-off record in English football history. The Blades have failed to win promotion from any of their previous nine post-season campaigns. Sheffield United must overcome the worst play-off record in history to win promotionGetty Images - Getty The Blades have failed to go up in any of their previous nine post-season campaignsGetty Images - Getty Those play-off heartbreaks have occurred across the Championship and League One since the format was introduced in 1987. In the 38 years since, only Huddersfield, Brentford and Preston have appeared in the play-offs more than United with ten each. However, all three of those sides have gone on to clinch promotion at least once. United’s play-off heartache has also seen them fail to score in any of their four final appearances. Their most recently end of season trip to Wembley Stadium saw them beaten on penalties by Huddersfield in the 2012 League One play-off final. That defeat has since been followed by three semi-final exits, including to Nottingham Forest in 2022. Manager Chris Wilder is preparing for his first play-off campaign with United, having previously tasted success elsewhere. The Blades boss won promotion into the Football League via the play-offs with Oxford back in 2010. Speaking ahead of this week’s first leg, Wilder explained: “I’ve had a little taste of (play-off success) in 2010 and as everybody says, the way to go up is through the play-offs and at Wembley. “But we’ve got two unbelievably difficult games before that. United have failed to score in their four play-off final appearancesGetty Images - Getty The Blades take on Bristol City in the Championship play-offs this weekGetty Images - Getty “I’ve got too much respect for the game, the opposition, their manager and their club to think that because we are points ahead in the league standings and come out of the Premier League that this is going to be straightforward. It isn’t.” United ended the league season in third place behind Leeds and Burnley. In doing so, the Blades became only the third team in history to reach 90 points in the second tier and not go up automatically. Their reward is a two-legged clash with sixth place Bristol City for a place at Wembley. The two sides meet in the first leg at Ashton Gate on Thursday night before the reverse fixture at Bramall Lane on Monday. United won their league visit to the Robins in November thanks to Harrison Burrows’ winner in the eighth minute of stoppage time. Sheffield United's play-off record 1988 – Beaten in Division Three semi-final by Bristol City* 1997 – Beaten in Division One final by Crystal Palace 1998 – Beaten in Division One semi-final by Sunderland 2003 – Beaten in Division One final by Wolves 2009 – Beaten in Championship final by Burnley 2012 – Beaten in League One final by Huddersfield 2013 – Beaten in League One semi-final by Yeovil 2015 – Beaten in League One semi-final by Swindon 2022 – Beaten in Championship semi-final by Nottingham Forest Meanwhile, their March clash in South Yorkshire ended in a 1-1 draw after Mark Sykes snatched a late equaliser for the visitors. Either Sunderland or Coventry await the winner in the final on May 24.
Sheffield United head into their clash with Bristol City on Thursday with the worst play-off record in English football history.
The Blades have failed to win promotion from any of their previous nine post-season campaigns.
Those play-off heartbreaks have occurred across the Championship and League One since the format was introduced in 1987.
In the 38 years since, only Huddersfield, Brentford and Preston have appeared in the play-offs more than United with ten each.
However, all three of those sides have gone on to clinch promotion at least once.
United’s play-off heartache has also seen them fail to score in any of their four final appearances.
Their most recently end of season trip to Wembley Stadium saw them beaten on penalties by Huddersfield in the 2012 League One play-off final.
That defeat has since been followed by three semi-final exits, including to Nottingham Forest in 2022.
Manager Chris Wilder is preparing for his first play-off campaign with United, having previously tasted success elsewhere.
The Blades boss won promotion into the Football League via the play-offs with Oxford back in 2010.
Speaking ahead of this week’s first leg, Wilder explained: “I’ve had a little taste of (play-off success) in 2010 and as everybody says, the way to go up is through the play-offs and at Wembley.
“But we’ve got two unbelievably difficult games before that.
“I’ve got too much respect for the game, the opposition, their manager and their club to think that because we are points ahead in the league standings and come out of the Premier League that this is going to be straightforward. It isn’t.”
United ended the league season in third place behind Leeds and Burnley.
In doing so, the Blades became only the third team in history to reach 90 points in the second tier and not go up automatically.
Their reward is a two-legged clash with sixth place Bristol City for a place at Wembley.
The two sides meet in the first leg at Ashton Gate on Thursday night before the reverse fixture at Bramall Lane on Monday.
United won their league visit to the Robins in November thanks to Harrison Burrows’ winner in the eighth minute of stoppage time.
Sheffield United's play-off record
1988 – Beaten in Division Three semi-final by Bristol City*
1997 – Beaten in Division One final by Crystal Palace
1998 – Beaten in Division One semi-final by Sunderland
2003 – Beaten in Division One final by Wolves
2009 – Beaten in Championship final by Burnley
2012 – Beaten in League One final by Huddersfield
2013 – Beaten in League One semi-final by Yeovil
2015 – Beaten in League One semi-final by Swindon
2022 – Beaten in Championship semi-final by Nottingham Forest
Meanwhile, their March clash in South Yorkshire ended in a 1-1 draw after Mark Sykes snatched a late equaliser for the visitors.
Either Sunderland or Coventry await the winner in the final on May 24.
