SHEFFIELD UNITED ARE heading for the Premier League once again.
The Blades effectively clinched promotion with a 2-0 win against Ipswich Town in the penultimate round of Championship fixtures on Saturday evening.
Chris Wilder’s side are now six points clear of third-placed Leeds United who play their game in hand against Aston Villa on Sunday.
Crucially, Sheffield United’s goal difference of 37 is far superior to Leeds’ 24 which means that — barring the unlikely scenario of two Leeds wins, a Sheffield United defeat on the final day, and a 13-goal swing — the promotion party at Bramall Lane can start.
Sheffield United’s squad currently boasts four Irish internationals with Enda Stevens, John Egan, David McGoldrick and Scott Hogan, who is on loan from Aston Villa.
It was Hogan opened the scoring after 24 minutes and United wrapped up all three points when Jack O’Connell scored in the 71st minute.
“We’ve had tough times here as a football club and this is a huge day for all of us,” Wilder told Sky Sports.
“We went for the jugular to get the second goal and we just gave it everything.”
It is a second promotion in three seasons for Sheffield United, marking their return to the top flight for the first time since 2006/2007.
Updated 19.47: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that this was a second successive promotion for Sheffield United; it is their second promotion in three seasons.
Subscribe to our new podcast, The42 Rugby Weekly, here:
It’ll be interesting to see which anthem is played before the match in Belfast….and how annoyed people get whichever one is used!
@Kevin Brett: Surely just do Ireland’s Call
@Kevin Brett: oh cripes I didn’t think of that. I still remember clenching my teeth and fists listening to the UK anthem in Croke Park.
@Kevin Brett: pre 2007 world cup we played Italy in ravenhill , paisley jr having a hissy fit that only irelands call was going to be played
@Kevin Brett: It’ll be Ireland’s Call with nothing else.
@Anna Carr: Protocol (should I use that word) says ‘God Save The Queen’ as the anthem of the host country followed by ‘Ireland’s Call’ as the anthem of the host union.
@Anna Carr: Why were you so upset? Surely we, as a nation, have moved on? And the respect that ‘God Save The Queen’ was given that day was fabulous.
@Anna Carr: No such thing as a UK anthem.
@Eoin Roche: I thought that was all there was? There aren’t official anthems for the constituent territories but for the Union there is.
@sean o’dhubhghaill: that is the protocol yes as explained as why Amhrán na bhFiann is played in Dublin in advance of Irelands call. Will be interesting alright
Would ya look at the legs and muscles on Parsons! No wonder she’s one of the fastest players on the field, some engines built in to those legs! Looking forward to seeing her tear it up in the 6N’s.
I wonder how Aviva will react to this. Didn’t their sponsorship of the stadium come with a proviso that all capped Irish games had to be in Lansdowne Road? I just recall being livid that the Irish first team game at Thomond Park was uncapped for sponsorship reasons and that it robbed Nevin Spence of his senior cap.
@SomeGuy: did you read the headline ? It’s the womens game so I doubt Aviva will care !