Sheffield United struck gold with double transfer – It transformed the Blades
Although Sheffield United has been a consistent contender for promotion in recent years, the team was in a terrible
place ten years ago.
After what was first believed to be a fast drop down and reset in the third tier, the Blades lasted six years in League
One, including three unsuccessful play-off campaigns.
Two newcomers that would later become part of Bramall Lane legend arrived during the summer of 2016.
Jack O’Connell and John Fleck, who joined from Brentford and Coventry City, respectively, were crucial to Sheffield
United’s ascent through the divisions, and the team continues to reap the rewards of the amazing time.
Transformed Blades fly to the Championship
Chris Wilder’s team needed a shakeup following a mid-table result in the 2015–16 season, and Fleck and O’Connell
were among the names that arrived in the summer before the 2016–17 season.
In an interview with club media, Wilder said, “I’m thrilled that the board has supported this signing because Jack is
an exciting talent.”
“John is an outstanding midfield player in League One, and we believe he can play at a higher level.”
With just six losses, Wilder’s team would secure their return to the second division as the Blades swept to the League
One title.
Fleck and O’Connell were regulars, with midfielder Fleck providing 15 assists throughout the campaign. And both
were seemingly more than ready to make the step-up to the Championship.
And this would be the case, with the club securing a top-half finish in their first year back, and even finding
themselves part of the promotion race for large parts.
Sheffield United did the unthinkable – they went one step further
Fleck and O’Connell both played key roles in the club’s incredible promotion campaign three years after they arrived,
which saw them return to the Premier League for the first time since their 2007 relegation.
Fleck was at the centre of everything good in the middle of the park, much as he was back in League One. His
bulldog-like style created attacking opportunities from a number of angles, and his deliveries into the box created
mayhem.
O’Connell flourished in Wilder’s unorthodox environment. His forward runs, together with those of Chris Basham, as
an overlapping centre-back, became a defining characteristic of the Blades’ style of play.
| Jack O’Connell, John Fleck Sheffield United league stats (FBRef) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jack O’Connell | John Fleck | |
| Appearances | 166 | 256 |
| Starts | 161 | 230 |
| Goals | 6 | 15 |
| Assists | 10 | 39 |
He was equally impressive defensively, as United finished second in the Championship behind a dominating
Norwich team in 2018–19, giving up just 41 goals.
And this will remain the same even after promotion. Working under the same system and having faith in the same
team that won League One two years ago in 2017.
After an amazing Premier League season that would have gone differently had it not been for the COVID-19-affected
ending, the Blades finished ninth.
Both players’ careers would be at their height at this point, with O’Connell’s being cut short by a knee injury. After
being demoted back to the second division in 2021, Fleck remained a crucial member of the team, contributing to
another drive for promotion in both 2021–2022 and 2022–2023.
After seven and a half years at Bramall Lane, Fleck departed the team in the winter of 2023. Fleck and O’Connell
combined for more than 400 league games while wearing the red and white uniform.
For Sheffield United, choices made before to the 2016–17 campaign turned out to be pivotal. A new era at Bramall
Lane would begin with the entrance of Jack O’Connell and John Fleck, who would also launch the Blades careers of
two of the best servants in the club.
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