After Sheffield Wednesday’s sad late Championship play-off final defeat to Sunderland, midfielder Barry Bannan had a message for fierce rivals Sheffield United.
Even more agonisingly, United had grabbed a first-half lead through Tyrese Campbell, which they maintained for more than 50 minutes before Eliezer Mayenda levelled for the Black Cats with fourteen minutes remaining before Watson’s dramatic late victory.
Sheffield United will play in the Championship for the second time after finishing third in the table the previous season.
The Sheffield Star revealed a video posted by Sheffield Wednesday player Bannan in the aftermath of United’s defeat at Wembley, which appears to show the Scotsman enjoying a holiday abroad yet finding time to revel in the Blades’ misfortune.
“Oh! That is a shame! “What a Saturday!” Bannan exclaimed after seeing footage of Sunderland players celebrating at the completion of yesterday’s Championship play-off final, as shown in the video below.
This outcome means that there will be another pair of Steel City derbies in the Championship next season, as well as extending Sheffield United’s abysmal play-off record.
Sheffield United’s play-off curse continues unabated, and Barry Bannan’s statements will only feed their rage.
Sheffield United now have the poorest record of any club when it comes to promotion through the play-offs, having failed to win in any of their last ten efforts. Indeed, their record has been referred to as the “worst curse in English football”.
Only three clubs – Huddersfield Town, Brentford, and Preston North End – have appeared in the play-offs more than the Blades, and each has won promotion through this route at least once.
Saturday’s setback was their fifth in a play-off final, and the fact that they scored a goal on this occasion, something they had failed to achieve on each of their previous four excursions to Wembley, will not soothe United supporters.
| Sheffield United’s DIsmal Play-off Final Record | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Division | Opposition | Result |
| 1996/97 | Division One | Crystal Palace | L 0-1 |
| 2002/03 | Division One | Wolverhampton Wanderers | L 0-3 |
| 2008/09 | Championship | Burnley | L 0-1 |
| 2011/12 | League One | Huddersfield Town | L 0-0 (P) |
| 2024/25 | Championship | Sunderland | L 1-2 |
Figures from FCHD
This year marks the centenary of United’s last victory at the home of English football. This occurred in the 1925 FA Cup final, when they defeated Cardiff City 1-0 to win the cup.
It will be a difficult pill for United fans to swallow, but Bannan’s statements will only add to their misery, as the ex-Scotland international has become one of the opposition’s most vocal critics in recent years.
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