Sheffield United Star Keen to Make Mark in First Taste of Play-offs: “We’re 100% Ready to Rewrite History”
Sheffield United and Bristol City will square off in a high-stakes match at Ashton Gate on Thursday night to begin the Sky Bet Championship play-offs.
It will be hoped by both sides that their best players will stand up and create a magical moment.
Both teams now have another opportunity to end their play-off curse. Neither team has ever achieved promotion through this path; Sheffield United has failed eight times before, while Bristol City is making their sixth attempt.
History presents an especially bleak picture for the Blades. They have not fared well in first-leg semi-finals; in their prior campaigns, they have never won a first leg away from home, and they have only scored more than once in a first leg once, in a 2-1 victory over Sunderland in 1997–98.
Chris Wilder’s men are heavily burdened by history.
Bristol City’s path to the playoffs was far from straightforward. They fought back from a 2-0 deficit to draw with Preston North End on the last day of the season, squeezing into the top six.
However, their recent performance is concerning; they have only won five of their past five games, and their once-strong defense has given up nine goals in their previous three games as a result of pressure.
To make matters worse, Liam Manning’s team is overworked due to an expanding injury list.
The Blades have the worst record in England’s playoffs.
In contrast, the Blades bring their own baggage into the playoffs. They have the worst play-off record in English football, having missed nine consecutive campaigns in both the relegation and promotion play-offs.
Since their FA Cup victory a century ago in 1925, the team has not had Wembley success. But there’s a new sense of resolve throughout the group, epitomised by attacker Tyrese Campbell, who arrived as a free agent last summer.
Tyrese Campbell is “ready” to help Sheffield United create history.
“We’re completely prepared to change the course of history,” Campbell stated on the BBC’s 72+ EFL podcast.
“The past has been discussed, but we haven’t given it any attention. We wish to write our own narrative.
In his first season with the team, Campbell has made 33 appearances and scored 10 goals, many of which have come off the bench. The 25-year-old loves performing on stage:
“Even though this is my first playoff game, I don’t need much to get going for these important matches; I relish the pressure and the moment.”
It’s thrilling and motivating for the guys to help the team reach our goals. Our entire attention is focused on winning the playoffs, which is our shared goal and objective.
Alongside Campbell sharing responsibilities alongside Kieffer Moore, Tom Cannon, Rhian Brewster, and Ben Brereton Diaz, competition for spots in Sheffield United’s attack is intense.
However, Campbell thinks it helps the team go forward rather than creating conflict.
“It motivates everyone,” he remarked. “We benefit from the fact that no one is assured a spot. We all help one another. I’ve played some of my finest football in my career because I’ve had to fight for my spot.
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