Sheffield United F.C., nicknamed "the Blades," is a professional football club located in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. Currently competing in the Championship, the second tier of English football, the club has historically played in red and white striped shirts. Their home ground has been Bramall Lane since the club's inception. A significant aspect of Sheffield United's identity is their rivalry with Sheffield Wednesday, resulting in the highly anticipated Steel City derby.
1900: Runners-up in England
In 1900, Sheffield United finished as runners-up in England.
1901: FA Cup Finalists
In 1901, Sheffield United were beaten finalists in the FA Cup.
1904: Black Shorts Introduced
In 1904, Sheffield United introduced black shorts, replacing the blue shorts.
1907: Wednesday Became The Owls
In 1907, Sheffield Wednesday officially became "The Owls", in reference to their new ground in Owlerton.
1912: End of "The Cutlers" Nickname
In 1912, Sheffield United stopped being nicknamed "The Cutlers".
1925: FA Cup Win
In 1925, Sheffield United won the FA Cup, marking the end of their most successful period.
January 1927: First Live Radio Commentary
On 22 January 1927, Sheffield United was featured in a live radio commentary by the BBC. The match against Arsenal ended in a 1–1 draw, with Billy Gillespie scoring for United. Listeners used a numbered map of the pitch from the Radio Times, and the phrase "back to square one" was used for the first time.
1932: Death of John Nicholson
In 1932, John Nicholson, the club secretary, passed away while traveling to an away match in Birmingham after holding the position for over thirty years.
1934: Derry City Adopted Sheffield United Colors
In 1934, Derry City adopted Sheffield United's colors, following the appointment of Billy Gillespie.
1934: Relegation from the Top-Flight
In 1934, Sheffield United were relegated after spending 41 years in the top-flight.
1935: Aston Villa Record
In the 1935 season, Aston Villa set a record of most goals conceded at home.
1936: FA Cup Runners-Up
In 1936, Sheffield United finished as FA Cup runners-up.
1938: Promotion to Second Division
In 1938, Sheffield United were promoted as runners-up of the Second Division.
1952: Second Division Title
In 1952, Sheffield United won the Second Division title.
1952: Teddy Davison becomes manager
In 1952, Teddy Davison was appointed as Sheffield United's first real manager following his departure from Chesterfield.
1955: Death of Reg Freeman
In 1955, Reg Freeman, the manager of Sheffield United, passed away after an illness.
1955: Collars Removed
In 1955, Sheffield United shirts had their collars removed and replaced with V-necks.
1958: Joe Mercer departs for Aston Villa
In 1958, Joe Mercer left Sheffield United for Aston Villa after struggling to manage the team.
1961: Return to Division One
In 1961, John Harris led Sheffield United back to Division One.
1965: Use of Sheffield's coat of arms
In 1965, Sheffield United started using the city of Sheffield's coat of arms on their shirts.
1966: White Socks Used
In the 1966 season, white socks were also used by Sheffield United.
1967: Inaugural 'Player of the Year' award
In 1967, Sheffield United presented the first 'Player of the Year' award to recognize the player with the greatest contribution to the club over the season, with Alan Hodgkinson being the first recipient.
1970: Alan Woodward wins Player of the Year award
In 1970, Alan Woodward won the Sheffield United Player of the Year award.
August 1973: Bramall Lane conversion begins
In August 1973, construction work began to convert Bramall Lane into a specialist football stadium after Yorkshire County Cricket Club stopped using it as their main venue.
1973: John Harris steps down as manager
In 1973, John Harris stepped down as manager of Sheffield United for the second time to move upstairs, after a good start back in the top flight.
1974: End of the 1974-75 Season
At the end of the 1974 season, the team was competing in the First Division.
1974: Elements of Black Added
In the 1974 season, elements of black were added to Sheffield United's traditional red and white stripes.
October 1975: Ken Furphy sacked as manager
In October 1975, Ken Furphy was sacked as manager of Sheffield United following a disastrous run of results.
1975: Sixth in the First Division
In 1975, Sheffield United finished sixth in the First Division.
September 1977: Jimmy Sirrel sacked as manager
In September 1977, Jimmy Sirrel was sacked as manager of Sheffield United, after overseeing relegation and with the team at the bottom of Division Two.
1977: Keith Edwards wins Player of the Year award
In 1977, Keith Edwards won the Sheffield United Player of the Year award.
1977: Introduction of new crest
In 1977, a new crest, designed by former player Jimmy Hagan, was introduced, consisting of two white crossed swords, a Yorkshire Rose, and "Sheffield United F.C." written around the top and "1889" underneath.
1978: Alan Woodward wins Player of the Year award
In 1978, Alan Woodward won the Sheffield United Player of the Year award for the fourth time.
1979: White Kit with Red Breast
In 1979, Sheffield United introduced a white kit with a red breast and thin stripes down either side, to accommodate the logo of Cantor's, a local furniture shop.
January 1981: Harry Haslam steps down
In January 1981, Harry Haslam stepped down as manager of Sheffield United due to illness.
June 1981: Ian Porterfield appointed as manager
In June 1981, Ian Porterfield was recruited as the manager of Sheffield United.
1981: Bentley's Sponsor
In 1981, Bentley's became the sponsor of Sheffield United, with their name written vertically down a white stripe.
1981: Drop to Fourth Tier
In 1981, Sheffield United dropped to the fourth tier.
1981: Relegation to the Fourth Division
In 1981, Sheffield United were relegated to the Fourth Division.
1982: Renault Sponsor
In 1982, Renault became the sponsor of Sheffield United, with their name written vertically down a white stripe.
1982: Promotion as Fourth Division Champions
In 1982, Sheffield United won immediate promotion as Fourth Division champions.
1983: Lowest finish in third tier since 1983
In 2016, Sheffield United finished in 11th place, which was the club's lowest finish in the third tier since 1983.
1984: Keith Edwards wins Player of the Year award again
In 1984, Keith Edwards won the Sheffield United Player of the Year award for the second time.
1986: Sacking of Ian Porterfield
In 1986, Ian Porterfield was sacked as manager of Sheffield United following supporter protests.
1987: Introduction of black embroidered crest
In 1987, a simple black embroidered crest appeared on Sheffield United's shirts.
January 1988: Billy McEwan sacked as manager
In January 1988, Billy McEwan was sacked as manager of Sheffield United due to poor performance.
1988: Laver Sponsor
From 1988 to 1992, Laver was the sponsor of Sheffield United, with a yellow square on the shirts.
1988: Relegation to Third Division
In 1988, Sheffield United were relegated to the Third Division.
1989: Consecutive Promotions
In 1989, Sheffield United began a run of consecutive promotions.
1989: Playing in Third Tier Since 1989
Since 1989, Sheffield United would play in the third tier of English football.
1990: Laver Sponsor
From 1990 to 1992, Laver was the sponsor of Sheffield United, with a yellow square on the shirts.
1990: Return to First Division
In 1990, Sheffield United returned to the First Division after 14 years.
1990: End of black embroidered crest
In 1990, the black embroidered crest stopped being used on the Sheffield United shirts.
1992: Founder Members of the Premier League
In 1992, Sheffield United became founder members of the new Premier League.
1992: Introduction of all-white crest
In 1992, Sheffield United introduced an all-white crest on a red-edged black shield for their seasons.
1992: Black Stripes through Each White Stripe
The 1990-92 shirt featured narrow black stripes through each white stripe.
1993: Swindon Town's Goals Conceded Record
In the 1993 season, Swindon Town set a record by conceding the most goals.
December 1995: Dave Bassett sacked as manager
In December 1995, Dave Bassett was sacked as manager of Sheffield United after an immediate return to the Premier League was not forthcoming.
June 1997: Howard Kendall departs for Everton
In June 1997, Howard Kendall left Sheffield United to take over at Everton after a complete rebuilding of the side.
1997: Play-off Finals Loss
In 1997, Sheffield United lost in the play-off finals.
1998: Play-off Qualification
In 1998, Sheffield United qualified for the play-offs under Steve Thompson.
December 1999: Neil Warnock Appointed Manager
In December 1999, Neil Warnock was appointed manager of Sheffield United.
2000: Reversion to original crest
In 2000, Sheffield United reverted to the original crest design.
2002: Black Shorts
From the 2002 season to 2005, the color of the shorts was white and red.
2002: Successful Season
In 2002, Sheffield United reached the semi-finals of both domestic cups and the Division One play-off final.
2002: Academy building opening
In 2002, the Sheffield United Academy building and training facilities in Shirecliffe were opened by the Minister for Sport Richard Caborn.
2003: Play-off Finals Loss
In 2003, Sheffield United lost in the play-off finals.
2005: Premier League Status Regained
In 2005, Sheffield United regained their Premier League status.
January 2006: Takeover of Chengdu F.C.
In January 2006, Sheffield United became the first foreign club to take over a Chinese team, purchasing Chengdu F.C. and renaming it Chengdu Blades.
2006: Promotion back to the Premiership
In 2006, Neil Warnock achieved promotion back to the Premiership with Sheffield United.
2006: Chengdu Blades Purchase and Redesign
In 2006, Sheffield United purchased Chinese club Chengdu Wuniu, redesigned the club crest, and renamed the team "Chengdu Blades".
2006: Completion of 3,000 seat corner stand
In 2006, the completion of a 3,000 seat corner stand made Bramall Lane an all-seater stadium.
2006: 'Obsessed' fans in Premier League
In the 2006 Premier League season, Sheffield United were reported to have the most 'obsessed' fans, with supporters thinking about the team an average of 110 times a day.
2007: Bryan Robson appointed manager
In 2007, Bryan Robson was appointed as manager, but proved unpopular and unsuccessful.
2007: Derby County Record
In the 2007 season, Derby County matched Sheffield United's record of goal difference.
February 2008: Agreement with Ferencváros
In February 2008, Kevin McCabe finalized an agreement with Budapest-based Ferencváros to buy its football team.
March 2009: Permission granted to expand stadium
In March 2009, Sheffield United were granted permission to expand the stadium over two phases, potentially increasing the capacity to 40,000.
December 2009: World Cup bid impacts stadium plans
In December 2009, The Football Association announced that any World Cup games in Sheffield for the 2018/2022 bid would be at Hillsborough Stadium, leading to the hold on planned ground redevelopment.
2009: Championship Playoff Final
In 2009, Sheffield United reached the Championship playoff final under Kevin Blackwell.
2010: Kevin Blackwell sacked as manager
In 2010, Kevin Blackwell was sacked as manager of Sheffield United after only two games of the 2010–11 season.
2010: Sold share of Chengdu Blades
In 2010, Sheffield United sold their share of Chengdu Blades following implication in a match-fixing scandal.
2010: Disastrous Season
The 2010 season proved disastrous for Sheffield United, with multiple manager changes.
January 2011: McCabe left the Fenecváros board
In January 2011, Kevin McCabe left the Fenecváros board.
June 2011: Danny Wilson appointed as manager
In June 2011, Danny Wilson was appointed as the manager of Sheffield United, despite protests from fans due to his previous association with Sheffield Wednesday.
2011: Academy U18s finish as FA Youth Cup runners-up
In 2011, Sheffield United Academy U18s finished as runners-up in the FA Youth Cup.
2011: Drop into League One
In 2011, Sheffield United dropped into League One.
2012: League One Play-offs Qualification
In 2012, Sheffield United qualified for the League One play-offs.
April 2013: Danny Wilson departs
In April 2013, Danny Wilson left Sheffield United due to a poor run of results. Chris Morgan replaced him until the end of the season.
September 2013: Abdullah bin Mosaad Al Saud Bought Stake
In September 2013, Abdullah bin Mosaad Al Saud bought a 50 per cent stake in Sheffield United's parent company, Blades Leisure Ltd.
October 2013: David Weir sacked, Nigel Clough appointed
In October 2013, David Weir was sacked after a short tenure. Later in October 2013, Nigel Clough was appointed as the permanent successor.
2013: Positive fan interactions on Twitter
In 2013, a study found that Sheffield United fans had the most positive interactions with their club's official Twitter account out of any in English football.
2014: FA Cup Semi-Final Loss
In 2014, Sheffield United reached the FA Cup semi-finals but lost to Hull City.
May 2015: Nigel Clough was sacked
On 25 May 2015, Nigel Clough was sacked as manager of Sheffield United after they failed to gain promotion.
June 2015: Nigel Adkins appointed as manager
On 2 June 2015, Nigel Adkins was appointed as the new manager of Sheffield United.
2015: Revised application for Kop redevelopment
In 2015, a revised application for the redevelopment of Kop was submitted, planning to add 3,215 seats to the stand's capacity.
2015: Dissolution of Chengdu Blades
In 2015, the Chinese football team Chengdu Blades, owned by Sheffield United, was dissolved.
May 2016: Nigel Adkins was sacked
On 12 May 2016, Nigel Adkins was sacked as manager of Sheffield United after one season in charge.
2016: Promotion as Champions
In 2016, Sheffield United achieved promotion as champions.
2017: Promotion from League One
In 2017, Chris Wilder oversaw Sheffield United's promotion from League One after six years in the division.
2017: Sheffield United Women promoted
In 2017, Sheffield United Women were promoted from the FA Women's National League.
2017: Plans for corner development
In 2017, plans were revealed for the development of the corner between the Kop and South Stand, including residential flats and a new club store.
2017: Shared Player of the Year award
In 2017, the Sheffield United Player of the Year award was shared between Billy Sharp and John Fleck.
2018: Promotion to the Premier League
In 2018, Sheffield United achieved promotion to the Premier League.
2018: Mention of FIFA World Cup bid
In 2018, there was a mention of Sheffield United's stadium expansion plan in relation to the FIFA World Cup bid, highlighting the intention to host matches if England's bid were successful. Ultimately, any games played in Sheffield would be staged at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough Stadium.
2018: Automatic Promotion
In the 2018 season, Sheffield United achieved automatic promotion to the Premier League.
September 2019: High Court Judgment
In September 2019, the High Court issued its judgment, requiring McCabe's company to sell its shares in Sheffield United, making Prince Abdullah the sole beneficial owner.
2019: Return to Premier League
In 2019, Chris Wilder oversaw Sheffield United's return to the Premier League.
November 2020: Takeover of Quartz FC
In November 2020, Sheffield United took over Quartz FC in India and rebranded it as Kerala United FC.
2020: Sheffield United finished ninth
In 2020, Sheffield United finished ninth in their first season back in the top flight.
2020: Poor Start to the Season
In the 2020 season, Sheffield United had a very poor start, winning just one of their opening 18 matches.
March 2021: Wilder Leaves the Club
In March 2021, Chris Wilder left Sheffield United by mutual consent and was replaced by Paul Heckingbottom as caretaker manager.
May 2021: Jokanović Appointed Manager
In May 2021, Slaviša Jokanović was appointed as the new manager of Sheffield United, becoming the first overseas manager in the club's history.
November 2021: Heckingbottom Reappointed as Manager
In November 2021, Slaviša Jokanović was dismissed and Paul Heckingbottom was reappointed as the manager of Sheffield United.
November 2021: Slaviša Jokanović Sacked
On 25 November 2021, Slaviša Jokanović was sacked as manager of Sheffield United.
2021: Return to the Championship
In 2021, Sheffield United returned to the Championship.
2022: Premier League Promotion
In 2022, Sheffield United earned promotion from the EFL Championship to play in the Premier League.
2022: Mention of FIFA World Cup bid
In 2022, there was a mention of Sheffield United's stadium expansion plan in relation to the FIFA World Cup bid, highlighting the intention to host matches if England's bid were successful. Ultimately, any games played in Sheffield would be staged at Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough Stadium.
2023: Iliman Ndiaye wins Player of the Year award
In 2023, Iliman Ndiaye won the Sheffield United Player of the Year award, marking the first time the award was won by an overseas-born player consecutively.
2023: Heckingbottom Guided United to the FA Cup semi-finals
In 2023, Paul Heckingbottom guided Sheffield United to the FA Cup semi-finals and back to the Premier League for the 2023–24 season.
2023: Paul Heckingbottom was sacked
In early December of 2023, Paul Heckingbottom was sacked and replaced by Chris Wilder.
2023: Difficult Return to Premier League
Sheffield United's return to the Premier League for the 2023 season proved to be difficult.
April 2024: Relegation Confirmed
On 27 April 2024, Sheffield United's relegation back to the Championship was confirmed following a 5–1 loss to Newcastle United.
May 2024: New Record for Goals Conceded
On 11 May 2024, Sheffield United set a new record for the most goals conceded in a single Premier League season, breaking Swindon Town's record.
2024: Gustavo Hamer wins Player of the Year award
In 2024, Gustavo Hamer won the Sheffield United Player of the Year award, marking the second consecutive year the award was won by an overseas-born player.
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