Blades planning long-term for Premiership

Sheffield United 1 Crystal Palace 0

Sheffield United are getting ready for an almighty party after winning their place in the Barclays Premiership.

But after the champagne corks have popped, chairman Kevin McCabe has warned that the hard work must begin in order to stop their Premiership adventure from losing its fizz.

Lifelong Blades fan McCabe has been a driving force behind the club’s resurgence and admits he can hardly contain his joy at their return to English football’s top table.

He insists automatic promotion – secured at the expense of fancied rivals Leeds United – marks the dawning of a new era for the club.

However, he has warned everyone at Bramall Lane that they will need to pull out the stops even more in order to stay in the top flight next season.

“Success this year has been about a team effort both on and off the field and this is an ethos we will carry forward to the Premier League,” McCabe said.

“We are in the era of the new Blades, building a business and a football club, rooted in sound, long-term development plans.”

United have not featured in the top flight of English football since being relegated from the Premier League in 1994 and McCabe insists it is vital for his club to remain in the big time.

“As someone born and bred very close to Bramall Lane and a lifelong Sheffield United fan, it means a great deal to be back in the top flight,” he added.

“What we want now is to be here for a long period, unlike in the past when we have not made an impact.

“We will celebrate this success, but at the same time we are not going to lie idle because we are actually at the start of a new challenge and as we did last season we will carry out a review of the last campaign of all aspects of the business.”

That could well mean a reported transfer kitty of around £10m (€14.4m) for boss Neil Warnock as he looks to transform his side into a genuine Premier League force.

He will have to spend it wisely – one look at Sunderland shows him the costs of getting it wrong.

Warnock has already admitted his side’s new-found status is likely to hamper his hopes of adding to his squad in what will be a busy summer of wheeling and dealing.

United need to bolster their ranks and have already been linked with a flurry of new faces, such as highly-rated QPR defender Danny Shittu and Crewe’s Algerian star Madjid Bougherra.

“We’ve been looking (for new players) for months now,” he revealed.

“We’re looking abroad as well but the top players are going to be picked up by the top teams. We‘ve watched one particular player for a number of weeks but it looks as though a Premiership side in the top half are going to sign him.

“That’s disappointing but that’s what we are going to find.”

Earlier, Chris Morgan headed home a late winner for Sheffield United to confirm Crystal Palace’s sixth-placed finish in the Coca-Cola Championship.

The defender nodded home with nine minutes remaining to ensure the Blades celebrated their return to the Premiership in style.

Iain Dowie’s men arrived at Bramall Lane knowing they needed to secure maximum points to give themselves any hope of avoiding a sixth-placed finish.

Dowie rested 17-goal striker Andy Johnson ahead of the crucial forthcoming play-off encounters against Watford, who confirmed third spot with a 0-0 draw against Hull.

And in his absence, the Eagles posed precious little goal threat, suggesting the forgotten England striker holds the key to the club’s hopes of securing an immediate return to the Barclays Premiership.

Palace threatened to strike the opening blow after four minutes when Jobi McAnuff raced down the left flank and sent a dangerous low delivery across the face of goal.

United defender David Unsworth produced a timely clearance at the far post to avert the danger with Clinton Morrison lurking.

After 15 minutes Eagles goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly was forced into action when former Palace striker Neil Shipperley, skipper for the day against his former employers, arrived at the far post to connect with Unsworth’s deep free-kick.

The Hungary ‘keeper made a routine stop from Shipperley’s downward header but, in truth, events in the stands were more interesting than the fare served up on the pitch.

As United supporters basked in the glory of their club’s return to the top-flight after a 12-year exile, a continuous human wave swept around the stadium.

Midway through the opening period, United midfielder Michael Tonge came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock when he collected Chris Armstrong’s short pass and thrashed a dipping 20-yard shot narrowly over the bar.

Palace threatened fleetingly on the counter-attack and shortly after the half hour mark, Unsworth was again on hand to block Marco Reich’s shot at the far post.

Two minutes before the break, Morrison latched on to Ben Watson’s perfect through-ball and fired low past Paddy Kenny only to see his effort harshly disallowed for an apparent offside infringement.

Phil Jagielka displayed his shooting power after 50 minutes but failed to keep his thunderous 20-yard strike on target as the ball fizzed narrowly over.

Three minutes later Danny Webber showed delightful footwork to outfox the Palace defence and pick out the unmarked Keith Gillespie with a teasing cross to the far post.

A goal looked a certainty but Gillespie scuffed his attempted volley and the chance went begging.

Morrison then headed over from Reich’s right-wing cross before one former Palace striker replaced another as Ade Akinbiyi came on for Shipperley after 60 minutes.

Dowie made an attacking chance of his own soon after, replacing the ineffective Dougie Freedman with Jon Macken.

But United began to up the tempo and Morgan was on hand to head home Gillespie’s right-wing cross with nine minutes remaining.

However, it was Blades veteran Brian Deane who had the final say, coming on for his farewell appearance in the 84th minute to rapturous applause.