NICK MONTGOMERY is planning to make up for lost time this season as Sheffield United bid to secure a return to the Premier League.

The Blades midfielder has yet to play a competitive game for manager Kevin Blackwell but is no stranger to the new man at the helm having spent nearly a decade at Bramall Lane.

When Blackwell was assistant to former Blades manager Neil Warnock, Montgomery played in the side that reached the 2003 Championship play-off final.

Now 26, Montgomery has gone on to play Premier League football with the Blades – but any further progress has been hampered by a string of injuries.

As the curtain prepares to go up on the new season, Montgomery insists that he is back to full fitness after a seven month lay-off and raring to go – but also accepts he may have to be patient for his opportunity.

The Blades finished last season in a blaze of glory and so nearly gate-crashed the play-off party after waking up from the early season slumber that cost manager Bryan Robson his job. With that in mind, Blackwell is likely to start the new campaign with the same midfield four – Gary Speed, Michael Tonge, Stephen Quinn and David Cotterill – but that does not mean Montgomery, the club's longest serving player, is heading for the exit door.

"We have had a chat and he has told me that I am definitely in his plans this season," said Montgomery. "He understands what I have been through and he also knows what I am about as a player.

"He knows that I want to be playing and not sitting on the bench," he added. "But it is down to me to work hard and make sure the manager has got a selection problem."

The Blades, who visit Birmingham City on the opening day of the season, have been installed among the favourites for promotion despite failing to live up to top billing last season.

Montgomery is adamant the Blades deserve to be regarded as one of the 'top three' clubs in the division and thinks anything less than 'automatic promotion' will fall short of the pre-season target.

He has also tipped newly-relegated Derby County and Birmingham to provide the biggest threat to the Blades's promoton hopes and highlighted Ipswich Town as possible dark horses.

"All we lacked at the start of last season was a bit of organisation," he reflected. "But it was hard for Bryan Robson to take over after the club had just been relegated. It was all very difficult to take and we definitely suffered a bigger hangover than most people expected.

"I still think it is an injustice that we are not in the Premier League," he remarked, in reference to controversy surrounding Argentinian striker Carlos's Tevez eligibility to play for West Ham United. "But we showed, at the end, that we were good enough and now it has given us a springboard for the new season.

"It was frustrating watching on from the stands last season but I had no option because of the broken bone in my foot. I have shown that I am capable of playing in the Premier League and now I want to get my career back on track."

Assessing the club's progress during his time at Bramall Lane, Montgomery said: "The place was in disarray when I joined as a teenager but Neil Warnock did a fantastic job and now the manager has the money for players and wages. The chairman has put his money where his mouth is and brought Kevin back as manager because he knew he could fit straight back in."

Although many observers draw comparisons between Blackwell and his mentor Warnock, there is a world of difference between the two men in character, according to Montgomery.

"Kevin is nothing like Neil Warnock, if you ask me," he said. "He is more articulate and has adopted many of the new coaching methods such as ProZone. His methods are very different and they are different characters."

The Blades have signed six new players this summer: utility duo Greg Halford and Sun Jihai, winger David Cotterill, midfielder Matthew Spring, goalkeeper Justin Haber, and striker Darius Henderson.

When Montgomery was 15, he played in the same Leeds youth side as Henderson and is confident the former Watford striker will fill the boots vacated by Rob Hulse. He has been impressed with the 'tidiness' on the ball of Sun Jihai and says Halford's long throwing ability will be a useful addition.

"Our fans expect us to be up there this season and the players here are confident and looking forward to getting started," he added. "I might not get into the side against Birmingham this weekend – but a week is a long time in football and hopefully, when I do get my chance, I am going to make the most of it."


JOINING FORCES AT BRAMALL LANE

In: Darius Henderson (Watford, £2m) David Cotterill (Wigan Athletic, undisclosed), Greg Halford (Sunderland, loan), Sun Jihai (Manchester City), Matthew Spring (Luton Town, loan), Justin Haber (Haidari).

OUT: Rob Hulse (Derby £1.75m) pictured, Luton Shelton (Valarenga, £1m), Chris Lucketti (Huddersfield), Ryan Cresswell (Bury), Geoff Horsfield, Paul Gerrard, Li Tie.