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Sheffield United captain Morgan fixed on top-flight return
SHEFFIELD United captain Chris Morgan has described life since the Iain Hume incident as a 'test of character'. He could yet be sued by the Barnsley striker over an elbow in a game six months ago that fractured his skull.
Click here to read a report of Sheffield United's win over Preston which took the Blades to Wembley.
Lawyer Maurice Watkins – who represented West Ham United against the Blades during the 'Carlos Tevez affair' – is advising Barnsley and 17 MPs have signed an Early Day Motion calling on the Football Association to take action.
While some footballers could have been distracted by the off-the-field pressures, Morgan - who is now preparing for the Championship play-off final against Burnley at Wembley - has won the Player of the Year award at Bramall Lane and helped his side stay on course for a return to the Premier League.
Speaking for the first time on the issue, Morgan said: "It has been a test of character. It has not been a nice time but you have to be professional and keep focused on what you are trying to do.
"What other people do is out of my control. I can't do anything to control that, " he added. "It is in someone else's hands but I will just try and keep myself professional.
"You are always going to get people who have an opinion on things but I try and live my life and keep myself to myself. You have to keep yourself together and in check. This club has tried to handle it in the right way. All I can do is keep playing football."
Morgan has always denied any intention to hurt Hume and FIFA rules will not allow retrospective action against a player in cases where a referee has spotted and punished the offence. Morgan was booked by referee Andy D'Urso. Hume, meanwhile, is likely to wait until next season before deciding whether to seek damages.
Whatever the outcome of the saga, Morgan is determined to try and seize the opportunity of a third spell in the top flight of English football.
His two previous flirtations with the Premier League have both ended in immediate relegation – not only with the Blades but with Barnsley 12 years ago – and that hurts.
"Until you have played there on a regular basis you can't class yourself as a Premier League player, " he admitted. "As yet, I have only had two seasons there and the majority of my career has been spent in the Championship.
"Two years ago, we thought we had done enough to stay up but, towards the end, results went against us and we were relegated. People always want to talk about West Ham but now we are wanting to talk about a play-off final and getting the club back into the Premier League that way."
The Hammers survived but broke rules when signing Argentinian striker Tevez and escaped a points penalty. Manager Kevin Blackwell has already stated that winning promotion would 'right the wrongs' of the so-called 'Tevez affair'.
Morgan said: "I try not to remember being slumped on my knees at Bramall Lane on the day we were relegated, " he said. "Of course, everyone who was involved that day was deeply gutted but, when you are looking for things to spur you on, you are better looking at good things rather than bad.
"We have worked hard over the last two seasons to put things right and now we are one step away. We know how big this game is for Sheffield United.
"We want to get in there and stay in there this time, " he stressed.
"Wigan Athletic and Bolton Wanderers got up and established themselves and we feel this club is geared for the Premier League too. We don't just want to be one of those yo-yo teams going up and down."
Midfielder Greg Halford, the scorer of the all-important winning goal in the second leg against Preston North End, has 12 days to recover from an Achilles injury before the play-off final.
Strikers Darius Henderson and Jamie Ward both missed the second leg with injuries picked up at Deepdale but should be back in contention.
Veteran midfielder Gary Speed hopes to be available again after six months on the sidelines with a back problem but John-Joe O'Toole, Gary Naysmith, Ugo Ehiogu, and Derek Geary will definitely miss out.
The Blades have been allocated 37,000 tickets for the play-off final and these will go on sale to season ticket holders, who have the required amount of loyalty points, from 9am tomorrow.
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Weather for Yorkshire
Tuesday 22 May 2012
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