Billy Sharp says Sheffield United have edge back after Championship disappointment

For 44 games of the league season, the Blades were in a three-way battle with Leeds United and Burnley for automatic promotion.

Defeat at Turf Moor on Easter Monday, a fourth in five matches, left the way clear for Burnley and Leeds to take the Championship's top two spots, each with 100 points.

But the Blades have won three games and drawn the other since, their 6-0 aggregate win over Bristol City the biggest in a second-tier play-off semi-final.

"I think they have regrouped, as you've seen from the semi-final legs against Bristol City," said Sharp, who scored 129 goals and won three promotions across three spells with his boyhood club.

"They were very unlucky to miss out on automatic promotion with the amount of points they accumulated over the season (92).

"They had one real bad week which they didn't pick up any points in three games, which swung momentum into Burnley and Leeds' favour.”

Sharp, who this week signed a new contract with League Two Doncaster Rovers which will take him into his 40s, thinks the timing was crucial.

"If it had happened on the last day of the season, you'd probably take that (disappointment) in four days later when the first leg is,” he said. “You probably don't get rid of that feeling and them memories in your head.

"But Sheffield United had two games of the normal season remaining to get some form back, to forget that disappointment and then to be able to perform like they did in both legs against Bristol was nice to see because it looked like the players had forgotten about that.

"What an occasion it's going to be at Wembley. It's going to be full of red and white, both clubs wearing red and white, so it's going to be a great day and one that the lads can really look forward to."