Chris Wilder's attention turns to making Sheffield United history as Bristol City battles beckon

There was something up for grabs or on the line for 13 of the division’s 24 clubs, but an April combustion had paved the way for an uneventful day at Bramall Lane.

Uneventful for the Blades, that is. Blackburn Rovers had dreams of squeezing into the top six, dreams extinguished by the outstretched boot of Anel Ahmedhodzic.

Yuki Ohashi has fired the visitors into the lead and sparked jubilant scenes in the away end.

Those who made the journey from Lancashire were given nine precious minutes of ecstasy before it all came crashing down and it was made 1-1.

As twisted as it may seem, Sheffield United must now develop a taste for breaking hearts.

The recent joy of others, namely Leeds United and Burnley, must be bottled and used as fuel for Sheffield United to shift the frustration they feel onto others.

"I’m proud of the efforts of the team,” Blades boss Wilder said. “To get to the points total is a fabulous achievement.

“It’s ultimately not what we set out because we did set out to - you always do - win the league.

“We just fell a little bit short, but showed great energy after the Burnley game.”

In a game Blackburn needed to go for the jugular in, it was the Blades lurching forward to land blows.

A rejigged side had plenty of bark, even if there was not enough bite in the final third. Had Tom Cannon and Gustavo Hamer had finished gilt-edged chances, there would have arguably been talk of a statement being made.

In the dying embers, when it was Blackburn in desperate pursuit and sending their goalkeeper up, it was Sheffield United who had the best chances.

“It’s a risk and reward game for them,” said Wilder. “And I get that.

“That’s sometimes how it is. We should have just been a little bit more clinical, really, to take the game away from them because I thought second half, we were really good, we were tidier in possession.

“We created some really good chances. They were risking it and I get that, I’ll never be critical of a team that risk because they’re going to open up at the back. But we should have put them to bed.”

April’s implosion rightly placed the Blades under scrutiny but amid the interrogation, it was perhaps forgotten just how far they have come.

Wilder did not just inherit a squad nosediving towards relegation to the second tier, he inherited one devoid of identity.

It was one thing Wilder’s original Sheffield United side never lacked and considerable work has been put in to restoring it.

“We're back together as a club, we weren't [together] last year, I talked about it.

“It was a real difficult season. The season started off with the players on the back foot from the off.

“They tried to make a bit of a fight of it when I came in but knowing it was a huge season in terms of turning things round. We’re not there yet in terms of what I want it to look like.

“But to get the achievements we’ve had, yes we’ve only finished third, but over a big percentage of our supported recognise that. It’s a footballing city. The supporters are knowledgeable.

“They know when a team’s giving everything, which we have done all season. Sometimes, we haven’t got it right. Sometimes, we have got it right.”

Sheffield United’s horrid history with the play-offs has been well-documented and if the Blades are to banish ghosts, the unity Wilder speaks of will be more important than ever.

“Hopefully, we’ll show everybody that the team that finishes third doesn't automatically lose in the play-offs,” Wilder said. “That team that hasn't won a play-off campaign can win one.

“That team that hasn't been to Wembley for years can go to Wembley.

“We can do things that, in my opinion, that we've done from 2016, and create our own little bit of history.”

Sheffield United: Davies, Gilchrist (Seriki 60), Ahmedhodzic, Holding, McCallum (Burrows 85); Souza (Davies 71),Peck; Brooks, O’Hare, Hamer (Brewster 60); Cannon (One 85).

Unused substitutes: Faxon, Robinson, Moore, Campbell.

Blackburn Rovers: Toth, Brittain, Hyam, Batth, Ribeiro; Tronstad, Travis; Dolan, Cantwell, Hedges; Ohashi.

Unused substitutes: Pears, Pickering, Sanderson, Carter.

Referee: Farai Hallam (Surrey)