Leeds United v Sheffield United - How a greasy chip butty gave Blades captain food for thought

His reply to The Yorkshire Post’s enquiry as to what he ate on his first day at Leeds United after discovering he had to bring his own packed lunch suggests the striker is just as sharp off the field.

“I had a greasy chip butty,” said the 33-year-old in a nod to the adapted ‘Annie’s Song’ lyrics that Blades supporters sing at the start of every game.

Sharp, judging by his playful demeanour, is eagerly looking forward to tomorrow’s Elland Road return.

“Strange is probably the best word to describe my time at Leeds,” he says about that 2014-15 season under the ownership of Massimo Cellino. “I went there expecting it to be one of the best clubs I had been at.

“But, on my first day, I had to take my own lunch – and then there was talk of us having to take our own kit home (to wash).

“I was there thinking, ‘Wow, this is incredible for a club this size’. The facilities were all there, they just were not in working order.

“There was not many staff there. The owner was useless and I had three managers. Some of them were useless.”

Cellino’s cost-cutting was behind the players having to bring their own food for a short period during a summer that included the shock appointment of Dave Hockaday.

Sharp left after a year, the call of Bramall Lane proving too much. “I would have stayed (at Leeds) if it had not been Sheffield United who came in for me.

“This was too good an opportunity, even though it meant dropping down (to League One). I saw no reason why we could not get back to the Premier League. Now, we have a chance of doing that.”