Exclusive:Michael Cooper makes fighting FA Cup claim as Sheffield United prepare to host Mansfield Town
The magic of the FA Cup - or rather the perceived slow death of it - is a hot topic for debate every January.
The third round arrives and more often than not, clubs in the top two tiers of English football field weakened teams.
With a gruelling league schedule it is perhaps understandable, yet it has arguably deprived the competition of some prestige.
Magic, however, is something Sheffield United need.
There has been a resurgence of late yet the post-Wembley plummet has been crushing for supporters. This weekend, they will host League One outfit Mansfield Town at Bramall Lane.
Michael Cooper’s FA Cup statement
"It's always an important competition,” Blades goalkeeper Michael Cooper told The Yorkshire Post. “I'd say more so this year with the start we've had.
"The manager really wants us to do well in the cup this year especially and kick on. Hopefully, we can kick on.”
It is not just a case of injecting some more light in a season that was enveloped in darkness early on.
Chris Wilder’s men have won their last two in the Championship and there is momentum to be built at a key stage of the campaign.
"You never want to go into a game of football and not win,” Cooper said. “It's no different with the cup. It's such a good opportunity to progress and keep the winning momentum going, build that winning culture.
"That'll be the word going around - banana skin. We're aware of that. If we're not at our best - competing, running and doing the basics right - we can get turned over. We've got to be on our best game, as we would in a league game."
Championship revival
Sheffield United currently sit in the Championship no man’s land, perched precariously between the play-offs and the relegation zone. They are just nine points adrift of sixth, yet just eight points clear of 22nd.
Cooper wants the wind to continue gathering behind Blades sails but is reluctant to be drawn upon target-setting and play-off talk.
"We were training and playing hard before mid-November and just weren't getting the results we wanted,” he said. “We really had to go to a different level in terms of really locking down on things defensively and going forward.
"It's been a bit of a turnaround from the start of the season, which was way below anyone's standards. We're just looking to continue what we've been doing the past couple of months and hopefully it will give us a fighting chance come April/May time.
"For me, I'm not even thinking about the end of the season yet. I think mentally, for us, the best performances have come when we've taken it game by game. I'm sure the majority are just thinking about the next game and winning that. If we can do that, we'll see where we are in April/May time.”
If Wilder does shuffle his pack for the visit of the Stags, there will be chances for fringe players to stake a claim for a more prominent role.
With the transfer window open, solidifying your spot is crucial.
"Players that are challenging each other and keeping each other on their toes, having squad depth with everyone trying to get into the starting XI, is the way to go,” Cooper said. “Successful teams always have that.”
Michael Cooper was speaking to The Yorkshire Post at The Blades Salon, an initiative run by Midnite, Sheffield United's principal partner, where Blades fans were given free haircuts to mark the start of the New Year at TaylorTaylor barbershop in Division Street.
Midnite bring fans closer to the sports they love, with Sheffield United fans getting a unique chance to spend an afternoon with their Blades heroes.