'A goal from heaven': Doncaster Rovers legend and ex-Sheffield United and Leeds United striker on his most special goalscoring moment

In the colours of his beloved Sheffield United, he netted their first goal back in the Premier League in August 2019 – at Bournemouth - and set a new record for Championship goals in January 2022. He also scored the goal which secured their first top-flight victory of 2020-21 at the 18th time of asking.

Much, much earlier, in his second of three spells with the Blades, he scored his first league goal for his boyhood club against Coventry in March 2008 on an emotionally-wrought day when United paid tribute to “Mr Sheffield” - the late, great Derek Dooley.

Just under three years later, he was jeered by Unitedites after scoring at the Lane for Doncaster Rovers.

On his debut for Leeds United, Sharp grabbed a late televised winner against Middlesbrough in August 2014 - the sole league win of David Hockaday’s infamous 70-day spell in charge.

The following February, he registered a similarly dramatic last-gasp strike in a derby triumph at Huddersfield – which earned United a first double over Town in almost 76 years.

It’s only really touching the surface regarding Sharp’s feats in truth.

As for his most special moment, that will always be on a November night back in 2011.

Just days after the tragic death of his baby son Luey Jacob, Sharp - in his second spell at Rovers - bravely stepped out in the home game with Boro.

The crowd paid tribute to Sharp and his family with a minute's applause before kick-off and he soon scored with a beautiful volley.

Sharp looked to the skies and lifted his Rovers jersey to reveal a T-shirt which read: "That's for you, son".

All four sides of the ground stood up and clapped. A ‘goal from heaven’ as then Boro manager Tony Mowbray memorably remarked afterwards.

It remains the most special goal in the career of Sharp, who scored his 251st league goal in Rovers’ weekend win over Gillingham.

Sharp told The Yorkshire Post: “I still don’t know to this day why I even hit it. It was coming over to me and on my left foot. I think it was just out of frustration.

"If that came again, I’d probably try and take it down and steady myself and then hit the shot.

"I was playing on ‘empty’ really. My emotions were all over that day. Even when I scored.

"I wasn’t really happy obviously and wanted to get in the car and go home. The result was not great that night, but that game and goal helped me and my family a lot. It helped me, over time. Not get over (it), but get through something that was tough.

"Football helped and it was an important goal in my career.

"The Middlesbrough fans were great that night, to be fair. And then on the Tuesday night at Ipswich, I got a great ovation and scored and that was quite weird when their fans clapped a goal and they’d just gone 1-0 down, I think."

Sharp recalled his medley of goalscoring moments as part of the Every Minute Matters campaign to encourage football fans to start learning CPR, launched by Sky Bet in partnership with the British Heart Foundation.

Sky Bet has committed to donating £10,000 to the BHF for every injury-time winning goal scored in the EFL this season.

Sharp has scored a fair few of those and a picture of his goal at Huddersfield is still on show at his home.

It was a game also notable for Sol Bamba - who passed away on August 31 - making his Leeds debut.

Sharp continued: “The game ended up with an air ambulance coming on the pitch. Me and Tommy Smith went in for the goal and I got in just before him and he collided with the goalkeeper and the game was stopped for about 12 minutes.

"I remember the Leeds fans singing my name for about 12 minutes when all everyone wanted to know was if Tommy was all right. Luckily, he was and I could celebrate the winner after.

"I’ve got a picture of the Huddersfield (goal) one and my debut one as well when I took my shirt off and had a lovely tan. I got booked for that..

"Last-minute winners, you cannot beat that. The joy and emotion of it is brilliant.”

Throughout his goal-laden career, Sharp’s father Steve has kept a statistical record of his son’s exploits.

Along the way, it has helped provide a pep-talk or two in the process.

Sharp, 38 – who has scored four times already this season - added: "My dad is the ‘stats man’ in the house. I think there’s only two minutes of the 90 minutes in which I haven’t scored in.

"He’s got loads of scrapbooks. He’ll always have something for me before each game.

"He didn’t have anything for Newport away or Salford as I’d not played against them before, so it was nice to get a goal against Salford and put another team on the list.”