Richard Hercock: No chance of Prince changing Blades name to Sheffield 49ers

Prince Abdullah bin Mosaad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – don’t try putting that name on the back of a Blades shirt – has bought a 50 per cent stake in the Steel City side and is promising much change.

At least on the playing staff anyway, with millions pledged to help transform United from League One strugglers to Premier League heavyweights.

But unlike Hull City’s name change, or Cardiff City’s switch from blue to red shirts, the Prince and fellow joint-owner Kevin McCabe are at least united on one thing.

There will be no tinkering with traditions of a proud club celebrating its 125th anniversary.

“I won’t change the colours or rename the stadium or anything like that,” promised the prince, when I interviewed him on Saturday morning.

“I bought into a big, important piece of history and I’m not going to play with that.

“We’re not going to be called Sheffield 49ers or change the colours to pink.”

Not sure where the pink comes from, but being a massive San Francisco 49ers fan and NFL afficionado, it’s easy to see that some folk might get two and two to make five.

I nearly choked on my coffee when McCabe made a nod to their city rivals Wednesday, when he added: “There’s no chance of us playing in blue and white stripes, or changing our name to Tigers.” Good news there, then. I can see more than the odd car park demonstration at Bramall Lane, if they had adopted the colours of their bitter rivals.

McCabe went on: “Sheffield United is well known globally, but there’s no intention to change names or shirts.

“Sheffield United has a great brand, the Blades are a great brand. The red and white stripes will last forever, although next year we are going back to playing in when we first formed 125 years ago. That’s a white shirt, with just a hint of red stripes.”

The Prince has his very own “man cave” at home in Riyadh, with six television screens so he can keep up with sport from around world. He also has homes in LA and London.

He is an obvious sports fanatic, who was on his way to watch Chelsea play in the Champions League when he first met McCabe in London and the first seeds of the alliance were planted.

The father-of-seven, who despite travelling the world visiting stadiums like Brazil’s Maracana stadium, calls the Lane “impressive” and hopes to attend about 10 games a season.

The Prince is obviously a very clever guy. He may come from a priveleged royal background, but he is a self-made man having started a paper company in Saudi Arabia which was reportedly worth a nine figure sum after its flotation on the country’s stock exchange.

And it’s not just English football he loves. He also has an affinity to the national team, and can recall mulling over footballing tales with current national boss Roy Hodgson.

With the World Cup going to Qatar in 2022 – where summer heat can reach 50C – Prince Abdullah believes a switch to a winter competition may well be to England’s advantage.

“I’ve not lived in Doha. I played football all the time in Riyadh, even in the summer, but Riyadh is not humid,” said the Prince. “I can still play very well, if I lost 20lbs. And 20 years! In every World Cup, England is one of the teams I support but they never do well.

“England have some good players. I chatted with Roy Hodgson, when he was Liverpool manager, about why England don’t do well in the World Cup.

“He said it’s because England is one of the only countries where there is no winter break.

“The team, when they go to a World Cup are mentally tired. More than physically. Italy, they have a break in the winter, but here they have games every week. In July, the players are exhausted. That’s why I think if the World Cup was to change and be held in January, it will be a great advantage for England.”

The Prince’s arrival at Bramall Lane brings to an end lifelong Blades fan McCabe’s search for financial assistance. So why not a local investor?

“I have been looking for partner investors for some years. By choice, it would have been nice if I could have found partner investors in Sheffield,” he said.

“The truth is, the world has changed. The Western nations, of the the European continent, America, are not the wealth of the world anymore, it’s the Far East, Middle East, parts of Africa. I looked at who owns Manchester United? Americans. Chelsea? Russian. Aston Villa? American, Arsenal Americans and Russians. You look at the clubs who have moved upwards and generally speaking they have all become global.

“On my travels, and because my business takes me to the Far East in particular, it has always been in mind to find an international partner. Someone who I can educate on the background of our club, but also he or she, or it, can bring benefits to Sheffield United. Benefits in experience, not just financial.

“When you are the individual that carries the burden of ownership at a football club, and always looking to try and look ahead at the club, you always want to work out something which carries on the club’s future in a good way.

“The industry of football has changed so much since I have been in charge, since the mid-Nineties.

“In 2007 I could have concluded a deal. A letter of intent was signed, not by me but the other party, to take control of Sheffield United at a figure to me personally would have been massively beneficial.

“But after sleeping on it – I toss and turn on big decisions I never make big distinctions instinctively, I always sleep on it – I knew it was wrong for Sheffield. So I turned down the offer. On reflection it was the right thing to do.”