Sheffield United to follow Burnley blueprint and avoid second-season syndrome

The Blades have had an outstanding first season back in the Premier League.

When the coronavirus put it on hold indefinitely, they were seventh in the table with games in hand on the teams immediately above, and looking forward to an FA Cup quarter-final at home to Arsenal.

Comparisons have been drawn this season between the Blades and Burnley, where former striker Cork works as a scout and his son Jack plays in midfield.

The Clarets have established themselves in the top division against the odds thanks, in part, to a fantastic team spirit and an outstanding English manager.

Cork sees similar qualities in the Blades, and while he thinks it will be put to the test next season, he is confident his old club can come through it.

“Unfortunately, because of my job I don’t get to see much of Sheffield United or Burnley, but they seem to have a really good team spirit,” says Cork, who knows all about its value having moved to Bramall Lane from FA Cup winners Wimbledon.

“If you look at the players and where they’ve come from, it’s great to see them doing so well.

“I think it’s the second year that’s the problem.

“I just compare it to Burnley. They’re the same sort of side and they seem to have got the hang of it now, they know what to do in certain situations. Sheffield United are probably still learning that a bit.

“I’m sure Chris (Wilder, the manager) will get it right, though, because he gets most things right.”

Burnley are in their third consecutive season in the top division, and look certain to have a fourth.

Cork moved to South Yorkshire in March, 1992, and stayed until the end of the 1993-94 season, when the Blades were relegated.

“I had a great time at Sheffield United, except for the first game where I toe-poked the ball from about 30 yards!” he jokes. “I wasn’t too popular with the fans then but once I’d scored at Wembley (in the 1993 FA Cup semi-final against Sheffield Wednesday) I was a lifelong Blade.

“I still keep in touch with Billy Sharp, who’s a Blades legend.”

In some very welcome ways, the Blades could make the task even harder for themselves if they are able to round off their season as they hope.

With Manchester City banned next season after being found guilty of breaking financial fair play rules, a seventh-place finish would bring European football. So would winning the FA Cup. Three points from their game in hand would move the Blades up to fifth, a Champions League spot. Manchester City are likely to appeal their ban.

The rewards are obvious but UEFA’s drawn-out competitions bring draining demands.

Burnley dropped from seventh in 2017-18 to 15th the following season despite not making it through the lengthy qualifying campaign into the Europa League proper.

A first European campaign in the club’s history would test a squad where eight players – Dean Henderson, Chris Basham, John Egan, Jack O’Connell, George Baldock, John Fleck, Oliver Norwood, and Enda Stevens – have made 71 per cent of the starts.

After a season where they have risen to every challenge thrown at them, it is a problem they and their fans would love to have.

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