Sheffield United v Fulham: Blades hoping right blend of youth and experience can carry them all way back to Premier League

Heckingbottom has had the good fortune to inherit a dressing room that can largely run itself but just as importantly the good sense to allow it to.

Conor Hourihane is typical of the characters he is blessed with, and it is their ace card if they can come through today’s game at home to Fulham with their season still going.

The Republic of Ireland international has played in the play-offs for Heckingbottom’s Barnsley, Aston Villa and Swansea City. Like so many of his team-mates, he has been the course and distance. Injury means some will play no part in whatever games are to come and even Hourihane’s has been a bit-part role on the field, but they can and are still contributing.

“We’ve definitely got a good core of experienced lads in this dressing room, lads who’ve played a lot of games and been up and down the leagues from League Two all the way up to the Premier League,” says the midfielder, on loan from Villa but out of contract in the summer and open to staying at Bramall Lane.

“It’s a very good dressing room from that point of view, one that doesn’t step out of line that often at all. He (Heckingbottom) is definitely big on the experienced lads taking care of it, which is nice.

“I’ve been in good dressing rooms and not-so-good ones, dressing rooms that may not have experience and have experience but this is definitely one of the better ones with some really experienced lads and some real good ones as well. They’ve had success over the last few years – I know not so much last year – but it’s a real good group.”

Chris Basham made the point recently that whilst it is good to have been-there-and-done-it old-stagers like himself, a bit of youthful exuberance helps too.

Iliman Ndiaye has only started 22 league games in his life – 347 fewer than Hourihane, 357 behind Basham – but inexperience does not stop you making big contributions. His three goals in four games whilst fasting for Ramadan have kept his team in the play-off positions while 36-year-old top-scorer and captain Billy Sharp has been sidelined by first a hamstring, now a calf problem.

“He’s been fantastic, really, really good over the last few starts and he’s got some big goals,” Hourihane says of the 22-year-old. “He looks like he’s matured.

“Sometimes when you step out of the team as a young lad, when you come back you’re ready to contribute again. He’s been really key over the last few games.”

Ndiaye’s equaliser was vital in the characterful performance at Queens Park Rangers, when the Blades trailed 1-0 at half-time.

“We had to show some real character to come back,” says Hourihane proudly. “In the second half I thought we were really, really good and there was only one team going to win that game.

“The way we approached the second half was a real confidence boost for the lads to show that we can come back from being 1-0 down in an important game.

“There was a lot said by everyone (at half-time) – the manager says his piece, the players do. But it’s all about the reaction – do people take it on board? That was definitely the case.”

That was eight days ago, which might be too much thinking time for an excitable young group but for a mature one with aches to rest and preparation work needed ahead of the visit of the division’s champions, it might help.

“There’s an edge,” says Heckingbottom of the training-ground mood. “We were sharp in training yesterday, the sun was out, it was great, a good day. You get a feel in your gut and I went home happy in the evening.”

The form of John Fleck and Oliver Norwood, two more veterans of promotions past, mean Hourihane has not started back-to-back games since January but it has not stopped him contributing – and not only with his stunning goal from the bench to wrap up matters at Loftus Road.

“It’s probably been a little bit different,” he says. “The previous play-off campaigns (I’ve been involved in) I’ve usually been playing but I have to contribute in whatever way I can being one of the older ones with some experience.

“It’s all about the bigger picture, getting into the play-offs hopefully first of all and then possibly a play-off campaign after that.”

If Sheffield United win today, they will finish the season fifth, and Bramall Lane will host a play-off semi-final first leg on Friday. Draw and they need Luton Town to lose at home to Reading or Middlesbrough to not win at Preston North End to make the top six.

Defeat could also bring Millwall into the equation.