Sheffield United's Max Lowe: My head was in the wrong place until Paul Heckingbottom put me on level ground

The wing-back is in his third season at Bramall Lane and it is fair to say he has yet to show his true potential, but Heckingbottom believes he has the 25-year-old playing the most "dynamic" football of his career ahead of Sunday's trip to Hull City.

Just as well, because with the Tigers’ 100 per cent record in East Yorkshire this season, the Blades’ promotion credentials should be properly tested.

It might have been different for Lowe had he not got his act in order after returning from a season-long loan at Nottingham Forest, the club who knocked the Blades out of the Championship play-offs in a semi-final penalty shoot-out in May.

"People say it was a win-win in the semi-final but it wasn't," he says.

"The last league game of the season, Forest played Hull and we drew in the last minute, I was looking at the fixtures seeing who we would be playing in the play-offs and I really wasn't enjoying it because I was injured at the time and if we hadn't played each other in the semi-final I was going to be available, so it was lose-lose for me.”

Forest went on to beat Huddersfield Town in the final and secure their place in the Premier League but Lowe admits to mixed feelings.

"I was gutted for the boys here because I know how much it meant after being relegated and being so close and going out on penalties,” he reflects. “It's probably the worst way to go out.

"I was on the other end of it but it gave me fuel to come back and help the boys here because the squad's clearly good enough and all the lads knew that. I wanted to make sure the lads knew I was on board with the task at hand this season.

"I've got a promotion but if I can do it this season it will be even more of a bonus."

The awkwardness continued into pre-season when Forest's sister club, Olympiacos, showed an interested in signing the left-sider without following through on it.

"It was difficult because I've not been in that situation before where you get told things and then something else happens but from this end the gaffer (Heckingbottom) and (chief executive) Steve Betis were honest with me and that kept my head in the right place," he said.

"Early on I had my head up my own a*** at one point and me and Hecky had a really good conversation. He put me on a level ground and we moved on from it really quickly.

"Most managers wouldn't have done that so I can't thank him enough for dealing with it in the right way. I know it's a privilege every time I put the Blades shirt on so I need to try and keep it.

"I think it was pretty obvious the first game of the season when I came on against Watford I wasn't in the right mindset and my performance showed that.

"I apologised to the lads and the gaffer, and the gaffer said it was a new slate, you're here for this season so don't think about anything else. That was enough for me to understand what my objectives were for this season.

"I've been here for three years and not put in performances so now I've started the season well I need to maintain that. It's one thing doing it at Forest last year, but I need to do it here and I feel like there's not been a better opportunity to do that than this season."

Heckingbottom's no-nonsense frankness and tough love are managerial strengths of his which are appreciated by Lowe.

"As soon as we had that conversation it was a new slate with me because I'd not really worked with the gaffer before," he says. "He took over a little bit when we were in the Prem (as caretaker manager) but it's a new relationship and I'm really enjoying it at the minute.

"I feel like I'm going in the right direction.

"I would always rather play for a manager that's up front and honest because you know what you're going to get from him and he knows what he's going to get from me."

Heckingbottom and Lowe are both enjoying how he is playing this season in the absence of the injured Enda Stevens.

"I think there's a bit more onus on the wing-back position with this team, a bit more freedom," says Lowe. "I don't have to stay wide, I can get in the box and I can go on the right-hand side if needed. There's a lot more fluidity in the shape.

"The gaffer's made it really clear my role in the team, though, and what he expects from me."

Heckingbottom explained his thinking.

"I've seen him in Derby, I've seen him up in Scotland, I've seen him play for Forest a lot last season and for all those other teams he's not been performing as dynamically and aggressively as he is now," said the Blades manager.

"He's a very fit, athletic lad and he's actually imposing himself on the game now in attack and defence a lot more than I've seen. We've had good conversations and honest ones. He had to know I believe in him. I believe in all the players.

"I think he's probably feeling a little bit different about what he's capable of."