Sheffield Unted’s enforced lay-off a ‘kick in the teeth’, says Chris Basham

Chris Basham says it has been a “kick in the teeth” that Sheffield United have been denied the chance to build on the momentum they started to build in Paul Heckingbottom’s initial games as manager.

Heckingbottom has won his first Championship three matches in charge, most recently at top-of-the-table Fulham, but December 20 feels a lifetime ago now.

Although they played in the FA Cup on Sunday – losing 3-0 at Wolverhampton Wanderers – Saturday’s trip to Derby County will be only their second league match in 42 days with four games postponed because of Covid-19, in most cases amongst the opposition.

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The Craven Cottage victory moved the Blades up to 11th in the table, three points outside the play-offs. With so many other call-offs, they have only dropped two places but are eight points outside the top six, with four games in hand on Huddersfield Town.

Sheffield United’s Chris Basham and Jayden Bogle celebrate their win over Fuham on December 20. Picture: Getty ImagesSheffield United’s Chris Basham and Jayden Bogle celebrate their win over Fuham on December 20. Picture: Getty Images
Sheffield United’s Chris Basham and Jayden Bogle celebrate their win over Fuham on December 20. Picture: Getty Images

With two home matches now rescheduled and the visit to Queens Park Rangers still outstanding, the game at Derby will be the first of 16 in 64 days.

Basham cannot wait to get going, and hopefully back into the rhythm of winning.

“It’s been a long time away,” said the veteran centre-back, who has re-emerged as a key player in Heckingbottom’s four matches in charge. “It’s been a right kick in the teeth because we wanted to keep performing.

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“If you look at the table, you see four or five games in hand and it’s not nice compared to where we could be but these are games we’ll be focussing on because the fixtures come thick and fast in the next few weeks.

“It felt great to feel back to winning ways again and get back on a run of winning football matches because it’s been so long.

“It felt hard the last couple of years not winning football matches but now we’re doing it again, it’s feeling really good.”

The home game against Hull City will now take place on February 15, whilst Chris Wilder’s first match back at Bramall Lane as an opposition manager will be on March 8, when he brings Middlesbrough to his old stomping ground. Both Tuesday night matches kick off at 7.45pm.

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The extra time has at least allowed Rhian Brewster to recover from injury. The club’s record signing was an unused substitute at Molineux, his first appearance since Heckingbottom’s opening match in charge, at Bristol City in November, when he injured his hamstring.

Brewster made a goalscoring return for the Under-23s in yesterday’s 3-2 win over Barnsley. Leo Gaxha won it for the hosts after David Bremang’s second goal, from an 87th-minute penalty, appeared to have snatched a draw. Former Liverpool forward Brewster was substituted after an hour.

Meanwhile, former England Under-21 manager Aidy Boothroyd will be a coaching mentor and consultant at the Blades academy.

Michael Collins has been promoted from his role as head of individual player development and will take on the role coaching with the Under-23s which Heckingbottom vacated to succeed Slavisa Jokanovic at first-team level.

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Former Huddersfield, York City and Halifax Town midfielder Collins had a brief spell as Bradford City in 2018, joining the Blades’ academy two years later.

Derek Geary steps up from Under-18s manager to be new academy manager after Jack Lester became one of Heckingbottom’s assistants, along with Stuart McCall.

Right-back Geary made 115 appearances for the Blades, and 117 for their city rivals Wednesday. He returned to Bramall Lane in a coaching capacity in 2016.

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