Wembley deja vu for inconsolable Gus Hamer - and will it be another case of goodbye for Sheffield United talisman

Sheffield United’s best outfield player, on his own without any team-mates, walked away silently and dejectedly.

You suspect either to seek sanctuary for a brief period of quiet contemplation by himself or find comfort within the bosom of his family for some private time together after such a harrowing afternoon which started so well.

Few will have felt United’s sense of hurt more acutely than the midfielder. Will it represent the final time he steps out in a Blades jersey? Quite possibly. What a sad way to go if so.

Speaking after the game, Chris Wilder - without referencing any players by name - acknowledged that some departures were likely. A ‘rebuild’ and ‘losing a few players’ potentially was referenced by the United manager.

It’s invariably always the way for all beaten play-off finalists.

For Yorkshire’s clubs, play-off pain at Wembley in this particular game has proved the swansong for several leading stars. Archie Gray and Crysencio Summerville played their final match for Leeds here last May, while back in the 2022 Championship showpiece, Lewis O’Brien lined up for Huddersfield Town for the final time.

After smashing the second tier in the red and white of United and sky blue of Coventry City before that, another season at this level tier is likely to hold scant appeal for Hamer, who is 28 next month and into his peak years.

Named as the Championship's Player of the Season at the EFL’s awards night in April, the prize that Hamer wanted above all else in terms of promotion has agonisingly slipped through his fingers.

With 10 goals and eight assists in 2024-25, Hamer - who set up Tyrese Campbell’s opener against Sunderland in exquisite fashion on Saturday - is a player who can justifiably suggest he has outgrown the Championship.

He will have his fans elsewhere, away from Bramall Lane. Leeds United’s interest in him last summer was very public and obvious and it would be a surprise if Daniel Farke does not remain an admirer.

There’s a fair chance there will be others as well. Everton, whose manager David Moyes’ had an enviable track record of recruiting leading Championship talent in his golden first spell in charge of the Toffees, were recently linked.

In terms of the Premier League, it was a tantalising case of ‘so near, yet so far’ for the Brazil-born player. Again.

At the hub of an intelligent Blades performance on the hallowed turf, Hamer, who ran himself into ground and gave everything to the cause, looked a shoo-in for the man-of-the-match to add to his list of adornments.

Fate then intervened as he went off after cramping up badly on 73 minutes as his body could give no more.

While play-off misery has stalked United for over three decades and is depressingly familiar script, Hamer suffered his own unfortunate case of deja vu.

Two years earlier, almost to the day at the same venue, he produced another high class performance, but could not last the course and neither could his team, Coventry.

After levelling against Luton midway through the second half in the Championship play-off showpiece in May 2023, Hamer made way before the end of normal time and was forced to watch on helplessly as the Hatters ultimately prevailed in a penalty shoot-out.

It was his final game for one particular second-tier club. Could history repeat itself again?.