Sheffield United v Queens Park Rangers: Blackwell points out economic realities

Championship:KEVIN BLACKWELL has defended his record as manager of Sheffield United knowing that defeat today will test patience levels at Bramall Lane.

Blades supporters are restless after a dip in results ripped a major hole in the club's bid for play-off qualification.

If former manager Neil Warnock steers Queens Park Rangers to victory, it will turn the heat up on Blackwell, who has spent seven years trying to escape from his shadow.

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Originally Warnock's assistant, Blackwell learned his trade for 13 years before controversially walking out on his mentor to join Leeds United in 2003.

On returning to Bramall Lane as manager two years ago, Blackwell led the club to a play-off final but defeat came at a heavy price.

Star players have been sold to balance the books and injuries have bitten hard. Now, with 11 games to play, the Blades are relying on a major improvement in fortunes to gatecrash the top six.

Blackwell fears his critics have lost sight of what has been achieved and delivered an impassioned plea for understanding ahead of today's game.

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"People want to drink champagne all the time but we can't afford that just now and water is not as tasty," he said. "Sometimes I just want to stand there and scream with frustration.

"We have had loads of problems and sold loads of players," he said. "We lost our parachute payments yet with six or or seven weeks to go we are still in with a shout of the play-offs. That has been lost somewhere along the line.

"The facts are there but, if people don't want to see the facts, there is not a lot I can do about it," he admitted. "It is hard to take and I would hate to think what it would be like if we were down near the bottom!"

Experiences with Leeds in the wake of their 2006 Championship play-off final defeat taught Blackwell everything he needed to know about the perils of running a club under pressure to cut costs quickly.

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Blackwell was sacked seven games into the following season but Leeds still ended up in administration and dropped into League One.

"Hundreds lost their jobs when I was at Leeds and that is a burden that the manager has to carry," he recalled. "You want to keep all your players and you want to spend millions – but if we do that now and lose, it affects a lot of people's lives and the way they live. It was one of the biggest shocks at Leeds, seeing people crying their eyes out because they had lost their jobs.

"That's why this crowd can have a go at me and (the chairman) Kevin McCabe now if they want," he added defiantly. "I have been there before and seen it and I am not prepared to go down that route again."

Although Warnock won promotion to the Premier League near the end of his eight-year reign as Blades manager, he was unable to keep the club up.

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Supporters were often critical of his style of management and tactics and Blackwell thinks that may also be a reason why his own relationship with the crowd is so often fragile.

"I think there is a little bit of that in it – but you hope that people will take you for who you are and what you are, " he said. "Neil got terrible stick here – it looked like he was on the edge of losing his job many times during those first three years. We knew, if we didn't win certain games, we were in trouble. It took Neil and myself, two-and-a-half years to get to a point where we were putting out a team that people liked.

"I had to leave to prove something and I believe I have done that," he insisted. "In the four or five years since I left, I have been to the play-off final twice, fighting for the biggest prize in world football. I don't think that's shoddy, do you? I have always got teams in around where they need to be and I would take my record any day of the week."

Warnock is making his fourth return to Bramall Lane since being

replaced as manager in summer 2007.

Sheffield Utd v QPR

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Team news: Stiker Darius Henderson is available after serving a three-match ban but winger Jamie Ward (hamstring) and striker Ched Evans (shoulder) are ruled out after suffering midweek injuries. Midfielder Lee Williamson (hamstring) is doubtful and Toni Kallio, Derek Geary, Ryan France, and Gary Naysmith remain sidelined.

Last six games: Blades LWLWLL, Rangers LLWLWW

Last time: Blades 1 QPR 1; January 3, 2010, FA Cup.

Referee: A Bates (Staffordshire)

SkyBet odds: Blades to win evens, Rangers to win 11-4, Draw 12-5.