My best XI: picking a team of one-game players
Joel Beighton picks a Blades XI consisting only of players with one appearance to their name
Words: Joel Beighton
You may recall the Centenary shirt released during the 2009/10 season. It had the name of every player that had made an appearance for the club printed on the jersey. And it was always ‘fun’ picking out the random names you’d totally forgotten…
“Oooh look, there’s Jon Cullen!”
…possibly the first and last time anyone had uttered those words.
Thirteen years on from those halcyon days, and I’m still slightly obsessed with trying to recall the most obscure players ever to play a league game for United. There are plenty who we signed who never managed a league game; Li Tie, Hao Haidong and Andy Butler, to name a few. But I always think it’s slightly more humiliating to have played just the one game than none at all.
Following many sleepless nights of trying to crack this conundrum, I felt that the only course of action would be to set out some parameters and come up with an obscure XI who made only one league appearance for the club.
Partly due to my age and partly due to laziness, I’ve set myself a timeframe of players from the past 20 years. So, without further ado, let’s have a look at this forgettable XI. Oh, and I’m the gaffer, so I pick the formation.
Goalkeeper - Phil Barnes
United 1 - 0 Rotherham United, 26 February 2005
The obvious selection here was Lee Baxter. But having been at that game at Turf Moor, he certainly isn’t forgettable. His performance was so bad, that The Guardian described it thus:
…Warnock was forced to bring in the 27-year-old Lee Baxter... He admitted he did not know much about his new signing ahead of this game. He is a wiser man now.
Gary Kelly could well be another who could claim this spot, having played a single game away at Watford, in 2003. But being the brother of United legend Alan Kelly, I felt that, again, he may be too well known.
Instead, the goalie gloves on this occasion go to local lad, Phil Barnes, following his single league appearance for us, against Rotherham, in February 2005. In fairness to him, he kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win, with a goal courtesy of Paul Shaw.
Right Back - Richard Edghill
Ipswich Town 3 - 2 United, 7 February 2003
Anyone who remembers Man City from the 90s will surely recall Richard Edghill, who was a mainstay in the Maine Road defence. A Warnock signing and a solid experienced player, Richard only went on to make a single league appearance against Ipswich for the Blades before being released at the end of the 2002/03 season.
Centre Back - Emanuele Gabrieli
Gillingham 1 - 3 United, 17 October 2004
I’ve only visited Gillingham’s Priestfield stadium once, and thankfully it wasn’t for the 4-0 defeat under Nigel Adkins.
My visit in late 2004 was much more memorable, where I witnessed Emmanuele Gabriele’s only league appearance for United. We won 3-1. Paul Shaw scored twice and Michael Tonge once. Gabrieli came on as a substitute in the 77th minute for Danny Cadamarteri. The Italian defender departed at the end of the season after claiming that he couldn’t find a decent pizzeria anywhere in the city (thankfully, no longer an issue).
Centre Back - Danny Batth
United 1 - 0 Swansea City, 18 December 2010
Danny Batth made what is perhaps the shortest ever appearance for the Blades in a league game. He managed just the one minute in a United shirt, coming on as a sub for Ched Evans in the 93rd minute. He’s one of many that’s also played for the dark side, and despite his solitary appearance for us, he has since carved out a decent Championship career and is now playing for Sunderland.
Left Back - Jasper Johns
United 1 - 1 Colchester United, 17 August 2013
Signed from Everton, by David Weir. Jasper Johns played once against Colchester, at Bramall Lane. Now retired. I can’t think of anything else to say about him…
Centre Midfield - Kevan Hurst
United 1 - 1 Coventry City, 25th September 2004
Hurst came through United’s academy and made a handful of cup appearances. However, his only taste of league action for the Blades came as a 90th-minute substitute for Tommy Black (remember him?), in a game against Coventry. He went on to have a good career in league football, most notably with Scunthorpe and Southend.
Centre Midfield - Jack Rodwell
Burnley 1 - 1 United, 5 July 2020
Okay, maybe not one to forget, given his profile and the general perception that he’s stolen a living at first Sunderland and then us. When Jack Rodwell joined, I had hoped that it might be one of Wilder’s more astute signings. Where he’d transform a player to bring them back from the brink and onto a more productive track, but alas, Jack only continued in his exploits of existing at a football club without ever really being present. His only league performance for the Blades came when he was brought on as a sub in our 1-1 draw with Burnley during ‘Project Restart’ of the 2019/20 season.
Centre Midfield - Adlene Guedioura
Hull City 1 - 3 Blades, 18 September 2021
I’d already forgotten about Adlene. Surprising, perhaps, given he only managed 25 minutes for the club in an away game at Hull last September. It was semi-memorable. He managed to get a yellow card one minute after entering the field.
Attacking Midfield - Nathan Thomas
United 0 - 1 Norwich City, 16 September 2017
Thomas arrived at Bramall Lane with much intrigue. He had turned down Boro to join our newly promoted side in what seemed like a coup. There was always question marks about where he would play for us, being a left winger in a team with no wingers. Was he brought in as competition for Mark Duffy in the number 10 role (another former left winger)? Or was he signed to play left wingback? Sadly for Nathan, we never really got to find out, and he only managed one league appearance for the Blades, coming on as a substitute against Norwich. He last played for Hamilton Academical and, having been released in the summer of 2021, seems to have fallen off the radar.
Forward - Tommy Johnson
United 1 - 0 Rotherham United, 26 February 2005
Like Phil Barnes, Tommy Johnson made his only league appearance for the Blades at home to Rotherham. Coming towards the end of his career, Tommy was brought in to ensure we always had at least eight strikers available for selection under Neil Warnock (well, it felt like this was the case). Also part of the, ‘played for both Sheffield clubs club’.
Forward - Lewis Killeen
United 0 - 1 Walsall, 12 April 2002
Ok, there are a few youth players who could have filled this last spot, but Lewis is one I’d totally forgotten about, having made his debut and only ever league appearance for the Blades in April 2002. He spent several years at Halifax, followed by spells at Crawley, Droylsden and Ashton United.
And that’s the XI. Memorably forgettable. Can you think of any other players with one appearance to their name? Have I missed any greats? If so, let us know…
Great article and I witnessed 8 out of your 11 play..... we didn't miss much by only seeing 1 appearance from any of them!!
Thanks, Joel - what a great idea for an article. I'd not been a season ticket holder long before I received the anniversary shirt and so there were many, many names I didn't recognise! I hadn't realised, though, that even with just one game under the belt, their names would be included - I suppose the comment would be "fame at last" . . .
Sue.