Roy's view from... social media (November)

Rearrange the following words: the its kills hope you that

Andrew Hague

The Blades came back from the international break bottom of the league and still without a win. With Manchester United and Arsenal coming up, there wasn’t much hope that things were going to change.

However, United did actually put up a much better fight than expected against their Manchester namesakes at Bramall Lane. Man Utd went ahead against the run of play before Oli McBurnie slammed home a penalty to send the teams in level at half time. Unfortunately, McBurnie joined the ever-growing injury list and was taken off with a groin issue in the second half, and this called an end to the Blades’ attacking threat.

Despite this, it still took a superb long strike from Diego Dalot to seal the points for the visitors and condemn the home side to yet another defeat. The much-improved display did little to quell rumours about manager Paul Heckinbottom’s future. For some fans though, it was a new owner that was paramount. Preferably one not on the FBI’s most-wanted list…

The ever-chipper Hal Stewart, host of the Sheff Utd Way YouTube channel, tried to lift spirits with a new song but people just weren't in the mood anymore:

A trip to Arsenal was unlikely to bring much joy. And fans had to suffer the double indignity of people both ridiculing us to feeling sorry for us.

It was a surprise to nobody that United lost the fixture, and lost heavily. A 5-0 defeat this time and the endless losses began to take a toll.

By now, United were not only embarrassing themselves but the Premier League too:

But next up was a home game against mid-table Wolves, a fixture United fans saw as an opportunity to secure three points. But our optimism, by this point, was as low as our league position.

United’s first-half performance did little to improve morale. Wolves dominated and the Blades were lucky to go in at half-time goalless. It seemed inevitable that a goal for the away side would come in the second, condemning us to another meek defeat.

Whatever Paul Heckingbottom said at half time though changed the entire complexion of the game, and arguably saved his job in the process. United came out a different side and finally gave us a performance to be proud of.

Wolves couldn’t get out of their half as United pressed, harried and took control of the game. Despite the dominance, it was a moment of fortune that led to United taking the lead.  A ricochet between James Mcatee and Toti Gomes saw the ball fall to Cameron Archer around 25 yards goal and the striker took his shot early,  thundering the ball in off the bar past the helpless Wolves keeper, Jose Sa. It was no more than United deserved and that elusive first win seemed within grasp.

Then, in the 89th minute, Blades fans received that familiar gut punch as Wolves equalised out of nowhere. Substitute Jean-Rincer Bellegrarde’s deflected shot from outside the area was too much for goalkeeper Wes Foderingham and it seemed that United had once again tossed away points in the dying embers of a game. Bramall Lane fell silent. The slate grey winter skies summing up the mood around the place. Would we ever win a game?

Step forward Oliver Norwood….

In the final minute of injury time Blades defender George Baldock was brought down in the area by Wolves substitute Fabio Silva. It looked soft and VAR seemed to take an age (as usual) to decide whether it was a penalty or not. Finally, it was given and captain Oliver Norwood stood over the ball knowing a goal would at last seal three precious points. The pressure was enormous but Norwood kept his head a blasted home to give the Blades victory with the final kick of game:

The outpouring of joy, not to mention relief, was there for all to see and hear. As we finally got to sing the “Hecky and Stuart McCall” song again, it seemed like the misery and complaints of the last 10 games had been forgotten with one strike of a football.

For the first time in six months, United had won a game of football and the fans could finally go back to old routines:

Meanwhile, Wolves fans were left to wallow in the misery of losing to “The Worst Premier League Team Ever” and scream to the skies about the penalty decision:

It might well mean nothing at the end of the season, but at the time the Wolves win meant everything. Fans could finally look to an away trip to Brighton with some enthusiasm. Something we’d not experienced for some time.