Top Scorer: Own Goal (Part Two)

A two-part historical analysis of own goals scored both for and against Sheffield United, 1983-2023. Part two: goals conceded.

Words: Deadbat

Deadbat continues delving into the recent history of Sheffield United own goal scorers – both for and against. After Part One looked at who has scored for the Blades, he examines the more negative angle and which United players have put through their own net. Who will have the unfortunate title of own goal king for SUFC? 

OWN GOALS FOR 

1983-84 

We start this period with a big fat zero as United get promoted under Ian Porterfield, seeing off rivals Hull.  

Total own goals conceded: 0

1984-85 

Two defenders found their own net this season. Gary West’s own goal against Birmingham came in a bizarre game where it was 0-0 at half time before the Blades then led 2-0. However, the Blues came back and scored 4 in quick succession including West’s aberration. The game finished 4-4! Smith, a young defender, scored the winner in his own goal in a late season game at Brighton. 

Own goals conceded: 2
Total own goals conceded: 2

1985-86 

Three routine defeats with two hammerings were helped by three own goals this season. Phil Thompson at Charlton and Paul Stancliffe in an awful 0-5 reverse at Dave Bassett’s Wimbledon were the first two. The final one came thanks to Paul Smith, often used as a striker, in Ian Porterfield’s final game as manager. The 5-2 destruction from league leaders Norwich was shown on Match of the Day that evening. Smith of course joined his younger brother Brian in scoring own goals for the Blades. 

Own goals conceded: 3
Total own goals conceded: 5

1986-87 

Jeff Eckhardt’s own goal was part of a remarkable Reading comeback - after United had cantered into a three-goal lead, The Royals came back to draw 3-3. Andy Barnsley’s goal was one of the best (or worst) many would have seen at the Lane as he powered the header in at the Kop end in the first minute in a 2-2 draw with Bradford. 

Own goals conceded: 2
Total own goals conceded: 7

1987-88  

Blades legend Chris Wilder makes it into this section thanks to his effort on the plastic pitch at Boundary Park in a 3-2 defeat.  

Own goals conceded: 1
Total own goals conceded: 8

1988-89 

A bumper season sadly for us. Local lad Steve ‘Queenie’ Thompson may have fulfilled his dream to play for his boyhood side, but he scored more goals into his own net than at the right end (2 to 1). He scored goals at Southend and then in the plucky cup defeat at Norwich – who were top of the old First Division at the time. Both Southend’s 2-1 wins saw Blades net in the wrong end – with Martin Pike scoring in the game at the Lane during United’s first home defeat of the season. The other goal this season rivalled Barnsley’s finish – Paul Stancliffe’s bullet header against Preston North End. Fortunately, United were well ahead at the time. 

Own goals conceded: 4
Total own goals conceded: 12

1989-90 

Another promotion season as United went back-to-back in a tremendous spell to be a Blades fan. We continued to play care-free football as evidenced by the second consecutive season we managed four own goals! The first was via as unlikely a scorer as you could imagine as leading scorer Brian Deane headed past Simon Tracey at Roker Park in a 1-1 draw. Colin Hill at Wolves and Mark Morris in the home game against Newcastle were more orthodox own goal scorers. However, the final own goal came from another striker with cult hero Billy Whitehurst heading in at the Goldstone Ground in another draw, 2-2 at Brighton. This was the game Paul Wood scored for United against his former side who he had signed from that season (he scored for them at the Lane against the Blades in the 5-4 game).  

Own goals conceded: 4
Total own goals conceded: 16

1990-91 

Vinnie Jones's effort in the 3-0 defeat at Norwich was the lone own goal this season. This was game 11 of the 16 without a win before we finally found the winning feeling and pulled away from the bottom of the league. 

Own goals conceded: 1
Total own goals conceded: 17

1991-92 

Two centre back partners, Paul Beesley and Brian Gayle, feature here. Beesley can at least say he scored at Old Trafford whilst Gayle’s effort is slightly more famous, being the goal that effectively sealed the title for Leeds. This game was sadly the last match in which Mel Rees played before he tragically died. Still to this day I am unsure how Gayle managed to do what he did. I recall the ball bouncing towards us in the Kop and thinking he or Rees would deal with it but somehow Gayle contrived to put it into his own goal. 

Own goals conceded: 2
Total own goals conceded: 19

1992-93 

Two more own goals and two more defenders. Beesley made it two in two seasons with his goal in a defeat at Norwich, whilst John Pemberton’s effort on Good Friday is another that may come under discussion for worst own goal scored. He smashed an innocuous cross right into his own net past a bewildered Alan Kelly. Fortunately for him Brian Deane scored a similarly emphatic finish in the second half into the same goal earning a draw.  

Own goals conceded: 2
Total own goals conceded: 21

1993-94 

The relegation season only yielded one effort – a Mitch Ward goal in a 4-0 defeat to Kevin Keegan’s resurgent Newcastle United at St James’ Park. 

Own goals conceded: 1
Total own goals conceded: 22

1994-95 

As own goal seasons go, this was an impressive (or horrendous) one, depending on how you view it! In the 94-95 season, back in Division One, we scored three – and all were scored by Brian Gayle. He managed to score in both games against Luton – as shown below. He also got one in a 2-1 defeat at Bristol City to complete an unwanted hat trick of sorts. At least in this game he scored at the other end too – a feat matched by David Holdsworth a few years later. 

Gayle’s own goal home to Luton: 

 Gayle’s own goal away to Luton: 

Own goals conceded: 3 (all Brian Gayle!)
Total own goals conceded: 25

1995-96 

David Tuttle’s goal for Ipswich came in Howard Kendall’s first game. This was a 1-1 draw where Kendall took off star striker Nathan Blake at half time and sold him the next week as he looked to shape his own side. 

Own goals conceded: 1
Total own goals conceded: 26

1996-97 

If 1994-95 was the Brian Gayle own goal season, 1995-96 was undoubtedly David Holdsworth’s time to shine! In fact, it was not really the whole season but for a mere eight days when Holdsworth really stood out. He scored in his own net at the County Ground, Swindon, but then scored at the other end in a 2-1 defeat. Not content with this he then managed to score past stand-in goalkeeper Roger Nilsen at the Kop End just over a week later in a game live on Sky. 

Own goals conceded: 2
Total own goals conceded: 28

1997-98 

Only one during the regular season as Michel Vonk scored at Carrow Road in a defeat. He then got sent off – a rare unwanted double that no one else has achieved in this list! The other own goal this season came in the final game, a 2-0 defeat to Sunderland in front of over 40,000 fans at the Stadium of Light that condemned United to another season at that level. Nicky Marker’s deflected effort set the Black Cats on their way to the two-legged aggregate win.  

Own goals conceded: 2
Total own goals conceded: 30

1998-99 

Holdsworth was back on the scoresheet and he did not hang around this season, scoring in Steve Bruce’s first game as manager – a 2-1 win over Swindon. It did not take him long to net again –  only two weeks later with an effort against Darlington on the road in a League Cup game.  

Own goals conceded: 2
Total own goals conceded: 32

1999-00 

Neil Warnock was in charge, taking over from Adrian Heath and helping move United up the league. Rob Kozluk scored the solitary own goal in a defeat at home to Birmingham City. 

Own goals conceded: 1
Total own goals conceded: 33

2000-01 / 2001-2 

The millennium season and the subsequent one saw successive blanks. 

Own goals conceded: 0
Total own goals conceded: 33

2002-03 

This hugely exciting season, which saw United reach two cup semi finals and a playoff final, featured four own goals from defenders. Rob Ullathorne’s effort at Molineux in a 3-1 Blades win was the first before Steve Yates deflected in the opener for Leeds in the come from behind League Cup win where United scored twice in stoppage time. We had another in the League Cup as Robert Page somehow steered the ball the wrong way but the Blades did go on to win 3-1 thanks to a late Peschisolido brace. The final OG went in off Page’s knee in the dying moments of the 4-3 playoff win against Nottingham Forest. This came not long after Des Walker had put in his own net at the other end in a strange finish to a mad game.  

Own goals conceded: 4
Total own goals conceded: 37

2003-04 

A bit of a nothing season as United fell away from the playoff chase towards the end. 

Own goals conceded: 0
Total own goals conceded: 37

2004-05 

Jon Harley scored in his own goal in the League Cup win over Stockport before Leigh Bromby did likewise in another Blades win; this time a 3-1 victory at Gillingham. Paul Thirwell scored only one goal for United – in the 3-3 draw with Wolves - but had already found his own net once, in the 3-2 win at Crewe, played just a month earlier. 

Own goals conceded: 3
Total own goals conceded: 40

2005-06 

Neil Warnock finally got United promoted despite Chris Morgan scoring another two own goals, both in home defeats at the Lane - a 1-3 reverse on Boxing Day to Norwich City and a 2-3 defeat at home to QPR.  

Own goals conceded: 2
Total own goals conceded: 42

2006-07 

Back in the big time, United played their first ever game at the newly-opened Emirates Stadium. Phil Jagielka commemorated this trip by putting one past stand-in keeper Ian Bennett. Rob Kozluk got his second own goal, in a defeat at Portsmouth just before Christmas.  

Own goals conceded: 2
Total own goals conceded: 44

2007-08 

With Bryan Robson in charge, United struggled and we saw an assortment of own goals. James Beattie joined Deane and Whitehurst as strikers to score in the wrong net. His header came against Stoke in a heavy home defeat. Chris Armstrong scored in Robson’s penultimate away game, a 2-2 draw at Colchester. We also had a goalkeeper score as Paddy Kenny put through his own net in the fifth round Cup replay at Middlesbrough – a goal that proved enough to settle the tie.  

Own goals conceded: 3
Total own goals conceded: 47

2008-09 

Kevin Blackwell’s first full season. Derby County had not won in over a year but Matt Kilgallon put through his own net and then despite Darius Henderson levelling, ex-Blade Rob Hulse scored a winner. There is one asterisk in that Chris Morgan’s effort against Doncaster Rovers in the January of that season to settle the South Yorkshire derby is sometimes attributed to James O’Connor in the record books. I recall this game and goal and the cross was definitely not going in before Morgan’s intervention, so sorry: another one for you, Morgs! Kyle Naughton’s header at Hull clearly did not cross the line in an FA Cup replay defeat. These were the days before goal line technology. Rounding out the season was Morgan scoring again but at least United won this game, 2-1 against fellow promotion contenders Birmingham City. 

Kilgallon at Derby 

 Naughton’s rogue goal 

Own goals conceded: 4
Total own goals conceded: 51

2009-10 

Morgan continued his one-man assault on the own goal crown in a tough match against big Andy Carroll as Champions-elect Newcastle won 1-0 at the Lane in a Sky Monday night game. 

Own goals conceded: 1
Total own goals conceded: 52

2010-11 

The own goal this season was a real calamity as Steve Simonsen effectively bundled a cross into his own net under no pressure at all. We won the game against Bristol City 3-2 with a late Jordan Slew goal but United were down within a few weeks. 

Own goals conceded: 1
Total own goals conceded: 53

2011-12 

Back playing in the third tier, Richard Cresswell was Ched Evans’s strike partner for much of the season and chipped in with nine goals. He also scored a pair in his own net: one at Goodison Park where he scored at both ends, and one in the wrong net in a defeat at home to Oldham, where both Matt Lowton and Harry Maguire were sent off and Shefki Kuqi scored a late winner.  

Own goals conceded: 2 (both Cresswell)
Total own goals conceded: 55

2012-13 

Just one, a Harry Maguire effort in a EFL Trophy game against Coventry, which United lost 4-1 on penalties after it finished 1-1. 

Own goals conceded: 1
Total own goals conceded: 56

2013-14 

United’s third season at this level. David Weir might have presided over a disaster but we did not score any own goals and this carried on after Nigel Clough took over. 

Own goals conceded: 0
Total own goals conceded: 56

2014-15 

Bob Harris’s effort at Coventry settled a drab game giving the Sky Blues a narrow win. 

Own goals conceded: 1
Total own goals conceded: 57

2015-16 

Nigel Adkins’s spell in charge saw United at their lowest ebb since the early ’80s, but at least no one registered an own goal! 

Own goals conceded: 0
Total own goals conceded: 57

2016-17 

Chris Wilder was now in charge and of course we had an awful start, with a heavy defeat at home to Southend seen as the real low point. Jack O’Connell also had an inauspicious start, slicing a cross past George Long in this game. 

Own goals conceded: 1
Total own goals conceded: 58

2017-18 

Back in the Championship, we had a fantastic start before fading away to miss the playoffs. No own goals scored by us. 

Own goals conceded: 0
Total own goals conceded: 58

2018-19 

The first own goal for over two years as John Fleck unfortunately helped a cross past Dean Henderson at Griffin Park. United did go onto win this game 3-2 with a wonder strike from Oli Norwood and a winner from Leon Clarke. Of course, the Blades went on to get a second promotion in three seasons and finished back in the top flight. 

Own goals conceded: 1
Total own goals conceded: 59

2019-20 

A hugely successful period in United’s recent history continued with us finishing ninth in the Premier League and this halcyon period coincides with a barren spell for us in terms of putting the ball in our own net. Another blank season in this regard. 

Own goals conceded: 0
Total own goals conceded: 59

2020-21 

After only two own goals scored in Chris Wilder’s first four seasons at the club, this disastrous season in front of no crowds was punctuated by a huge uptick in own goals scored. Only one of these came when Wilder was in charge, a Kean Bryan effort at home to Liverpool. Paul Heckingbottom’s first game saw a huge defeat at Leicester with Ethan Ampadu scoring in his own net. We then had efforts from Oli Norwood, in the Cup Quarter Final at Chelsea, and then Phil Jagielka at Leeds United in another defeat. We actually scored three own goals in consecutive games.  

Own goals conceded: 4
Total own goals conceded: 63

2021-22 

A disastrous defeat at home to West Brom saw Jack Robinson net past a hapless Michael Verrips and then later in the season a poor showing at Stoke saw John Egan score the winner for the Potters. 

Own goals conceded: 2
Total own goals conceded: 65

2022-23 

Just one own goal in the latest promotion season and it was Robinson again. His two halves against league leaders Burnley could not have been more in contrast. He scored an own goal and then laid another on a plate for the visitors who led at the break. After the interval Robinson turned it around and capped it with a vital goal at the Kop end to give the Blades the lead in an emphatic 5-2 win that set down a marker for the rest of the division. 

Own goals conceded: 1
Total own goals conceded: 66

2023-24  

It is inevitable that at a higher level and where you concede more goals, the chances of your players putting through their own net increase! So it has proven. We had the unfortunate shot from Tom Cairney bouncing back off Wes Foderingham and into his own net at Craven Cottage earlier in the season. We then had the rare phenomenon of two Blades players scoring own goals in the same game (not happened in the past 40 years). Within four minutes on Boxing Day, both Jack Robinson and Anis Ben Slimane managed to turn the ball past their keeper to complete the comeback for Luton. Luton did not have a shot on goal after United had taken the lead but they did not need to in order to win the game. 

Own goals conceded: 3
Total own goals conceded: 69

By position 

• 3 goals by goalkeepers 

• 54 goals by defenders 

• 6 goals by midfielders 

• 6 goals by strikers 

By player 

• Chris Morgan 4/5 

• Brian Gayle 4 

• David Holdsworth 4 

• Jack Robinson 3 

• Paul Beesley 2 

• Richard Cresswell 2 

• Phil Jagielka 2 

• Rob Kozluk 2 

• Robert Page 2 

• Jack Robinson 2 

• Paul Stancliffe 2 

• Steve Thompson 2