Sheffield United Football Club is an English professional football club who play at Bramall Lane in Sheffield. They were formed in 1889 and played their first competitive match in October of that year, when they entered the first qualifying round of the FA Cup. Since then more than 1,000 players have made a competitive first-team appearance for the club, of whom a large number have made between 25 and 99 appearances (including substitute appearances); those players are listed here.
Since the club's formation in 1889 over 300 players have made between 25 and 99 appearances for the club. Throughout the club's history no player has played 99 competitive gamed for the Blades without going on to make a 100th appearance. The closest to achieving this feat are the six players that played 98 times prior to leaving the club; they being Peter Beagrie, [2] Alonzo Drake, [3] Colin Grainger, [4] Tom Heffernan, [5] Bobby Howitt, [6] and Mark Todd. [7] Midfielder Stefan Scougall was the most recent player to reach the 25 appearance mark for Sheffield United in October 2014, [8] and of the current United squad, eight players (Jose Baxter, [9] Ben Davies, [10] Bob Harris, [11] Mark Howard, [12] George Long, [1] Stephen McGinn, [13] Jamie Murphy, [14] and Stefan Scougall) feature on this list but therefore have the opportunity to add more appearances to their total.
A number of players on this list had more than one spell with United, but only Jon Harley signed for the Blades on three separate occasions (twice on loan and once on a permanent contract), becoming one of only two players to achieve this feat in the club's history. [15] There are also a number of players on this list whose entire time with United was spent on loan; Mark Bunn, [16] Conor Coady, [17] Greg Halford, [18] and Nyron Nosworthy. [19] The most prolific scorer to appear on this list is striker Bert Menlove who scored 43 times in his 81 appearances between 1922 and 1926. [20]
Players are listed in alphabetical order of their surname. Appearances, substitute appearances and goals are included but wartime matches and friendlies are excluded. Further information on competitions/seasons which are regarded as eligible for appearance stats are provided below (dependent on the years at which the player was at the club), and if any data is not available for any of these competitions an appropriate note should be added to the table.
Games included in the stats include appearances in:
NB: Friendly matches, exhibition games, and pre-season tournaments are excluded from the figures. Games played during both World Wars are considered friendlies and therefore are also not counted.
Anthony William Currie is an English former footballer who had significant spells for Sheffield United, Leeds United and Queens Park Rangers as well as representing England.
Nyron Paul Henry Nosworthy is a former professional footballer. After beginning his career with Gillingham, he moved to Sunderland in 2005 with whom he played in the Premier League. After two lengthy loan spells with Sheffield United he made a permanent switch to Watford in 2012 but was released in the summer of 2014 after a loan to Bristol City. Nosworthy represented Jamaica at international level, playing fourteen games and scoring once.
Brian Christopher Deane is an English football coach and former player. His most recent managerial position was as the manager of the Norwegian side Sarpsborg 08.
Alan Woodward was a professional footballer who played in the position of outside right for Sheffield United over a 16-year period between 1962 and 1978.
Philip Nikodem Jagielka is an English former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. He is primarily known for his lengthy tenures at Sheffield United and Everton.
John Clayton Smith was a footballer who played 347 league matches for Sheffield United between 1931 and 1949 as a goalkeeper.
Patrick Anthony Olozinka Agana is an English former professional footballer who played as a striker.
Leonard Badger was an English footballer who played as a right-back. He spent the majority of his career at Sheffield United before moving on to a shorter spell at Chesterfield where he finished his career.
William Harold Hendry was a Scottish footballer who played as a defender. Born in Newport-on-Tay he played in the Football League for Bury, Preston North End, Sheffield United, Stoke and West Bromwich Albion.
Stefan Lewis Scougall is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Scottish League One club Alloa Athletic.
The 1889–90 season was the first in existence for Sheffield United. Having not been elected to any organised league at that point they predominantly played friendly fixtures but did enter the FA Cup for the first time as well as locally arranged cup competitions The Sheffield Challenge Cup and the Wharncliffe Charity Cup. The club did not employ a manager in this period; tactics and team selection were decided by The Football Committee and the players were coached by a trainer. J.B. Wostinholm held the position of club secretary, dealing with player transfers and contracts, arranging matches and dealing with the FA. The first season was deemed a reasonable success with steady attendances to home games and progress in the FA Cup although the fluctuating nature of the team meant that consistency was never really achieved.
The 1890–91 season was Sheffield United's second, and their first and only season playing in the newly formed Midland Counties League, as the club sought to establish itself as a major footballing force. The team was selected by the club's football committee and coached by a trainer, but day-to-day affairs were overseen by club secretary Joseph Wostinholm. The club saw a large influx of players during the season as it continued to bolster its numbers with amateurs loaned or signed from other teams in the local area, a policy that resulted in an unsettled side, indifferent league results, and a mid-table finish.
The Sheffield United F.C. Player of the Year is an annual award presented to players of Sheffield United on behalf of the club's fans to recognise an outstanding contribution to the previous season. First presented in 1967 the award was organised by the Official Supporters Club and voted for by its members. The award was officially recognised and commemorated by the club and since the late 1990s has been presented at a gala dinner. From around 2000 the award was widened to include voting from the general fanbase and various other awards have also been presented including Young Player of the Year and Goal of the Season.
The 1891–92 season was the third in existence for Sheffield United. This was their first season playing in the recently formed Northern League as the club sought to establish itself as a major footballing force. The Blades had a reasonably successful season, finishing third in the league, and registering some comprehensive victories along the way. They improved on the previous season by reaching the second round proper of the FA Cup and were victorious in the local cup competitions, winning both the Sheffield Challenge Cup and the Wharncliffe Charity Cup for the first time.
The 1892–93 season was the fourth in existence for Sheffield United. This was their first season playing in the recently formed Football League Second Division as the club sought to establish itself as a major footballing force. With some members of the football committee unconvinced of the long-term future of the Football League, the club also retained its membership of the Northern League.