LUND OF HOPE AND GLORY

John never gave up believing after being dropped by Everton. Now he is reaping the rewards at Blades

JOHN LUNDSTRAM claims being dumped by Everton was the making of him.

Lundstram was gutted when he was released at 21 by then

Everton manager Roberto Martinez four years ago without making a senior appearance.

The Liverpoolborn midfielder dropped down to League

Two to join Oxford and used it as fuel to power his ascent back to the Premier League.

He arrived in May with Sheffield United and is flying high with Chris Wilder (above) and his unlikely lads after his double against Burnley.

“That’s always at the back of your mind when you get a setback, to prove people wrong,” said Lundstram. “It’s always been there in me and hopefully I can do that. “You grow as a person and as a player and maybe at the time when I was let go by Everton, I wasn’t ready. I didn’t think that at the time but looking back maybe they were right. I’ve had a lot of knockbacks along the way. It hasn’t been easy but it’s a journey I wouldn’t change.”

Lundstram, 25, has had to scrap every inch of the way and it looked like he might leave in the summer as he only made five league starts during the Blades’ promotion-winning campaign.

He fought hard in pre-season to earn a chance and Wilder’s switch in formation from two to three in central midfield gave him his opportunity.

He grabbed it to become an everpresent for the Blades in the Premier League and is their top scorer with three goals.

Lundstram produced two lungbusting runs to slot home his goals to become the first Blades player since Nathan Blake in April 1994 to score twice in a Premier League game before John Fleck added the third against the shambolic Clarets.

“It was hard last season,” he said. “I always believed I could play at the top but the position I was in last year meant it didn’t seem that I could.

“I went away over the summer and worked unbelievably hard to give myself the best chance I could.

“I’m just delighted with how it’s going but I’ve got to keep working hard.”

Lundstram’s attitude typifies the mentality of Wilder’s team and his squad is littered with players who have grafted through the lower leagues to get to this point.

“You can see that in our performances, we’re all a hard-working bunch,” he said. “Playing in the lower leagues brings that mentality and we’re all working hard for each other.”

TWO GOOD Lundstram struck twice in emphatic home win for the high-flying Blades CHARLIE TAYLOR says Burnley are determined not to return to the bad old days of a year ago. Manager Sean Dyche (right) felt their abject display at Bramall Lane was reminiscent of their woeful relegation form during the first half of last season. But Taylor, who came on at 3-0 down at the interval, says the players are adamant they will not revisit those dark times. “The first half of last season was well below what we’re capable of,” said the left-back. “We have top players and we’re far better than that. We know the standard and we just weren’t at it today. “It’s gone now. We know what we need to do to put it right. We’ve got a big game against West Ham next week.” Taylor claims Burnley must tighten up defensively after conceding three goals in 27 minutes and four in 37 minutes against Chelsea the previous week. “It’s not like us and we need to get back to being solid at the back,” he said.