We are United

Our voice of the North

A WIDE-EYED Chris Basham stood on the side of a pitch last March and explained how reaching the Premier League would be “life-changing” for Sheffield United’s players.

They’d just beaten Leeds at Elland Road, bounding from the bottom of League One to the top flight in three seasons. Geordie Basham (above) had some words which now look prophetic.

He told me: “There’s a lot of lads in there who are destined to go ALL the way to the top. Hopefully it’s with us. We just feel unbreakable.”

All the way? This season they’re doing just that. It’s the sort of dressing room that thrives on honesty, straight talking, togetherness and work ethic.

Life changing? The £10million survival bonus they will share this season when they are safe will help, but won’t change the core spirit.

The Blades face Bournemoth today, and after 25 games they are outperforming Manchester United, Arsenal, and big-spending Everton.

Could the next expectation-busting achievement be Europe?

It was already a remarkable story before their heroics this season. From going bottom of League One with defeat at Millwall, and Wilder handing skipper Billy Sharp £100 to get the beers in for his fed-up squad on the bus journey home, to fifth in the Premier League.

Mainstays John Fleck and Enda Stevens were free. So was striker David Mcgoldrick. Basham, George Baldock, Jack O’connell and midfield engine

John Lundstram were all less then £1m.

Cash had been spent on the forwards with Oli Mcburnie and Lys Mousett costing £30m. In January Sander Berge was added for £22m, as Wilder spends.

But it won’t upset the spirit Basham & Co have grown in the last three years. Their lives have changed.

They are now proven Premier League players and giving hope to all those battling in the lower divisions of better days to come without huge spending.