Blades face blunt truth

SHEFFIELD UNITED are at risk of bouncing through the leagues unless they find direction and momentum before the end of the season.

The Blades have no permanent boss, senior stars dropping out injured, big transfer gambles out of form or crocked and little hope on the horizon.

Club officials might look at the three teams who got relegated from the Premier League last season for hope.

Norwich and Watford will bounce straight back, and Bournemouth have a good chance in the play-offs.

Norwich went for stability and continuity to ride the relegation storm, using their £100million of top-flight cash plus a first season parachute payment of around £40m to good use to ensure second-tier rivals were blown away.

Watford, less stable managerially, have also carried a big wage bill and prevailed.

But analysing the last decade of relegations to see who bounced straight back provided fewer positive omens for United. Since 2011, 27 clubs have dropped, and only seven bounced straight back up the following season.

That’s despite EFL chief Rick Parry calling parachute payments “evil” because Championship clubs who have not recently been in the top flight survive on around £4.5m of TV cash.

The Blades need to get their act together before the end of the season.

Sheffield want to cash in on January 2020 gamble Sander Berg, who has been injury-prone and struggled with the pace and brutality of the league. They need a scorer and Peterborough striker Jonson Clarke-harris is a target.

Other stars could choose to go. John Egan and Jack O’connell are top-flight quality. John Lundstram will leave on a free to Burnley or Rangers, so rebuilding will have to be swift.

You’d fancy Rhian Brewster (left) to stay and finally score a goal. The drop down a division might benefit him.

The last decade has seen clubs who have never come back to the top flight. Hull, Sunderland, Boro, Stoke and QPR. Without a plan, they’ll be joining them.