‘FIGHT LIKE HECK TILL WE DROP’

PAUL HECKINGBOTTOM wants Sheffield United to “fight to the end” as they face relegation.

The stand-in boss has a host of injuries to cope with as the Blades contemplate having their drop confirmed at Wolves tonight.

Striker Billy Sharp had an operation on a tendon problem, and Oli McBurnie is out for the season with a stress fracture. John Fleck has groin trouble and Chris Basham’s recovery is “slow going”.

But Heckingbottom (with Rhian Brewster, below) said: “We have to fight to the end. Results are everything and belief comes from results. We have tried to increase the intensity, not just for the short term but the long term.

“The confidence was not easy to resurrect.

Someone would be a millionaire to know how to resurrect that.

“We have not been creating enough and changing shape is something we could do.

“I like to speak honestly with people. They need to know what I am about in terms of standards and how I like to develop people.

“I need to push them because I have their best interests at heart.”