Blades skipper Sharpwantsfansto addacuttingedge
Sheffield United captain Billy Sharp is frustrated by t he absen c e of f a ns f rom s t a d i ums and admitted today’s Yorkshire derby against Leeds will be a poorer spectacle because of the empty stands at Bramall Lane.
Wh i le Sharp appreciates safety is paramount, he explained that the Premier League has prioritised the welfare of players, officials and club staff in allowing games to go ahead in recent months amid the coronavirus pandemic.
And the 34- year- old is adamant that similar considerations could be made to accommodate the return of fans.
Sharp said: “I t ’s obviously one I looked forward to on the fixture list. I’m gutted there’s no fans. I’m getting frustrated with it, I want to see the fans back in.
“I d o n’t w o r k for the government, but I see parks all over Sheffield, coffee shops, local businesses full with people and the grassroots game has got their fans in which I’m pleased to see because they need it as well.”
Playing behind closed doors may have been novel when teams resumed their campaigns in the summer, but Sharp believes the matchday experience is now being weakened.
“Away games, you’re driving in on the bus, you see the fans, it gets you going,” he added.
“When you come out to warm-up, the adrenaline starts to pump and it’s difficult. The fans are the biggest part about the sport and it isn’t the same without them.”
Sharp retur ned to his boyhood club for a second time in July 2015 following a 12- month spell at Leeds, where he played under four different managers.
Despite a turbulent time for the Elland Road club, he has fond recollections.
He added: “I’ve got quite a l ot of good memories actually. It’s a great club and they deserve to be back.”
Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa has insisted Leeds captain Liam Cooper “is a huge part of this club” following the arrival of Spain defender Diego Llorente.
Llorente, 27, completed an £ 18- million move from Real Sociedad this week, while another international centre-half, Germany’s Robin Koch, joined Leeds last month from Freiburg for a fee of around £13m.
Cooper, 29, is poised to make his 20 0 t h appearance for the Whites today.
“Cooper is a huge part of this club,” Bielsa said.
“I’m referring to the patrimony between him and the institution.
“I n s t i t u t i o ns are bigger when they have patrimonies like this, when they have someone w ho beh a v e s in an impeccable manner, as Cooper does.”