Blades are driven by desire to silence doubters

JOHN LUNDSTRAM believes Sheffield United are relishing the chance to prove the Championship doubters wrong.

Most pundits would not have tipped Chris Wilder’s Blades – last season’s League One champions – to challenge at the top end of the Championship this season.

But United sit third in the table, following Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Birmingham City.

And while there is still a long way to go if the Blades are to make it back-to-back promotions, former Everton midfielder Lundstram says their rivals’ reputations – and big-money signings – do not guarantee success.

“I think a lot of teams come up and are fearful of the big money in the Championship,” said Lundstram.

“You’ve got people on certain amounts of money in this division, big teams who have been in the Premier League for years. But it doesn’t win you anything. It’s 11 versus 11 on the pitch that wins you the game. We run, we stick together which is key, and we’ve got the quality on top of that.

“The majority of the squad have been in situations where we’ve had to prove people wrong. That’s a great quality to have, we work hard to prove people wrong.

“If you’re resting on your laurels and you’ve got nothing to prove, your quality sometimes doesn’t come through. There’s a lot of fight in us.”

Lundstram – who had a loan spell at Doncaster Rovers in 2012-13 – has had to be patient at Bramall Lane, since arriving from Oxford in the summer.

The form of Blades midfield duo John Fleck and Paul Coutts meant Lundstram has been used sparingly by boss Chris Wilder.

But the broken leg suffered by Coutts has given Lundstram his chance, and he is determined to grasp it with both hands.

“It’s horrible it’s come at the expense of Couttsy,” said the 23-year-old. “He’s a massive part of the team and will be a huge loss. But I’ve got to try and take the opportunity.”

The midfielder is not known for his eye for goal, with just seven goals in a career which has seen him take in Doncaster, Yeovil, Leyton Orient, Blackpool and Scunthorpe before following Wilder to Bramall Lane.

But he netted against Nottingham Forest earlier this season, and came close to adding a second for the campaign against Birmingham.

“Hopefully, if I get in those positions again, I’ll put one away,” he reflected.