Sheffield United: Can Blades join the hoodoo breakers to win promotion?

Sheffield United fans might not want nor need reminding that, as it stands, they have the outright worst record in the play-offs.

Nine attempts, nine failures.

However, they can be buoyed by the fact that the two other teams who had records of zero from nine now both boast one from 10.

Preston ended their play-off misery at the 10th attempt with a 4-0 hammering of Swindon Town in the League One play-off final in 2015 and now Premier League mainstays Brentford also made it 10th time lucky when they beat Swansea in the Championship play-off final in 2021.

The Blades will hope to pass the unwanted title of worst play-off record to Lincoln City, who have failed to win promotion from seven attempts.

Unsurprisingly, experienced United boss Chris Wilder is not getting caught up in what has gone before.

“Everybody locally, and possibly nationally, talks about our play-off record but not one ounce of that has gone into my thinking or the players’ thinking,” Wilder told BBC Radio Sheffield.

“They are ultra positive and focused and are looking forward to the challenge of going to Wembley and hopefully getting that win we’re all after.”

He added: “I know people want to talk about the negativity of the play-offs but I haven’t felt that.”