HITC Sport’s run-down of Sheffield United’s top 30 players continues with Tony Agana.
Che Adams isn’t the only former non-league striker to make the grade at Sheffield United. In February 1988, the Blades handed a similar opportunity to ex-Weymouth frontman Tony Agana, albeit via a spell at Watford where he’d struggled to acclimatise to the demands of the First Division.
But his old Hornets boss Dave Bassett was a firm believer in Agana’s abilities and brought him to Bramall Lane, with United staring into the third tier.
Agana was unable to halt the Blades’ slide down a division, scoring twice in 12 matches, but found his shooting boots the following season to fire them back from whence they came.
One half of arguably United’s greatest ever strike partnership – which famously scored a hat-trick apiece in a 6-1 win against Chester City – Agana struck 24 league goals during the 1988-89 campaign to end it as Blades’ top scorer – ahead of Brian Deane.
And while the tables turned the following year – Deane scored 21 to Agana’s 10 – Bassett’s boys were on their way back to the big time, finishing second in Division Two and passing Wednesday on the way up.
Agana struggled to replicate his impressive goal haul in the top flight and was sold to Notts County in October 1991, though his contribution towards getting the Blades back there won’t ever be forgotten.
Sheffield United career: 1988-1991
Games: 154
Goals: 52
Honours: Division Three runner-up (1988-89), Division Two runner-up (1989-90)
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