Sheffield United top the Championship less than three months into their first season back at that level.
Dropped points for Wolves and Cardiff on Saturday preserved Sheffield United’s status as Championship leaders, less than three months into their first season back at that level since 2011.
Few outside of Sheffield 2 would have had Chris Wilder’s side pegged as promotion candidates so soon, but the rest of the division must now – if they haven’t already – sit up and take note after yet another fearless display at Leeds United on Friday.
Indeed, if there’s one thing the Blades boss knows it’s how to ascend the football pyramid. And though rare, it’s not unheard of for a team to achieve back-to-back promotions ending in the Premier League.
The feat was achieved most recently, at the start of this decade, by both Norwich City and Southampton – the latter then managed by Nigel Adkins, Wilder’s predecessor at Sheffield United, and who recruited Billy Sharp, the Blades’ top scoring captain, to fire them up midway through the campaign.
The way things are right now, however, all of United’s ingredients already look to be in place.
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