August's results:
Birmingham City 1:0 Sheffield United
Sheffield United 3:1 Port Vale (Carling Cup)
Sheffield United 3:0 QPR
Blackpool 1:3 Sheffield United
Huddersfield Town 1:2 Sheffield United
Sheffield United 0:0 Cardiff City
After United embarked on a European pre-season tour, the second consecutive Coca Cola-Championship campaign got off to a mixed start:
Kevin Blackwell's men were handed a tricky tie at Championship newcomers Birmingham City, whom had just been relegated from the Premier League. It looked to be a stalemate at a damp St Andrews in front of the Sky Sports cameras, but the early kick-off provided some stoppage-time drama. Kevin Phillips swivelled to poke home into the far-hand corner of the goal to send the home contingent crazy. The Blades were hard done by after a grinding performance.
Just under 8,000 fans were at Bramall Lane to see the Blades kick-off their Carling Cup campaign. A second string United side were level with the League Two outfit at one point, when Luke Rodgers' close-range strike cancelled out Lee Hendrie's delicious curler. Stephen Quinn's exquisite volley put the Blades back into the lead and then Danny Webber's penalty in added-time sealed United's place in the next round.
Billy Sharp recorded his first, second and third goals of the season against Queens Park Rangers in the first home league encounter of the season. His clever header broke the deadlock in the 3rd minute, and then he doubled the Blades' lead 10 minutes later when he stuck the ball into the base of the net after beating the offside trap. Shortly after the restart, he swiftly came out of the traps again - his poke beat Radek Cerny in the Super Hoops' goal.
'Oh would you like to be beside the seaside?' Yes, the Blades did, as they ran rampant over Simon Grayson's Blackpool. The sun was shining brightly over the west coast and on the three-sided-ground. Stephen Quinn put Blackwell's troops in front with a strike into the top-corner on the 21st minute mark. Gary Speed increased United's lead with a calm penalty in the second-period but former Blade Steve Kabba pulled one back for the Seasiders with a nice dink into the roof of Paddy Kenny's goal, which unsettled the nerves of the Unitedites. The game was put to bed 12 minutes from time when Greg Halford converted from a tight angle.
Darius Henderson and academy graduate Kyle Naughton rescued United from an embarrassing defeat to League One outfit Huddersfield Town in the Carling Cup. Michael Flynn's deflected drill put the Terriers in front and they looked to have comfortably cruised past a poor Sheffield United side, until, Henderson coolly netted, and then Unitedite Kyle Naughton popped up to strike the ball at goal and it hit the back of the net, albeit with a deflection. The Blades undeservedly booked their place in the next round of the Carling Cup.
A 0:0 draw at Bramall Lane followed between the Blades and Cardiff City. Gary Speed injected an impressive performance, whilst new signing Darius Henderson saw his penalty claim right at the death turned away when he was bundled over by Roger Johnson.