It may be sometime until Sheffield United face Mansfield Town in the Premier League but of the four seasons (1977/78, 1979/80, 1981/82 and 1988/89) they have met in the league, have surprisingly met in the latter three league within the football pyramid system. Our first encounter came in the Second Division during the 1977/78 campaign, drawing 1-1 away with a 2-0 victory following at at the Lane. Within two years the pair had fallen from grace and found themselves in the Third tier - United completed the double over their rivals, winning 4-3 at Field Mill and 1-0 at the Lane.
United and Town had met previously on three occassions. These were in the FA Cup in 1951 and 1969; following a 0-0 draw in the former, a replay at Field Mill took place with Mansfield winning by two goals to one and faced Blackpool in the advancing round. In the 1969 encounter Town again were victorious, winning by two goals to one and recorded the same defeat in 1969.
Our record breaking Fourth Division title campaign saw the Blades beat Town by four goals to one at Bramall Lane on 20 October, but failed to cap the double when they drew 1-1 at Field Mill on 8 March, but this still didn't prevent United from winning the league at a cantor.
We had to wait a further six years until our horns locked paths again and in the Third Division ended, due to the FA Cup met four times that season in all. It was in the domestic cup where we first started an epic quartet of matches, on 19 November 1988 the pair drew 1-1 at the Mill and three days later United won their first round tie 2-1 in the replay - the Blades saw off Doncaster Rovers (3-1) and Huddersfield Town (1-0) away from home. They met Colchester United in round four and after a 3-3 draw at Bramall Lane won the replay 2-0 at Layer Road. They were finally eliminated a round later when they lost 3-2 at First Division Norwich City.
In April that same season they finally met in the league, it was to be another memorable season for the Blades as this season formed the first part of their back-to-back promotions when they rose from third tier to the top in two seasons. On 4 April the Blades won 1-0 away from home but 3 weeks later suffered a setback when Town won 2-1 in S2 - the only time they have beaten United at Bramall Lane.
Recent Years...
That encounter in 1989 was the last time the two clubs faced each other competitivly. Since then the pair have met in friendlies and a Bill Dearden testimonal in 1994. This coming together in the League Cup is our first professional encounter for 25 years.
10 July 2010 - Mansfield Town 1 Sheffield United 0 (Friendly)
The World Cup is almost complete. Football fans are beginning to turn their attentions closer to home now their domestic clubs are back in action. Blades fans got the chance to see their stars (and the odd triallist and academy player here and there) back on turf this afternoon. New signings Daniel Bogdanovic, Leon Britton, Johnny Ertl, Steve Simonsen and Simon Walton all donned the red and white stripes for the first time in an excusable loss to David Holdsworth's Mansfield Town.
The starting line-up featured a few unfamiliar faces; Murillo, Williams and Berios all on trial. Trying to impress in the second-half were Vandelannoite, Edjenguele and Berios again. Kevin Blackwell made 10 changes at the interval; Berios the only survivor. The game was, I'm sure all 826 Unitedites who made the short trip to Nottinghamshire would agree, drab. Mansfield looked the sharpest and more eager, and they came away with the spoils with a goal from Briscoe in the second-half. Brisoce, from close-range, slotted the ball past Aksalu with ease in the Blades goal.
The Stags found it difficult to break their pre-season duck in the first-half, though. As did the Blades, funnily enough. Steve Simonsen, airing the brand new PURPLE goalkeeper kit, pulled off a few fines saves. Notably, he impressively saved in a one-on-one situation. In the same half, Ched Evans and Daniel Bogdanovic, who did nothing for the rest of the half, combined well on a sweet counter-attack. Evans' volley at Marriot in the Mansfield goal was saved. Simon Walton had to be replaced with half an hour elapsing - he was eventually stretchered off at half-time. It didn't look that too serious.
The Mansfield keeper produced two fine saves in the second-half; both fingertips over the crossbar from Cresswell and then Foster. United probably should have had a penalty when M. Boulding quite blatantly handled in the penalty area. In the dying embers, United struck the Stags goalkeeper's far-post with a hopeful cross. Overall, despite the loss, the fixture was all about getting players fit and match practice, as well as coming through unscathed. Simon Walton, though, was a casualty. The atmosphere generated by the Blades fans, especially those in one corner, was very impressive for a pre-season friendly. It was reassuring to see Gary Speed on the touchlines amid the Swansea managerial hot seat speculation, however, Stephen Quinn and Darius Henderson weren't present. Jamie Ward did travel to Field Mill but played no part, despite having several shots at an empty goal before the game got underway. Richard Cresswell was running on empty, Kyel Reid looked promising and Morgs and Monty were as you'd expect. It was difficult to put names to faces with the triallists, but it's safe to say that there weren't too many outstanding impressions (I know that isn't much help for those who didn't attend, so my apologies).
First half: Simonsen, Murillo, Williams, Berios, Morgan, Chappell, Montgomery, Walton, Yeates, Evans, Bogdanovic. Second half: Aksalu, Vandelannoite, Edjenguele, Berios, Taylor, Lowton, Ertl, Britton, Reid, Foster, Cresswell. Unused: Roe, Brown.
20 July 2013 - Mansfield Town 0 Sheffield United 1 (Friendly)
Sheffield United beat newly promoted Mansfield Town by a single goal without reply to continue their unbeaten run in the pre-season friendlies. After a good run in Scotland which saw them beat Greenock Morton (1-0) and Raith Rovers (2-1) and drawing to Cowdenbeath (1-1) the Blades returned to England where they scalped wins over Bury (3-1) and nowMansfield Town (1-0) before they face Greek side Atromitos at the Lane next Friday and York City away the following day. In fact United haven't lost a pre-season friendly match since 26 July 2011 when Doncaster Roversr ecorded a 1-0 reverse at Bramall Lane.
But at Field Mill yesterday the Blades continued a great pre-season under new manager David Weir and won by a solitary goal from one of his new signings; Febian Brandy who notched his first goal in a United shirt since signing from Walsall. The goal came early on in the match, as early as the third minute when he found the net at the near post after Darryl Westlake crossed from the right. 691 fans turned up from Sheffield which made up almost half of the 1,912 crowed at Field Mill who witnessed Lyle Taylor make his debut since arriving from Falkirk last week - played in the final 30 minutes of the game after replacing Chris Porter in attack.
George Long, who had been in action for the England U20's in the summer, was given a run out for the first time with United in pre-season whilst Mark Howard sat on the bench. Despite United taking the lead early doors it was the Stags who got off the mark and showed precedence upfront - within 15 seconds Long saw a shot from Howell drift past his post. But this didn't deter the visitors and Jamie Murphy tested the home stopper before Brandy made his mark. Midfielder McDonald found Westlake on the right and his acute cross found the former Manchester United trainee who escaped his marker which went through the keepers' legs and into the net.
Marriott in the Stags goal was called into action once again to prevent Murphy's free-kick and Brandy's effort from rustling the net. Porter came close to adding to his pre-season tally but the keeper again was on hand after he had been put through by the busy McDonald. The Mansfield keeper was in the thick of it and kept busy in the first half - he was called upon again via another Murphy effort whilst the Scotman looked to finally get his goal but on 34 minutes his shot deflected wide before Porter headed wide from Westlake's cross. Captain Michael Doyle was denied and at the other end Marcus Williams cleaned up, preventing former Sheffield United Academy player Jake Speight connecting with a Rhead pass.
In the second half it was the Blades who came tumbling out of the starting blocks first and their first move almost created a goal, McDonald - not the prolific of goal scorers fired wide after being laid off by Brandy. On the hour mark Taylor was given his first chance whilst Jasper Johns who scored in the friendly at Bury both entered the field. Efforts from McGuire which was tipped over by Long and Dyer hit a free-kick over the bar as the hosts slowly came into the game. He then kept out Stevenson as United hung on. The second half failed to see United as fluent in attack as they were in the first but efforts from new boys Johns and Taylor were kept out by the keeper but despite Long keeping out Dyer towards the end the win never looked in doubt.
Mansfield Town Marriott, Beevers, Black, Dempster, McCombe, Murtagh, Speight, Clucas, Daniel, Howell, Rhead. Subs: Riley, McGuire, Dyer, Meikle, Hutchinson, Stevenson, Clements, Pilkington, Sutton, Tafazolli, Murray, Arnold.
Sheffield United Long, Westlake, Maguire, Collins, Williams, McGinn, Doyle (Whitehouse 81), McDonald, Brandy (McFadzean 76), Murphy (Johns 59), Porter (Taylor 59). Unused: Howard, Whitehouse, Hill, McGinty.
League Table
| P | W | D | L | F | A | |
| Home | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 4 |
| Away | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Total | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 9 |
Results
| 27 Jan 1951 | Sheffield United v Mansfield Town | D | 0-0 | FA Cup |
| 31 Jan 1951 | Mansfield Town v Sheffield United | L | 2-1 | FA Cup |
| 04 Jan 1969 | Mansfield Town v Sheffield United | L | 2-1 | FA Cup |
| 08 Oct 1977 | Mansfield Town v Sheffield United | D | 1-1 | League Division Two |
| 04 Mar 1978 | Sheffield United v Mansfield Town | W | 2-0 | League Division Two |
| 22 Sep 1979 | Mansfield Town v Sheffield United | W | 3-4 | League Division Three |
| 09 Feb 1980 | Sheffield United v Mansfield Town | W | 1-0 | League Division Three |
| 20 Oct 1981 | Sheffield United v Mansfield Town | W | 4-1 | League Division Four |
| 08 Mar 1982 | Mansfield Town v Sheffield United | D | 1-1 | League Division Four |
| 19 Nov 1988 | Mansfield Town v Sheffield United | D | 1-1 | FA Cup |
| 22 Nov 1988 | Sheffield United v Mansfield Town | W | 2-1 | FA Cup |
| 04 Apr 1989 | Mansfield Town v Sheffield United | W | 0-1 | League Division Three |
| 25 Apr 1989 | Sheffield United v Mansfield Town | L | 1-2 | League Division Three |
| 06 Sep 1994 | Mansfield Town v Sheffield United | W | 1-2 | Testimonial (B. Dearden) |
| 28 Jul 2008 | Mansfield Town v Sheffield United | W | 1-3 | Friendly |
| 10 Jul 2010 | Mansfield Town v Sheffield United | L | 1-0 | Friendly |
| 20 Jul 2013 | Mansfield Town v Sheffield United | W | 0-1 | Friendly |