The Blades have struggled to bring in new players this summer but supporters who make the trip to Derbyshire tonight will see first glimpse of striker John Cofie who has joined on a seasons long loan from Manchester United.
Blades boss Danny Wilson revealed that eleven players where released this summer in a big shape up after failing to win promotion to the Championship; James Beattie and ex-Manchester City forward Ched Evans, Steve Simonsen, Andy Taylor, Johannes Ertl, Ched Evans, James Beattie, Connor Brown, Jack Adams, Seamus Conneely, Corey Gregory, Marc Warren and Shane Murray all left but Kevin McDonald, Chris Porter and Lee Williamson have all been offered new deals to stay.
United will be without defender Lescinel Jean-Francois who is sidelined for the summer through injury.
The Robins will start the 2012/13 league campaign in tier 7 after winning promotion from the Evo-Stick Division One (South) Play-Offs by beating Sheffield FC (7-0) and Leek Town (2-0) and are just four promotions away from reaching the Football League were they have never played before!
They kick started their pre-season campaign last Saturday, triumphantly winning 6-0 at Leek Town but no doubt face a stern test in Sheffield United and are likely to field two players of interest; Laurie Wilson - the son of Blades manager Danny and Joe Maguire who is the brother of defender Harry - he spent four years in the Blades Academy before moving onto Scunthorpe United.
Wilson, 27 told Ilkestonfc.co.uk that coming up against his fathers team will be interesting but the Robins will be all out to win this friendly tie; “It certainly adds an element of intrigue to the game and it is something dad and I were talking when we were on holiday together in Spain,” he said. “He’s warned me not to go flying into tackles because he doesn’t want any of his players missing any games! But we will try to make it a contest and push them hard, even if the main thing, for both sides, will be trying to get fitness in the bag.
“From our point of view, we were pleased with the way we started against Leek, but we won’t be taken anything for granted just because of that one win. We do have lads who can play at the higher level after winning promotion, but there is plenty of hard work to put in.”
The Robins also have former England Youth international Darren Caskey on their books as Assistant Manager and Player; now 37 the midfielder made his name with Tottenham Hotspur and Reading amongst others during the 1990's.