A blanket of snow just days before the Blades were scheduled to face Reading at Bramall Lane halted proceedings and had to wait until mid-December before they could taste Championship action.
They faced Barnsley in a much atticipated South Yorkshire Derby at Oakwell; though it would be the Reds who were looking forward to this fixture the most.
United; plagued with injuries were storming into this game under terrible form and with speculation of manager Gary Speed leaving the club to join the set up with the Welsh Football Association it wasn’t a great time to face the Tykes.
As expected; the Blades played out a ‘pitiful’ display at Barnsley last weekend which resulted in a 0-1 defeat, Hugo Colace providing the finishing touch before half-time to send the lacklustre Blades home. United were paralyzed in attack with only Ched Evans as there 100% fit striker available, there was however Jamie Ward who was returning from injury and academy starlet Jordan Slew in reserve.
Following the defeat to the Reds Gary Speed resigned as manager of the Blades to take up that expected post in Wales – leaving assistant John Carver along with Sam Ellis and an injured Chris Morgan to take over as temporary managers.
The Academy are also forced to postponed their clash with Cheltenham Town in the FA Youth Cup as Whaddon Road is laced with snow.