Imagine playing for the club you grew up supporting, scoring a hatful of goals to get them promoted and then grabbing the winner on the opening day of the new season in front of your adoring fans.
Billy Sharp’s Sheffield United story would not be out of place in a Roy of the Rovers comic.
A Blades fan born and bred and now in his third spell at the club, Sharp scored 30 times last season as Chris Wilder’s side were promoted as League One champions a canter.
At a sun-drenched Bramall Lane in Saturday’s Championship opener against Brentford, the United captain headed home a cross from Leon Clarke in the 39th minute before celebrating with the kind of gusto which underlined his love for the club.
United spent the past six seasons in the relative abyss of the third tier but Wilder, himself a Sheffield lad and ‘Unitedite’, has succeeded where others before him failed.
Like Sharp, home was where the heart was for Wilder and he quit his job as Northampton boss in May 2016 and signed a three-year deal with the Blades.
United have not looked back since.They finished last season having amassed 100 points, scored 92 goals and unbeaten in their final 17 games.
Putting your head in where it hurts and fighting for your team-mates has been the Blades’ mantra under Wilder. Shortly after nodding in what proved to be the matchwinning goal, Sharp clashed heads with Brentford captain John Egan and was bandaged up.
He departed in the final quarter to a standing ovation.
“Billy’s goal record speaks for itself and when the ball went in the box, he was there and it was a great finish,” said Wilder.
“It was a fabulous feeling for him to score and I think he will get better with age.
“You look at strikers in the Championship like (David) Nugent who has had a fantastic career and they tend to blossom later on. Hopefully Billy can do that.”
Sharp himself believes a 20-goal target should not be out of the question now that the club are back in the Championship.
“I try and score 20 goals every season and if I don’t get to 20 I will be disappointed,” said Sharp, who has averaged more than a goal every two games since rejoining United two years ago.
“I have done it before in the Championship and believe if I play 40-plus games and stay fit I will score 20 goals. To do that will help this club massively.
“I feel strong and fit and, touch wood, I hope that continues this season. The way the gaffer’s pre-season went means we worked hard and we feel fit and we have to be for the way the gaffer wants us to play.
“You could feel the tension in the fans, but we were confident and positive against a side who have done well for the last three years in the Championship. I feel we deserved the win.
“In pre-season the main thing is to make sure you get your fitness and no injuries, but we won all six games and it would have been disappointing if we had not won as this continues the momentum from last season and takes us forward and gives us a good platform to build from.
“You have to try and win your home games and get what you can away. We know our strengths and have to believe we can win games.”
