During the build-up to the upcoming Chesterfield vs Sheffield United clash, I couldn’t help notice how different this fixture is to the last time the two teams met.
April 2016 saw Chesterfield host Sheffield United in an end of season encounter with both teams looking for a win after disappointing seasons. Six teams separated the clubs, Sheffield United were sitting in 10th place and with just ten points less, Chesterfield were 17th and by no means safe from relegation.
The crowd at the Proact Stadium saw a comfortable victory for the Blades, a rarity in their inconsistent 2015/16 campaign. Goals from Alex Baptiste, Che Adams and Billy Sharp gave the Blades a 3-0 win and the bragging rights against their local opponents.
The teams were as follows:
Chesterfield: Lee, Anderson, Hird, Raglan, Talbot, Liddle, Ariyibi, Banks, Dimaio (Slew 60), O’Shea, Novak Unused: Chapman, Humphreys, Donahue, Ebanks-Blake, Orrell, Simons
Sheffield United: Long, Edgar, McEverly, Baptiste, Basham, Coutts, Flynn (Cuvelier 76), Hammond, Adams (Calvert-Lewin 83), Done (Woolford 88), Sharp Unused: Howard, McGahey, Whiteman, Sammon
Seven months later, the Spireites’ season couldn’t have gone any differently to Chris Wilder’s men as both teams diverged in the League One table. Chesterfield are 23rd and without a league win since September whilst the South Yorkshire men sit in three points from the automatic spots in 4th and are 11 games unbeaten in the league. Danny Wilson switches places with Nigel Adkins from April as being the manager in the hot seat as many Chesterfield fans do not believe he is the man to lead their club.
From Sheffield United’s 18 man squad in April, just six players remain. To the supporters’ delight, under performers such as Hammond and Woolford were shipped out as Wilder began his transformation of the men in red and white. Within the six players that remain, it’s likely four will feature in Sunday’s clash after Matt Done made a midweek return from injury in the fixture at Grimsby Town.
Chesterfield may not have drastically transformed like the Blades have done, but only 12 players from the 18 remain at the club and two of those are on loan duty. Ex-Blade Jordan Slew is one of a few Spireities who failed to impress at the Proact and is no longer a Chesterfield player.
With a noticeable change in team members and general club atmosphere, and a combined total of 22 signings since their last meeting, it will be interesting to see how this weekend’s outcome will differ from April’s result.
Chesterfield vs Sheffield United is Sunday’s 2:15pm kick-off and live on Sky Sports 2.
