Sheffield United have signed Gary Madine on loan from Cardiff City until the end of the season, as confirmed by their official club website today.
Madine, who is 28 years-old, joined Cardiff last January for a fee in the region of £6 million but didn’t find the net for the Bluebirds in 19 appearances.
He played five games this season in the Premier League but has been allowed to leave the Welsh side on loan in search of more regular first-team action.
Madine has previously played for the likes of Carlisle United, Sheffield Wednesday, Blackpool, Coventry City and Bolton Wanderers. He is experienced in the Football League and has racked up over 350 career appearances.
He impressed the most at Bolton where he scored 26 goals in 107 appearances for the Trotters which earned him a move to the Cardiff City Stadium.
Sheffield United will be hoping he can rekindle that type of form now they have signed him. The move has raised some eyebrows considering his history with the Blades’ bitter rivals Sheffield Wednesday.
However, surely United fans won’t care if Madine comes in and scores the goals to fire them back to the Premier League?
Here is how the Blades fans have reacted on Twitter to signing Gary Madine today-
Cheers sons crying. Nice one
— Richard (@richardpye04) January 7, 2019
https://twitter.com/JustyRice3/status/1082317489143533568
Truth is stranger than fiction 😂 Hope he does a job. A championship version of Hanson with a key moment towards a crucial win towards promotion and I'll let his history slide #sufc #twitterblades
— A Blade (@justacword) January 7, 2019
https://twitter.com/MooreMooreMore/status/1082314697502846982
I think underneath it all, Wendy fans are hating the fact Madine has joined us 😂 #twitterblades #sufc
— RyanSimmonite (@RyanSimmonite) January 7, 2019
We're becoming a team of hated players, that just get driven even more by the abuse and jealousy!
Gary Madine and @deanhenderson both wind up merchants that people hate playing against.
In the words of Deano himself…. 🔜🔛🔝 #sufc #twitterblades— Matt Waterhouse (@MW__photog) January 7, 2019
Will never chant Madines name but he’s now in a blades shirt so gets my backing 100% #TwitterBlades
— Ray Page (@raysufc) January 7, 2019