Sheffield United vs Preston North End

HOLE NEW BALL GAME A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME A WHOLE NEW BALL GA
60 UTB
FINAL FLOURISH
SEES UNITED SAFE
For a time, it looked like survival was going to the wire,
but Dave Bassett’s Blades avoided a tense finish with
back-to-back away wins to end the 1992-93 campaign
on a high...
When United arrived at the City
Ground for the relegation six-pointer
against Nottingham Forest, a defeat
in Brian Clough’s final home game in
charge would have dragged Bassett’s
side right back into the mire with just
two games to go.
The Blades held their nerve to not
only relegate Forest with a 2-0 win
thanks to goals from Glyn Hodges and
Brian Gayle, but three days later also
▲ Congratulations to Brian Gayle as United
make it 2-0 at the City Ground
SHEFFIELD UNITED vs PRESTON NORTH END
travelled to Goodison Park to down
Everton 2-0 with goals from Hodges
again and Carl Bradshaw.
Barring a mathematical miracle,
the Everton result ensured survival
meaning a buoyant Bramall Lane could
relax as United ended the season with
4-2 success against Chelsea.
A season where a final day
showdown seemed almost inevitable,
ended with United finishing in a
comfortable 14th position in the
inaugural Premier League season.
Starting the last four games of the
season, Charlie Hartfield played a
pivotal role in United’s late flourish,
providing an assist for Gayle’s header
at Forest and helping to steer the
Blades to a huge win at Goodison Park.
Charlie told UTB: “The competition
was huge in midfield, and we had some
great players. I must have been playing
well at that time in the season to get
in ahead of some of the other boys
because they were really good players.
“I’ll never forget the Forest game;
it was huge for all kinds of different
reasons. It was a pressure game,
but we stood up to it and beat them
2-0 to send them down. I remember
the day well. It was a baking hot