Matthew Lowton made his first start for the Blades at the weekend, in a squad that also featured two fresh faces on the bench.
Plenty has been made of the United’s injury list this season, and the number of outsiders who have come in ‘not knowing the Blades way.’
However, perhaps the solution to the temporary problems were under Blackwell’s nose all along?
When youth was the first place the Blades management turned to in previous years, when finances were tight, prospects such Nick Montgomery, Phil Jagielka and Michael Tonge were brought into the squad, even Kyle Walker only got his first real run in the side when Gary Naysmith was brought down with injury.
However, this season, Blackwell has often opted to name a shortened bench, rather than include players from the much talked about Academy, whether he felt they weren’t ready, or wanted an excuse should United lose is unknown?
As proven in the past, what a youngster may lack in decision making they make up for in enthusiasm and effort, two factors which are much more likely to lift a crowd than a 30 year-old collecting Premier League wages to stroll around the park.
Nathanial Foster, a strong centre forward who has shone in the youth-team this season, and former Scunthorpe United schoolboy Kinglsey James were both named amongst the substitutes, and when United went 3-0 up might have felt disappointed they didn’t get to introduce themselves to the travelling Blades fans.
Kevin Blackwell has stated in recent weeks that players will be brought in to bolster the squad for next season, which will be required for a promotion push, but should the dreaded injury crisis return, why spend money on an ageing has-been, when there’s a pool of exhuberance waiting to show what they can do, who will be fully aware of ‘the Sheffield United way.’
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