The 2017–18 season was Sheffield United's 129th season in their history and marked their return to the Championship, following a six-year stay in the third tier. Along with the Championship, the club also competed in the FA Cup and EFL Cup.
Before the season, many EFL fans, Sheffield Wednesday fans amongst them, tipped the Blades for a season of struggles in and around the bottom 3. United defied this by finishing 10th, and chasing the play-offs all season long.
The season covered the period from 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018.
Squad No. Name Pos. Nat. Place of Birth Age AppsGoals Signed from Date signed Fee Contract End Goalkeepers1Simon MooreGKSandown550 Cardiff City19 August 2016Undisclosed201927Jamal BlackmanGKCroydon240 Chelsea27 July 2017Loan201831Jake EastwoodGKSheffield30 Youth Academy1 July 2015Trainee2018 Defenders2George BaldockRBBuckingham241Milton Keynes Dons1 July 2017Undisclosed20203Enda StevensLBDublin331Portsmouth1 July 2017Free20205 Jack O'ConnellCBLiverpool816Brentford8 July 2016Undisclosed202213Jake WrightCBKeighley490Oxford United9 July 2016Free201918Kieron FreemanRBArnold10813Derby County23 January 2015Free202019Richard StearmanCBWolverhampton171Fulham6 July 2017Undisclosed202023Ben HeneghanCBManchester10Motherwell31 August 2017Undisclosed202024Daniel LaffertyLBDerry454Burnley13 January 2017Undisclosed2019 Midfielders4 John FleckCMGlasgow796Coventry City11 July 2016Free20216 Chris BashamDM/CBHebburn1728Blackpool1 July 2014Free20197John LundstramCMLiverpool292Oxford United25 July 2017Undisclosed202014Ryan LeonardCM/CBPlympton30Southend United9 January 2018Undisclosed202115Paul CouttsCMAberdeen1205Derby County23 January 2015Undisclosed201920Lee EvansCMNewport50Wolverhampton Wanderers10 January 2018£750,000202121Mark DuffyRMLiverpool738Birmingham City1 July 2016Free201826Ricky HolmesLMRochford20Charlton AthleticUndisclosed202036David BrooksLW/AMWarrington263Youth Academy1 July 2015Trainee202144Samir CarruthersCMIslington281Milton Keynes Dons3 January 2017Undisclosed2020 Forwards9Leon ClarkeCFBirmingham5324Bury27 July 2016Undisclosed201910Billy SharpCFSheffield22375Leeds United25 July 2015Undisclosed201911Clayton DonaldsonCFBradford185Birmingham City31 August 2017Nominal201812James WilsonCFBiddulph41Manchester United10 January 2018Loan201822Caolan LaveryCFRed Deer365Sheffield Wednesday30 August 2016Free201932Ched EvansCFRhyl12348Chesterfield1 July 2017Undisclosed2020 Out on Loan8Nathan ThomasLWIngleby Barwick32Hartlepool United1 July 2017Undisclosed202017James HansonCFBradford141Bradford City24 January 2017Undisclosed2020George LongGKSheffield1230Youth Academy1 July 2011Trainee2018Chris HusseyLBLondon110Bury1 July 2016UndisclosedUndisclosedJames WilsonCBChepstow101Oldham Athletic5 July 2016Free2018Louis ReedCMBarnsley590Youth Academy1 July 2013Trainee2018 All appearances and goals up to date as of 10 February 2018.
Statistics
!colspan=14|Player(s) out on loan:
!colspan=14|Player(s) who left the club:
Goals
Rank No. Nat. Po. Name Championship League Cup FA Cup Total19 CFLeon Clarke 190019210CFBilly Sharp 130114311CFClayton Donaldson 500547 CMJohn Lundstram 300321AMMark Duffy 300336AMDavid Brooks 300374 CMJohn Fleck 20026 DMChris Basham 20028 LWNathan Thomas 011219CBRichard Stearman 200220CMLee Evans 2002122 RBGeorge Baldock 1001 3 LBEnda Stevens 100112CFJames Wilson 100115CMPaul Coutts 100118RBKieron Freeman 100122CFCaolan Lavery 010124LBDaniel Lafferty 010144CMSamir Carruthers 1001 CBCameron Carter-Vickers 1001Total 613266
Disciplinary record
Rank No. Nat. Po. Name Championship League Cup FA Cup Total 14 CMJohn Fleck 1401000000140123 LBEnda Stevens 1000000000100036 DMChris Basham 80000010090045 CBJack O'Connell 60000000060015CMPaul Coutts 60000000060020CMLee Evans 60000000060077 CMJohn Lundstram 3001001005009 CFLeon Clarke 40100000040136AMDavid Brooks 500000000500112 RBGeorge Baldock 40000000040010CFBilly Sharp 40000000040019CBRichard Stearman 4000000004001421AMMark Duffy 3000000003001511CFClayton Donaldson 20000000020024LBDaniel Lafferty 00010010020027GKJamal Blackman 101000000101 CBCameron Carter-Vickers 100000100200191 GKSimon Moore 00100000000112CFJames Wilson 10000000010013CBJake Wright 000000100100Total 78032005008503
Contracts Date Position Nationality Name Status Contract Length Expiry Date Ref.18 July 2017 CM Chris Basham Signed 2 years June 2019 18 July 2017 CM Paul Coutts Signed 2 years June 2019 18 July 2017 RB Kieron Freeman Signed 3 years June 2020 18 July 2017 CF Billy Sharp Signed 2 years June 2019 22 September 2017 CM John Fleck Signed 4 years June 2021 15 November 2017 CB Jack O'Connell Signed 4.5 years June 2022
Transfers Transfers in Date Position Nationality Name From Fee Ref. 1 July 2017 RB George Baldock Milton Keynes Dons Undisclosed 1 July 2017 CF Ched Evans Chesterfield Undisclosed 1 July 2017 LB Enda Stevens Portsmouth Free 1 July 2017 LW Nathan Thomas Hartlepool United Undisclosed 6 July 2017 CB Richard Stearman Fulham Undisclosed 25 July 2017 CM John Lundstram Oxford United Undisclosed 31 August 2017 CF Clayton Donaldson Birmingham City Undisclosed 31 August 2017 CB Ben Heneghan Motherwell Undisclosed 9 January 2018 CM Ryan Leonard Southend United Undisclosed 10 January 2018 CM Lee Evans Wolverhampton Wanderers £750,000 15 January 2018 LM Ricky Holmes Charlton Athletic Undisclosed
Transfers out Date Position Nationality Name To Fee Ref. 1 July 2017 LB Graham Kelly Port Vale Free 1 July 2017 CF Marc McNulty Coventry City Free 1 July 2017 AM Jay O'Shea Bury Free 1 July 2017 AM Stefan Scougall St Johnstone Free 3 August 2017 LM Matt Done Rochdale Mutual consent 16 August 2017 LB Kieran Wallace Free agent Mutual consent 31 August 2017 RB John Brayford Burton Albion Mutual consent 11 January 2018 CM Ben Whiteman Doncaster Rovers Undisclosed
Loans in Start date Position Nationality Name From End date Ref. 27 July 2017 GK Jamal Blackman Chelsea 30 June 2018 25 August 2017 CB Cameron Carter-Vickers Tottenham Hotspur 30 June 2018 10 January 2018 CF James Wilson Manchester United 30 June 2018
Loans out Start date Position Nationality Name To End date Ref. 1 July 2017 AM Benjamin Whiteman Doncaster Rovers January 2018 4 July 2017 GK George Long AFC Wimbledon 30 June 2018 7 July 2017 LB Chris Hussey Swindon Town 30 June 2018 11 July 2017 CM Louis Reed Chesterfield 30 June 2018 17 July 2017 CB James Wilson Walsall 30 June 2018 26 October 2017 FW Jordan Hallam Southport 23 November 2017 3 January 2018 CF James Hanson Bury 30 June 2018
Pre-season Friendlies As of 16 June 2017, Sheffield United have six pre-season friendlies against Stoke City, Stocksbridge Park Steels, Chesterfield, Rotherham United, Eastleigh and Málaga.
Competitions
EFL Championship
League table
Result summary
Results by matchday
Matches On 21 June 2017, the EFL Championship league fixtures were announced.
FA Cup In the FA Cup, Sheffield United entered the competition in the third round and were drawn away to Ipswich Town.
EFL Cup On 16 June 2017, Sheffield United were drawn at home to Walsall in the first round. A home tie was to follow in the second round, with Leicester City the visitors.
References