Blackwell gets Blades job

It has been a massive turnaround for Sheffield United since he replaced Bryan Robson who was somewhat strangely appointed last summer in place of the departing Neil Warnock. They were down in the bottom half of the table but having got the first few games out of the way they have gone on a sensational run.

They have won eight and drawn one of their last ten league games and that has taken them within two points of the play offs. It would take a surprising sequence of results tomorrow for them to make the top six but the board have acted on the basis that they have got so close.

Blackwell, who had previously been Warnock's assistant and once got involved in a brawl with Stan Ternent a Bramall Lane, has managed both Leeds and Luton. As at the other two clubs he has retained Ternent's former Burnley number two Sam Ellis as his assistant manager.