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2008–09 Sheffield United F.C. season

Sheffield United F.C. 2008–09 football season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

During the 2008–09 English football season, Sheffield United F.C. competed in the Football League Championship.

ManagerKevin Blackwell
StadiumBramall Lane
Championship3rd (qualified for play-offs)
PlayoffsRunners-up
Quick facts Manager, Stadium ...
Sheffield United F.C.
2008–09 season
ManagerKevin Blackwell
StadiumBramall Lane
Championship3rd (qualified for play-offs)
PlayoffsRunners-up
FA CupFifth round
League CupThird round
Top goalscorerLeague: James Beattie (12)
All: James Beattie (12)[1]
Highest home attendance30,786 (vs. Sheffield Wednesday, 7 February 2009)
Lowest home attendance23,045 (vs. Crystal Palace, 20 December 2008)
Average home league attendance26,023[2]
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Season summary

Despite the sale of the previous season's top scorer, James Beattie, to Premier League newcomers Stoke City during the season, Sheffield United improved on the previous season's unsatisfactory form and were unlucky to finish the season in third place, three points behind Birmingham City. With this third-place finish came qualification for the playoffs: after narrowly defeating Preston North End 2–1 over two legs in the semi-final, United reached the playoff final, against Burnley, at Wembley. United lost 1–0, to a 13th-minute strike from Wade Elliott, which saw United consigned to a third consecutive season in the Championship.

Kit

Sheffield United continued their kit manufacturing agreement with French company Le Coq Sportif, who produced a new kit for the season, designed by United season ticket holder Ben Frost. A black away kit with silver trim, chosen by the club's players, was also introduced. The previous season's black and fluorescent green away kit was retained as the third kit.

The club ended their kit sponsorship agreement with American bank Capital One at the end of the previous season. The new kit sponsor for the season was visit Malta.com.

Competitions

Championship

Main article: 2008–09 Football League Championship

League table

More information Pos, Pld ...
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Wolverhampton Wanderers (C, P) 46 27 9 10 80 52 +28 90 Promotion to the Premier League
2 Birmingham City (P) 46 23 14 9 54 37 +17 83
3 Sheffield United 46 22 14 10 64 39 +25 80 Qualification for Championship play-offs
4 Reading 46 21 14 11 72 40 +32 77
5 Burnley (O, P) 46 21 13 12 72 60 +12 76
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Updated to match(es) played on 3 May 2009. Source: The Football League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted

Matches

More information Date, Opponent ...
Championship match details
DateOpponentVenueResult
F–A		ScorersAttendanceLeague[3]
position		Ref.
9 August 2008 Birmingham City Away0–1 24,01919th [4]
16 August 2008 Queens Park Rangers Home3–0 Sharp 3', 13', 51' 25,273 11th [5]
23 August 2008 Blackpool Away3–1 S. Quinn 21', Speed 57' pen., Halford 78' 8,611 5th [6]
30 August 2008 Cardiff City Home0–0 29,226 5th [7]
13 September 2008 Derby County Away1–2 Henderson 26' 28,473 6th [8]
16 September 2008 Coventry City Home1–1 Sharp 56' 24,130 9th [9]
20 September 2008 Norwich City Away0–1 24,175 15th [10]
27 September 2008 Watford Home2–1 Speed 1', Beattie 66' 24,427 10th [11]
30 September 2008 Doncaster Rovers Away2–0 Roberts 14' o.g., S. Quinn 60' 14,242 6th [12]
4 October 2008 Bristol City Home3–0 Beattie 45', 69', Fontaine 56' o.g. 24,712 4th [13]
19 October 2008 Sheffield Wednesday Away0–1 30,441 6th [14]
21 October 2008 Southampton Home0–0 25,642 7th [15]
25 October 2008 Preston North End Home1–0 Ehiogu 50' 24,445 5th [16]
28 October 2008 Bristol City Away0–0 16,798 6th [17]
1 November 2008 Plymouth Argyle Home2–0 Beattie 49' pen., 57' 25,601 5th [18]
8 November 2008 Barnsley Away2–1 Beattie 20', 85' pen. 19,002 4th [19]
15 November 2008 Reading Home0–2 25,065 5th [20]
22 November 2008 Charlton Athletic Away5–2 Beattie 7', Speed 29', Kilgallon 45', Youga 48' o.g., S. Quinn 53' 20,328 4th [21]
25 November 2008 Wolverhampton Wanderers Home1–3 Spring 75' 27,111 4th [22]
29 November 2008 Ipswich Town Away1–1 Beattie 90' pen. 19,785 5th [23]
6 December 2008 Burnley Home2–3 Beattie 36' pen., S. Quinn 87' 24,702 6th [24]
9 December 2008 Nottingham Forest Away1–0 Howard 31' 19,541 5th [25]
13 December 2008 Swansea City Away1–1 Morgan 87' 14,744 7th [26]
20 December 2008 Crystal Palace Home2–2 Dyer 41', Beattie 88' pen. 23,045 6th [27]
26 December 2008 Wolverhampton Wanderers Away1–1 Beattie 22' 27,106 8th [28]
28 December 2008 Charlton Athletic Home3–1 S. Quinn 65', 79', Webber 72' 24,717 6th [29]
10 January 2009 Norwich City Home1–0 Henderson 17' 27,267 4th [30]
17 January 2009 Watford Away2–0 Webber 52', Henderson 67' 14,555 4th [31]
27 January 2009 Doncaster Rovers Home0–1 26,555 4th [32]
31 January 2009 Preston North End Away0–0 14,889 5th [33]
3 February 2009 Southampton Away2–1 Halford 35', Ward 90' 13,257 4th [34]
7 February 2009 Sheffield Wednesday Home1–2 Lupoli 5' 30,786 5th [35]
21 February 2009 Plymouth Argyle Away2–2 Webber 63', Halford 72' 10,044 6th [36]
1 March 2009 Birmingham City Home2–1 Webber 44', Cotterill 83' pen. 24,232 5th [37]
4 March 2009 Coventry City Away2–1 Bromby 45', Morgan 54' 16,300 4th [38]
7 March 2009 Queens Park Rangers Away0–0 13,718 5th [39]
10 March 2009 Blackpool Home2–2 Coid 5 o.g., Cotterill 73 pen. 25,273 4th [40]
14 March 2009 Derby County Home4–2 Naughton 7', Henderson 21', 62', Beattie 90' 27,565 4th [41]
22 March 2009 Cardiff City Away3–0 Cotterill 25' pen., Ward 46', S. Quinn 87' 17,942 4th [42]
4 April 2009 Ipswich Town Home2–0 Halford 19', Henderson 27' 25,315 4th [43]
7 April 2009 Barnsley Home2–1 O'Toole 82', Lupoli 87' 27,061 3rd [44]
10 April 2009 Reading Away1–0 Howard 59' 20,756 2nd [45]
13 April 2009 Nottingham Forest Home0–0 28,374 3rd [46]
20 April 2009 Burnley Away0–1 14,884 3rd [47]
25 April 2009 Swansea City Home1–0 Cotterill 37' pen. 28,010 3rd [48]
3 May 2009 Crystal Palace Away0–0 22,824 3rd [49]
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Play-offs

More information Round, Date ...
Play-off match details
RoundDateOpponentVenueResult
F–A		ScorersAttendanceRef.
Semi-final first leg 8 May 2009 Preston North End Away 1–1 Howard 46' 19,840 [50]
Semi-final second leg 11 May 2009 Preston North End Home 1–0 (2–1 agg.) Halford 59' 26,354 [51]
Final 25 May 2009 Burnley Neutral 0–1 80,518 [52]
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FA Cup

More information Round, Date ...
FA Cup match details
RoundDateOpponentVenueResult
F–A		ScorersAttendanceRef.
Third round13 January 2009Leyton OrientAway4–1Halford 59', 78', Sharp 62', Naughton 69'4,527[53]
Fourth round24 January 2009Charlton AthleticHome2–1Webber 26', Hendrie 62'15,957[54]
Fifth round14 February 2009Hull CityHome1–1Halford 7'22,283[55]
Fifth round replay26 February 2009Hull CityAway1–2Sharp 32'17,239[56]
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League Cup

More information Round, Date ...
League Cup match details
RoundDateOpponentVenueResult
F–A		ScorersAttendanceRef.
First round13 August 2008Port ValeHome3–1Hendrie 41', S. Quinn 71', Webber 90' pen.7,694[57]
Second round27 August 2008Huddersfield TownAway2–1Henderson 82', Naughton 83'15,189[58]
Third round23 September 2008ArsenalAway0–656,632[59]
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Players

First-team squad

Squad at end of season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

More information No., Pos. ...
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Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

More information No., Pos. ...
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Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

More information No., Pos. ...
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Statistics

Appearances and goals

More information No., Pos ...
No. Pos Nat Player TotalChampionshipPlay-offsFA CupLeague Cup
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Goalkeepers
1 GK Republic of Ireland IRL Paddy Kenny 500440302010
13 GK England ENG Ian Bennett 6020002020
Defenders
2 DF England ENG Greg Halford 49831+104314310
3 DF Scotland SCO Gary Naysmith 43037+20003010
5 DF England ENG Chris Morgan 50240+12304020
6 DF England ENG Matthew Kilgallon 49139+11303030
12 DF China CHN Sun Jihai 17111+11003+1010
26 DF Republic of Ireland IRL Derek Geary 300+10000020
30 DF England ENG Kyle Naughton 50339+11303+110+31
32 DF England ENG Leigh Bromby 1316+610+100000
33 DF England ENG Ugo Ehiogu 17111+51000010
34 DF England ENG Kyle Walker 7020302000
Midfielders
4 MF Wales WAL David Cotterill 32417+74203030
11 MF England ENG Lee Hendrie 1220+500+102+211+11
15 MF Wales WAL Gary Speed 183173000010
17 MF Scotland SCO Nick Montgomery 35026+20303010
18 MF Northern Ireland NIR Jamie Ward 1827+921+100000
20 MF England ENG Brian Howard 32322+42311+2000
21 MF Republic of Ireland IRL John-Joe O'Toole 915+41000000
25 MF Algeria ALG Aymen Tahar 1000000+1000
28 MF Republic of Ireland IRL Stephen Quinn 508437302021
Forwards
7 FW England ENG Darius Henderson 37725+76102021
9 FW Italy ITA Arturo Lupoli 1122+720+200000
10 FW England ENG Danny Webber 41621+154001+112+11
19 FW Scotland SCO Craig Beattie 1611+1212+100000
24 FW England ENG Billy Sharp 27617+5400420+10
Players left during the season
8 FW England ENG Jon Stead 200+10000010
8 FW Republic of Ireland IRL Anthony Stokes 1305+70000010
9 FW England ENG James Beattie 241221+212000010
14 DF Australia AUS David Carney 1000000010
18 MF England ENG Michael Tonge 5040000010
18 FW England ENG Nathan Dyer 713+41000000
19 MF Northern Ireland NIR Keith Gillespie 100+10000000
20 DF Scotland SCO Chris Armstrong 1000000010
25 FW England ENG Matthew Spring 1318+31000020
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Source:[60]

Transfers

In

More information Date, Position ...
Date Position Name Club From Fee Reference
2 July 2008 DF Sun Jihai Manchester City Free [61]
23 July 2008 FW Darius Henderson Watford £2,000,000 [62]
31 July 2008 MF David Cotterill Wigan Athletic Undisclosed [63]
31 July 2008 GK Justin Haber Haidari F.C. Free [63]
19 January 2009 MF Jamie Ward Chesterfield £400,000 [64]
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Out

More information Date, Position ...
Date Position Name Club To Fee Reference
4 July 2008 DF Chris Lucketti Huddersfield Town Free [65]
21 July 2008 FW Rob Hulse Derby County £1,750,000 [66]
24 July 2008 FW Luton Shelton Valerenga £1,000,000 [67]
2 September 2008 MF Michael Tonge Stoke City £2,000,000 [68]
15 September 2008 FW Jon Stead Ipswich Town Undisclosed [69]
12 January 2009 FW James Beattie Stoke City £3,500,000 [70]
30 January 2009 MF Keith Gillespie None Released [71]
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Loan In

More information Date, Position ...
Date Position Name Club From Length Reference
2 July 2008 DF Greg Halford Sunderland Full-Season [61]
31 July 2008 MF Matthew Spring Luton Town Full-Season (ended 9 January) [63]
2 February 2009 FW Arturo Lupoli Fiorentina Until end of season [72]
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Loan Out

More information Date, Position ...
Date Position Name Club To Length Reference
23 July 2008 DF Ben Starosta Aldershot Town One Month [73]
1 September 2008 FW Jon Stead Ipswich Town Six Months (made permanent 15 September) [74]
2 September 2008 DF Ben Starosta Lechia Gdansk Six Months [75]
28 January 2009 MF David Carney Norwich City Until end of season [76]
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References

External links

Notes

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