A 2-0 win over West Brom at Bramall Lane was enough to get Sheffield United promoted. Photo: PRIME Media Images/Tom Pearson
At Bramall Lane on Wednesday evening, Prince Abdullah bin Musaid Al Saud was with his family and took part in the celebration. Sheffield United returned to the Premier League for the second time when asked, bringing in an expected £170m, a windfall for a club until recently under a transfer embargo.
He had been at Wembley four days earlier, watching his team keep level with Manchester City for 43 minutes before Josep Guardiola's side went through the passes. But they will face them again next season after a campaign that has been full of uncertainty, chaos and potential new owners. At one point, chief executive Stephen Bettis insisted that the club not go into administration.
Consistency came from Paul Heckingbottom and his team, who endured a slight wobble in February to deal with the challenge of Middlesbrough. His team has form and some players have two seasons in the top flight when Chris Wilder promoted them.
Ollie Norwood, John Fleck, Chris Basham, John Egan, Sander Burge and George Baldock were among those who remained in the Championship, joined by Manchester City loan couples James McAtee and Tommy Doyle, while Ilyman Ndiaye was pulled out. from a non-playing league and became a World Cup player with Senegal.
Deloitte last season valued the broadcast rights at £90m and £80m in parachute payouts for the retreat, though middlemen don't expect the jackpot to generate a big expense under the current owner.
A year ago, Anel Ahmedhodzic was involved in a deal worth up to £4 million, with the rest of the proceeds being loans. It could be the same this summer, with the added rule complication allowing only one loan from another Premier League side, meaning it will be either McAtee or Doyle unless City sell.
«We always plan like we're here forever,» Prince Abdullah said ahead of the FA Cup semi-final. «We have a clear vision of what we need to do next year, we will discuss it with Paul and for sure we will have a plan.»
Paul Heckingbottom oversaw Sheffield United's return to the Premier League. Photo: Getty Images/James Williamson
United's owner has been considering selling the club for £115m this season to Dozi Mmobuozi, whose interest in the purchase has led him to invest more than £8m in a potential takeover. The relationship between the couple is described as hot and cold by those with knowledge of the deal. For the deal to go through, action will be required on both sides.
It was an uncertain backdrop for a season where other clubs could collapse and fall out of the fight for promotion. They were under an EFL transfer embargo due to non-payment of payments to another club. It also turned out that it was necessary to urgently pay the oil bill for the operation of underground heating at the landfill, since it had not been paid before.
"It was very difficult. Usually clubs that relegate have to sell a lot of players. I can't complain about anything, but it was very hard for me, my family and everyone else. The final is really great and I am very happy and proud,” Prince Abdullah told Talksport after the win over West Brom to complete promotion.
The promotion is a testament to Heckingbottom's work alongside Stuart McCall and Jack Lester on his backstage staff. Their team retained Wilder's three centre-backs, with Ahmedhodzic scoring five goals and retaining the previous manager's overlapping centre-backs.
Hackingbottom built up his reputation. The son of a miner, on his way to school he passed pickets. As a footballer, he started at the Manchester United academy and was a professional apprentice. His learning curve as a manager was at Barnsley and Leeds United before he ended up taking over from Wilder, keeping in touch with him after he was sacked.
They will most likely be in the same Premier League uniforms, but still give loan players a chance to shine in the same way Dean Henderson did on loan from Manchester United. In the season they failed, playing behind closed doors was a big factor, but this time Bramall Lane will be full houses and the hope that after the chaos it will be time to enjoy the Premier League
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