Pre Blades: Smudger

With Leicester having already crept onto level pegging with us last night, probably followed by a few others before we play on Monday, the pressure is definitely back on the side now the cushion built in August and September has been eroded. Alan Smith is one of the players who has picked up on this and with our midfield man set to return after his 5th yellow one game ban he has talked about promotion and the fact he`s probably Yorkshire`s second most hated man, behind the Ripper:

"It`s vital we get back up at the first attempt. You look at what`s happened to my old club Leeds United to see the damage that is done if you stay down for a few seasons. Hopefully they are on their way back.

Sheffield United are similar, a huge club outside the Premier League. Sheffield Wednesday, Norwich, Nottingham Forest are all the same. It`s massively important to get back up as soon as possible. If we don`t get promoted you always have the risk of players seeing a future elsewhere. If we don`t get promoted this season we will have failed.

I`ve been to Bramall Lane a number of times. As a Leeds fan it has good memories for me, it`s where we won the title in `92. I wasn`t there but I remember it well. It`s a fond memory, Gordon Strachan sitting on the advertising hoardings.

I`m sure as an ex-Leeds player I`ll get a good reception at Bramall Lane. I think all of the teams down there still see me as a Leeds boy. I went to Huddersfield and they game me a nice welcome. Trouble is I get similar grief when I go back to Leeds now so there`s nowhere in Yorkshire that seems to like me!"

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