Goals from Stephen Quinn, Jamie Ward and David Cotterill, an exquisite long-range strike to seal the victory, responded perfectly to Matt Mills’ opener and broke United’s hoodoo at the Madjeski Stadium, extending their unbeaten league run in the process.

United, perhaps unfairly, have acquired an unenviable reputation as a long-ball team, and went some way to dispel that myth against a side viewed by many as a team who play the game ‘as it should be’. Although the ‘Total Football’ mantra will not have been invented with Reading Football Club in mind, it is nonetheless a principle that manager Brendan Rodgers steadfastly refuses to abandon.

“We looked sloppy”: Blackwell

And the script appeared to have been written for United’s travelling supporters when Reading’s new signing Matt Mills put Reading ahead. Winning only twice at Reading since 1998, some lacklustre marking from United’s defence was true to form and allowed the high-profile signing from Doncaster Rovers to ghost in unnoticed and bundle Gylfi Sigurdsson’s cross past the helpless Mark Bunn.

Stephen Quinn, on the receiving end of some rough treatment from the crowd recently, answered his critics in the best way possible by firing United level. Ched Evans, United manager Kevin Blackwell’s marquee £3m summer signing, fired the ball across the face of goal and the Irishman reacted quicker, showing admirable composure to steer the ball past Adam Federici and into the roof of the home goal.

“Once we got our goal we never looked back,” Blackwell said.

“We were a little bit sloppy at the start and that gave them a foothold.

“We wrestled that off them, though, and showed good tenacity by not feeling sorry for ourselves.”

Not content with drawing level, United pressed to forge an advantage in the game and Jamie Ward was the man who delivered – albeit with generous assistance from goalkeeper Federici. On the day his fellow Australians saw the Ashes slip away from them at The Oval, Federici suffered similar fortune when he allowed Ward’s shot to squirm through his body and into the goal.

After being teed up by Andy Taylor, Ward’s shot was straight at Federici and should have caused the goalkeeper little problems, but from there United never looked in danger of letting their fortuitous advantage slip away.

“It was one of those things that happens in this business,” Blackwell, a former goalkeeper himself, said.

Federici redeemed himself somewhat with a good stop to deny substitute Ryan France, but was powerless to stop Cotterill’s 20-yard strike in injury time which sealed the points – a goal fit to grace any fine footballing encounter.

This time joy for Ward after scoring

“Anyone who has seen us realises that we’ve got a bit of style,” Blackwell added.

“There’s no point in having pre-conceived ideas about how you must go about things. You react to circumstances and situations.

“We showed good movement of the ball and could, on another occasion, have ended up with four or five.”

United, perhaps wary of both Friday night’s Coca-Cola Championship curtain raiser against Middlesbrough and the fact Kevin Blackwell has one fit and available striker, elected to send a youthful and inexperienced XI for their traditional, annual pre-season game against local side Stocksbridge.

Was the next Kyle Naughton on display at Stocksbridge?

A year ago Naughton and Walker, who have since secured lucrative moves to the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur, would have probably been amongst these squads as they bided their time, waiting for a first team opportunity.

For both, one came along last season and for both, it was seized upon.

Naughton, without doubt the most talked-about young player outside the Premier League last season, made an impression almost instantly and, almost after making his league debut, rumours circulated about a big-money move to a Premier League.

Such was the emergence of Kyle Walker a while later, Naughton was moved to left back to accomodate his 19-year-old namesake, and both youngsters played in the biggest games of their career to date – the Coca-Cola Championship final.

However, if any Blades made the short trip to the top of the Stocksbridge hill hoping to take heart from an encouraging display from the next generation of Blades, they would have been out of luck.

The majority of the squad, mostly aged 16 and 17, were playing their fifth game in fifth days after reaching the final of the Academy Milk Cup, eventually losing out to Manchester United, and looked devoid of any fight once Stocksbridge, newly promoted to the first division of the Unibond Premier, went ahead.

Impressive: Stocksbridge’s Jamie Vardy

The impressive Jamie Vardy, who has previously attracted admiring glances from Football League clubs, won a free-kick and Mark Ward, a former United academy player, floated in a cross-cum-shot which evaded everybody and settled in the back of Billard’s net on the stroke of half time.

The interval didn’t halt the progress of the hosts, however, who attacked United’s youngsters from the first whistle and doubled their lead fifteen minutes into the second half. A dangerous corner wasn’t cleared properly and the ball fell invitingly to Brett Lovell; who made no mistake from close range.

Ward and his new striking partner, recent signing Brian Cusworth, both went close – both rattling the bar with a free-kick and a header respectively – before the former staked an early claim for goal of the season with a stunning strike from 25 yards. Ward picked up the ball midway through United’s half before unleashing a rocket into the top corner, leaving Billard no chance. The boyhood Sheffield United fan promptly sealed his hat-trick from the penalty spot, after Vardy was again fouled.

“It is a bit of a balancing act at the moment,” United coach Mark Smith admitted.

“The second years need time on the pitch, whilst the first years have just come back from the Milk Cup.

“We lacked a little bit of intensity but it is another 90 minutes under the belt.”

Blades: Billard, Brown, Roe, Wilkinson (Murray 65), Maguire, Darlow, Lammy, James, Foster (Slew 65), Williams (Gregory 65), S-Latef.

Unused: Andrew, Kennedy.

But the two will be dismayed and encouraged respectively by United’s latest comprehensive friendly victory, even with a below-par side, which meant their entire pre-season campaign had passed without defeat.

Prolific – United defender Bromby

In no small part, that encouraging statistic is down to Leigh Bromby. The talents of the versatile defender, given the unenviable task of replacing Academy protégé Kyle Naughton after his lucrative move to Tottenham, were never in doubt, but his goalscoring prowess had previously gone unnoticed before notching his third goal of the summer on 31 minutes.

Bromby, having failed to convert an earlier chance from a Ryan France cross, made no mistake this time from an Andy Taylor centre, clinically finishing past Burch on the half volley.

Ched Evans, Blackwell’s most expensive signing at United, again missed out as he battles to regain his fitness after his £3m arrival at Bramall Lane but France and Keith Treacy, who both joined the Welsh striker in South Yorkshire on Friday, both impressed with Boro manager Gareth Southgate watching.

Watching on – Boro’s Gareth Southgate

Treacy, in particular, showed glimpses of the potential which prompted Blackwell to acquire his services on a temporary basis, beating three men before unleashing a vicious low drive which went narrowly wide of Burch’s post.

Blackwell also proved that life exists after Naughton – and his new Spurs team-mate Kyle Walker – by introducing another Academy graduate, left-back Phil Roe, on 83 minutes.

With United firmly in the ascendancy, Lee Hendrie and Jamie Ward both went close before trialist Glen Little, who is expected to receive a permanent contract at Bramall Lane, dispatched a stunning 90th-minute free-kick into the top corner.

New signing Ched Evans – missing

“We played some good stuff, despite still lacking Evans and [Darius] Henderson up top,” Blackwell said.

“I was pleased with the clean sheet and once again we looked very professional.

“Overall, I think we looked pretty sharp.”

Lincoln: Burch, Hughton (Hone 46), Kovacs, Swaibu, Heath, Butcher, S Clarke (Jerome 83), J Clarke, Brown, Connor (Clucas 83), Fagan. Not used: Oakes, Hutchinson, Miller, Coleman-Carr, Musselwhite.

Blades: Bennett (Haber 77), Bromby, Morgan, Taylor (Roe 83), Kilgallon, France (Little 63), Hendrie (Quinn 60), Treacy (Reid 56), Robertson (Cotterill 68), Ward, Montgomery (Howard 60). Not used: Brown.

Sheffield United showed that there is life beyond Kyle Naughton and Kyle Walker with a comprehensive friendly victory against local rivals Chesterfield last night.

On possibly their last visit to Chesterfield’s Saltergate home, goals from Leigh Bromby and ex-Spirite Jamie Ward sealed United’s third win from three warm-up outings ahead of the season’s curtain-raiser at Middlesbrough next month.

Understandably, however, manager Kevin Blackwell’s preperations for his squad’s latest outing were complicated by the sale of Naughton and Walker, two of his best young assets, to Tottenham Hotspur in a rumoured £10m double transfer.

Naughton made an instant impact, setting up a goal as his new side went down 3-1 in a friendly last night, but Walker is expected to return to Bramall Lane on a season-long loan deal ahead of August 7th’s trip to the Riverside Stadium.

“Everyone knows I will always remain a Blade at heart,” Naughton said after securing a dream move to the capital.

“I can’t thank United fans enough for what they have done for me, and nothing would please me more than to see United reach the Premiership sooner rather than later.”

United’s preperations to achieve that goal continued in earnest at a warm Saltergate last night, in front of just under 4,000 supporters. Blackwell’s latest signing, former Tranmere left back Andy Taylor, featured at left back and Glen Little and Julian Gray, two wingers on trial at Bramall Lane, were again handed an opportunity to impress.

Former Reading and Portsmouth winger Little did exactly that, setting up Leigh Bromby’s 21st minute strike with a corner, but on the opposite flank of Saltergate’s pitch Gray struggled to make an impact on the game.

Brian Howard and Darren Currie exchanged good opportunities either side of the half time break, both saved excellently by respective goalkeepers Tommy Lee and Ian Bennett, and it was Jamie Ward who returned to Saltergate and punished his former team.

Jamie Ward: Successful return to Chesterfield

Introduced as a substitute at the expense of Billy Sharp, Ward received a generous reception from the home fans and duly had the first attempt on goal of the half, comfortably saved by Lee. It wasn’t long before Ward was causing problems for his former team mates again.

The diminutive striker chased down a long kick by Bennett, and was hauled down by home defender Danny Hall. Ward picked himself up and proceeded to tuck the 66th-minute penalty past Lee to double the visitor’s advantage.

Hall then failed to make up for his error, failing to connect cleanly with a good chance at the far post, and Ward narrowly failed to add his second goal of the game after a bright, mazy run by another new signing, Kyel Reid.

“It was a good test for us,” Blackwell told The Sheffield Star.

“Exactly what we expected and what we wanted too.

“We’re working on a couple of things and I’m pleased with how the players’ fitness is coming on.

“There were some good individual performances out there and it was a very worthwhile exercise.”

Haber completed a full 90 minutes and kept a clean sheet on his former home ground, the Hibernians Stadium, as he stakes his claim for the United goalkeeper’s jersey following Paddy Kenny’s positive drugs test.

A smart reaction save from the Maltese international denied Daniel Milovanovic an equaliser, after Brian Howard had put United ahead from the penalty spot. The Blades’ two trialists, Glen Little and Julian Gray, had differing fortunes – the former frustrated by tight defending, and the latter creating a number of great chances to extend United’s lead.

Ultimately, however, the talking point was Kyle Naughton’s impending transfer to the Premier League and as Haber celebrated his first game in a United shirt, their mercurial young defender was introduced as a 79th minute substitute for what is probably his last.

United: Haber, Brown, Morgan (Walker ht), Kilgallon (Bromby ht), Foster, Little (Cotterill ht), Montgomery (Quinn ht), Howard (Williamson ht; Naughton 79), Gray (Reid ht), Robertson, Sharp (Ward ht). Sub not used: Bennett.

Last season’s late finish to the season ensured that their holidays were cut short – something captain Chris Morgan insists could help not hinder their promotion bid this time around.

“It is always nice to come back but you know it is going to be tough,” he told the club’s official website, www.sufc.co.uk.

I think we are better off for only having a five-week break, and fitness wise we are slightly further ahead than normal – the lads look like they have never been away.

“Saying that, as long as you can get away, have a holiday and switch off for a while then – although it is a short spell – there is still plenty of time to relax and rest.

“The most important thing is to recover mentally rather than physically. The players are fit enough to keep going and going but when you have had a long hard season and played at such high intensity, with so much at stake, then it is crucial to get away from football totally.

“That means that when everybody comes back it is all systems go.”

Blackwell, who oversaw his side’s preperations for the season’s opener at Middlesborough in Malta, has already resigned himself to losing 20-year-old Kyle Naughton, who is being linked with Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa, and may yet receive offers for Kyle Walker, 18, and Matthew Kilgallon – three essential components in a defence which helped them to the Championship Play-Off Final in May.

Naughton – Destined for the top

Rumours linking academy graduates Walker and Naughton with moves away from United suggest that up to £10m could find its way into Bramall Lane coffers – but Blackwell may not be forced to spend any portion on that on a replacement if any moves do materialise.

We’re a good club and we can attract good talent,” Blackwell told The Sheffield Star.

Walker – destined to follow?

“People want to come here – I know that because I had to recharge my phone twice in one afternoon when everyone realised what had happened. All the calls were people trying to recommend someone.

“What we’ve also got to do now is unearth the next Kyle Naughton.”

After a season containing more ups and downs than the Pepsi Max Big One at Blackpool, United ultimately experienced disappointment yet again in the Coca-Cola Big One – the Championship Play-Off Final against Burley. Wade Elliot’s stunning early strike, curled high into Paddy Kenny’s top right hand corner, broke red and white hearts and condemned them to another season in English football’s second tier.

The 1-0 defeat was a bitter pill to swallow in the corridors of power of Bramall Lane for United’s moneymen, too. Next season will be the first Kevin Blackwell will work without the undoubted aid of Premier League parachute payments, and the United manager has already stated his intent to bring anything up to ten new faces to Sheffield.

Working under tight financial constraints is not an unknown situation for Blackwell, however, who was at the helm at Leeds United during their troubled times and also had a spell at cash-strapped Luton Town.

Kevin Blackwell – man at the helm.

There can be no doubt that Blackwell’s purse strings will be tightened by his chairman, Kevin McCabe, and the possible full transfer of former loanee Arturo Lupoli from Fiorentina has been thrown into doubt after United officials revealed that his asking price could be too much to lure him away from the Stadio Artemio Franchi.

Italian Lupoli made the best possible start in a United shirt, scoring on his debut against bitter rivals Wednesday, but made only one more start as Blackwell preferred to utilise his talents from the substitutes bench. His two goals showed glimpses of the potential he has, but a horrible tackle from behind born out of frustration in the Play-Off Final marred his short United career.

If he is not to return to Bramall Lane, the differentiation between his first act for Sheffield United and his last will be of a great irony to supporters.

Clearly, some reinforcements are needed in United’s striker department after loanees Craig Beattie and Lupoli returned to their respective parent clubs, and Danny Webber was released from his contract.

Blackwell is therefore left with Darius Henderson, Jamie Ward and Billy Sharp as his only senior strikers at the club. The former is liable to succumb to either injury or suspension – both seen frequently in his first season at Bramall Lane, starting just 25 times – and the latter, although proven at lower levels, are still yet to consistently prove their worth in a Premier League-chasing team.

It is therefore somewhat baffling that one of Blackwell’s main striking transfer targets appears to be Jermaine Beckford – of League One Leeds United.

Beckford did net 34 times for United’s Yorkshire rivals in their own doomed Play-Off campaign, and his self-confidence is clearly not in doubt. After being placed on the Elland Road transfer list following his excessive wage demands, Beckford insisted he will only move to a top-end Championship club if a Premier League move did not materialise. Rumours that Blackwell will offer his former club £1.5m plus Sharp refuse to go away, but exchanging one profligate lower-league Alan Shearer-cum-top-league Diego Forlan for another not proven at this level could be an expensive gamble that neither Kevin is prepared to take.

Billy Sharp: Lower league Shearer, higher level Forlan.

It is well known, however, that McCabe has issued his manager with the brief to focus his recruitment policy on youngsters that will have a high resale value, and another reported target that fits these criteria is Ched Evans of Manchester City. At the time of writing United have had a £1.5m bid rejected by the Eastlands hierarchy, who are reportedly holding out for £3m for their academy graduate.

Still only 20, Evans is a regular in John Toshack’s senior Welsh squad and, perhaps crucially, is proven at Championship level after scoring ten goals on loan at Norwich City two seasons ago. With seemingly unlimited funds at his disposal Mark Hughes, Blackwell’s counterpart at the City of Manchester Stadium, is planning a series of bids for forward targets including Carlos Tevez and Roque Santa Cruz, and Evans is expected to be surplus to requirements.

One target that is reportedly in the bag is Lee Williamson, of Watford. Although not officially confirmed by either club reports suggest that the former Rotherham United midfielder will join United for £500,000, and may yet be joined by fellow Hornet John-Joe O’Toole, who also spent the last third of the season at Bramall Lane on loan.

As far as summer transfer activity goes, however, Blackwell’s toughest task may yet prove to be staving off the vultures circling over Bramall Lane eyeing up his most precious gems. Kyle Naughton in particular is expected to be the subject of numerous top-flight interest, with clubs including Manchester United thought to be considering testing United’s resolve and Matthew Kilgallon, one of the standout performers throughout the whole season, could be tempted by a Premier League move.

Prized asset: Sheffield-born Naughton

Certainly, the talented duo will harbour international aspirations of their own and will cast envious glances in the direction of Phil Jagielka, who left United after their Premier League relegation for Everton and has never looked back. Jagielka has been one of David Moyes’ most consistent performers following his £4m move, and has since made his full England debut and after scoring the penalty to take the Toffees to Wembley, only missed his first FA Cup Final thanks to a cruel injury.

If all this speculation was not enough to cloud Blackwell’s thinking as he attempts to relax on an exotic beach somewhere, he must also contend with other clubs trying to tempt not only his players away from Bramall Lane but his staff also. Assistant manager Sam Ellis was coveted by Stoke City before turning them down to continue an established partnership with Blackwell and Gary Speed is the subject of attention from Swansea City, who want the former Wales midfielder-cum-coach as a replacement for Wigan-bound Roberto Martinez.

Whether Blackwell will be able to resist the pound signs and keep hold of his prized assets, whilst bringing in the players capable of delivering Premier League football to Bramall Lane, remains to be seen but the former Leeds chief has been in the game long enough to expect such constant speculation before the season kicks off

Lee Hendrie – charged by the FA

Hendrie, who only came on as an 85th minute substitute as United went down 1-0 to Burnley, was sent off by Dean for foul and abusive language after the final whistle after remonstrating against the official’s poor performance in the final, in which he turned down two stonewall penalty appeals for United.

And the 32-year-old former England international has now received an FA charge for improper conduct.

He was later informed that he has been placed on the Bramall Lane transfer list by manager Kevin Blackwell after failing to make an impact in South Yorkshire.

The season starts on August 8 and finishes on May 2nd. There will be no games on New Year’s Day or Eve – the FA Cup third round will take place on Saturday 2nd January.

The official United fixture list will be released on Wednesday 17th June, and the club have released a provisional schedule which is still subject to change.

CCC = Coca-Cola Championship
LC = League Cup
FA = FA Cup

Sat 8 Aug – CCC game 1
Wed 12 Aug – LC R1
Sat 15 Aug – CCC game 2
Wed 19 Aug – CCC game 3
Sat 22 Aug – CCC game 4
Wed 26 Aug – LC R2
Sat 29 Aug – CCC game 5

Sat 12 Sep – CCC game 6
Wed 16 Sep – CCC game 7
Sat 19 Sep – CCC game 8
Wed 23 Sep – LC R3
Sat 26 Sep – CCC game 9
Wed 30 Sep – CCC game 10

Sat 3 Oct – CCC game 11
Sat 17 Oct – CCC game 12
Wed 21 Oct – CCC game 13
Sat 24 Oct – CCC game 14
Wed 28 Oct – LC R4
Sat 31 Oct – CCC game 15

Wed 4 Nov – CCC game 16
Sat 7 Nov – CCC game 17
Sat 21 Nov – CCC game 18
Wed 25 Nov – CCC game 19
Sat 28 Nov – CCC game 20

Wed 2 Dec – LC R5
Sat 5 Dec – CCC game 21
Wed 9 Dec – LC R5 contingency*
Sat 12 Dec – CCC game 22
Sat 19 Dec – CCC game 23
Wed 23 Dec – LC R5 contingency**
Sat 26 Dec – CCC game 24
Mon 28 Dec – CCC game 25

Sat 2 Jan – FA R3
Wed 6 Jan – LC SF1
Sat 9 Jan – CCC game 26
Wed 13 Jan – FA R3 replay
Sat 16 Jan – CCC game 27
Wed 20 Jan – LC SF2
Sat 23 Jan – FA R4
Wed 27 Jan – CCC game 28
Sat 30 Jan – CCC game 29

Wed 3 Feb – FA R4 replay
Sat 6 Feb – CCC game 30
Wed 10 Feb – CCC game 31
Sat 13 Feb – CCC game 32 / FA R5
Sat 20 Feb – CCC game 33
Wed 24 Feb – FA R5 replay
Sat 27 Feb – CCC game 34
Sun 28th Feb – LC Final

Sat 6 Mar – CCC game 35 / FA R6
Wed 10 Mar – CCC game 36
Sat 13 Mar – CCC game 37
Wed 17 Mar – FA R6 replay
Sat 20 Mar – CCC game 38
Wed 24 Mar – CCC game 39
Sat 27th Mar – CCC game 40

Sat 3 Apr – CCC game 41
Mon 5 Apr – CCC game 42
Sat 10 Apr – CCC game 43 / FA Semi
Sat 17 Apr – CCC game 44
Sat 24th Apr – CCC game 45

Sun 2 May – CCC game 46
Sat 8 May – CCC PO Semi 1st leg
Wed 12 May – CCC PO Semi 2nd leg
Sat 15 May – FA Final
Sat 22 May – CCC PO Final / UEFA CL final
Sat 29 May – League One PO Final
Sun 20 May – League Two PO Final

Fri 11th Jun to Sun 11th July – World Cup