The Championship is back with a bang this weekend, as Sheffield United head to Leeds United in a much-anticipated Yorkshire derby.
The two rivals have started the season in fine style, with both in the top six coming into Friday’s game, with each hoping to set the tone
with a win following the international break.
The Blades will make their first trip to Elland Road with fans inside since 2019, when they were locked in a promotion chase with their
local rivals.
Chris Basham was the match-winner that day, and his return to LS11 will have many fans reflecting on the Steel City legend’s decade-long
tenure with the club.
Chris Basham proves to be the match-winner in Leeds United, Sheffield United encounter
With the promotion race at the top of the second tier as tight as it has ever been, Sheffield United arrived to Elland Road in March 2019
on the crest of a wave, with the club feeling as good as it has in a long time.
After returning to the Championship from League One, the Blades finished in the top half of the second division the previous season and
were stepping up their attempts to return to the Premier League during the 18/19 season.
Things were also bubbling at Leeds United, as Marcelo Bielsa’s team had put themselves in the running for a return to the top division
with two months left in the season, with the battle between the two Yorkshire rivals likely to have far-reaching ramifications at the
conclusion of the season.
With the intensity apparent, neither side was willing to concede an inch, so chances were limited throughout.
After a scoreless first half, the hosts were the first to respond, with Tyler Roberts hitting a post from the edge of the penalty box, before
Basham added to Sheffield United’s legend.
With Billy Sharp plowing a furrow up top, the striker forced Liam Cooper to backpedal with 20 minutes remaining after latching onto a
flick on from strike partner David McGoldrick.
While looking for help, the frontman noticed Basham racing towards goal, who had gone unmarked in his excursion forward until Sharp
pointed him out on the edge of the penalty area.
Chris Basham’s Sheffield United League Career (FBRef)
Appearances
344
Starts
317
Minutes played
27,876
Goals
11
It just took one touch for the burly, no-nonsense Bladesman to all-but tackle the ball into the back of the net, leaving Kiko Casilla on the penalty spot with the ball sidling past him into the net.
Cue Blades devastation, as the away end at Elland Road burst into pure hysteria, with the guy who embodied the football club on the pitch
scoring one of the season’s most significant goals right in front of their eyes.
With their backs to the wall, United saw out the next 20 minutes to secure a precious victory at their rivals’ home ground, giving them the
lead moving into the final stretch of Championship games.
Chris Basham celebrates vs Leeds United 2019.
A six-point deficit at the conclusion of the season demonstrated how important the Blades icon’s strike was, and that moment on enemy
ground is only one of many reasons he is regarded as a Sheffield United legend.
Leeds United fixture will spark memories of Chris Basham’s Sheffield United tenure
Basham was one of several United veterans who left this summer, joining George Baldock and Oli Norwood.
With almost 350 appearances for the club throughout his decade-long relationship with the red side of the Steel City, no one has summed
up the Blades’ recent comeback quite like the former Blackpool player, who has left an indelible mark since his arrival in July 2014.
Nigel Clough was the man who brought him to the club while they were in the third tier, and ten years later, the defender left the
Yorkshire club after three seasons in the Premier League and three promotions.
With his dependability at the back never in doubt, the ex-Bolton Wanderers defender proved to be Chris Wilder’s trusted steed during his
first spell at the club, with a solid backline supporting all of their success as they rose through the divisions.
Chipping in with the odd goal like that against Leeds was the cherry on top for United fans, who adored the ground he trod on throughout
his time at the club.
Chris Basham, a winner, a leader, and a gentleman, will always be a United icon, and as Blades fans walk into Elland Road on Friday
night, they will be immediately brought back to one of his finest moments for the football club.
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