John Egan departed Sheffield United in the summer after a successful six-year spell at Bramall Lane, and it’s fair to say that Chris Wilder’s decision to sign him in 2018 proved an excellent call.
The Irishman was part of the Blades’ most successful era, helping them achieve promotion to the Premier League twice and playing in the league for three seasons, including a record ninth-place finish in 2020.
Wilder recruited the centre-back in the summer of 2018 after earning a name for himself at Championship level with Brentford, for a cost of £4.1 million, breaking the Blades’ transfer record at the time.
It was a large fee for a club that had only been promoted from League One a year before, but Wilder knew he needed to strengthen his squad if they were to progress, and it was clear that he was desperate to bring the Republic of Ireland international to Bramall Lane that summer.
John Egan was Chris Wilder’s “number one target” in the summer of 2018
After winning League One in 2017, Wilder’s side had a solid first season back in the Championship, finishing 10th, just six points behind the play-offs.
It was a campaign that established the groundwork for better things to come, but Wilder knew he needed to add Championship quality to his team if they were to challenge for promotion.
After a successful two of seasons in West London with Brentford, Wilder made signing Egan a priority, and he had been eyeing the defender all summer before the deal was completed.
When Egan’s signing was confirmed in July 2018, Wilder told Sheffield United’s website: “John has been our number one target in that position throughout the summer; it’s been going on for a while, and we’ve kept it quiet because we’ve had to. I’ve been watching him for a few seasons now, and he’s a solid defender who has done a fantastic job as Brentford’s captain.
“We see him as a leader, and he is worth the money we paid for him; in my opinion, he is a better player than a couple of those who have already left for higher salaries this summer. His championship experience, as well as his time at the top of the division, will be critical.
“He’s a great age, will develop with us and when that happens I have every confidence that he will be a regular international with the Republic of Ireland.”
Over the next six years, Egan would demonstrate why he was Wilder’s “number one target” throughout the summer of 2018, and Wilder would have been overjoyed when the transfer was done and he became one of the first names on his squad sheet.
John Egan’s signing was an excellent piece of business by Chris Wilder
Over the next six years, Egan would make 223 appearances for the Blades during one of their most successful times, contributing to his status as a cult figure at Bramall Lane.
It’s often forgotten that his move to Sheffield United in 2018 was not his first time at the club, as he had a brief loan spell from Sunderland as a youngster in 2012, but he only made one appearance, and he was a completely different player when he signed on a permanent basis.
John Egan’s senior career | Transfermarkt
Club
Season
Appearances
Sunderland
2011-14
0
Crystal Palace (Loans)
2012
2
Sheffield United (loan)
2012
1
Bradford City (Loan
2012
4
Southend United (Loan
2014
15
Gillingham
2014-16
92
Brentford
2016-18
71
Sheffield United
2018-24
223
Burnley
2024-
–
In his debut season at the club, he started 44 of 46 Championship games as they gained automatic promotion, and he went on to play regularly in the Premier League.
36 appearances followed during their amazing 2019/20 season, and if lockdown hadn’t disrupted the season, the Blades may have qualified for European football, a fantastic achievement in which Egan played a key role.
The Irishman was trusted to wear the captain’s armband at times the following season, despite the Blades finishing last and being relegated, although he improved as a result of his Premier League experience.
He started every Championship game the following season as his club advanced to the play-offs in 2022, missing only one during the 2022/23 season as he guided his side back to the Premier League, his second promotion to the top flight with the Blades.
The 2023/24 season was his penultimate with the Blades, and while they finished last in the Premier League with only 16 points, Egan can’t be blamed for much of it.
He appeared in only six league games at the start of the season before being sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a foot injury, a far from ideal way to end his stint with the club.
Egan was released in the summer, along with a number of other senior players, as Wilder sought to usher in a new era at Bramall Lane, but the Irishman will be remembered fondly by the club.
In retrospect, Wilder’s choice to make him the “number one target” in 2018 proved to be a wise one, as Egan contributed to some of Sheffield United fans’ happiest days in recent memory.
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