For Sheffield United fans, this Euros has been about the call-up of Aaron Ramsdale to the England squad, as well as the inclusion of four Shirecliffe academy graduates in the Three Lions set-up.
Ramsdale has recently joined Dom Calvert-Lewin, Kyle Walker, and Harry Maguire in the squad. All four are products of the Blades academy. And all four will – no doubt – always hold a special place in supporters’ hearts.
Elsewhere in the tournament, other current and former Blades are competing. Scotland have Che Adams and John Fleck in the ranks. While with Wales, Ethan Ampadu and David Brooks join current Blades left-back Rhys Norrington-Davies.
Certainly, then, it’s quite the tournament for United and something the club can be proud of.
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But there’s another who the club will also be proud of thus far. And that comes in the form of stand-in Wales manager, Robert Page.
Page, a former Blade, is currently in charge while Ryan Giggs deals with off-field issues. But while Giggs is often lauded as Wales’ greatest ever player, it is Page who is threatening to take the headlines.
Robert Page at Sheffield United
After playing over 200 games for Watford, Page signed for United at the beginning of the 2001/02 season. The Blades paid around £350k for his services at the time, on the back of an initial short loan spell.
Page went on to make over 100 appearances in red and white, with Page’s second season with the club being the most memorable.
The no-nonsense defender played nearly every game in the famed ‘Triple Assault’ campaign. Page skippered the Blades to a play-off final, and two domestic cup semi-finals. Indeed, it took a David Seaman wonder save to ensure United didn’t reach the FA Cup final that year.
In the play-off final against Wolves, Page saw United 3-0 down at half-time but he actually spurned a golden chance to get the Blades back into the game, firing over from close range.
Page departed Bramall Lane in the summer of 2004. He moved to Cardiff, before seeing his career out with Coventry, Huddersfield, and finally, Chesterfield.
Robert Page has enjoyed quite the rise since then, and like most Sheffield United fans I’m sure, we all wish him well with Wales in the coming weeks.
