Sheffield United’s club history dates back to 1889 and has featured a number of highs and lows over the years. The Blades have also won the league title in each of England’s four professional divisions.
Club name
A number of members of the Sheffield United Cricket Club convened to form a football club in March 1889. Led by the president of the cricket club, Sir Charles Clegg, the group agreed to use Sheffield United as the club’s name from the start. It has since remained the same throughout their existence.
Sheffield United badge
The history of Sheffield United’s badge dates back nearly as far as the club as the Blades first used a crest during the 1891/92 season. But the club introduced the current iteration of their logo in 2016 after reverting to a previous design. It was originally used from 1977 to 1987 and from 1999 to 2014.
Sheffield United’s badge history began with a red shield featuring the club’s initials ‘SUFC’, a lion and three wheat stacks. But the Blades ditched the irregularly used design in 1952 and adopted the city’s coat of arms. They also made a slight change in 1965 with the coat of arms placed onto a red shield.
The Blades later commissioned a new club-specific badge in 1970 with the first circular design used in Sheffield United’s history. The gold and brown design featured the club’s full name and the year that the club was founded. It also included a small blue and green central crest with the bales of wheat.
But the badge only lasted until 1977 when Sheffield United first introduced their current badge. The red circular design was also the club’s first badge to include two crossed blades to denote the city’s famous production of cutlery. It also included the white rose of Yorkshire rather than bales of wheat.
Sheffield United’s badge originally remained in use until 1987 and it returned from 1999 to 2014. The club adopted a black shield with the same contents from 1987 to 1999. But they reverted to their red design until 2014 when the Blades celebrated their 125th anniversary by resurrecting their first crest.
Its 2014 design also featured ‘125 years of SUFC’ and the years of their existence before changing the golden font for white in 2015. Sheffield United would then return to their red circular badge in 2016, which is now synonymous with their modern history and has remained in use as the sign of the club.
Kit history
Sheffield United have played in red and white stripes throughout the club’s history. The Blades opted to use the colours to differentiate themselves from Sheffield Wednesday, who were formed in 1867. But the Blades actually started out by playing in a white jersey with blue shorts and socks until 1891.
It was not before 1891 that Sheffield United used the first red and white striped shirt in the club’s kit history. While they also did not adopt black shorts until 1904 but have rarely moved away from their traditional design since. The Blades have briefly had white shorts at points and used red shorts twice.
League history
Sheffield United have played in all four professional divisions of the English football league pyramid throughout the club’s history. The Blades have also won the league championship in all four divisions after completing the feat in 2016/17. They were the fourth team to win all four English league titles.
The third-tier title was the last trophy Sheffield United required to follow Burnley, Preston North End and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ successes. While the Blades followed their third-tier title by sealing promotion into the top-flight in 2018/19. But the club would return to the second-tier from 2021/22.
Sheffield United trophies
Sheffield United’s trophy cabinet features titles from throughout the club’s history with a first league honour secured in 1897/98. The Blades won their only top-flight title to date in their eighth season of organised league football. While they sealed their first domestic cup trophy with the 1898/99 FA Cup.
The earlier years in Sheffield United’s club history returned the most successful spells that the Blades have yet enjoyed. A total of four FA Cup winners’ medals feature in the club’s record books. But they have not added to their tally since 1924/25. They have also not made an FA Cup final since 1935/36.
Players and managers
A host of iconic players have graced Sheffield United’s stadium, Bramall Lane, throughout the club’s history. An array of the Blades’ best and brightest talents have also emerged from Sheffield United’s academy, including the likes of Billy Sharp and Phil Jagielka, who are heroes of the modern-day era.
Tony Currie also earned the nickname Top Cat from his time at the club having become an essential presence. While Joe Shaw retains the record for the most appearances by a Sheffield United player after playing more than 700 games. The Blades also erected a statue of him outside of their ground.
Sheffield United also built a statue outside of Bramall Lane to celebrate the impact of Derek Dooley. The former Sheffield Wednesday striker joined the Blades in an executive role and served a variety of roles, including managing director and chairman. His tenure also ended a 12-year top-flight absence.