Sheffield United head to Wembley for their Championship play-off final against Sunderland determined to shed their unwanted label as the EFL’s perennial nearly men.
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The Blades have the unenviable record of losing all nine of their previous play-off campaigns - a streak that spans both League One and the Championship - making them statistically the least successful team in EFL play-off history.
Only Huddersfield Town, Brentford, and Preston North End have racked up more EFL play-off appearances (10 each), and all three of those teams have at least one promotion to show for their efforts. United, on the other hand, have reached four finals - and lost every single one without finding the back of the net.
Prior to their semi-final success over Bristol City, Blades manager Chris Wilder insisted his side is not weighed down by history as they look to finally break the cycle, but speaking on the eve of the clash with the Black Cats, goalkeeper Michael Cooper acknowledged that the play-off final is no ordinary game.
"I think it would be silly to say this is just another game, because it's not," said Cooper.
"There'll be probably double the amount of people that we've played in front of all season there, and there's VAR and all that sort of stuff. And there is something big on the line.
“But, equally, once kick-off's done and the whistle's blown, it's effectively another game of football that you've prepared throughout the week for."
Sheffield United's record in play-offs (all-time):
| Season | Tier | Stage | Lost versus |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987-88 | 3 | SF | Bristol City |
| 1996-97 | 2 | F | Crystal Palace |
| 1997-98 | 2 | SF | Sunderland |
| 2002-03 | 2 | F | Wolves |
| 2008-09 | 2 | F | Burnley |
| 2011-12 | 3 | F | Huddersfield |
| 2012-13 | 3 | SF | Yeovil |
| 2014/15 | 3 | SF | Swindon |
| 2021-22 | 2 | SF | Nottingham Forest |
