March 4 2010

Crystal Palace

As Neil Warnock passed into Palace history this week, he has casted a long shadow over this fixture in the last 10 years, writes Simon Pophale.

Despite managing both clubs, probably the most “professional” Yorkshireman on the football circuit, Warnock often spouted his love for the Blades (even in our match programmes) after he left the club following Premiership relegation.

Time will tell about the mark we have left upon him, but the mark he has left on fixtures between the two sides, is the focus on this weeks “All in the Past”.

In 1999/2000 we were on the brink of going belly up so that we managed a 1-1 draw was probably indicative of the problems that we engulfing us at the time and United were not much better, as both clubs finished the season on identical points.

However, it would be Warnock who would be smiling as we met again in September 2000. A 1-0 defeat for us would set the tone for this decade, as we struggled against the Bramall Lane outfit.

Despite a managerial change for the 2001/02 season, it was a case of the same old, same old when Warnock came to town. A Michael Brown goal did for us on that occasion, with Warnock again grinning like a Cheshire cat with all three points.

As dull as the match in 2001/02 was, the following season saw a four goal cracker and the start of some more exciting matches against our Yorkshire counterparts.

Following two hotly contested matches that season, both going in United’s favour, we had a number of reasons to be wishing revenge on our opponents, but despite goals from Dele Adebola and Noel Whelan, it was the return of Palace old-boy Steve Kabba that did the damage, scoring late on after a Popovic own goal had given United an equaliser at 1-1.

Neil becomes Colin

With a new manager in Steve Kember (our 5th since 2000), 2003/04 saw him crossed swords and also mix it up with our future boss. Warnock however put the skids under our unbeaten start to the season as his Sheffield United team won 2-1 on a balmy midweek August evening, but the temperature was to go up a few notches in the post match analysis.

Warnock employed a lot of dirty tactics in the game, a fact which saw his team reduced to 10 men and also the constant delaying over set plays, the haranguing of the referee by his players, all contributed to the game, being an incidental fact rather than the main event. Jamesey called it “a disgraceful and inept performance from an extremely bad official” which about summed it up.

Yet, more was to follow from the managers: Kember said: "He was giving it the old Big Time Charlie. He can't help being a prat. He didn't want to shake hands. They were under orders. They kept slowing the game down by throwing balls onto the pitch. It certainly leaves a bit of a bad taste. And Warnock wonders why people don't like him?"

Warnock retorted: "I was just punching the air after we had won. There is something wrong with you if you don't celebrate a win like that."

Not forgetting that there was a match being played, goals from Peter Ndlovu and Wayne Allison saw United home, while Andy Johnson scored a penalty as United were reduced to 10 men and had no recognised goalkeeper on the pitch.

Colin returns

In 2005/06, with both clubs harbouring promotion aspirations, it was two goals from ex-Palace players and one soon to be one that did for us in November 2005.

Goals from Steven Kabba, Paul Ifill and Neil Shipperley saw United take all three points in a 3-2 win, with Freedman providing the riposte with two goals, which saw Warnock leave Selhurst Park with the three points again. United were top but stuttered to promotion as runners-up, while we had the lottery of the play-offs to deal with.

Neil not Colin

With Warnock taking over on October 11th 2007, he missed the game against United by a few weeks, so it would be until May 2009 before his beloved Blades would come to Selhurst Park under his tenure.

Despite the game ending 0-0, the match did not cost United anything as other results ensured that they were in the play-offs at the final whistle. Warnock’s decision to play Rui Fonte did cost us the point that was earned against the Blades, as he appeared a day after his loan expired with us.

It may have been an oversight, but in his only home match against Sheffield United, Warnock ensured that we still got nothing.

It is time to move on with the new Paul Hart era – it is time to cheer him and the return of Dougie and Pembo.