Blades-Mad review the so-far career of forward Rob Hulse who started his career at Crewe Alexandra before playing for West Bromwich Albion and Leeds United.
Sheffield United signed Rob Hulse from Yorkshire rivals Leeds United in July 2006 for a reported fee of £2,100,000; though the
transfer fee rising to a cool £3,000,000 should certain criteria be met.
At the time supporters felt that the fee was rather expensive for a striker who had yet to prove himself at either Elland Road nor more importantly in the FA Premier League.
Hulse started his career off at Crewe Alexandra, an unofficial feeder club for the Football League; they have (in the past) produced many of talent including Danny Murphy, Craig Hignett and most recently Dean Ashton at West Ham United and England.
He signed for his boyhood town in August 1999 though Dario Gradi didn't give him his debut until March 2000 when he appeared off the substitutes bench in a 1-0 victory over Norwich City. Three more appearances occurred that season against Port Vale, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Barnsley.
However, without a doubt his most memorable of the four fixtures would come at Oakwell on 7 May, Alexandra won 2-0 with Neil Sorvel and Hulse netting the goals.
He had a huge part the following season; playing twenty-five games and scoring eleven times; in the fixtures against Tranmere Rovers and Grimsby Town he would net a brace, the most he had scored in a professional game.
The Sun didn't shine over Gresty Road during the 2001-02 season either; sadly for the Railwaymen they were relegated on the last day of the season; with Sheffield Wednesday claiming a point with Wolves (2-2) it meant Crewe went down instead of the Owls despite a 2-0 victory over Rotherham United.
Never to be beaten Crewe, and Hulse bounced back and the striker would score his first professional hat-trick in a Football League Trophy game at Mansfield Town (4-0) in October 2002.
They won promotion at the first attempt, securing 86 points, which was enough to go up as second automatic but couldn't match the ecstatic Wigan Athletic who finished up 14 points clear whilst Hulse made his name scoring 23 goals that season.
Although they were back in the Championship, for Hulse it was time to move on. West Bromwich Albion paid £750,000 for this services. His debut came in a dire 4-1 thrashing at Walsall. the first game of the new campaign.
He soon found his feat at the Hawthorns and struck twice on his home debut in a convincing 4-0 victory over Brentford in the League Cup. Goals then flood in scoring six in six for his new club.
Hulse didn't manage to put past the Blades however, United flashed past the Baggies at the Hawthorns with a 2-0 display, Michael Tonge and Ashley Ward proving the difference as the Blades went top of the League. Hulse, due to a red card in the fixture at Burnley in January 2004 missed the Bramall Lane clash.
At the end of the season the Blades had flounder but the baggies had done enough to win promotion to the Premiership, Hulse had seen two promotions in two successive seasons.
Unfortunately for the Crewe born forward he had hit on hard times, new players where drafted in and Hulse was confined to the substitutes bench, he made seven appearances for WBA before, in February 2005 Leeds United offered him a way out. He joined the Whites initially on loan until the end of that season, and scored two individually spectacular goals on his debut against Reading.
His successful spell at Elland Road led to a £1,100,000 transfer to the West Yorkshire outfit that summer, and rewarded his new employees with 14 goals that season. He scored on day one in a 2-0 win over Wolves as well as the second at Norwich City (1-0).
On 28 September 2005 Leeds United beat Derby County 3-1 on home turf with Rob Hulse scoring a hat-trick, with former Blade Paul Peschisolido unable save the Rams blushes.
After this success came a goal drought and failed to find the net between 21 October (v Sheffield United, drew 1-1) and 31 December 2005 - a total of 13 games until he netted in a 3-0 win at Plymouth after the new year. Thankfully for United they could rely on Robbie Blake, David Healy and Richard Cresswell with Hulse failing to score.
They did enough to reach the Play-Offs, Hulse nettingin the second leg in a 2-0 win at Preston North End having drawn the home tie 1-1. The final was a disaster, losing 3-0 to Watford at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
With a long list of strikers on their books and the urgency to cut costs with no Premiership parachute payment the Whites had no choice but to sell Hulse to rivals Sheffield United along with keeper Ian Bennett whom joined on a free transfer.
Hulse made his Blades debut on the opening game against Liverpool and with five minutes gone in the second half nodded home David Unsworth's free-kick - he was denied glory when Robbie Fowler tucked home their penalty 20 minutes later.
* all information is correct up to and including 4 October 2006.
