The Blades finished in second place with 90 points, 16 short of Champions Reading who both enjoy trips to Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford next season.
Derry: 'We're obviously as jealous as hell at Reading and Sheffield United getting the automatic promotion places, but we want to be the third team to go up out of this league.
'When you look at a play-off final, it's such an important game, not just for the players, but for the clubs because there's so much money riding on it.
'That has to go out of the window for the 90 minutes. We just have to be calm, collected and focused. It's about whoever can keep their nerve on the day.
'We know it's going to take more than your average performance to win. You have to play at a different level, and hopefully that will get you the right result.'
Derry joined the Blades from Nott's County in January 1998 for £700k and left to join Portsmouth in March 2000, between then Derry made 73 (+ 10 as sub) appearances whilst scoring once.
Leeds United however could join the Royals and the Blades in next seasons Premiership encounters but must beat Watford this afternoon at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium in order to join them, kick-off is at 3:00pm.