Sheffield United have a lot of thank you's to give to Preston North End, in the first ever Football League season - where there was only one league, the Lilywhites capped a pulsating double; winning both the league and the cup at a cantor and without losing a single fixture. There first ever professional defeat came at Aston Villa (3-5) in September 1889 but it was months earlier on the 16 March which changed football in Sheffield.
North End had, had a splendid cup run - beating off Bootle (3-0), Grimsby Town (0-2) and Birmingham St. Georges (2-0) in previous rounds before being allotted a semi-final draw on neutral ground at Bramall Lane whom (with the exception of occasional Wednesday matches) held no germinant place for a football team. They beat West Bromwich Albion by one goal to nil but the directions at the Lane where impressed by the interest football generated and acted quickly to form a Football Club - had the game taken place elsewhere then perhaps SUFC would have never existed?
The Blades and the Lilywhites have met in virtually every professional competition in existence - they have met in all top three leagues of the Football Pyramid with expectation of the old Fourth Division. The Blades were promoted (via a play-off system) to the old First Division in 1893 and played professional top flight games until 1925 during United's cup winning triumph but 'poor' Preston were to suffer the hands of relegation for the second time in their history having previously handed the same fate in 1901.
Having won promotion in 1893 the first meetings the Blades had accumulated a decent record in the league in their first season in the top flight and with 2 points awarded for a victory were second behind Aston Villa prior to their meeting with North End on 20 November with the game at Bramall Lane ending 1-1. A brief report in the Birmingham Daily Post read; 'After crossing over some exciting play was seen, and at the end of fifteen minutes the United equalised, the ball being rushed through in a scrimmage after Trainer had saved finely from Gallacher. The United attacked again, but Trainer saved cleverly from Hammond and Gallacher. With ten minutes to play Hendry, the Sheffield captain was carried off the field hurt. Each goal had narrow escapes close on time, but nothing further was scored, and the game ended in a draw of 1 goal each' It's best to note that in those days there were no substitutions so in the event of an injury (or sending off) the said team had to carry on with whatever players that were left on the field of play.
North End, who were still a dominant force to be contended with during the Victorian era won the return fixture on the final day of the season (7 April) by three goals without reply at Deepdale. A poor run during December and January had halted any chances of United winning the league at the first attempt but they managed to finish 10th (10 points above Preston) and more importently above The Wednesday. They completed the double the following season in narrow victories and United had to wait until 30 September 1895 until their first victory over the Lancastrians was achieved. Before a crowd of 5,000 at the Lane saw United see two goals dismissed prior to the break with all the goals coming in the second 45. A mistake from keeper Trainer allowed Drummond to take the lead for the Blades, Pierce levelled for Preston before Richardson found the winner - a report from this game can be seen at the image to your left.
Sheffield United had to wait until 1897/98 season before they extracted their first double over these opponents. It was a fine season to do so with the Blades winning the First Division for the first (and only) time. They won 3-1 at Deepdale in September and little over a month later won 2-1 at the Lane.
Skipping forward to the most recent seasons, our most memorable battles came in the play-off games during the 2008/09 season. Both sides had, had pretty much 'bad luck' in the play-offs but when the pair met in the Championship Play-Off Semi-Finals in May 2009 only one team had to win. The Blades had narrowly finished third in the league (behind Wolverhampton Wanderers and Birmingham City) and almost piped automatic promotion on the final day of the season.
However they had to settle for the play-offs and had drawn Preston North End but made their way through 2-1 on aggregate. The pair drew the first leg 1-1 at Deepdale, though it was the home side who stuck first; Sean St Ledger (21 minutes) was lucky not to be offside after Nick Montgomery headed back after a free-kick and the former Peterborough United defender tricked Paddy Kenny to score with ease.
United's performance in the first half was disappointing but they made up for it in the second forty-five minutes when straight from kick-off the visitors attacked straight immediately which and resulted in a goal; Darius Henderson saw his close range shot saved by the spectacular Andrew Lonergan in the Lilywhites net; the ball fell wide to Jamie Ward who lofted the ball over for Brian Howard to score on the volley - the goal was timed at 21 seconds. The performance in Lancashire was equally as good at Bramall Lane despite striker Craig Beattie hashing chances in both games, however the Blades came out victors in the Steel City when again chance after chance went begging; until the 59th minute when young Kyle Walker saw his superb cross meet the top of Greg Halford's head which flew into the top left hand corner of the goal, and in front of the Kop.
United haven't been defeat at Bramall Lane by North End since November 1978, ironically in the third Division but this fixture has become a regular occurrence since North End won promotion to the Championship in 2000 - only the Blades Premier League season of 2006/07 has separated the pair. In May 2011 the two teams battle hard against relegation but both suffered the same fate and since has become a traditional third tier fixture. During the 2011/12 campaign United completed the double; winning 4-2 at Deepdale and 2-1 at the Lane.
Last season the Blades won their match at Deepdale (on 20 October) by a single goal via Dave Kitson (42 minutes) after Tony McMahon had hit the visitors on the break with a Liverpool style 'long pass.' They crossed swords again on the final day of the season (27 April), the game resulted in a bore goalless draw with interim manager Chris Morgan fielding a less experienced side as they prepared to do battle in the Play-Offs a week later against Yeovil Town.
21 September 2013 - Sheffield United 0 Preston North End 1
Stuart Beavon's second-half goal fired Preston to a fourth straight win and piled the pressure on Sheffield United manager David Weir. Simon Grayson's side spent much of the afternoon on the back foot but returned home celebrating their first victory at Bramall Lane since 1978 following the striker's clinical 69th minute finish. The result, which was greeted with a chorus of boos by the home crowd, leaves United languishing in the League One relegation zone and Weir, a former Scotland international, potentially battling to save his job.
United, handing full debuts to new signings Marlon King and Ryan Hall, created the better chances of the first-half. Jose Baxter forced Declan Rudd to make a flying save at the near post after unleashing an angled drive while the Preston goalkeeper was called into action again soon when Tony McMahon went close from a set-piece. Febian Brandy and Matt Hill both tried their luck from long-range as United continued to press but the latter was responsible for the slip which allowed the visitors to take the lead against the run of play.
Kevin Davies, profiting from the defender's stumble, found Beavon lurking inside the area and he cut inside to beat George Long from close-range. It was tough luck on United, who had earlier seen a strong appeal for a penalty turned down when Brandy's shot appeared to be handled by Bailey Wright.