Karma's a bitch

  • by Staff Writer
  • Saturday, 30th April 2011

Sheffield United owner Kevin McCabe has been forced to issue a grovelling apology to his club's supporters after the Blades were relegated to League One this afternoon.

McCabe, the genuis behind the extortion of some £25million from West Ham United in 2009 was one of three senior figures at the club to put their names to the statement, released immediately after today's 2-2 draw with Barnsley - a result that condemns Sheffield to the third tier of English football for the first time since the late 1980s.

The lengthy statement, posted on the club's website tonight began with an apology before New Labour's finest spindoctors were given a run for their money with talk of how relegation to England's third tier would 'be a journey for the fans, staff and players alike' and that relegation was just 'the beginning of that exciting journey' back to the Premier League - a division in which they have only featured for five seasons in the last 35 years.

"Carlsberg don't do relegations... but if they did..."
BFC Dave on barnsleyfc.org.uk tonight

The Blades' relegation was heartily cheered by supporters of today's opposition, whose Oakwell ground lies just 23 miles from Bramall Lane, home of their historically more successful neighbours.

Tensions between supporters of the two clubs hit new heights following the brutal assault by Blades captain Chris Morgan on Barnsley's Iain Hume during a league game in 2008 that left the Tykes' striker hospitalised and scarred for life.

In 2009 West Ham agreed to hand over the astonishing sum of £25million (Sheffield had sought £45million) in an out-of-court settlement after a fourth hearing, which followed three that had failed to find in the Blades' favour decided that the contribution of Carlos Tevez - who had failed to score in his first 20 outings - was somehow responsible for Sheffield United's relegation from the Premier League in 2006/07.

"We think it more likely than not on the evidence that we heard, that even over the final two games of the season, West Ham would have achieved at least three points less overall without Mr Tevez."
Lord Griffiths: September 2008

Blades fans - led by actor Sean Bean - had previously marched on London in 2007 in a 'Campaign For Fairness' after West Ham were 'only' fined (a world-record sum of) £5.5million for failing to provide sufficient documentation relating to the transfers of Carlos Tevez and compatriate Javier Mascherano.

Many West Ham supporters - not to mention football followers in general equally shocked by the decision of the 2008 Lord Griffiths-led panel - will feel that fairness has finally been delivered tonight.

Bramall Shame: fairness in football?

June 2007: Premier League investigate claims that the Blades broke rule U18 relating to third-party influence in the transfer of Steve Kabba to Watford.

September 2008: Sheffield United win millions in damages from West Ham United at the fourth attempt in the Carlos Tevez case.

November 2008: Sheffield Utd defender Chris Morgan leaves Barnsley striker Iain Hume fighting for life after a vicious on-field assault.

January 2009: Blades accused of third-party influence in the transfer of Matthew Spring from Luton to Charlton.

March 2009: Sunderland, Preston, West Bromwich Albion and Leeds United announce plans for legal action against the Blades for failing to comply with 'certain contractual conditions'.

April 2009: Barnsley FC reveal intentions to sue United for the loss of Iain Hume.

June 2009: Former Sheffield Utd boss Neil Warnock's Crystal Palace fined £20,000 and deducted one point for fielding an ineligible player.

July 2009: Blades 'keeper Paddy Kenny - who played in all three Championship play-off ties - fails a drugs test. He receives a nine-month ban, ruling him out for the season.

March 2011: Neil Warnock's latest club - QPR - are found guilty of breaking league rules regarding third-party influence: rules introduced in the wake of the Carlos Tevez case.

April 2011: Sheffield United are relegated to League One - just five seasons after being promoted to the Premier League.

* Something to say about this story? Please visit the KUMB Forum to leave a comment.



More News