Meet the opposition | Sheffield United
As Swansea City get set to take on Sheffield United at the Swansea.com Stadium, we take a closer look at the Blades.
What’s their story?
A side steeped in history, Sheffield United were crowned champions of the Football League in 1899, and have won the FA Cup on four occasions - in 1899, 1902, 1915, and 1925.
After over a decade of top-flight football, they were relegated to the Championship in 2004, once again in 2007, and spent six seasons in League One before finally tasting Premier League football again in 2019.
They finished ninth in their first season back, but their second campaign ended with them finishing bottom and returning to the second tier.
They missed out on an immediate top-flight return after losing out to Nottingham Forest in the play-off semi-finals, but returned for the 2023-24 season before again being relegated back to the Championship.
The Blades were beaten play-off finalists last term, losing to Sunderland at Wembley.
How’s their form?
The Blades opened their league campaign with a 4-1 defeat at home to Bristol City, and were beaten 2-1 at Birmingham City in the Carabao Cup in midweek.
Who’s the gaffer?
Ruben Selles. The Spaniard joined the Blades in the summer following Chris Wilder's departure, having kept Hull City in the Championship during a six-month stint at the helm of the Tigers last term.
Selles ended his playing career at a young age to purse a career in coaching, and he had achieved his Uefa ‘Pro’ Licence by the age of 25.
Born in Valencia, he started coaching the youth team at Parreta before moving to Valencia University, where he led them to promotion to the top-flight of regional competition.
He travelled nomadically in the years that followed, holding different roles with Aris Thessaloniki, Villarreal youth, Shinnik Yaroslavl, Asteras Tripolis, Gandia, Neftci, Stromgodset, Qarabag and Aarhaus.
He briefly returned to his hometown to work in the Valencia youth set-up, before again heading to Denmark to be assistant manager at Copenhagen.
From there, in 2022, he made the move to English football to be Ralph Hassenhuttl’s assistant at Southampton.
When the German, and then Nathan Jones, were dismissed from the top job he was handed the task of taking the reins but could not prevent Saints suffering relegation.
A switch to financially-stricken Reading followed and, amidst off-field turbulence and with a young squad, he managed to guide them to League One safety with something to spare.
He remained with the Royals at the start of this season, but stepped up to the Championship after the Tigers came calling ahead of his summer switch to Bramall Lane.
Who’s the captain?
Experienced defender Jack Robinson started his career at Liverpool and made his senior debut at the age of 16, which made him the youngest player to have played in a first-team match for the club.
He enjoyed spells on loan with Wolves and Blackpool before joining QPR on a permanent deal and being loaned to Huddersfield Town on the same day, going on to make the left-back position his own for the Terriers.
The 2017-18 season saw Robinson cement his place in the QPR first team where he played out of position at centre-half.
Following 18 months at Nottingham Forest, Robinson made the switch to Bramall Lane in January 2020.
Robinson helped United win promotion to the Premier League at the end of the 2022-23 season and ended the 2023-24 season as skipper. Despite the Blades' troubles that season, Robinson came out of the campaign with plenty of credit for his steely displays, bagging a couple of Player of the Year awards in the process.
He remains club captain, but has been heavily linked with a move away from the club this summer, and was on the bench for their league opener.
Who are the key men?
Brazilian-born midfielder Gustavo Hamer - who had the captain's armband last weekend - began his career at Feyenoord after moving to the Netherlands as a child.
Following a season-long loan at Eerste Divisie club Dordrecht, Hamer joined PEC Zwolle in the Eredivisie on a permanent contract.
A move to Coventry City followed where he scored 17 goals in 123 appearances across three seasons. He netted the winning goal in the second leg of the Sky Blues' Championship play-off semi-final against Middlesbrough, whilst he also found the net in the final against Luton at Wembley.
The Netherlands youth international signed a four-year deal with the Blades in August 2023 and impressed during his first season at Bramall Lane despite the club's relegation from the Premier League.
He continued to be an influential figure on their route to the play-off final last season.
Goalkeeper Michael Cooper was a summer recruit from Plymouth Argyle in 2024, and he enjoyed an outstanding first season in red and white.
Cooper kept 23 clean sheets from 46 appearances, and had a save percentage of nearly 80 percent.
Born in Exeter, Cooper joined Plymouth at the age of nine and went on to make his senior debut in 2017.
He made over 170 appearances for the Pilgrims, helping them secure promotion to the Championship and then avoid relegation before making his move to Bramall Lane.
Striker Tyrese Campbell netted 11 league goals for the Blades last season in his first campaign in south Yorkshire.
The son of Arsenal and Everton great Kevin, Campbell came through the youth ranks with Manchester City and Stoke City and made his senior debut for the Potters in a Premier League draw with Leicester City in 2018.
He went on to spend six years in the Potteries, but was hindered by a knee injury which limited his involvement over a couple of seasons.
He made the move to Bramall Lane as a free agent, and scored some vital goals to help United get to Wembley. Campbell scored in the final itself, only to see two late Sunderland goals dash the Blades promotion hopes.