Staff Reporter.
Sheffield United were relegated to the Championship after Willian Jose’s first goal for Wolves secured victory.
But it was Wolves who edged a poor game of few chances, when they broke downfield after Enda Stevens’ shot had been blocked. Adama Traore created room close to the goalline and delivered a low cross into the six-yard box, which Jose swept home.
It broke the Brazilian’s Wolves duck in his 11th game for the club, having signed on loan from Real Sociedad in January.
The Blades tried to respond and Stevens brought an excellent save from Rui Patricio with a powerful shot from an angle.
However, there was no preventing a relegation that has seemed certain since an abysmal start to the season brought just one point from their opening 13 games.
And at the final whistle, a number of Blades players dropped to their haunches.
Sheffield United’s relegation came on the same day that Norwich’s immediate return to the Premier League was confirmed.
Interim Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom believes the club should follow the Canaries’ example and keep as much of the squad together as possible.
“It has to be the goal to come straight back,” he said.
“This incredible journey started in League One. Look at Norwich, Watford, Bournemouth, who are doing well after they got relegated last season. Keeping the group together has to be a priority.”
Heckingbottom has presided over four successive Premier League defeats since replacing Chris Wilder last month. His team have only scored once in that time.
Indeed, Sheffield United are still one goal short of matching the all-time lowest tally in an English league season – with Loughborough scoring just 18 times in the second tier in 1899-1900.
They are also still three short of matching Derby’s total of 20 goals from their 2007-08 campaign, which is the fewest in Premier League history.
On Friday, chairman Prince Musaad Bin Khalid Al Saud announced he was standing down, leaving another key role needing to be filled. The resolve of owner Prince Abdullah bin Mosa’ad bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to drive the rebuild will be tested over the coming months.