"The main gripe" - Sheffield United urged to make one vital change to Bramall Lane | OneFootball

The Blades boast one of the most iconic grounds in the country, but it does have one defining flaw.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Bramall Lane is one of the most iconic and easily recognisable stadiums in all the EFL.

With its old school feel and electric atmosphere, it's a must for any avid groundhopper this season as Sheffield United look to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking following a bitterly disappointing 2023/24 campaign.

In 2017, planning permission was requested to add a further 5,400 seats to the club's South Stand, but plans have been put on hold, and with the Blades' ownership situation still without resolution, it seems unlikely that any such developments will take place soon.

While any major upgrades are seemingly on hold for the time being, supporters will still be hoping for further upgrades to what is an aging stadium, and bring it closer to those seen in the Premier League week-in-week-out.

Verdict made on potential Bramall Lane improvements

While the on-field situation is potentially the most significant factor in the minds of fans, there will be sections of the Bramall Lane faithful that will want to see changes made to the stadium as a priority.

With a capacity of 32,050, it is one of the largest stadiums in the Championship, but for some spectators, their view is severely hampered on a matchday.

Football League World asked their Sheffield United Fan Pundit, Jimmy from Blades Ramble, for what he believes should be improved at his team's home ground, and he noted the visibility issues in The Kop.

He told FLW: "A bugbear of a lot of the fans about Bramall Lane is, as we've been promoted, we've made the necessary upgrades to the stadium. So, whilst it's nowhere near Tottenham Hotspur’s Stadium, it's certainly not as bad as somewhere like Hillsborough.

"The main gripe that a lot of our fans have, particularly those that sit there, are the pillars in The Kop and that's something that the club has flirted with removing when the finance is available and that would be the main aim I think, going forward."

Jimmy continued: "I don't think it's necessarily a capacity increase or anything like that at the moment that we need, I think removing the pillars from The Kop to improve the visuals for those fans would be the priority for some of the Blades out there."

Attendance figures mean that Bramall Lane should not be expanded for now

While the fanbase is an extremely boisterous one, currently they are averaging nearly 3,000 empty seats per game in the Championship - 10% of the stadium.

In their sole night match the figure seem to be especially down, with just 25,112 making their way to Bramall Lane for Sheffield United's 1-0 win over Swansea City at the start of October.

If away fans do not travel in numbers, then it has a huge knock-on effect on the rest of the attendance, as the Blades' away end does not easily allow home supporters to take up any empty blocks.

Having a significant period in the Premier League will change that situation, and could lead to a higher capacity at Bramall Lane. But for now, more should be done to make the matchday experience for those in The Kop much better, which will only help create a better atmosphere across the whole stadium.