Sheffield United hit the jackpot by signing star after Coventry City release: View | OneFootball

John Fleck became somewhat of a modern day legend at Bramall Lane after signing from Coventry City.

Coventry City have rarely got transfer decisions wrong in recent years, but failing to keep John Fleck at the club in 2016 was arguably a poor decision.

Eight years on, the Midlands club will rue not offering more money, with Fleck's subsequent career at Sheffield United proving him as one of the Championship's best midfielders.

As well as this, the former Rangers man was a firm part of the Blades side that shocked the Premier League in 2019-20 as they finished ninth place.

However, none of this would have happened if he hadn't left Coventry in 2016, and Sheffield United fans are undoubtedly grateful that he took his career into his own hands.

John Fleck's move to Sheffield United

Having made 57 appearances for his boyhood club Rangers, 2012 saw Fleck depart Ibrox in search of first-team football elsewhere. The at-the-time 20-year-old went on to sign for Coventry in League One, where he would become a firm fixture in their side.

After a slow start at his new team, the 2013-14 season saw him play regularly, and he continued to build on this in the following years.

In the 2015-16 season, Fleck truly made his mark. Over 40 league appearances for the Sky Blues, he dominated the midfield alongside his partner, Romain Vincelot.

Then-manager Tony Mowbray aptly described the Scotsman as the "oil in our machine," a testament to his crucial role in the team. By the end of the campaign, Fleck's exceptional performances earned him the club's Player of the Year Award, as voted by both the supporters and his fellow players.

This began to capture the attention of various teams, and despite Coventry offering Fleck an improved deal, he opted to join Sheffield United at the end of the season - penning a three-year contract with the club.

Fleck stars for Sheffield United

Straight into the action, Fleck hit the ground running at Bramall Lane as he helped the Blades get promoted to the Championship at the sixth time of asking.

His contributions were significant as the midfielder managed an incredible 17 assists and four goals from the base of midfield.

Of course, these numbers would drop in the tier above, but the understanding he had built with Chris Wilder meant that he continued to be a force. In his first season with the Blades in the Championship, he managed a decent haul of eight assists as they finished 10th.

This was something to build on and his partnership alongside Mark Duffy and Oliver Norwood placed them in a great position to attack the play-off picture the season after.

The Blades and Fleck quickly surpassed these expectations and just two seasons on from winning the third tier, they had secured promotion to the Premier League, pipping Leeds United to the second automatic spot.

During that season, the midfielder continued to be a concern for opposing teams at the base of that midfield. Creating 71 chances for his teammates, which eventually accumulated to ten assists across the whole season.

This success gave Fleck his first chance at top-level football and capped off a superb three years in the EFL under Wilder.

Premier League success for John Fleck

Fleck effortlessly adjusted to the Premier League, where, alongside his Sheffield United teammates, he produced a string of remarkable performances that left several of the league's biggest clubs stunned.

In Wilder's overlapping centre-back system, their first shock of the campaign came at Stamford Bridge, where they overturned a 2-0 deficit to secure a brilliant point.

As the campaign went on, the Blades continued to grow into it, and against Manchester United, Fleck stepped up to the plate. A scrappy finish from the Scotsman gave him his second Premier League goal and then a beautiful pass from Fleck to Lys Mousset doubled their lead after half-time. Unfortunately, the Red Devils found three quickfire goals but a late finish from Fleck's national compatriot Oli McBurnie saw them steal a point.

His dogged work in the midfield earned him opportunities, and this was no more evident than his crucial brace in a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa.

However, Fleck's best moment came at the Emirates with a famous equaliser taking yet more points off a "top six" club.

The following season was always going to be hard to recreate, and the other sides adapted to Wilder's unique system. This saw a huge drop-off as they ended up finishing in 20th place, accumulating just 23 points in the process.

Fleck's latter years at Bramall Lane

After relegation in 2020-21, Fleck's presence in the side somewhat diminished.

As new players arrived, he was put into more of a mentor role, with the likes of James McAtee, Sander Berge and Ben Osborn all playing more than him.

But, in 2022-23, he was once again able to secure promotion with the Blades as he played 1,109 minutes as they finished ten points behind Burnley in second place.

Rarely utilised in the Premier League last season, Fleck called time on his Sheffield United career and signed for Blackburn Rovers on a short-term deal in the January window. This meant that he left the club having contributed 16 goals and 48 assists across 278 games for the club.

A pivotal figure in their rise to the Premier League, the free signing of John Fleck from Coventry City will go down as one of the finest in the club's history.