The Prince Abdullah Years | OneFootball

In the excitement of a takeover announcement, it can be easy to forget the people involved. To focus so much on the new, we lose sight of what got us here in the first place. For Blades everywhere, today’s news is both a relief and a cause for excitement. The speculation is over and now the football can make the headlines.

Although, the takeover has brought to an end over decade of co-ownership turned ownership. An era which saw three promotions, two relegations, cup semi-finals and smashed transfer records. Today marks the end of the official affiliation between Prince Abdullah and his beloved Sheffield United.

The Start

(Photo by Chris Brunskill/Getty Images)

The year is 2013. September 2013 to be exact. Then Chairman Kevin McCabe sold a 50% stake to Prince Abdullah with the promise of investment and an immediate return to the top flight as soon as it was practicable.

When talking to club media on his arrival to the club, the Prince said: “I enjoy being here in this great stadium.

“I feel very excited I know it will be a very difficult journey to get the club where it belongs. We are willing to do anything that is necessary and hopefully not far from now we’ll have the Premier League come here.”

The Prince’s confidence at the time may have looked like the promises of any other new owner, but we would soon come to see. Through a bit of luck, a bit of strategy and the right managers he would make good on every word.

League one 2013-2017

His first month as Blades co-chairman saw the Prince already make an important decision with the board relieving David Weir of his duties as manager. This led to Prince Abdullah’s first manager appointment at the club with Nigel Clough taking on the role.

The Blades were 22nd when Clough took charge in October. He earnt 16 points from a possible 30 as the Blades went into January 2014.

In the Prince’s first window his first permanent signing for the club was Stefan Scougall. The Scottish midfielder proved to be a decent investment playing 100 games and scoring ten goals for the club across four seasons. The Blades followed up his signing with a loan deal for John Brayford, who would become a cult-hero for the Blades and permanently sign on a year later.

Between January and May 2014, Prince Abdullah’s first season at the club teased the promise of what was to come. Clough’s team made it to the FA Cup semi-finals and finished just outside of the playoffs despite having been in the relegation zone.

2014-15 was another great year for the Blades with an EFL Cup semi-final and a 5th placed finish recorded in the league. The Blades looked to be on the right track. Although, Clough was let go with the club stating, “A change in direction was necessary for the upcoming season.”

A rare step in the wrong direction

For the first time during the Prince’s involvement with Sheffield United the club took a backwards step in 2015-16. There was no impressive cup-run and the 11th-place league finish was the club’s lowest since 1983.

The only shining light from the season under Nigel Adkins was the return of Billy Sharp. One of the Blades’ own, Sharp would become a club legend during the Prince’s era.

Time for promotion

After the disappointment of Adkins, the Prince and McCabe made possibly, whether knowingly at the time, the greatest appointment of a Sheffield United manager in the club’s history.

Chris Wilder entered the club as another boyhood Blade and got to work creating a team that would win League One as Centurions.

Whilst, the season is known for the big points haul and the effective use of defenders to add to attacking overloads. The recruitment of 2016-17 should not be forgotten. Whilst, Billy Sharp and Chris Basham had arrived earlier. Jack O’ Connell and John Fleck arrived during the Summer Window. The four players would become the integral spine of both Wilder and the Prince’s ride to the Premier League.

By the summer of 2017, Prince Abdullah had completed step one of his plan. He had helped the Blades out of League One. With just one more promotion to go.

Championship 2017-2019

With the spine built in Wilder’s first season in League One. He was supported by the board in continuing to build his jigsaw puzzle. The Summer of 2017 introduced United fans to the next special pieces of the Prince’s promotion mission.

The most crucial of these were left wing-back, Enda Stevens and right-wing back George Baldock. Stevens signed on a free whilst Baldock joined on an undisclosed fee from MK Dons. The two would be irreplaceably brilliant together out wide during their time at the club. They gathered over 400 combined appearances with both embodying what it means to play for the Blades.

The first season in the Championship saw the Blades surprise a few winning the Steel City Derby at Hillsborough and getting a top half-finish.

Promotion to the Premier League

The work of the first two seasons under Chris Wilder paid off in 2018-19. Four of the infamous defence had already been signed when future captain John Egan arrived from Brentford for a club-record fee. Egan alongside fellow 2018 summer signings Dean Henderson and Oliver Norwood gave the Blades a central backbone for the left and right side of the Blades defence to have attacking freedom.

With the defence and midfield now built, the Blades’ attack was also took care of in the 2018 Summer Window. David McGoldrick arrived to strike up a perfect promotion-winning partnership with Billy Sharp.

With the Blades in a fairly strong position by the middle of the season, much like this season, reinforcements were brought in. With Gary Madine and Scott Hogan getting the Blades over the line with their contributions upfront.

The results of these signings and the trust in Chris Wilder saw Prince Abdullah return on his promise of bringing the Premier League to Bramall Lane.

First season in the Premier League

The Blades 2019 Summer Window was the last shared between Prince Abdullah and Kevin McCabe. The profitable rewards of Premier League promotion saw the Blades break the club’s transfer record multiple times. The strikers Callum Robinson, Lys Mousset and Oli McBurnie each beating the last to break the Blades’ highest fee paid.

The club’s return to the Premier League also showcased the impressive journey the Prince had took the club on. From the lowest league finish since 1983 in 2016 to ninth in the Premier League in 2020. Not to mention being on the cusp of European football.

Prince Abdullah’s full ownership

Despite the success onfield, behind the scenes the co-owners’ relationship had reportedly broken down leading to a court case.

In September 2019, the High Court ruled that Kevin McCabe must sell his share of the club to Prince Abdullah. After being refused an appeal it was announced that McCabe would be forced to sell his shares to the Prince in January 2020.

With the Prince gaining full control of the Blades. By the end of January 2020, the club would sign Sander Berge, again breaking the club’s record transfer signing.

2020-May 2024

Relegation from the Premier League

2020-2021 was not ideal. The hangover from football’s return after the pandemic and second-season syndrome hit the Blades hard. In terms of signings, the Prince would break the club’s record signing for promising young striker, Rhian Brewster. As well as bringing Aaron Ramsdale back to the club to replace Dean Henderson.

Neither of the big signings nor the returning squad were enough to save the Blades from dropping back into the Championship with just 23 points to their name. It would also be the season where the Prince split from Chris Wilder.

Heckingbottom’s reincarnated Blades

After the confusion of Slavisa Jokanovic’s appointment, the Prince reached out to a manager he could trust. Paul Heckingbottom who had been interim manager after Wilder’s sacking and the U21s manager came to turn the Blades around.

After the riches of the last two seasons, Heckingbottom took a more shoestring approach. He got the best out of Jokanovic’s loans and signed Adam Davies for a few hundred thousand pounds. His low-cost approach worked a treat as he took the Blades from mid-table to narrowly missing out on promotion through the playoffs.

Off the pitch, rumours of a takeover had began to circulate in April 2022 with Henry Mauriss reportedly having a bid accepted for the club. With his takeover bid eventually not working out.

2022-2023 saw the Blades improve further under Heckingbottom as smart loan signings and a decent outlay for Anel Ahmedhodzic added to the existing squad’s momentum. The Blades spent most of the season confidently heading towards automatic promotion.

By April 2023, the Prince had done it again returning the Blades back to the Premier League for a second time. Arguably, a more impressive feat given a tide had to be turned instead of just forward momentum. Both he and Heckingbottom had managed a time of uncertainty to return the club to the top flight.

The End of Heckingbottom and Wilder’s return

The summer of 2023 was perhaps the first telling sign that Prince Abdullah had taken the Blades as far as he could. After ten years of investment both financially and emotionally, his Blades faced a transfer window that left many feeling defeated before the season had started.

Whilst, money was spent, in context with the sales of Berge and Ndiaye, the window was approached conservatively. Gustavo Hamer and Vinicius Souza were the most expensive signings but their cost was basically covered by the previously mentioned departures.

The blockbuster fee for Cameron Archer was fairly low risk given he returned to Aston Villa at the end of the season after a permanent deal which equated to a complicated loan. Although, the ambition to bring in a player of his potential on a low budget deserves credit for creativity.

By December 2023, with the Blades firmly bottom of the Premier League, the Prince let Heckingbottom go. His ability to put the past behind him was commendable as he brought Chris Wilder back into the club. Whilst, the Premier League was basically a write-off. The Prince had set the Blades up for this season in the Championship.

Last few months in charge

If there was ever any doubts about whether or not the Prince cared for his club. This season’s summer transfer window hopefully dispelled them. Many owners might have looked at the interest from the now new owners of the club and rested on their laurels. But, the Prince backed Wilder to complete a wholesale rebuild of the squad, a decision that has paid off both financially and in the league.

Getting the Blades to the top of the Championship. The Prince and his team gave Wilder the funds to sign three permanent players for a fee. All three have become crucial players this season with Michael Cooper proving to be the best Championship keeper and Harrison Burrows proving an endless chance creator. Whilst, Kieffer Moore has scored five goals so far this season stepping up in Campbell’s absence.

Speaking of Campbell, the Blades have brought in plenty of Wilder’s bread and butter. Loanees and free agents. Whilst, you could say this showcases Wilder’s wheeling and dealing. You have to remember, the Prince didn’t have to bring him back. If tight funds were expected, the Prince had appointed the perfect manager to tempt free agents to the club. With many of this season’s signings stating Wilder as a key reason for them choosing the Blades.

Ultimately, the Prince has allowed Wilder to create the perfect summer transfer window to perform in the league this season. Plus, allowing the Blades to be ready for reinforcements in January under the new owners. The Prince has left the Blades perfectly placed to deliver another promotion with his ownership of the club all over it.

Takeaways

Ultimately, the Prince’s eleven years at the club have seen more ups than downs. Whilst, recent years may have seen the upward trajectory falter, the average suggests he’s left the club. As a top Championship side with the potential to be a Premier League club.

Whilst, credit has to go to Wilder and Heckingbottom for keeping the Blades ticking, without the Prince there’s every chance the club could still be in League One losing another play-off semi-final to Swindon Town.

The only way to conclude this, is to thank the Prince as well as his team including for their determination to get the club where it is now. A club potentially heading back to the Premier League with hungry new owners who will hopefully carry on the Prince’s 2013 vision.