'Luton feels like last-chance saloon'

Rob Staton, BBC Radio Sheffield

Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder was defiant in saying the season was not over after the 5-0 defeat to Aston Villa but the general mood this week has been one suggesting that is exactly how the fans feel.

I was driving back from a different game on Saturday and pulling into the radio station, which is down the road from Bramall Lane. You could see fans walking home as the second half got underway. That is not a surprise when you are 4-0 down.

The truth is that it has been a miserable campaign so far. Embarrassing defeats to Villa, Burnley and Newcastle and not being able to win the vital games which were there to be had. Burnley are in the same boat and, while Luton are putting up a great fight, all three promoted sides may go down.

It has created the feeling somewhat of whether going up is all it is cracked up to be. If you do not have the financial clout to compete, are you just making up the numbers? There to suffer the occasional hammering, with promotion the peak of anything you can achieve?

Saturday's game at Luton feels almost like last-chance saloon. If the Blades are going to pull off the great escape, they have to win. Even then, people are already turning their attention to what went wrong, namely a summer that did not set the club up to succeed in the toughest division in world football.