'No doubt Basham's place in Sheffield United's modern history is secure'

Rob Staton, BBC Radio Sheffield

I remember interviewing Chris Basham when he first arrived at Sheffield United. It was 2014, Nigel Clough was manager and in a change of scenery the press gathering took place at the Legends of the Lane. It was an impressive signing at the time and Basham spoke really well. A genuinely nice bloke who made a great first impression.

It’s testament to the man that a Basham interview in 2023 would be no different. The success he’s had at United — well earned, by the way, given the difficult times he and others initially experienced — hasn’t changed him. He comes across as one of the most grounded people you will meet in the game.

He’s an extremely likeable player. The fact he’s become a figurehead for United’s success over the years is well deserved, as is the brilliant 'Basham-bauer' nickname some fans have adopted.

It was upsetting to everyone to see the injury he suffered at Fulham. We’ve had fans from all of our local clubs ringing in to pass on their best wishes. That speaks volumes when fans are willing to cross the Sheffield divide and come together.

It’ll be a long recovery, but whatever happens next there’s no doubt that Basham’s place in Sheffield United’s modern history is secure.

His injury though, paired with bad news for John Egan and Tom Davies, illustrates how stretched the Blades are again. It’s getting to the point where you start to wonder if there’s anything they can do in what is becoming an increasingly challenging Premier League return.

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