'Starman' playing his part in Blades promotion push

The 12th man usually refers to a club's supporters.

The passion from the stands, the noise, the energy to give the players that extra boost to get them over the line.

The Sheffield United supporters will indeed need to be the 12th man at Wembley in the Championship play-off final, but the players already have a 12th man on their side.

In fact, his presence has been felt since 9 October last year.

The death of multi-promotion-winning Greece international George Baldock sent shockwaves not just through the red and white half of Sheffield, but the wider world of football.

George's seven-year stay at Bramall Lane ended just a few months earlier, when the 31-year-old started an exciting new adventure at Greek giants Panathinaikos.

The young father made just four appearances for the 20-time Greek champions before being found dead in the swimming pool of his house in Athens.

George was a hugely popular player and person at Sheffield United with teammates, staff and supporters alike.

It's no surprise the Blades first two league defeats of the season were at Leeds and Middlesbrough in the first two games after news broke of his passing.

There were many tributes at both those games, and the tributes have continued throughout the season.

Chris Wilder held George's number 2 shirt aloft in front of the away end at Hillsborough after the Blades completed a league double against city rivals Sheffield Wednesday.

There was an emotional pause after two minutes in long-time teammate Chris Basham's testimonial game.

Then during the second half of United's play-off semi-final second-leg victory against Bristol City, there were multiple, spine-tingling renditions of George's 'Starman' song, with every single Blades supporter standing and singing at the top of their voices.

There are many reasons to believe that this is going to be the year that Sheffield United finally end their wait for play-off success.

The Blades finished third in the Championship, by some distance. It's their tenth play-off campaign, and it's 100 years since they last won at Wembley. It's also Wilder's first play-off campaign with his boyhood Blades and he's already a play-off winner with Oxford United.

There are stories everywhere in football, and everyone involved in the Championship play-off final will have their own heartfelt story involving their family, friends and/or individual circumstances.

But it just feels like Starman George Baldock is set to inspire Sheffield United to earn their place back among the Premier League's stars.